Engineering Energy Storage

Odne Stokke Burheim

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9780128141014
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Power Resources
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Engineering Energy Storage explains the engineering concepts of different relevant energy technologies in a coherent manner, assessing underlying numerical material to evaluate energy, power, volume, weight and cost of new and existing energy storage systems. With numerical examples and problems with solutions, this fundamental reference on engineering principles gives guidance on energy storage devices, setting up energy system plans for smart grids. Designed for those in traditional fields of science and professional engineers in applied industries with projects related to energy and engineering, this book is an ideal resource on the topic.

• Contains chapter based numerical examples, with applied industry problems and solutions
• Assesses underlying numerical material for evaluating energy, power, volume, weight and cost of new and existing energy storage systems
• Offers a cross-disciplinary look across electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering aspects of energy storage

Chapter 1

Energy Storage

Abstract

Energy functionality requires energy in the right form, at the right place, and at the right time. Facilitating this requires energy storage. Energy storage is something humans have done throughout thousands of years. We distinguish between energy, as the amount of energy at reach, and the power, as the energy conversion rate. Currently, energy and power production methods are changing from mainly fossil energy to more renewable energy, and the energy pattern is currently being transformed and revolutionized. This chapter describes some of the enormous changes currently taking place in our energy economy, supplying energy and power from a renewable energy mix, and some principles of energy and power storage and distribution.

Keywords

Energy; Power; Storage needs; Efficiency; Renewable energy; Ragone chart; Transportation needs; Infrastructure needs

Energy in the right form, at the right place, and at the right time is the key essence here. Energy drives our economy and is founded on engineering these three aspects. Thus, when installing more electric renewable energy, energy storage technologies that conserve this energy into an adequate form with adequate distribution properties for use whenever needed is what it is all about.

There are many different energy storage technologies that in their own different ways facilitate the trinity of properties: formate, distribution, and timing. As a part of the transition to a renewable energy economy, a great variety of energy storage technologies must be taken into use. This book explains the theory behind the different technologies and why this gives the different technologies different advantages and markets.

As a renewable energy-based economy is inevitable, engineering energy storage is inevitably needed too. This is now.

1.1 A Brief History of Energy

All animals look for energy that they eat. This energy is stored either in vegetables nearby or in animals that live nearby the predators. Almost all of this energy comes from sunlight, that is, in combination with water and chlorophyll, converted to hydrogen via the photosynthesis. In turn, when combined with CO₂, hydrocarbons of various kinds are produced to store this energy. In this sense, carbon is a hydrogen carrier, and hydrogen is an energy carrier.

An important part of the evolution of not only homo sapiens but of our entire society is our ability to stack up energy for later. Storing food is a first example of energy storage, but the humans are not alone in this context. Several animals store food for later. The other very important development in the history of humans was the ability to make and control fire. This is the first example of controlled energy conversion that we know about in nature. It was important for human evolution since it allowed us to digest meat much more efficiently and grow larger brains and next start with houses and agriculture. One key element here is storing energy in the form of food and dry wood. These two forms of energy are chemical energy. Whereas the first was used for nutrition, the latter was used for heat generation, both whenever needed. The advantage of chemical energy is that it is extremely easy to store. ...