The world's first 300-MW expander of advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system in China completed integration testing on August 1. The system meets all the requirements with the advantages such as exceptional integration, high efficiency, rapid start-stop capabilities, extended operational lifespan and simplified maintenance. This expander is independently developed by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics (IET) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and ZHONG-CHU-GUO-NENG (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Energy storage technology serves as the key supporting technology for energy revolution. CAES has distinct merits such as large-scale, cost-effectiveness, high efficiency and eco-friendliness. The development of expanders emerges with technical challenges such as substantial loads and copious flow rates. IET has resolved key technical problems and developed world's first multi-stage high-load 300-MW expander of advanced CAES system with complete independent intellectual property rights.
The scale-enlargement of CAES systems constitutes an important way to reduce cost, improve efficiency and enhance market competitiveness. Compared with the 100-MW advanced CAES system, the 300-MW system will achieve a threefold amplification in scale, a reduction of 20%-30% in unit cost and an enhancement of 3-5% in overall efficiency. The development of the 300-MW compressed air expander stands as a milestone in the field of compressed air energy storage in China.
IET has built a R&D system through 19 years of efforts, and has made breakthroughs in comprehensive system design and control in all operational conditions, multi-stage high-load compressors and expanders, highly efficient supercritical heat storage and transfer, etc. It has developed the world's first advanced CAES systems such as the 1.5-MW model in 2013, the 10-MW model in 2016, and the 100-MW model in 2021.
The world's first 300-MW advanced CAES system expander (Image by IET)
