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Gas transport characteristics and airtightness evaluation of lined rock cavern for compressed air energy storages (CAES)

Author

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  • Mi, Xianzhen
  • Hu, Bowen
  • Yu, Liyuan
  • Su, Haijian
  • Shi, Meixia
  • Li, Yifa

Abstract

The airtightness of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in lined caverns remains a significant challenge. In this study, a thermal-fluid-solid coupling model considering the fractal structure of lining layer and surrounding rock and the flow characteristics of small molecules is developed. The model is validated against available data and used to analyze the air migration during injection and production and the influence of key parameters on air leakage. The simulation results show that with successive operation cycles, the maximum temperature of the cavern in each cycle gradually increases, while the maximum pressure gradually decreases, and the air leakage range expands. After 90 days, the leakage range extends to 22.3 m. Additionally, an increase in pore diameter fractal dimension Dλ leads to a higher daily air leakage percentage (DALP), which is 4.5 % greater for Dλ = 1.8 compared to Dλ = 1.2. Conversely, an increase in the tortuosity fractal dimension Dt reduces DALP. The greater the air injection speed, the greater the leakage of the cavern. When the injection speed is 300 kg/s, the maximum temperature difference in a cycle reaches 71.41 °C. However, when the maximum operating pressure is close (less than 2 %), different operating modes in a cycle have little effect on the daily air leakage mass percentage of the cavern. The research results have certain guiding significance for CAES cavern site selection and air tightness evaluation.

Suggested Citation

  • Mi, Xianzhen & Hu, Bowen & Yu, Liyuan & Su, Haijian & Shi, Meixia & Li, Yifa, 2025. "Gas transport characteristics and airtightness evaluation of lined rock cavern for compressed air energy storages (CAES)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:337:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225043804
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138738
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    References listed on IDEAS

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