IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i2p320-d1565726.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experimental Characterization of Reversible Oil-Flooded Twin-Screw Compressor/Dry Expander for a Micro-Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage System

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Francesconi

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Constructions Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Arianna Baldinelli

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Constructions Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Luca Sani

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Constructions Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

  • Marco Antonelli

    (Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Constructions Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 56122 Pisa, Italy)

Abstract

The reversible use of a volumetric machine as a compressor and expander shows potential for micro-scale compressed air energy storage systems because of lower investment costs and higher operational flexibility. This paper investigates experimentally the reversible use of a 3 kW oil-flooded twin-screw compressor as an expander for a micro-scale compressed air energy storage system to assess its operation while minimizing operating costs and the need for adjustments. As a result, the oil injection was only implemented in the compressor operation since the oil takes part in the compression process, while its use appears optional in expander operation. The results indicate that the compressor exhibited an efficiency in the range of 0.57–0.80 and required an input power from 1 kW up to 3 kW. These values decreased for the expander, whose efficiency was in the range of 0.24–0.38 and the delivered power between 300 and 1600 W. The experimental data allow assessing the operation of such machine in a hypothetical micro-scale compressed air energy storage. The calculation revealed that this machine may operate in this energy storage asset and deliver up to 90% of the power recovered in the charging process when the temperature of the stored air is 80 °C.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Francesconi & Arianna Baldinelli & Luca Sani & Marco Antonelli, 2025. "Experimental Characterization of Reversible Oil-Flooded Twin-Screw Compressor/Dry Expander for a Micro-Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-33, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:2:p:320-:d:1565726
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/320/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/2/320/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yao, Sheng & Zhang, Yufeng & Deng, Na & Yu, Xiaohui & Dong, Shengming, 2019. "Performance research on a power generation system using twin-screw expanders for energy recovery at natural gas pressure reduction stations under off-design conditions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 1218-1230.
    2. Wang, Chuang & Xing, Ziwen & Sun, Shizhong & He, Zhilong, 2020. "Loss analysis of oil-free twin-screw expanders for recovering energy in fuel cell systems by means of p-θ diagrams," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    3. Francesconi, M. & Caposciutti, G. & Antonelli, M., 2018. "An experimental and numerical analysis of the performances of a Wankel steam expander," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 615-626.
    4. Wang, Chuang & Liu, Mingkun & Li, Zengqun & Xing, Ziwen & Shu, Yue, 2023. "Performance improvement of twin-screw air expander used in PEMFC systems by two-phase expansion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    5. Francesconi, Marco & Antonelli, Marco, 2017. "A numerical model for the prediction of the fluid dynamic and mechanical losses of a Wankel-type expansion device," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 225-235.
    6. Eppinger, Bernd & Steger, Daniel & Regensburger, Christoph & Karl, Jürgen & Schlücker, Eberhard & Will, Stefan, 2021. "Carnot battery: Simulation and design of a reversible heat pump-organic Rankine cycle pilot plant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    7. Quoilin, Sylvain & Broek, Martijn Van Den & Declaye, Sébastien & Dewallef, Pierre & Lemort, Vincent, 2013. "Techno-economic survey of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 168-186.
    8. Tian, Yafen & Xing, Ziwen & He, Zhilong & Wu, Huagen, 2017. "Modeling and performance analysis of twin-screw steam expander under fluctuating operating conditions in steam pipeline pressure energy recovery applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 692-701.
    9. Leszczyński, Jacek S. & Gryboś, Dominik & Markowski, Jan, 2023. "Analysis of optimal expansion dynamics in a reciprocating drive for a micro-CAES production system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eyerer, Sebastian & Dawo, Fabian & Rieger, Florian & Schuster, Andreas & Aumann, Richard & Wieland, Christoph & Spliethoff, Hartmut, 2019. "Experimental and numerical investigation of direct liquid injection into an ORC twin-screw expander," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 867-878.
    2. Francesconi, M. & Caposciutti, G. & Antonelli, M., 2018. "An experimental and numerical analysis of the performances of a Wankel steam expander," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 615-626.
    3. Francesconi, Marco & Dori, Edoardo & Antonelli, Marco, 2019. "Analysis of Balje diagrams for a Wankel expander prototype," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 775-785.
    4. Piero Danieli & Gianluca Carraro & Andrea Lazzaretto, 2020. "Thermodynamic and Economic Feasibility of Energy Recovery from Pressure Reduction Stations in Natural Gas Distribution Networks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Wang, Chuang & Xing, Ziwen & Sun, Shizhong & He, Zhilong, 2020. "Loss analysis of oil-free twin-screw expanders for recovering energy in fuel cell systems by means of p-θ diagrams," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    6. Xiong, Yaxuan & Zhang, Aitonglu & Peng, Xiaodong & Yao, Chenhua & Wang, Nan & Wu, Yuting & Xu, Qian & Ma, Chongfang, 2023. "Investigation of a sole gas expander for gas pressure regulation and energy recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    7. Daniarta, Sindu & Nemś, Magdalena & Kolasiński, Piotr, 2023. "A review on thermal energy storage applicable for low- and medium-temperature organic Rankine cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).
    8. Lee, Sehyeok & Kim, Dohoon & Ha, Honggeun & Kim, Min Soo, 2023. "Pressure energy recovery of LNG integrated with multi-stage feedwater fuel preheaters in a combined cycle power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    9. Wang, Chuang & Liu, Mingkun & Li, Zengqun & Xing, Ziwen & Shu, Yue, 2023. "Performance improvement of twin-screw air expander used in PEMFC systems by two-phase expansion," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    10. Bamorovat Abadi, Gholamreza & Kim, Kyung Chun, 2017. "Investigation of organic Rankine cycles with zeotropic mixtures as a working fluid: Advantages and issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 1000-1013.
    11. Francesconi, Marco & Antonelli, Marco, 2017. "A numerical model for the prediction of the fluid dynamic and mechanical losses of a Wankel-type expansion device," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 225-235.
    12. Luo, Xianglong & Yi, Zhitong & Zhang, Bingjian & Mo, Songping & Wang, Chao & Song, Mengjie & Chen, Ying, 2017. "Mathematical modelling and optimization of the liquid separation condenser used in organic Rankine cycle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1309-1323.
    13. Isogai, Hirotaka & Nakagaki, Takao, 2024. "Power-to-heat amine-based post-combustion CO2 capture system with solvent storage utilizing fluctuating electricity prices," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 368(C).
    14. Kim, Dong Kyu & Lee, Ji Sung & Kim, Jinwoo & Kim, Mo Se & Kim, Min Soo, 2017. "Parametric study and performance evaluation of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system using low-grade heat at temperatures below 80°C," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 55-65.
    15. Miguel Castro Oliveira & Muriel Iten & Pedro L. Cruz & Helena Monteiro, 2020. "Review on Energy Efficiency Progresses, Technologies and Strategies in the Ceramic Sector Focusing on Waste Heat Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    16. Dong, Hye-Won & Jeong, Jae-Weon, 2020. "Energy benefits of organic Rankine cycle in a liquid desiccant and evaporative cooling-assisted air conditioning system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 2358-2373.
    17. Mariusz Niekurzak & Jerzy Mikulik, 2021. "Modeling of Energy Consumption and Reduction of Pollutant Emissions in a Walking Beam Furnace Using the Expert Method—Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, December.
    18. Jung-Bo Sim & Se-Jin Yook & Young Won Kim, 2023. "Development of 180 kW Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with a High-Efficiency Two-Stage Axial Turbine," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-20, October.
    19. Asghari, M. & Afshari, H. & Jaber, M.Y. & Searcy, C., 2023. "Credibility-based cascading approach to achieve net-zero emissions in energy symbiosis networks using an Organic Rankine Cycle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    20. De Lorenzi, Andrea & Gambarotta, Agostino & Morini, Mirko & Rossi, Michele & Saletti, Costanza, 2020. "Setup and testing of smart controllers for small-scale district heating networks: An integrated framework," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:2:p:320-:d:1565726. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.