Performance analysis of gravity-compensated underwater compressed air energy storage

ZOU Junwu; LIU Changchun; LENG Shudong; DONG Zhaoyi; ZHOU Xuezhi; XU Yujie; CHEN Haisheng

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2026.0111

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Performance analysis of gravity-compensated underwater compressed air energy storage

Special Issue on Multi\-Scenario Applications of Thermal and Cold Energy Storage | 更新时间：2026-07-01

- Performance analysis of gravity-compensated underwater compressed air energy storage
- Energy Storage Science and Technology Vol. 15, Issue 3, Pages: 872-885(2026)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.中国科学技术大学工程科学学院，安徽合肥 230026
  2.中国科学院工程热物理研究所，北京 100190
  3.中船船舶设计研究中心有限公司，山东青岛 266520
  4.内蒙古中电储能技术有限公司，内蒙古呼和浩特 010206
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2026.0111
  CLC： TK 02
- Received：30 January 2026，
  
  Revised：2026-02-21，
  
  Published：28 March 2026
- 稿件说明：
移动端阅览
邹军武, 刘长春, 冷述栋, 等. 重力补偿式水下压气储能性能分析[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2026, 15(3): 872-885.

ZOU Junwu, LIU Changchun, LENG Shudong, et al. Performance analysis of gravity-compensated underwater compressed air energy storage[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2026, 15(3): 872-885.
邹军武, 刘长春, 冷述栋, 等. 重力补偿式水下压气储能性能分析[J]. 储能科学与技术, 2026, 15(3): 872-885. DOI： 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2026.0111.

ZOU Junwu, LIU Changchun, LENG Shudong, et al. Performance analysis of gravity-compensated underwater compressed air energy storage[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2026, 15(3): 872-885. DOI： 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2026.0111.

摘要

水下压缩空气储能是一种极具发展潜力的长时大容量储能技术，对平滑可再生能源输出、促进海上新能源消纳具有重要价值。浅海区是海上可再生能源开发的重要区域，但因水深受限，使得浅海区水下压缩空气的储气压力受限，进而导致系统效率与储能密度偏低。为提升水下压缩空气储能系统的性能，本研究提出了一种重力补偿式水下压缩空气储能系统，并对其系统性能以及关键参数进行分析。首先，对所提出的重力补偿式水下恒压系统与无重力补偿的水下恒压系统进行了性能对比，结果表明二者的能量损失均主要来自压缩机、膨胀机和电机，该部分损失分别达到总㶲损的86.14%和84.32%；在储气袋最大承压为4 MPa条件下，通过配重补偿储气压力后，系统往返效率最大可达67.60%，比无配重时高2.67个百分点，储能密度可达3.98 kWh/m

，高于无配重时的3.20 kWh/m

。其次，探究了储气袋最大承压值、环境温度、压缩机等熵效率、膨胀机等熵效率等关键参数对系统性能的影响，分析表明，在设计的参数范围内，提高膨胀机等熵效率对系统往返效率的提升最为显著，提高储气袋最大承压值则对系统储能密度提升最为显著。本研究为浅海区水下压缩空气储能系统的设计与应用提供了技术参考。

Abstract

Underwater compressed air energy storage (UWCAES) represents a promising long-duration and large-capacity energy storage technology that plays a pivotal role in smoothing the output and facilitating the accommodation of offshore renewables. Shallow sea areas are critical for the development of offshore renewable energy; however

the limited water depth therein constrains the gas storage pressure

resulting in a low energy storage density. This study proposes a gravity-compensated UWCAES system and conducts a comprehensive analysis of its performance and key operating par

ameters. Firstly

a performance comparison was conducted between the proposed gravity-compensated underwater energy storage system and an underwater energy storage system without gravity compensation. The results indicate that the energy losses in both systems are primarily attributed to the compressors

expanders

and motors

accounting for 86.14% and 84.32% of the total exergy loss

respectively. Under the condition of a maximum pressure of 4 MPa for the air storage bag

after compensating the air storage pressure with counterweights

the maximum round-trip efficiency of the system can reach 67.60%

which is 2.67 percentage points higher than that without counterweights. The energy storage density can reach 3.98 kWh/m

surpassing the 3.20 kWh/m

achieved without counterweights. Secondly

the influence of key parameters such as the maximum pressure of the air storage bag

ambient temperature

compressor isentropic efficiency

and expander isentropic efficiency on the system performance was investigated. Analysis indicates that within the designed parameter range

improving the isentropic efficiency of the expander contributes most significantly to the enhancement of the system round-trip efficiency

while increasing the maximum pressure bearing capacity of the air storage bag exerts the most prominent effect on improving the system energy storage density. This study provides a technical reference for the design and application of underwater compressed air energy storage systems in shallow sea areas.

关键词

Keywords

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