Submission + - Pumped-storage hydroelectricity project StEnSEA completes first practial test (fraunhofer.de)
nachtkap writes: The first 1:10 scale prototype of the Pumped-storage hydroelectricity system StEnSEA has completed it's practical test on Friday. It was retrieved from Lake Constance, where it was submerged at a depth of 100m since November. The System was developed by the Fraunhofer-Institut IWES in Kassel, Germany in collaboration with its inventors, the physicists Prof. Schmidt-Böcking and Dr. Luther from the universities in Frankfurt and Saarbrücken respectively. The German Trade Department and Department of Education and Research as well as the German construction company Hochtief are also involved with the Project.(Press release, Pictures and detailed project information in German)
The prototype was used to test details of the construction, installation, powertrain setup, electrical systems, operation management and regulation, system state monitoring and the dynamic modelling and simulation of the whole system.
The system's hollow concrete spheres are intended to be used in conjunction with off-shore wind-farms to serve as energy storage for peak hours. The spheres are ultimately supposed to be submerged near off-shore wind-farms and pumped free of water with excess energy. When additional energy is needed during peak hours the system goes into reverse and water rushes in driving a turbine. To be economical the full scale 30m spheres with 3m thick walls need depths of 600 — 800m. At 700m the system's has a capacity of 20MWh, with a linear capacity increase as depth increases. Good locations for these spheres would be coastal areas with high population density that feature such depths, such as Norway, Japan, the US and Spain.
Summary and translation from German are my own.
The prototype was used to test details of the construction, installation, powertrain setup, electrical systems, operation management and regulation, system state monitoring and the dynamic modelling and simulation of the whole system.
The system's hollow concrete spheres are intended to be used in conjunction with off-shore wind-farms to serve as energy storage for peak hours. The spheres are ultimately supposed to be submerged near off-shore wind-farms and pumped free of water with excess energy. When additional energy is needed during peak hours the system goes into reverse and water rushes in driving a turbine. To be economical the full scale 30m spheres with 3m thick walls need depths of 600 — 800m. At 700m the system's has a capacity of 20MWh, with a linear capacity increase as depth increases. Good locations for these spheres would be coastal areas with high population density that feature such depths, such as Norway, Japan, the US and Spain.
Summary and translation from German are my own.
