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Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

lowtechmagazine.com

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Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#11

Post by brittohalloran »

newman8r wrote: post #3

An added benefit is you could power your air-tools with something like this without having to convert to electrical energy. As a former off-gridder, that's actually a really big plus. Another non conventional way to store energy is using gravity power modules (example: http://www.gravitypower.net/ ) Storing hydrogen from electrolysis via solar panels also sounds interesting. Basically once your batteries are charged…

Similar to those gravity power modules: a company called Ares (https://www.aresnorthamerica.com/) is trying to use much smaller concrete 'cars' on rails to store energy. Not sure of the status of it but it looked promising to me.

The direct use of compressed air is interesting. Taking it to the extreme, you could have compressed air as your primary utility piped through your home, and have appliances that run off compressed air. Refrigeration cycle is compression based anyway for example. You would still need some electricity for control circuits for example, but you might be able to keep the heavy lifting air-based.

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#12

Post by virmundi »

newman8r wrote: post #3

An added benefit is you could power your air-tools with something like this without having to convert to electrical energy. As a former off-gridder, that's actually a really big plus. Another non conventional way to store energy is using gravity power modules (example: http://www.gravitypower.net/ ) Storing hydrogen from electrolysis via solar panels also sounds interesting. Basically once your batteries are charged…

The US government looks into this at a national level. Doesn’t look like it went too well though. https://arpa-e.energy.gov/?q=slick-sheet-project/fuel-free-c...

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#13

Post by manveru »

rossdavidh wrote: post #10

So, I seem to recall that the Amish sometimes use something like this to power their tools. Source: my own unreliable memory of an article I read somewhere. Anybody more knowledgeable out there able to confirm or disfirm?

There's an article about it at http://www.amishnews.com/amisharticles/amish_tech.htm which references some books that might describe it in more detail.

> Almost any electrical appliance can be adapted to work off of alternate power, such as compressed air. Some Amish women have been using compressed air to power blenders in the kitchen for years. In one house, compressed air powers a water pump, sewing and washing machines, and drills and saws in the shop. Some Amish businesses have as their specialty adapting such appliances so they can be powered by compressed air.

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#14

Post by VikingCoder »

brittohalloran wrote: post #11
newman8r wrote: post #3

An added benefit is you could power your air-tools with something like this without having to convert to electrical energy. As a former off-gridder, that's actually a really big plus. Another non conventional way to store energy is using gravity power modules (example: http://www.gravitypower.net/ ) Storing hydrogen from electrolysis via solar panels also sounds interesting. Basically once your batteries are charged…

Similar to those gravity power modules: a company called Ares ( https://www.aresnorthamerica.com/ ) is trying to use much smaller concrete 'cars' on rails to store energy. Not sure of the status of it but it looked promising to me. The direct use of compressed air is interesting. Taking it to the extreme, you could have compressed air as your primary utility piped through your home, and have appliances that run off c…

Nah, there's water-based computers, there could be compressed air computers.

Picturing the different logic gates running on compressed air is a hoot.

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#15

Post by sandworm101 »

brittohalloran wrote: post #11
newman8r wrote: post #3

An added benefit is you could power your air-tools with something like this without having to convert to electrical energy. As a former off-gridder, that's actually a really big plus. Another non conventional way to store energy is using gravity power modules (example: http://www.gravitypower.net/ ) Storing hydrogen from electrolysis via solar panels also sounds interesting. Basically once your batteries are charged…

Similar to those gravity power modules: a company called Ares ( https://www.aresnorthamerica.com/ ) is trying to use much smaller concrete 'cars' on rails to store energy. Not sure of the status of it but it looked promising to me. The direct use of compressed air is interesting. Taking it to the extreme, you could have compressed air as your primary utility piped through your home, and have appliances that run off c…

In the midwest, running compressed air through a home is called amish electricity. They do use it for many things. Ive seen air-powered blenders. (Air power is a big thing for woodworking and so its use in the home too is no suprise.)

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#16

Post by newman8r »

brittohalloran wrote: post #11
newman8r wrote: post #3

An added benefit is you could power your air-tools with something like this without having to convert to electrical energy. As a former off-gridder, that's actually a really big plus. Another non conventional way to store energy is using gravity power modules (example: http://www.gravitypower.net/ ) Storing hydrogen from electrolysis via solar panels also sounds interesting. Basically once your batteries are charged…

Similar to those gravity power modules: a company called Ares ( https://www.aresnorthamerica.com/ ) is trying to use much smaller concrete 'cars' on rails to store energy. Not sure of the status of it but it looked promising to me. The direct use of compressed air is interesting. Taking it to the extreme, you could have compressed air as your primary utility piped through your home, and have appliances that run off c…

I looked at the Ares 'team page' and I personally know the CEO of that company, but I didn't know he was working with that company. super random.

Your refrigeration example is interesting - now I'm curious if there's any refrigerators on the market that can power the compressor via compressed air intake (so it would still use closed-loop refrigerant, but the compressor would use air instead of electricity)

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#17

Post by newman8r »

sandworm101 wrote: post #15
brittohalloran wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similar to those gravity power modules: a company called Ares ( https://www.aresnorthamerica.com/ ) is trying to use much smaller concrete 'cars' on rails to store energy. Not sure of the status of it but it looked promising to me. The direct use of compressed air is interesting. Taking it to the extreme, you could have compressed air as your primary utility piped through your home, and have appliances that run off c…

In the midwest, running compressed air through a home is called amish electricity. They do use it for many things. Ive seen air-powered blenders. (Air power is a big thing for woodworking and so its use in the home too is no suprise.)

I had no idea these existed, I want these when I move back off-grid. https://www.cottagecraftworks.com/kitchen-food-prep/non-elec...

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#19

Post by Uhrheber »

When compressing air, a lot of heat is generated, and in most cases wasted. When the air is released, it cools down, and has to take heat from the surroundings. Which doesn't work very fast without additional heat exchangers, and especially not in cold environments. Compressed air storage is only efficient with additional heat storage, which is something that promoters of compressed air storage often "forget" to tell you.

Re: Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage

#20

Post by larrik »

Uhrheber wrote: post #19

When compressing air, a lot of heat is generated, and in most cases wasted. When the air is released, it cools down, and has to take heat from the surroundings. Which doesn't work very fast without additional heat exchangers, and especially not in cold environments. Compressed air storage is only efficient with additional heat storage, which is something that promoters of compressed air storage often "forget" to tell…

Did you read the article? All of that is in like the first paragraph.
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