Abstract: A wind turbine energy storage system includes a hollow wind turbine tower shaft having a top end and a bottom end covered by top and bottom end caps respectively to form a tank. A compressor is coupled to the wind turbine for compressing air into the tank through a high pressure pipe and valve assembly. The compressed air stored in the tank can be released on demand or on a fixed schedule. A method of storing energy in a wind turbine is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wind turbine energy storage system includes a hollow wind turbine tower shaft having a top end and a bottom end covered by top and bottom end caps respectively to form a tank. A compressor is coupled to the wind turbine for compressing air into the tank through a high pressure pipe and valve assembly. The compressed air stored in the tank can be released on demand or on a fixed schedule. A method of storing energy in a wind turbine is also disclosed.

Abstract: An energy storage bridge includes a plurality of bridge girders and a bridge deck. The bridge girders include multiple steel pipes for carrying loads and storing energy in a form of compressed air contained therein and a plurality of web plates. The bridge deck is disposed on top of the bridge girders and configured for loading live loads. The steel pipes are assembled in at least a row aligned vertically. Each web plate connects a row of the steel pipes at a center line separating the steel pipes into two halves. Alternatively, a steel pipe is connected by two webs at the two sides of the pipe. Each bridge girder forms an energy storage unit between two consecutive movement joints of the energy storage bridge. Every two consecutive storage units are joined by a high pressure flexible pipe to form a giant energy storage unit.

Abstract: An energy storage bridge includes a plurality of bridge girders. The bridge girder includes a number of steel pipes and a plurality of web plates. The steel pipes are assembled either in a single row or in multiple rows in the structural depth direction to form the girder together with the web plate welded between the two halves of the pipe; or with two web plates welded to each side of the pipe. The bridge girder forms an energy storage unit between two consecutive movement joints of the bridge, and two consecutive storage units can be joined by high pressure flexible pipe to form a giant energy storage unit.

Abstract: The invention is an Energy Storage Bridge (ESB) consisting of air-tight steel pipes, which are used to store the compressed air as stored energy, also used as the load carrying structural elements of the bridge. The stored energy can be the unwanted grid power or the intermittent regenerated energy sources. When the energy is needed, the compressed air is released to convert back to electricity, or to make use of the compressed air to produce hot water during its compression cycle, and cool air at its decompression and expansion cycle when it absorbs heat- an air conditioning technology called Air Cycle Air Conditioning (ACAC) widely used in commercial aircraft. For sea-crossing bridges, because of their great lengths the bridge body volume is enormous, and because of their remoteness from populated areas, they suit well for mass energy storage attached to power plants. With safety measures built in the steel pipes, the ESB can be applied to city road bridges.