Performance of parallel connected compressed air energy storage for proper utilization of wind energy

The non-conventional source of energy like wind energy is available in plenty globally. Comparing with the fossil fuels, it is a free and clean source of energy. It is an abundant source of energy which has a high stochastic nature. This stochastic nature of the wind will vary the power of the wind turbine accordingly with the wind speed. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is the most efficient energy storage method which is used for handling the fluctuation of wind and thus the variations of the power of the wind turbine. This paper proposes the combination of the wind turbine and the parallel connected compressed air energy storage technology to provide the rated power of wind turbine irrespective of the wind fluctuations. MATLAB is used to analyse the combined system of CAES and wind energy. The analysis was focussed on deciding the rate of flow of mass of air to the compressor and controlling the rate of flow of mass to the turbine. The rate of flow of mass to the compressor is decided based on the compressor power obtained from the excess angular speed of the wind turbine shaft. Thus the rate of flow of mass to the compressor stores the excess power using the compressor in the form of the compressed air whereas the rate of flow of mass to the turbine is controlled to utilise the stored power from the storage tank in order to provide the rated power of wind turbine. The results comprise variations of mass flow rate required to the compressor & turbine and variations of the pressure & mass inside the storage tank.