The invention relates generally to systems, devices and methods for the compression and/or expansion of a gas, such as air, and particularly to a system, device and method for optimizing heat transfer during the compression and/or expansion of a gas.
Some known devices, methods and systems used to compress and/or expand a gas, such as air, and/or to pressurize and/or pump a liquid, such as water, can be used, for example, within a compressed air energy storage system. In some compressed air devices and systems, a hydraulic actuator can be used to move or compress air within a pressure vessel. For example, an actuator can move a liquid within a pressure vessel such that the liquid compresses air in the pressure vessel.
Such known devices and systems used to compress and/or expand a gas and/or to pressurize and/or pump a liquid can change the temperature of the gas during, for example, a compression or expansion process. For example, compressing a gas can convert heat energy from its latent form into its sensible form, thereby increasing the temperature of the gas. Various heat transfer mechanisms can be used to remove heat energy from the gas being compressed during the compression process. In some known devices and systems, heat energy in the gas being compressed within a pressure vessel can also be transferred to the liquid used to compress the gas.
Thus, there is a need to improve and/or optimize the heat transfer devices and methods used to transfer heat during a compression and/or expansion process within such devices and systems used to compress and/or expand a gas.