John William O'Hara
Engineers at Barrington Dr, Concord, CA
License number
Colorado 3211
Issued Date
Apr 26, 1958
Renew Date
Jan 20, 1989
Expiration Date
Jan 20, 1989
Type
Professional Engineer
Address
Address
3743 Barrington Dr, Concord, CA 94518
Professional information
Apparatus And Method For Eliminating Champagne Effect In Compressed Air Energy Storage Systems
US Patent:
4391552, Jul 5, 1983
Filed:
Aug 24, 1981
Appl. No.:
6/295893
Inventors:
John W. O'Hara - Concord CA
Assignee:
Bechtel International Corp. - San Francisco CA
International Classification:
B65G 500
US Classification:
405 59
Abstract:
A compressed air energy storage system including a subterranean cavern, a ground level reservoir, a generally vertical shaft and a tunnel connecting the cavern and the lower end of the shaft is disclosed. Air bubbles which form in and rise through the water in the shaft are concentrated at the center of the shaft to thereby form a substantially air free water column in the shaft to insure a constant hydrostatic head in the cavern. The air bubbles are concentrated by imparting a spiral motion to the air bubble/water mixture, primarily with a number of nozzles which inject water into the shaft. Spiral vanes mounted along the interior surface of the shaft, but leaving the shaft substantially unobstructed, aid in imparting rotary motion to the mixture. The bubbles rise along the axis of the shaft and are discharged into the atmosphere. A number of bypass passages parallel the upper region of the shaft and fluidly connect the reservoir with openings in the shaft located a short distance above the nozzles.