SustainX Inc, spun out of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, provides grid-scale energy storage solutions that are cost effective, low maintenance, non-toxic, and highly efficient.. SustainX's isothermal compressed air energy storage (ICAES) technology enables a site-anywhere, zero-emissions storage solution. Isothermal compression allows air to reach high pressures without high temperature or high thermal loss challenges. Compressed air at near ambient temperatures can be stored until needed with minimal energy losses. When power is needed, isothermal expansion can deliver electrical energy with no requirement for natural gas combustion. SustainX achieves isothermal cycling using a design centered on mature industrial components and principles. A mechanical drivetrain utilizes an electric machine and a crankshaft and this efficient mechanical link powers a two-stage, mixed-phase water-in-air heat-transfer process inside a pneumatic cylinder. During piston strokes, water is sprayed into the air-filled chamber of each cylinder, allowing heat to be transferred from water to air during expansion or from air to water during compression. The same ICAES power unit provides both isothermal compression and expansion, eliminating the cost of separate compressor and expander subsystems. The technology is being developed to provide a solution for enhancing the value of commercial and industrial energy management, renewable energy, and transmission asset utilization and optimization.
