US 12,065,998 B2
Method for provisionally using an at least partially constructed lower reservoir for an underwater pumped-storage power plant
Horst Schmidt-Böcking, Kelkheim (DE); and Gerhard Luther, Saarbrücken (DE)
Appl. No. 17/625,875
Filed by Horst Schmidt-Böcking, Kelkheim (DE); and Gerhard Luther, Saarbrücken (DE)
PCT Filed Dec. 10, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/084491
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/004650, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 118 726.5 (DE), filed on Jul. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184204 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. F03B 13/06 (2006.01); E02B 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC F03B 13/06 (2013.01) [E02B 9/00 (2013.01); F05B 2240/40 (2013.01); F05B 2260/42 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for the use of an at least partially constructed lower reservoir for an underwater pumped-storage power plant, comprising the steps of:
providing an at least partially constructed lower reservoir located in an area of a dry but floodable ground depression or in an area of an open-pit mine, and which comprises at least one turbine and one pump or at least one pump turbine and which, when the dry ground depression or open-pit mine is flooded, is configured such that via the at least one turbine and one pump or via the at least one pump turbine electrical energy is generated when water is admitted into the lower reservoir from the flooded ground depression or open-pit mine and electrical energy is used when water is pumped out of the lower reservoir into the flooded ground depression or open-pit mine for energy storage,
and wherein at least one upper reservoir is constructed above the at least partially constructed lower reservoir, the upper reservoir not being identical to the dry ground depression or open-pit mine,
and wherein the at least partially constructed lower reservoir is connected to the upper reservoir via a penstock so that the lower reservoir is configured to be used in such a way that via the at least one turbine and one pump or via the at least one pump turbine electrical energy is generated when water is admitted into the lower reservoir from the upper reservoir and electrical energy is used when water is pumped from the lower reservoir into the upper reservoir for energy storage, and
wherein the at least partially constructed lower reservoir is used by admitting water from the upper reservoir into the lower reservoir and/or by pumping water from the lower reservoir into the upper reservoir.