Abstract
In the construction and operation of compressed air energy storage caverns, the balance between economic viability and stability has become increasingly prominent. To this end, this study aims to establish a feasibility evaluation system for compressed air energy storage caverns that considers both economic viability and stability. In the initial research phase, a comprehensive life-cycle cost function for caverns was systematically constructed, encompassing multi-dimensional elements such as construction investment, operation and maintenance expenses, and potential decommissioning costs, which was then organically integrated with various design parameters to form a logically rigorous and systematically complete economic evaluation framework. For stability assessment, the Hoek-Brown nonlinear strength criterion for rock mass was selected as the cornerstone, incorporating the Geological Strength Index (GSI) to accurately classify and score rock mass strength, thereby scientifically estimating the reasonable burial depth of caverns. Furthermore, employing thick-walled cylinder theory, an intrinsic relationship between the lining thickness and cavern radius was elegantly established under known burial depth conditions, and the economic function was deeply integrated and coupled with cavern stability parameters to ensure that the cavern maintains both stability and economic viability under various complex operating conditions. The key innovation of this study lies in breaking through traditional single-dimensional evaluation models by innovatively incorporating both stability and economic considerations into a unified analytical framework, constructing a coupled analysis model, and through the establishment of a rigorous collaborative optimization model, accurately screening out optimal solutions that are both economically and technically feasible among numerous design alternatives, greatly enhancing the credibility and reliability of determining optimal design schemes, and providing solid and scientific decision-making support for the engineering construction of compressed air energy storage caverns. This coupled evaluation and analysis method for economic viability and stability, with its systematic, scientific, and precise nature, demonstrates the optimality of feasible design schemes for compressed air energy storage caverns and is expected to become a key methodological guide in the field of feasibility evaluation for compressed air energy storage caverns, facilitating the industry's steady advancement along both economic and safety dimensions.
Full Text
Preamble
Title: Integrated Feasibility Assessment of Compressed Air Energy Storage Caverns Considering Economic Efficiency and Structural Stability
Authors: Ran Huang¹, Cheng Zhao¹,²,³,*, Zeyuan Sun¹, Jinquan Xing¹,², Yuan Qian⁴, Jialun Niu¹,², Qinyuan Luo¹
Affiliations:
¹Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
²Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
³School of Engineering, Tibet University, Lhasa, Tibet 850000, China
⁴Key Laboratory of Geotechnical Mechanics and Engineering of Ministry of Water Resources, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, Hubei 430010, China
Abstract:
The trade-off between economic efficiency and structural stability has become increasingly critical in the construction and operation of compressed air energy storage (CAES) caverns. This study establishes a comprehensive feasibility evaluation framework that integrates both economic and stability considerations for CAES cavern projects. Initially, a life-cycle cost function is systematically developed, encompassing construction investment, operation and maintenance expenses, and potential decommissioning costs. This cost function is then integrated with various design parameters to form a rigorous and complete economic evaluation framework. For stability assessment, the Hoek-Brown nonlinear strength criterion for rock masses is adopted as the theoretical foundation, incorporating the Geological Strength Index (GSI) for accurate classification and rating of rock mass strength to scientifically estimate the appropriate burial depth of caverns. Furthermore, thick-walled cylinder theory is employed to establish the intrinsic relationship between lining thickness and cavern radius under known burial depth conditions. The economic function and stability parameters are then deeply integrated through coupled analysis to ensure that the cavern design satisfies both stability and economic requirements under various complex operating conditions.
The key innovation of this study lies in breaking through traditional single-dimensional evaluation approaches by innovatively incorporating both stability and economic considerations within a unified analytical framework. Through the development of a rigorous collaborative optimization model, the framework enables precise identification of optimal solutions that are both technically feasible and economically viable among numerous design alternatives. This significantly enhances the credibility and reliability of optimal design determination, providing robust scientific decision-making support for CAES cavern engineering projects. This coupled evaluation methodology, characterized by its systematic, scientific, and precise nature, demonstrates the optimality of feasible design schemes for CAES caverns and is expected to serve as a key methodological guide in the feasibility assessment of such projects, facilitating industry advancement along both economic and safety dimensions.
Keywords: compressed air energy storage cavern; life-cycle cost; Hoek-Brown criterion; thick-walled cylinder theory; coupled stability and economic analysis