METHOD OF FORMING UNDERGROUND CAVERN AND DESALINIZATION PROCESS
    10.
    发明公开
    METHOD OF FORMING UNDERGROUND CAVERN AND DESALINIZATION PROCESS 审中-公开
    建立地下空心的方法和脱盐方法

    公开(公告)号:EP2971507A4

    公开(公告)日:2016-10-12

    申请号:EP14773464

    申请日:2014-01-23

    摘要: Embodiments relate to techniques for forming underground caverns, and also to desalinization processes that may be employed in conjunction therewith. Particular embodiments form a salt cavern by introducing heated water into a salt formation, followed by removal of the resulting brine to leave a salt cavern. The injected water is provided as a result of a desalinization process of the brine. Concentrated brine resulting from the desalinization process, is used to form a solar pond whose stored thermal energy provides the heat source for the injected water. The resulting underground cavern may be employed to house large volumes of materials such as pressurized natural gas, liquid hydrocarbons, or compressed gas for energy storage. Also disclosed is a particular desalinization process based upon a Regenerative Evaporative Distiller (RED) structure, which efficiently leverages low grade heat available from the solar pond by relying primarily upon a latent heat of evaporation and condensation.