Is there such a thing as an electrical generator driven mechanically by means of compressed air?

Answer 1

While I don't disagree with the other postings, there is a specific application where compressed air is used to generate electricity.

Utilities must produce electricity the instant it is needed. During periods of light usage (such as the middle of the night), utilities can use the excess power to pump air into MASSIVE underground fields. During peak load periods, the air is allowed to escape through a turbine, spinning the turbine and producing electricity.

A similar process is done by pumping water up a hill to a large reservoir during the night. During the day the water is allowed to flow back down the hill. In case you're wondering, no they don't drain the lake. They let the water level fluctuate several feet, but they don't drain it completely.

In both cases, the pump/compressor used to store the energy is allowed to spin backwards as a generator.

Below is a link that describes several large scale compressed air sites that are in operation.

Answer 2

Compressed air driven turbines can be used to drive a generator. Generally, a compressor provides the pressurised air to a combustion chamber in a gas turbine, the superheated air then drives a turbine that drives the air compressor. The exhaust air from this, still contains a large amount of energy which is used to drive a 'Load' turbine driving a generator, compressor or pump ..etc.

Answer 3

I agree with respondent "tmnasn". I have worked in ships' fuel tanks where there is a significant risk of explosion due to the vapours present and we used chains of lights that were driven by a standard industrial 6.5 bar (100psi) air line. Each lamp was inside a plastic enclosure and this was fitted with a small air turbine and generator. At normal pressure the lamp gave out about 60-80 watts with an eerie whistling noise and a cool draught of air out of the exhaust port. If the air supply failed the turbines would run down, the lamps would go dim and then out altogether in the silence.

Answer 4

a generator can be made to run on any form of power [ with modification ]. A good example of this is a windmill , which uses slightly compressed air relative to where the wind is travelling to .
Actually generating the compressed air is quite an energy intensive process and would require much more power than it woul dproduce , unless you know of a source of free/cheap compressed air

Answer 5

Sure. The definition of a generator is simply any device that converts mechanical energy(motion) to electrical energy. As long as the mechanical motion is being created by compressed air(maybe by blowing air to rotate a paddle wheel that rotates the generators shaft) you are good.

Answer 6

On an industrial / commercial scale, that method has too much inefficiency to be profitable.

There is no reason why you couldn't mechanically hook up an air-tool to a small generator, though. It would work to produce power from the generator. (But you wouldn't get more power out of the generator than the power 'in' to compress the air, etc.)

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Answer 7

We occassionally used air powered lights in mining - but as the other answers rightfully point out it is an expensive way to generate electricity as compressed air motors are quite inefficient.

Answer 8

It is possible to make one just let the compressed air flow through a wind turbine. Dreadfully inefficient, why not just couple the generator to the motor.

Answer 9

Probably - it would work but I have never heard of it. We used to test steam turbines with compressed air and they ran generators

Answer 10

I have seen small hand held air driven lights on ships. There usually used on Oil Tankers. The lights have to be flame proof. EXd
There used for safely entering tanks.