Development and preliminary application of experimental device for energy storage and seepage prevention in underground space

An experimental device for energy storage and seepage prevention in underground space was developed to study the deformation, damage characteristics and disaster-causing mechanism of the surrounding rock of an abandoned mine energy storage reservoir, and perform a safety assessment of the underground energy storage reservoir in the fissured rock body. The similarity function of the underground space's energy storage and seepage prevention was reestablished based on similarity theory. The experimental design basis was obtained and the experimental setup was created using the modular design idea. The experimental device includes a large-tonnage loading frame, a specimen loading frame, hydraulic power source components, a water pressure loading module, an air pressure loading module and a monitoring and control system. Finite element software was used to simulate the large-tonnage loading frame and determine the design parameters. The large-tonnage loading frame with a hydraulic power source assembly enabled the simulation of the stress field of large-scale rock-type specimens(500 mm×500 mm×500 mm). It was equipped with the water pressure loading module that enabled the simulation of pumped storage processes in the underground space. Simulation of the whole process of compressed air energy storage in the underground space was performed using the air pressure loading module. The monitoring and control system realized the overall monitoring and control of the device. The experimental device was utilized to implement pumped energy storage tests in the underground space and compressed air energy storage cycle tests to verify the accuracy and reliability of the experimental device. The results show that the experimental device can be used in experiments on the mechanics of peripheral rocks under the action of cyclic air and water loading under complex stress conditions. It can provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the safe construction and operation of abandoned mine energy storage projects and serve as an important experimental test platform for the development and utilization of resources in abandoned mines.