The present increasing development of storage systems connected to electrical network is stimulated by network management issues related to recent energetic landscape evolutions such as the increasing integration of renewable production sources. The hydro-pneumatic system seems to offer a clean and cheap energy storage solution among the set of existing storage technics. The present study analyses an air-water direct contact accumulation configuration, in closed cycle and using a rotodynamic pump/turbine. The main points of interest related to these technical choices are: the air-water interface mass and heat phenomena, variable operating point performances of a rotodynamic hydraulic machine and the overall efficiency of the storage device. These aspects are studied by, in some cases, a local approach, and then a global one in order to propose a dynamic behaviour model of the storage system suitable for rapid simulations. The modelling aspects were treated in parallel to the development of a 45 kW test rig built during this project. The experimental observations made on this test rig are compared to the modelling results that represent correctly the dynamics and energetic state of the system. At the end of this document, some studies for the improving of the power delivery flexibility and efficiency increasing of the accumulation element are engaged.
