Energy Storage Flywheel: The Power Ring
High-speed carbon fiber composite flywheels are a good solution for energy storage applications where high power is required for short durations with limited available space. Flywheels also have the benefit of little or no degradation in performance over a lifespan that can exceed 20 years, regardless of the number of charge/discharge cycles.
LaunchPoint Technologies Inc. has received venture funding to continue the development of the Power Ring: a new, more cost-effective kinetic energy system. The Power Ring system will have a power output that is larger than any other commercially available carbon fiber flywheel and is designed to handle high duty cycle applications.
Well suited applications include:
- Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems for large facilities
- Rail wayside energy storage for reduced energy costs and infrastructure deferrals
- Energy storage for directed energy weapons, such as solid state lasers
The Power Ring was initially developed at LaunchPoint with research and development funds from the following agencies:
- Department of Energy, Inventions & Innovations Program (Award # DE-FG36-05GO15163);
- National Science Foundation (Award #OII-0539520);
- United States Navy (Award #N00014-07-M-0334 for a flywheel permanent magnet motor; and Award #N00178-03-C-3043 for NSWC Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) ); and
- New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA Award #NO2-134).
The project has given LaunchPoint the opportunity to further develop several important technologies, including:
- Optimization of high-power, high-speed electric motor/generators
- Robust controls for systems with rotor dynamics
- Large permanent magnet bearings and levitation systems
Gen II Flywheel Motor Coils
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Gen II Flywheel Motor Coils
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