Flywheel Energy Storage System Description and Tests
This paper presents test results of a flywheel energy storage system (FESS) prototype. The bearing system is composed of a superconducting magnetic thrust bearing (SMB) and a permanent magnet bearing (PMB). The SMB was built with Nd-Fe-B magnet and YBCO superconducting blocks. The PMB has the function of positioning radially the switched reluctance machine (SRM) used as motor/generator and reduce the load over the SMB. The SRM drive is responsible to convert electrical into mechanical energy, and vice versa. The prototype still operates at low speeds, but the dynamical simulations of the SRM drive showed that the system can work at high speed, supplying the required energy during disturbances. In the tests performed with the FESS prototype, the system took or delivered energy from/to the grid when requested.