ELECTROMECHANICAL BATTERIES: FLYWHEELS FOR TEMPORARY ENERGY STORAGE

Authors

  • RAFAEL PEÑA ALZOLA U. NACIONAL DE EDUCACION A DISTANCIA
  • RAFAEL SEBASTIAN FERNANDEZ U. NACIONAL DE EDUCACION A DISTANCIA

Keywords:

Baterías electromecánicas, Volantes de inercia, Almacenamiento de energía.

Abstract

In the Electromechanical batteries (EMB) a flywheel stores mechanical energy that interchanges in form of electrical energy by means of an electrical machine with a bidirectional power converter. EMB are suitable whenever numerous charge and recharge cycles (hundred of thousands) are needed with medium to high power (kW to MW) during short periods (seconds). The materials of the flywheel, the type of the electrical machine, the type of the bearings and the atmosphere inside the housing determine the energy efficiency of the EMB. EMB are commercially available with more than a dozen of manufacturers. Amongst the applications of BEM are: uninterruptible power supplies, hybrid power systems, power grids feeding trains, hybrid vehicles and space satellites. Key words: Electromechanical Batteries, Flywheel, Energy storage.

Published

2008-09-30

Issue

Section

ARTICULOS