CONCEPTUAL SYSTEM-DESIGN OF A 5-MWH 100-MW SUPERCONDUCTING FLYWHEEL ENERGY-STORAGE PLANT FOR POWER UTILITY APPLICATIONS/

We have designed a 5 MWh/100 MW superconducting flywheel energy storag e plant. The plant consists of 10 flywheel modules rated at 0.5 MWh/10 h MW each. Module weight is 30 t, size is O 3.5 m x 6.5 m high. A syn chronous type motor-generator is used for power input/output. Each fly wheel system consists of four disk modules made from carbon fibre comp osite material, rated at 125 kWh and weighing 3 t. Passive superconduc ting bearings, integrated into the disk modules, are used for friction less levitation. The operating speed will be in the 2250...4500 rpm ra nge. Maximum rim velocity is 600 m/s with maximum tensile stress of 81 0 MPa. Details of the system layout are subsystems such as power condi tioning system and cooling facilities, A preliminary cost analysis has been worked out. In the Western European UCPTE (Union for the Coordin ation of Production and Transport of Electricity) high power system, t he plant could be used to provide spinning reserve for about 30 s whil e conventional thermal generating units ramp up to meet the increased load during peak power periods. Other applications in the utility fiel d include power conditioning and stabilization in portions of a high v oltage system.