Flywheel energy storage causes harmonics

What is a flywheel energy storage system?

Flywheel energy storage systems (FESSs) store mechanical energy in a rotating flywheel that convert into electrical energy by means of an electrical machine and vice versa the electrical machine which drives the flywheel transforms the electrical energy into mechanical energy. Fig. 1 shows a diagram for the components that form a modern FESS.

Are flywheel energy storage systems safe?

While supercaps and batteries have no moving parts and potential danger lies primarily in possible electric shock or fire due to a short circuit, a flywheel energy storage system requires a different, comprehensive safety concept. The main problem with FESS is that the entire kinetic energy can be released within a very short time.

Is a flywheel energy storage system a burst containment?

The housing of a flywheel energy storage system (FESS) also serves as a burst containment in the case of rotor failure of vehicle crash. In this chapter, the requirements for this safety-critical component are discussed, followed by an analysis of historical and contemporary burst containment designs.

What is the energy content of a flywheel?

The energy content of a 1.5 kWh flywheel is therefore equivalent to the kinetic energy of a car traveling at over 300 km/h. The greatest danger is the breakage of the rotor and the high energy of the fragments due to the extreme rim speeds.

What are the characteristics of different flywheel materials?

Characteristics for different flywheel materials . In order to obtain high specific energy, flywheel materials must be light, with low ρ, and have high tensile strength allowing high spinning speeds, such as modern composite materials. Metals are heavy and do not allow reaching high spinning speeds.

How is energy absorbed by a flywheel?

The total energy of the flywheel is converted in equal shares into purely translational energy of the fragments; thus, energy absorption by crack growth, deformation, friction, etc. is neglected. Only the impact of a fragment is examined, because it is assumed that all three impacts are completely identical.