How to store energy for a long time using superconducting coils

What are superconducting magnetic energy storage coils?

Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) coils, also known as superconducting inductor coils, are used to store electrical energy in the magnetic field of a large coil for later use. Their main purpose is to supply large, repetitive power pulses and for load leveling applications.

What are superconducting inductive coils?

Superconducting Inductive Coils, also known as Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) coils, combine superconductivity and magnetic energy storage concepts to store electrical energy.

How do you store energy in a superconductor?

Storing energy by driving currents inside a superconductor might be the most straight forward approach – just take a long closed-loop superconducting coil and pass as much current as you can in it. As long as the superconductor is cold and remains superconducting the current will continue to circulate and energy is stored.

What is a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system?

SMES schematic. Source: Clive Shaw/University of Sheffield Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) systems use superconducting coils to efficiently store energy in a magnetic field generated by a DC current traveling through the coils.

How does a superconducting coil work?

Once the superconducting coil is charged, the DC in the coil will continuously run without any energy loss, allowing the energy to be perfectly stored indefinitely until the SMES system is intentionally discharged. This high efficiency allows SMES systems to boast end-to-end efficiencies of over 95%.

Could superconducting magnetic energy storage revolutionize energy storage?

Each technology has varying benefits and restrictions related to capacity, speed, efficiency, and cost. Another emerging technology, Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES), shows promise in advancing energy storage. SMES could revolutionize how we transfer and store electrical energy.