Open-core flywheel architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9729025-B2
Application number	US-201213438129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2012
Priority date	Apr 3, 2012
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems and methods are described for a flywheel system incorporating a rotor made from a high-strength material in an open-core flywheel architecture with a high-temperature superconductive (HTS) bearing technology to achieve the desired high energy density in the flywheel energy storage devices, to obtain superior results and performance, and that eliminates the material growth-matching problem and obviates radial growth and bending mode issues that otherwise occur at various high frequencies and speeds.

First claim

We claim:

1. An open core architecture flywheel assembly for storing and releasing energy comprising:
a hollow substantially cylindrical rotor assembly comprising a rotor rim having an inner and outer surface;
a brushless motor/generator permanent magnet array comprising:
a stator assembly in close proximity with the rotor assembly comprising a rotor rim;
at least one flexible rotor magnet affixed to the inner surface of the rotor rim;
at least one stator magnet affixed to the stator, said stator magnet dimensioned wider than the at least one flexible rotor magnet to establish an attractive force at rest and
a high temperature superconducting bearing;

wherein the at least one flexible rotor magnet and stator magnet are positioned relative to one another to facilitate levitation of the rotor during operation; and
wherein the attractive force at rest is nearly uniform to an attractive force as the rotor rim grows outward radially when the rotor assembly is operating at circumferential velocities of from about 300 m/s to about 3000 m/s.

2. The flywheel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotor comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon-fiber-containing material, glass-fiber containing material, metal-containing-material and combinations thereof.

3. The flywheel assembly of claim 2 , wherein the material comprises a matrix of materials selected from the group consisting of: graphite, e-glass, S-glass, silica, aluminum, titanium, steel, and combinations thereof.

4. The flywheel assembly of claim 2 , wherein the carbon-fiber-containing material is a carbon nanotube-containing material comprising a multi-walled carbon nanotube-containing material.

5. A vehicle comprising the flywheel assembly of claim 1 .

6. A method for storing energy in an open core architecture flywheel assembly for subsequent release upon demand comprising the steps of:
providing a hollow substantially cylindrical rotor assembly comprising a rotor rim having an inner and outer surface;
providing a brushless motor/generator permanent magnet array comprising;
a stator assembly in close proximity with the rotor rim;
at least one flexible rotor magnet to the inner surface of the rotor rim; and
affixing at least one stator magnet to the stator, said stator magnet dimensioned wider than the at least one flexible rotor magnet to establish an attractive force at rest and said stator magnet dimensioned to a predetermined width wider than the at least one flexible rotor magnet to substantially maintain the attractive force with the rotor nearly uniformly as the rotor grows outward radially when the rotor is operating at circumferential velocities of from about 300 m/s to about 3000 m/s; and
providing a high temperature superconducting bearing in contact with a cooling source;
wherein the at least one flexible rotor magnet and stator magnet are positioned relative to one another to facilitate levitation of the rotor during operation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rotor comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon-fiber-containing material, glass-fiber containing material, metal-containing-material and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the material comprises a matrix of materials selected from the group consisting of: graphite, e-glass, S-glass, silica, aluminum, titanium, steel, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the carbon-fiber-containing material is a multi-walled carbon nanotube-containing material.

Assignees

• Hull John R
• Strasik Michael
• Mittleider John A
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Hull John R
• Strasik Michael
• Mittleider John A

Classifications

• H02K7/025 Primary

  for power storage · CPC title

• F16F15/3156

  Arrangement of the bearings · CPC title

• H02K7/09

  with magnetic bearings · CPC title

• Y02E60/16

  Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids · CPC title

• F16C32/0423

  with permanent magnets on both parts repelling each other · CPC title