Flywheel energy storage device with induction torque transfer

• US 10,340,768 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raymond James Walsh
• Original Assignee: Raymond James Walsh
• Inventors: Walsh, Raymond James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tran N
• Application Number:
  US15/878,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20180166946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 3/08 using flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/06 the pump being electrically driven F04D25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/43 in the form of rotational kinetic energy, e.g. in flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2361/55 Flywheel systems in general F16F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/0417 for axial load mainly
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/025 for power storage
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/09 with magnetic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids

Abstract

A flywheel energy storage device includes the Halbach Motor/Generator with rolling biphasic coil control, continuously variable torque transfer via magnetic induction and a reluctance magnetic levitation system known as the Axial-Loading Magnetic Reluctance Device. Electric energy input turns the magnetically coupled rotors of the Halbach motor, and torque is transferred to a flywheel through a copper cylinder variably inserted between the Halbach magnet rotors. In idle mode, the energy is stored kinetically in the spinning flywheel, which is levitated by a permanent magnet bearing. Electric energy output is achieved by transferring torque from the flywheel through the copper cylinder to the rotors of the Halbach Generator by magnetic induction. Rolling biphasic motor control includes dividing Halbach motor coils into increments, then energizing groups of contiguous increments into virtual coils, which revolve in tandem with the magnet rotors so to achieve continuous and optimal torque.

Claims

1. A system for transferring torque, said system comprising:

a plurality of electric coils arranged in the shape of a toroid and configured so that, upon the application of electric current through the plurality of coils, adjacent coils generate magnetic fields of opposing polarities;

a primary rotor having a plurality of permanent primary magnets positioned within the plurality of electric coils for passing through the plurality of electric coils and configured as a primary cylinder having a primary magnetic field, said primary magnets comprising circumferentially oriented permanent magnets;

a secondary rotor mounted coaxially with the primary rotor externally of the plurality of coils and for rotation relative to the plurality of electric coils, the secondary rotor including a plurality of permanent secondary magnets configured as a secondary cylinder having a secondary magnetic field directed toward the primary rotor and configured to magnetically couple with the primary cylinder, and wherein the plurality of permanent primary magnets are configured as a primary cylinder having a primary magnetic field directed toward the secondary rotor and are configured to magnetically couple with the secondary cylinder, to thereby effectuate the transfer of torque from the primary rotor to the secondary rotor;

an induction cylinder positioned between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor, wherein said induction cylinder comprises an electrically conductive material.

2. The system for transferring torque of claim 1, wherein said system for transferring torque comprises a clutch mechanism, wherein said clutch mechanism is configured to move at least one of said induction cylinder and said primary rotor and said secondary rotor between a disengaged position and an engaged position, wherein an engaged position is defined as a position at which said induction cylinder is positioned between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor.

3. The system for transferring torque of claim 2, wherein said clutch mechanism comprises a variable clutch mechanism, wherein said primary rotor and said secondary rotor comprise a gap between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor, said gap defining a length, wherein said variable clutch mechanism is configured to move at least one of said induction cylinder and said combination of said primary rotor and said second rotor between a disengaged position and at least two engaged positions.

4. The system for transferring torque of claim 1, wherein said induction cylinder comprises a drive shaft.

5. The system for transferring torque of claim 1 further comprising a controller, wherein said controller is configured to control the transfer of electricity to said coils.

6. The system for transferring torque of claim 5, wherein said controller is configured to provide AC current to a plurality of coil groups, said groups comprising two or more adjacent coils, said adjacent coils connected in series, such that said coil groups provide a virtual coil such that as said primary rotor spins, said controller selectively energizes each coil group to maintain a center of each circumferential magnet on said primary rotor at or near the border between two adjacent oppositely polarized coil groups.

7. The system for transferring torque of claim 6, wherein said mechanism for conducting electric current comprises a sensor, wherein said sensor is in communication with said controller, wherein said sensor is configured to sense the position of at least one of said primary rotor and said secondary rotor, wherein said controller is configured to provide a controlled quantity of current to said coils to generate continuous torque on said induction cylinder.

8. The system for transferring torque of claim 1, wherein said second rotor comprises a plurality of electric coils arranged in the shape of a toroid and surrounding said plurality of permanent secondary magnets and configured so that, upon the application of electric current through the plurality of coils, adjacent coils generate magnetic fields of opposing polarities.

9. The system for transferring torque of claim 1, wherein said secondary rotor comprises a drive shaft.

10. The system for transferring torque of claim 1, wherein said a mechanism for conducting electric current between the plurality of electric coils and an electric apparatus is configured to conduct three phase alternating electric current.

11. A method for transferring torque, the method comprising steps of:

passing alternating current (“

AC”

) through a plurality of electric coils arranged end-to-end in the shape of a toroid and configured so that, upon the application of the AC through the plurality of coils, adjacent coils generate electromagnetic fields of opposing polarities;

inducing from the electromagnetic fields movement of a plurality of permanent primary magnets through the plurality of electric coils for rotation relative to the plurality of electric coils, the plurality of permanent primary magnets constituting a primary rotor and configured as a primary Halbach cylinder having a primary magnetic field;

transferring torque from the primary rotor to a secondary rotor magnetically coupled to the primary rotor, wherein the secondary rotor is mounted coaxially with the primary rotor externally of the plurality of coils and for rotation relative to the plurality of electric coils, the secondary rotor including a plurality of permanent secondary magnets configured as a secondary Halbach cylinder having a secondary magnetic field directed toward the primary rotor and configured to magnetically couple with the primary Halbach cylinder, and wherein the plurality of permanent primary magnets are configured as a primary Halbach cylinder having a primary magnetic field directed toward the secondary rotor and are configured to magnetically couple with the secondary Halbach cylinder to thereby effectuate the transfer of torque from the primary rotor to the secondary rotor; and

transferring torque from the primary rotor to an induction cylinder, wherein the induction cylinder is mounted coaxially with the primary rotor externally of the plurality of coils and for rotation relative to the plurality of electric coils, the induction cylinder rotating through the primary magnetic field and the secondary magnetic field thereby inducing within the induction cylinder an opposing magnetic field so as to effectuate the transfer of torque from the primary rotor to the induction cylinder.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of positioning an induction cylinder between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor comprises using a clutch mechanism to position said induction cylinder between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor in an engaged position from a disengaged position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of positioning an induction cylinder between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor comprises using a variable clutch mechanism to position said induction cylinder between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor, wherein said primary rotor and said secondary rotor comprise a gap between said primary rotor and said secondary rotor, said gap defining a length, wherein said variable clutch is configured to move at least one of said induction cylinder and said combination of said primary rotor and said second rotor between a disengaged position and at least two engaged positions wherein in a first engaged position said induction cylinder occupies said gap at a longer length that in said second engaged position.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said induction cylinder comprises a drive shaft.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said induction cylinder comprises a flywheel energy storage system.

16. A system for transferring torque, said system comprising:

a plurality of electric coils arranged in the shape of a toroid and configured so that, upon the application of electric current through the plurality of coils, adjacent coils generate magnetic fields of opposing polarities;

a primary rotor having a plurality of permanent primary magnets positioned within the plurality of electric coils for passing through the plurality of electric coils and configured as a primary cylinder having a primary magnetic field, wherein said primary magnets comprising primary circumferential magnets, said primary circumferential magnets comprising a magnet center;

a secondary rotor mounted coaxially with the primary rotor externally of the plurality of coils and for rotation relative to the plurality of electric coils, the secondary rotor including a plurality of permanent secondary magnets configured as a secondary cylinder having a secondary magnetic field directed toward the primary rotor and configured to magnetically couple with the primary cylinder, and wherein the plurality of permanent primary magnets are configured as a primary cylinder having a primary magnetic field directed toward the secondary rotor and are configured to magnetically couple with the secondary cylinder, to thereby effectuate the transfer of torque from the primary rotor to the secondary rotor; and

a controller configured for controlling the distribution of electric current to said plurality of electric coils, said controller configured to provide AC current to a plurality of coil groups, said groups comprising two or more adjacent coils, said adjacent coils connected in series such that said coil groups provide a virtual coil such that as said primary rotor spins, said controller selectively energizes each coil group so that the border between adjacent coil groups aligns with said magnet center of each said circumferential magnet on said primary rotor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said system for transferring torque comprises a sensor, wherein said sensor is positioned to determine the location of said primary rotor in relation to said plurality of electric coils, wherein said sensor is configured to communication said position of said primary rotor to said controller.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said rolling biphasic configuration comprises said controller configured to continuously adjusting electric current supplied to said electric coils to selectively energize groups of adjacent coils to produce a rolling biphasic configuration to maintain the magnet center of each primary circumferential magnet at or proximate to the border between two adjacent coils.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said second rotor comprises a plurality of electric coils arranged in the shape of a toroid and surrounding said plurality of permanent secondary magnets and configured so that, upon the application of electric current through the plurality of coils, adjacent coils generate magnetic fields of opposing polarities.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said controller is configured for controlling the distribution of electric current to said plurality of electric coils surrounding said permanent secondary magnets in a rolling biphasic configuration.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein said secondary rotor comprises a drive shaft.

22. The system for transferring torque of claim 16, wherein said controller is configured to conduct three phase alternating electric current.