Energy storage apparatus
First Claim
1. An energy storage apparatus comprising:
- a stator;
a flywheel rotor including a spokeless, continuous ring portion, and a plurality of salient pole members distributed along an inner rim of said ring portion, a first air gap being formed between opposed pairs of said pole members;
said flywheel rotor being rotatable around an outer rim of said stator, a second air gap being formed between said stator and said rotor;
stationary armature means extending into said first air gap;
means for supplying alternating current to said armature means in a motor mode of operation, said alternating current interacting with magnetic flux in said first air gap to cause rotation of said rotor;
means for withdrawing alternating current from said armature means in a generator mode of operation; and
magnetic bearing means for magnetically supporting said rotor in axial and radial alignment to said stator, including;
first permanent magnet means incorporated in said stator for establishing a steady state flux in said second air gap, andsets of opposed salient teeth within said rotor and said stator, respectively, said steady state flux passing through said second air gap between said opposed salient teeth for maintaining said rotor and said stator in axial alignment to one another.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy storage device comprises a flywheel rotor in the form of a spokeless ring of filamentary, composite material rotating around a ring-shaped stator. Along the inner rim of the rotor, there is a layer of magnetically soft iron that forms homopolar, salient pole pairs. An ironless armature winding mounted on the stator extends into an air gap formed between the pole pairs. To bring the rotor up to speed, alternating current is supplied to the armature winding using electronic commutation. The armature current interacts with flux in the air gap to create a force acting to rotate the rotor. During coast down, current may be tapped from the rotor using commutation diodes. The rotor and stator are maintained in axial alignment to each other by magnetic flux produced by a permanent magnet in the stator. An electromagnet incorporated in the stator modulates permanent magnet flux to compensate for any eccentricity between the stator and the rotor that may develop during rotation.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An energy storage apparatus comprising:
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a stator; a flywheel rotor including a spokeless, continuous ring portion, and a plurality of salient pole members distributed along an inner rim of said ring portion, a first air gap being formed between opposed pairs of said pole members; said flywheel rotor being rotatable around an outer rim of said stator, a second air gap being formed between said stator and said rotor; stationary armature means extending into said first air gap; means for supplying alternating current to said armature means in a motor mode of operation, said alternating current interacting with magnetic flux in said first air gap to cause rotation of said rotor; means for withdrawing alternating current from said armature means in a generator mode of operation; and magnetic bearing means for magnetically supporting said rotor in axial and radial alignment to said stator, including; first permanent magnet means incorporated in said stator for establishing a steady state flux in said second air gap, and sets of opposed salient teeth within said rotor and said stator, respectively, said steady state flux passing through said second air gap between said opposed salient teeth for maintaining said rotor and said stator in axial alignment to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification