Flywheel system with parallel pumping arrangement
First Claim
1. A flywheel energy storage system, comprising:
- a sealed housing;
a flywheel assembly disposed within the sealed housing;
a gas storage chamber disposed within the sealed housing;
a sealed container external to the sealed housing and fluidly coupled to the gas storage chamber;
a first pump disposed within the sealed housing and operatively coupled to the gas storage chamber for pumping gases that evolve from the flywheel assembly into the gas storage chamber, the evolved gases including water vapor and active gases;
a plurality of pumps for simultaneously pumping substantially all of the gases pumped into the gas storage chamber, wherein said plurality of pumps includes at least one pump for pumping mainly the water vapor and at least one pump for pumping mainly the active gases;
wherein said at least one pump for pumping mainly the water vapor is disposed in the gas storage chamber; and
wherein said at least one pump for pumping mainly the active gases is disposed in the external container.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flywheel energy storage system, including a plurality of pumps arranged in parallel for simultaneously drawing-off and absorbing substantially all of the gases that evolve from a flywheel assembly during high-speed operation, is disclosed. The plurality of pumps includes at least one pump for pumping mainly water vapor; and, at least one pump for pumping mainly active gases. The at least one pump for pumping mainly water vapor plurality of pumps is disposed in a gas storage chamber that is separate from the main housing of the flywheel system. The at least one pump for pumping mainly active gases is disposed in a container external to the main housing and fluidly coupled to the gas storage chamber. A drag pump assists the plurality of pumps in the gas storage chamber by pumping the evolved gases from the main housing to the gas storage chamber.
37 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A flywheel energy storage system, comprising:
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a sealed housing;
a flywheel assembly disposed within the sealed housing;
a gas storage chamber disposed within the sealed housing;
a sealed container external to the sealed housing and fluidly coupled to the gas storage chamber;
a first pump disposed within the sealed housing and operatively coupled to the gas storage chamber for pumping gases that evolve from the flywheel assembly into the gas storage chamber, the evolved gases including water vapor and active gases;
a plurality of pumps for simultaneously pumping substantially all of the gases pumped into the gas storage chamber, wherein said plurality of pumps includes at least one pump for pumping mainly the water vapor and at least one pump for pumping mainly the active gases;
wherein said at least one pump for pumping mainly the water vapor is disposed in the gas storage chamber; and
wherein said at least one pump for pumping mainly the active gases is disposed in the external container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of reducing gas pressure within a flywheel housing, the method being used for reducing windage losses caused by gases evolving from a flywheel assembly disposed within the flywheel housing, the evolved gases including water vapor and active gases, comprising the steps of:
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(a) pumping the evolved gases from the flywheel housing to a chamber separate from the flywheel housing; and
(b) pumping substantially all of the gases pumped into the separate chamber using a plurality of pumps, wherein the plurality of pumps including at least one pump for pumping mainly the water vapor that is disposed within the separate chamber and at least one pump for pumping mainly the active gases which said at least one pump is disposed in a container external to the flywheel housing and fluidly coupled to the separate chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for simultaneously pumping a plurality of different types of gases including water vapor and active gases, comprising:
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a water sorbent; and
a getter pump, wherein the getter pump includes;
a getter housing having a constricted inlet, and a getter material storage chamber disposed within the getter housing;
getter material;
disposed within the getter material storage chamber so as to be in fluid communication with the constricted inlet;
wherein the getter material is a non-evaporable getter material being composed so as to have a surface to volume ratio that yields a pumping speed in the range of from 0.001 to 0.01 liters per second. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of reducing gas pressure within a flywheel housing, the method being used for reducing windage losses caused by gases evolving from a flywheel assembly disposed within the flywheel housing, the evolved gases including water vapor and active gases, comprising the steps of:
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(a) pumping the evolved gases from the flywheel housing to a chamber separate from the flywheel housing;
(b) continuously pumping the water vapor using at least one first pump disposed in the separate chamber; and
(c) intermittently pumping the active gases using at least one second pump disposed in a container external to the flywheel housing and the separate chamber but fluidly coupled to the separate chamber, the at least one second pump intermittently pumping the active gases at times when associated active gas loads approach predetermined levels.
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Specification