US6788029B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flywheel with switched coupling regulator
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2002-10-30
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Granted: 2004-09-07
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Expires: 2022-10-30
Abstract
Abstract A flywheel energy storage device, for producing electrical power in an allowable range of operating voltages for an output load, includes an energy storage flywheel supported for rotation on a bearing system, and a brushless motor and a brushless permanent magnet generator for accelerating and decelerating the flywheel for storing and retrieving energy. The generator has a multiplicity of windings for producing output power from the generator by a magnetic coupling that provides output power DC voltage. An out regulator circuit provides variable DC voltage that is maintained within the allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging. The output regulator circuit includes electronic switches for switching connections of the windings to change the number of windings connected to the output to maintain output power DC voltage within the allowable range. The switching occurs less than once per every 10 revolutions of the flywheel.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher W. Gabrys
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:00
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P9/00; H02P9/48; H02J; H02J1/00; H02J1/14; H02J1/16; H02K; H02K7/00; H02K7/02; H02K7/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A flywheel energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage flywheel supported for rotation on a bearing system; a brushless motor and a brushless permanent magnet generator connected to said flywheel for accelerating and decelerating said flywheel for storing and retrieving energy; a multiplicity of windings magnetically coupled in a plurality of combinations of various numbers of windings for outputting power produced by rotation of said flywheel; an output regulator circuit for providing a variable DC voltage that is maintained within an allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging; said output regulator circuit includes switches for switching connections of said windings to change the number of said windings coupled to said output to maintain said output power DC voltage within said allowable range; said switching occurs less than once per every 10 revolutions of said flywheel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A flywheel energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage flywheel supported for rotation on a bearing system; a brushless motor and a brushless permanent magnet generator connected to said flywheel for accelerating and decelerating said flywheel for storing and retrieving energy; a multiplicity of windings magnetically coupled in a plurality of combinations of various numbers of windings for outputting power produced by rotation of said flywheel; an output regulator circuit for providing a variable DC voltage that is maintained within an allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging; said output regulator circuit includes switches for switching connections of said windings to change the number of said windings coupled to said output to maintain said output power DC voltage within said allowable range; said switching occurs less than once per every 10 revolutions of said flywheel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said magnetic coupling is located in said generator of said flywheel system with said windings being the coils of said generator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 2 , wherein: said coils of said generator produce multiple phases of output power that are rectified and smoothed with capacitors and then combined electrically in series to provide said DC voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 2 , wherein: said coils of said generator produce multiple phases of output power that are rectified and combined electrically in parallel to provide said DC voltage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said DC voltage varies from a high voltage to a low voltage between two and ten times during a full discharge of said flywheel energy storage system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said brushless motor and said brushless permanent magnet generator are combined.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said DC voltage varies more than 5% but less than 35% from its maximum voltage when maintained within said allowable range during discharging of said flywheel energy storage device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said connected load is comprised of telecommunication equipment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said connected load is an inverter for converting said DC voltage to AC.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 1 , wherein: said magnetic coupling is located in a transformer that is electrically connected to the generator output with said windings being the secondary and or primary coils of said transformer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
A flywheel energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage flywheel supported for rotation on a bearing system; a brushless motor and a brushless permanent magnet generator for accelerating and decelerating said flywheel for storing and retrieving energy, said generator having windings for a magnetic coupling for providing output power, an output regulator circuit for providing a DC voltage that is maintained within an allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging; said DC voltage is maintained within said allowable range by switching connections of numbers of windings of said magnetic coupling; said magnetic coupling is located in said generator of said flywheel system with said windings being the coils of said generator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
115 words
A flywheel energy storage system, comprising: an energy storage flywheel supported for rotation on a bearing system; a brushless motor and a brushless permanent magnet generator for accelerating and decelerating said flywheel for storing and retrieving energy, said generator having windings for a magnetic coupling for providing output power, an output regulator circuit for providing a DC voltage that is maintained within an allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging; said DC voltage is maintained within said allowable range by switching connections of numbers of windings of said magnetic coupling; said magnetic coupling is located in said generator of said flywheel system with said windings being the coils of said generator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 11 , wherein: said DC voltage varies more than 5% but less than 35% from its maximum voltage when maintained within said allowable range.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 11 , wherein: said switching occurs less than once per every 10 revolutions of said flywheel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 11 , wherein: said connected load comprises an inverter for converting said DC voltage to AC.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 11 , wherein: said DC voltage varies from a high voltage to a low voltage between two and ten times during a fill discharge of said flywheel energy storage system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 11 , wherein: said coils for said motor that accelerate said flywheel are electrically isolated from coils for said generator that decelerate said flywheel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of using a flywheel energy storage device as described in claim 11 wherein: said DC voltage varies from a high voltage to a low voltage between two and ten times during a full discharge of said flywheel energy storage system.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of generating electrical power, in a flywheel energy storage device, at an output voltage that is maintained within an allowable voltage range, comprising: energizing a brushless motor to accelerate a flywheel in said flywheel energy storage device to rotate and store energy in a form of rotational inertia; retrieving said stored energy in the form of electrical power by driving a brushless permanent magnet generator with said rotational inertia of said flywheel, said stored energy retrieval including generating a DC voltage in a multiplicity of windings of a magnetic coupling that provides output power, and maintaining said DC voltage within an allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging; said DC voltage is maintained within said allowable range by switching connections of said windings with an output regulator circuit to couple a number of said windings that produces said voltage within said allowable voltage range at a speed at which said flywheel is turning; said magnetic coupling is located in a generator of the flywheel system, with said windings being the coils of said generator.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of generating electrical power, in a flywheel energy storage device, at an output voltage that is maintained within an allowable voltage range, comprising: energizing a brushless motor to accelerate a flywheel in said flywheel energy storage device to rotate and store energy in a form of rotational inertia; retrieving said stored energy in the form of electrical power by driving a brushless permanent magnet generator with said rotational inertia of said flywheel, said stored energy retrieval including generating a DC voltage in a multiplicity of windings of a magnetic coupling that provides output power, and maintaining said DC voltage within an allowable range for connected loads as the flywheel slows during discharging; said DC voltage is maintained within said allowable range by switching connections of said windings with an output regulator circuit to couple a number of said windings that produces said voltage within said allowable voltage range at a speed at which said flywheel is turning; said magnetic coupling is located in a generator of the flywheel system, with said windings being the coils of said generator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-09-07 | 2008-03-08 | 2008-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-09-07 | 2012-03-08 | 2012-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-09-07 | 2016-03-08 | 2016-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |