Design, Fabrication, and Test of a

5-kWh/100-kW Flywheel Energy Storage

Utilizing a High-Temperature
Superconducting Bearing
M. Strasik, P. E. J ohnson, A. C. Day, J . Mittleider, M. D. Higgins,
J . Edwards, J . R. Schindler, K. E. McCrary, C.R. McIver, D.
Carlson, J . F. Gonder, and J . R. Hull
November 6, 2007
ISS 2007, Tsukuba J apan
This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Offices of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability under the Cooperative Agreement DE-FC36-99G010825, Contract W-31-109-Eng-38, and Sandia
National Laboratories Energy Storage Program Contract 24412
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Outline
Flywheel application description
5 kWh /100 kW FES design and test results
Previous HTS bearing and cryogenic set-up
and results
Direct cooled bearing design and test results
Description of direct cooled test set-up
Summary
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Lobby
Free Electron
Laser Bldg.
Flywheel
Offices
Boeing Flywheel Facility - Seattle
Mt. Rainier
Offices
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Boeing Flywheel Spin Test Facility
Test pit with concrete blocks Flywheel test chamber Control room
Flywheel test facility Balancing spin system
2
nd
Level test area
Largest Flywheel Spin Test Facility on the West Coast
Largest Flywheel Spin Test Facility on the West Coast
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Flywheel Electricity Systems
Uninterrupted Regulated
(Load Leveled) Power Out
High Pulsed
Power Out
Surges
Outage
Noise
Freq Var
Spikes
Sags
POWER INVERTER
AND CONDITIONER
FLYWHEEL MOTOR
CONTROLLER
POWER TO
CUSTOMER
CUSTOMER
UTILITY
VAULT
POWER FROM
UTILITY GRID
$

FLYWHEEL
STORAGE UNIT

Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage

Boeing Flywheel Development History
1994 2004 2000 1998
2002
2006 2008
1996
2010
Design Concept 1 MWh FES
for Commonwealth Edison
DOE Phase 1 and 2 Contract
($12M)
3 kW
10 kWh
100 kW
5 kWh
DOE/Sandia Off-Grid FES Contract
($1.5M)
50 kW
5 kWh
IR&D Flywheel
Demonstrator
3 kW
2 kWh
100 kW
100 kWh
IR&D High Energy/Power
Density Flywheel (Military)
New Project
Proprietary Customer
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Why Flywheels and Superconducting Bearings?
Why Pursue Flywheel Energy
Storage?
Non-toxic and low maintenance
Potential for high power density (W/ kg)
and high energy density (W-Hr/ kg)
Fast charge / discharge times possible
Cycle life times of >25 years
Broad operating temperature range
Why use HTS bearings?
Simple passive system
Very low frictional loss
Very long lifetime
Low cost and
maintenance
Lower tolerance for
balancing of dynamic
structures
High speed capability (>
500,000 RPM)
Adjustable stiffness and
damping
Boeing Superconducting
Bearing Offers Many Design
and Operational Benefits
Over Conventional Bearing
Systems
Boeing Superconducting
Bearing Offers Many Design
and Operational Benefits
Over Conventional Bearing
Systems
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Boeing 100 kW / 5 kWh UPS Flywheel System Design
Lift Bearing
Aluminum Hub
Touchdown Bearing
Stability HTS Bearing
Steel
Vacuum
Vessel
Energy-Absorbing
Containment Liner
Motor/Generator
Power
Electronics
Hex YBCO
HTS Bearing
Bearing Rotor
Touchdown
Bearing
Composite Rotor
60 W GM
Cryocooler
System tested up to 15,000 RPM
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Boeing Cryogenic Bearing Enables Low Loss
Boeing-Patented Superconducting Bearing is a Unique
Discriminating Technology Enabling Efficient Flywheel Systems
Boeing-Patented Superconducting Bearing is a Unique
Discriminating Technology Enabling Efficient Flywheel Systems
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Superconducting Bearing System
HTS Crystals
HTS Crystals
Stainless Steel
Cryostat
HTS Bearing Rotor
Electromagnetic Models
Structural Bearing Models
10
Trapped
Field
Profile
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Flywheel Rotor Assembly
The flywheel team has successfully
tested a composite flywheel system
weighing 360 lbs and supported by
HTS bearing up to 15,000 RPM
Superconducting bearing performance
confirmed estimate of < 0.2% per hour
Stability Bearing Magnet
Rotor Installed
Motor Rotor Installed
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Stability Bearing Rotor Installation
Stability Bearing Magnet Rotor Installed
Stability Bearing Magnet Rotor
Installed
Composite Retaining Ring for
Bearing Magnets
HTS Stainless
Cryostat
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Rotor Installation and Lift Magnet Assembly
Lift PM Magnet
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Closing Flywheel Assembly
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
100 kW Power Electronics
100 kW system test
at Ballard Power
Utility Remote
Control Interface
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Containment Structure for Rotor Drop/Burst - Subscale Test (after)
Top of rotor: small scratches.
Container brackets slightly
damaged,can be re-used
Dropped rotor at 41,000 rpm
following quill shaft failure
Bottom of rotor: lost < 1.
Hub broken, some melting
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
After
1 kWh Burst Rotor & Container Before/After
Before
Rotor
Container
Shaft
Test Assembly
Successfully Verified Boeing Patented Safety Containment
Successfully Verified Boeing Patented Safety Containment
S-Brackets Flat in Center
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Results of High Speed Touch Down Event
Many lessons learned
Conservative safety approach
verified no external damage
Testing confirmed high risk
component designs
Many lessons learned
Conservative safety approach
verified no external damage
Testing confirmed high risk
component designs
Test experience resulted in an
improved modular re-design
Test experience resulted in an
improved modular re-design
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
480 VAC
5 kWh/100 kW UPS Flywheel Technical Issues
480 VAC
600 VDC
Variable Freq VAC
Inverter
Motor
Controller
Flywheel
Motor controller over-current shutdown
resolved
Motor controller algorithm
Rotor spun to 15,000 RPM non-contact
Motor stator over-heating during drive
Inverter system tested and ready for
integration
Facility prepared for SCE tests
HTS Bearing nominal to 15,000 RPM
Rotor has sub-sync vibration at higher RPM
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Sub-sync Whirl
Upper w/o
sub-sync
Upper with
sub-sync
Lower w/o
sub-sync
Lower with
sub-sync
FFT note
sub- sync
frequency
stays fixed
Dec 7, 2005 Run #5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Time (minutes)
R
e
l
a
t
i
v
e

S
u
b
-
S
y
n
c

A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
11000
12000
13000
14000
15000
16000
17000
18000
R
P
M
Sub-sync
RPM
Low energy in sub-sync,
but do not want to
contact excursion surface
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Proposed System Architecture for Deployment of a
50kW / 5kWh Flywheel Energy Storage System
Benefits of Using FESS Instead of Idling 2
nd
Generator on Standby
Reduce Generator Maintenance by 50% (estimate)
Reduce Fuel Costs by $80k/yr (estimate)
Lower Pollution
50 kW
Wind
Turbine
50 kW
Wind
Turbine
100 kW
Diesel
Genset
50 kW
Diesel
Genset
50 kW / 5 kWh
Flywheel
Flywheel
Power
Electronics
Integrated
Hybrid
Power
Control
System
Off Grid
Village
Flywheel Energy Storage System would supply power
during short peak demand periods
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Key Issues for HTS Bearing Design
Overall efficiency needs to be >95% in operating range
Low loss superconducting bearing
No criticals in operating range
System needs to be stiff enough to follow
disturbances, yet not so stiff critical frequencies are
produced in the operating range
Interactions between rotating portions (hub, spokes, & rotor)
Bearing stiffness
M/G stiffness
HTS damping J
c
and temperature dependent
Cooling type parasitic losses, temperature
HTS samples size and superconducting properties
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Previous DOE/Boeing Flywheel Terrestrial Cryogenics
Return LN
2
& N
2
(Two phase flow)
LN
2
Cryostat (HTS)
Cold Head (to re-condense N
2
gas for
closed loop LN
2
Operation) & ~ Liter Size
LN
2
Reservoir
Use of a Thermosiphon eliminated a
cryogenic pump requirement
HTS Stability Bearing Cryostat
Installed in DOE 5 kWh Flywheel
HTS Stability Bearing Cryostat
Installed in DOE 10 kWh Flywheel
Input LN
2
(gravity fed)
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Direct Cooled HTS Bearing
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Sandia 50 kW / 5kWh Flywheel Energy Storage System 2007
Direct Cooled Bearing Tests
HTS Bearing Stator
Hex YBCO
HTS Bearing Rotor
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
G-10 Bearing Support
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Experimental Spin Down Results from Direct Cooled
HTS Bearing
y = 0.000356x + 5.644164
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
Rotational Rate (rpm)
R
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
a
l

L
o
s
s

(
r
p
m
/
m
i
n
)
Below Resonance
Above Resonance
Linear (Above Resonance)
T = 50K, Gap = 2.1 mm
Total Loss
3.3 W at 2.1 mm gap
1.6W at 3.9 mm gap
Boeing Technology | Phantom Works Flywheel Energy Storage
Boeing Flywheel Project Summary
Program goal is to design, develop, and demonstrate a
100 kW UPS flywheel electricity system
Flywheel system spin tested up to 15,000 RPM in a
sensorless, closed loop mode
Testing identified a manufacturing deficiency in the
motor stator overheats at high speed, limiting
maximum power capability
Successfully spin tested direct cooled HTS bearing up
to 14,500 RPM (limited by Eddy current clutch set-up)
Testing confirmed commercial feasibility of this
bearing design Eddy Current losses are within
acceptable limits
Boeings investment in flywheel test facilities
increased our spin-test capabilities to one of the
highest in the nation