How can flywheel energy storage improve battery life & system availability?

To improve battery life and system availability, flywheels can be combined with batteries to extend battery run time and reduce the number of yearly battery discharges that reduce battery life (Figure 2). Many types of medical imaging equipment, such as CT or MRI machines can also benefit from flywheel energy storage systems.

How can flywheels be more competitive to batteries?

The use of new materials and compact designs will increase the specific energy and energy density to make flywheels more competitive to batteries. Other opportunities are new applications in energy harvest, hybrid energy systems, and flywheel’s secondary functionality apart from energy storage.

Does a flywheel need a battery?

Even if batteries are not needed, the flywheel will need maintenance – including replacement of the internal bearing – which can also add cost. The lifespan of the flywheel itself is typically longer than that of a static UPS system, allowing for a potentially lower cost of ownership.

What is a flywheel battery?

Flywheel battery. Image courtesy of VYCON During a power disruption, the flywheel will provide backup power instantly. When flywheels are used with UPS systems (instead of batteries), they provide reliable protection against damaging voltage sags and brief outages.

Can a flywheel store energy?

Theoretically, the flywheel should be able to both store and extract energy quickly, and release it, both at high speeds and without any limit on the total number of cycles possible in its lifetime. However, their cost, weight, and energy density have been traditional concerns with flywheels.

Do flywheel energy storage systems need maintenance?

Flywheel energy storage systems require little maintenance and can quickly respond to peaks in demand. Their performance is not affected by life, temperature or depth of discharge (the amount of energy the flywheel can release).