Study on Utilization of Regenerative Electric Power of Escalator Using Flywheel Energy Storage System

Abstract

We have been studying ways to apply a flywheel energy storage system (FESS) to railway electricity distribution systems. And we tested and confirmed basic performances of FESS, such as reduction of peak demand and response to brief power outages. When many people are on a descending escalator, it regenerates electricity by releasing potential energy. In conventional escalators, regenerative power is consumed by resistors and is not recycled. Therefore, we confirmed through experiments that the above problem can be solved by the energy storage function of the FESS, which enables the escalator to operate even during a power outage. Furthermore, we estimated the amount of energy saved through recycling of regenerated electric power from the escalator.