Flywheel Energy Storage System Using Superconducting Magnetic Bearings for Demonstration Tests

Abstract

Financially supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization in Japan, the Railway Technical Research Institute has co-developed a flywheel energy storage system in association with KUBOTEK, FURUKAWA ELECTRIC, MIRAPRO and YAMANASHI prefecture. The flywheel system was chosen as an energy storage medium because in terms of life span, cost, capacity and output power, flywheel energy storage systems offer more advantages than other energy storage systems. It stores energy in the form of kinetic energy. Therefore, there is no electrochemical damage. This paper first describes the effect of the flywheel energy storage system, and then presents details of the equipment used in a demonstration test.