An energy storage device for storing energy generated from operation of a work vehicle includes a ballast providing ballast weight to the work vehicle, a stator of an electric machine mounted on the work vehicle, a rotor of the electric machine fixed for rotation with the ballast, spaced from the stator by a gap, and configured for rotation relative to the stator such that the electric machine is configured to generate electrical current from rotation of the rotor and the ballast relative to the stator and to rotate the rotor and the ballast from electrical current received by the electric machine, and a gap modulator coupled to at least one of the stator and the rotor and configured to selectively adjust the gap between the rotor and the stator based on an operation of the electric machine.

An energy storage device is mounted at a horizontal end of a work vehicle for storing energy generated from operation of the work vehicle. The energy storage device includes a stator of an electric machine having a stator axis, a rotor of the electric machine fixed for rotation with a rotating ballast and configured for rotation about the stator axis, a housing disposed around the rotor and configured to contain the electric machine, and a brake configured to absorb kinetic energy of the rotor.

A work vehicle and energy storage device include an electric machine having a stator and a rotor. The rotor is configured to rotate from the flow of electrical current provided to the electric machine, rotate to store energy of the work vehicle, provide a rotor mass to an end of the work vehicle, and generate electrical current for the work vehicle from rotation of the rotor. The rotor mass is greater than a stator mass.

A power system includes a base, two magnetic bearings mounted on the base, a shaft rotatably mounted on the two magnetic bearings, a flywheel mounted on the shaft, a motor connected with the flywheel, an uninterrupted power supply electrically connected with the motor, a utility power electrically connected with the uninterrupted power supply, a coupling connected with the shaft, a speed change device connected with the coupling, a generating device connected with the speed change device, a load electrically connected with the generating device, a recharge rectifier electrically connected with the uninterrupted power supply, and a reactor electrically connected with the recharge rectifier and the generating device. Thus, the enlarged torque of the flywheel provides the inertia power to enhance the generating power of the generating device.

Flywheel based electrical energy management system and device. The device will often comprise at least one shaft mounted flywheel, each flywheel comprising a flywheel mass that contains a plurality of permanent magnets. The flywheel spins within at least one stator comprising a plurality of magnetic pickup coils configured so that the flywheel mass can rotate freely within the stator. The flywheel may be placed in a vacuum chamber and be supported by magnetic bearings. The flywheel shaft(s) are typically connected to one or more axial mounted motor generators, and the system further typically comprises a storage battery and control processor. The system handles a variety of different and not always stable input power sources, and converts this to continuous, efficient and stable electrical power. The system can handle a variety of clients, such as buildings, electric vehicles, and the like, and can operate under a variety of challenging conditions.

The present invention provides a flywheel having a high energy density, a designing method which facilitates the designing of the flywheel, and an energy storage system which can achieve both an increase in storage energy and a reduction in weight by adopting the flywheel. A flywheel A includes: a low-density disk 10 having a low average density; and a high-density outer edge section 11 which is provided on the outer circumference of the low-density disk 10, and has an average density higher than that of the low-density disk 10.

An example system includes a dynamo-electric machine. The dynamo-electric machine includes a rotor that is cylindrical and that is configured for rotation and a stator that is arranged relative to the rotor. The stator has a stepped configuration that defines a first diameter for the stator and a second diameter for the stator. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter. Zones of the stator at the first diameter hold direct-axis (D-axis) windings and zones of the stator at the second diameter hold quadrature axis (Q-axis) windings. An airgap between the rotor and the Q-axis windings is greater than an airgap between the rotor and the D-axis windings.

A flywheel system includes a fixture providing a base and a stator, rotor having a cavity to receive the stator, a generator/motor module having a plurality of permanent magnets mechanically coupled to the rotor and an active magnetic bearing module. The active magnetic bearing module includes a plurality of magnetizable elements mechanically coupled to or integrated in the rotor, and a plurality of electromagnets mechanically coupled to a shaft and configured to magnetically couple with the plurality of first magnetizable elements to actively stabilize the rotor relative to the fixture. The windings of the generator/motor module are arranged around the rotation axis of the rotor at a first distance from the rotation axis of the rotor, the electromagnets of the active magnetic bearing module are arranged around the rotation axis of the rotor at a second distance, and the first distance is greater than or equal to the second distance.

A conduit inspection tool system includes a conduit inspection tool that includes a body that includes one or more wheels configured to move the body through and in contact with a conduit; at least two power generating sub-systems coupled to the body, each of the at least two power generating sub-systems configured to generate electrical power to operate the one or more wheels to move the body through and in contact with the conduit; and at least one energy storage device electrically coupled to the at least two power generating sub-systems, the at least one energy storage device configured to store electrical power generated by the at least two power generating sub-systems; and a control system communicably coupled to the at least two power generating sub-systems and the at least one energy storage device.

Flywheel system properties are enhanced with rim designs that control stress at operational rotational velocities. The tensile strength of fiber-resin composites can be aligned with radial forces to improve radial stress loading. Loops with composite casings can be arranged around the flywheel circumference with a majority of the fibers being aligned in the radial direction. The loops can enclose masses that contribute to energy storage in the flywheel system. Masses can be arranged around the hub circumference with a hoop wound composite casing enclosing the masses and hub. The masses subjected to radial forces are radially displaced with increasing rotational velocity and can provide compressive force to the fiber-resin composite to contribute to maintaining composite integrity. With the alignment of fibers in hoop or radial directions, higher loading permits increase rotational velocities, which can significantly add to the amount of energy stored or produced with the flywheel.