Flywheel system with parallel pumping arrangement
US6347925B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/2119
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A flywheel energy storage system, including a plurality of pumps arranged in parallel for simultaneously drawing-off and absorbing substantially all of the gases that evolve from a flywheel assembly during high-speed operation, is disclosed. The plurality of pumps includes at least one pump, e.g., a water sorbent, for pumping mainly water vapor; and, at least one pump, e.g., a getter pump, for pumping mainly active gases. The plurality of pumps is disposed in a gas storage chamber that is separate from the main housing of the flywheel system. A drag pump assists the plurality of pumps in the gas storage chamber by pumping the evolved gases from the main housing to the gas storage chamber for subsequent absorption by the plurality of pumps. Because the water sorbent has a relatively fast pumping speed, and the getter pump has a relatively slow pumping speed, getter material used with the getter pump degrades at a substantially slower rate, thereby reducing the cost of using the getter pump in the flywheel energy storage system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.