battery storage systems Wheels of change: new energy source on the horizon.

From the muddy lower abdomen of the trolley to the windystern of the sailing boat, from frost-
From rail to jet
Over time, the damn taxiway takes many forms and is always evolving to meet the needs of people to improve their way of life.
Now, as the new millennium approaches, the wheels will change again --
It could change the face of power in Alaska.
Wheel, the familiar, circular frame that turns on the axle, isa long-
Human time partner
Not in Alaska, though.
According to National historians, the wheel did not appear in this great land until 200, and it was the cargo of European explorers.
A new wheel is rolling towards the state today.
This will provide huge savings for rural Alaska.
Earlier this year, the federal Department of Energy announced that it intends to accelerate the commercial development of superpower technology by building partnerships on six new energy-saving projects.
One of them, a flywheel energy storage system, is in talks with Boeing's Phantom factory unit, Alaska is the biggest target market.
Recognizing energy production in Alaska
Especially in rural Alaska.
Boeing saw its flywheel energy storage system --
Or called FESS-
Potentially helpful to the last frontier industry and community.
"In general, everyone needs it"
Whether it's urban commerce, the arurral community, remote hatchery, or wilderness mining operations --
In a reasonable ecological environment, I am very interested in reliable and efficient energy, "said Peter Curl, an energy expert at the Alaska energy department.
Along the Alaska Railroad-
Fairbanks, Anchorage and Kenai Peninsula-a well-
Developed energy infrastructure already exists.
Communities along the route are connected through energy connections between various hydro and natural gas
Thermal power plant.
So their energy is rather cheap due to economies of scale.
"Rural Alaska is another matter.
According to Percy friesby, head of Alaska's energy department, the biggest challenge is energy.
In rural Alaska, the cost of producing this energy is high.
"Rural Alaska relies heavily on diesel to generate electricity, and the cost of purchasing, transporting and distributing fuel is high," friesby said . ".
The Alaska Community and Regional Affairs Department reports that customers in rural Alaska have about three to five times more electricity charges than customers in more urban areas of the state.
In 1996, the average cost of diesel was $1. 01 per gallon.
Of the 190 rural communities that participated in the state's electricity cost balancing program that year, more than 27 million gallons of fuel oil were used to provide electricity, costing nearly $28 million.
The cost of fuel is only one charge.
Roughly speaking, it makes up 30% of a community's fuel.
Related expenditures.
Charles Walls said that 70% of the income is due to the cost of diesel power generation, including the construction of diesel power plants, the transportation of fuel and the operation and maintenance of the system, chairman of the Alaska Rural Power Cooperative
While diesel is still the lowest cost option for Alaska Electric, no one is happy about it.
The best scenario is to develop a system that reduces power costs and provides reliable energy in rural Alaska.
Sam Wright, business development manager for Boeing's flywheel rack project, said the "efficiency" concept is one of the reasons we started talking to the people of Alaska --
Because we are sure there will be demand there.
We are interested in developing alternative energy storage to supplement or reduce the need for fossil fuels.
"This is exactly what FESS will do. Flywheels -
Rim of rotating wheels
It is a common function on a machine affected by Drive and load fluctuations, such as an engine.
For example, the flywheel on the adiesel engine on the fishing boat absorbs the energy transmitted through the ignition piston to its rotation, and then releases the energy in the time gap before the next piston ignition.
The Flywheel makes the motion of the crankshaft smooth, so that the propeller shaft rotates evenly.
In the case of FESS, the stored energy can be converted into almost anything that requires energy.
It is a "mechanical and electrical" battery;
It does not store electricity like lead-acid batteries, but mechanically stores energy in rotating wheels.
When the connected motor is turned, the energy can be drawn out to generate electricity.
Or you can reverse the flow and charge the flywheel itself.
It can be integrated into any system: Diesel, hydro, wind, solar. . .
Anything that can drive the motor to turn the wheel.
But there are two things that hinder the long-term use of the technology.
Regular energy storage.
First of all, a wheel that is enough to store a lot of energy is very heavy and inefficient, and the bearing will soon wear out.
Secondly, for stable wheels, complex control systems are required for electro-mechanical, magnetic and magnetic bearings.
These systems consume 1% to 5% of system energy per hour.
Economically unacceptable
Boeing FESS represents something new.
This company
The strength composite flywheel was developed based on Boeing's experience in designing the composite structure required for the B-aircraft2 bomber, F-
22 fighter jets and Boeing 777 jetliner.
The flywheel is light in weight but strong enough to withstand strain generated at 40,000 rpmper-minute spin.
It is sealed in a vacuum chamber.
Suspended and stabilized in a magnetic field that combines permanent and super
It launches in a manner of almost zero friction.
The energy loss is on the order of 0.
1 percentage per hour, 50 times higher than the early flywheel design.
In general, its energy density (the amount of energy that can be stored per unit volume) is about 10 times that of conventional lead-acid batteries.
Boeing's 2 KW hour/hour prototype weighs only 44 lbs and can power ordinary Horn's lights and appliances.
If more storage space is needed, like a battery, additional flywheel can be connected in series.
Both consumers and fuel suppliers will receive economic benefits.
"The flywheel energy storage system is pollution-free, quiet, light-weight, does not take up too much space and does not wear out," Wright said . ".
Compared to the time required for the battery, it can charge quickly in a few minutes.
The maintenance time is about 4 hours per year and the service life is 4 centuries.
Delegates from Boeing, the Alaska Department of Energy, private industry companies and various utilities held a meeting at the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation in Anchorage to showcase the technology.
Helping coordinate the meeting is Jack Woodof of Kiiguusi Suuluta Land Company, which is interested in developing geothermal energy on the island of Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands.
Boeing introduced its small "proof of concept" device and built a double
Hour demo.
With the flick of the wrist, participants rotate the small composite
It's four times the size of hockey.
He was spinning around the wood and he was sure to be super
Sell magnetic bearings technically.
"The wheel sits there and rotates for 43 minutes outdoors," Wood said . ". "Forty-three minutes!
Everyone stared at the watch. . .
The only reason it stops is that we don't put in liquid nitrogen and keep the temperature of the liquid-
Run the conductive system.
Charles wall of the Alaska Rural Electricity Co-op explained that energy storage systems like the flywheel can improve basic fuel
Engine efficiency.
Most engines run more efficiently under load
Power needed for the engine-
They have about 75% capacity, he said.
Wall says that when a rotating flywheel is added to the equation, the adiesel engine may be the base-
Load at its most efficient level.
If there is a greater demand or peak load on the engine, then the additional energy is extracted from the Flywheel instead of diesel, which keeps the diesel engine at the most effective level.
Similarly, during periods of less demand, any excess energy may enter the process of charging the flywheel.
Wall said: "So if you have a way to store energy where you can balance a constant load and have an energy storage device to handle these changes, you can have a mechanism to improve the efficiency of (diesel) fuel.
It can save quite a bit of time for anything 10 to 20% or better.
"If implemented in this way, the flywheel will save millions of dollars in diesel costs for rural communities in Alaska.
While rural Alaska is the largest potential market for storage systems, others, including urban organizations, may also benefit, Wright said.
"We have spoken to the hospital and the hotel and asked them about their backup power system. . .
Utility company, telecom company. . .
They are all very interested.
"Several alternative energy projects under consideration, or underdeveloped, echo this interest.
Jack Wood of KSLC, for example, is a potential customer.
Wood said that if KSLC were to develop geothermal power generation in Unalaska, an efficient energy storage system would be crucial.
The flywheel may be part of the system.
"I'm sure the flywheel technology Boeing is developing has a direct application in Alaska," Wood said . ".
"In the jungle, in rural areas, in metropolitan areas.
"Association of Science and Technology cloth appliances.
Could be another buyer.
The company is currently developing wind turbine facilities outside of kotzebue and is interested in matching the flywheel energy storage system with diesel and battery energy storage.
"We want to find the most effective way to generate wind power in the state," said general manager Brad Reeves . ".
"[Technology] is a bit fresh on the horizon, but someone needs to look at the technology and make sure flit will work.
He said, "Wall believes that there is a lot of potential for flywheel technology, but also reminds that these energy storage centers are still in the early stage of research and development.
"This theory is reasonable," Wall said . "
"But it will take a while to translate it into a commercially viable version.
"Future efforts are underway.
Boeing is negotiating a partnership between the federal Department of Energy, which starts next month,
KW/hour flywheel with spare motor generator.
The system will be able to provide up to 100 KW burst traffic for practical applications. Size-
It is wise that it can be placed in the back of the truck.
We have three for this purpose.
"The annual plan," Wright said.
The first year is devoted to the development of specific configurations;
The second is for the construction and testing of the design;
Third installation and datagathering.
A utility company in Los Angeles, USACal.
Edison of Edison International will use the test system to provide important data for Boeing and Alaska.
2000 will show Boeing the next step.
Probably Alaska.
The combination of a successful Ferris wheel and a rural power plant will provide Boeing with a direct market while reducing the cost of electricity in rural Alaska.
Remote areas of diesel generator industry
Such as mining, timber and hatcheryoperations-
It is most likely to follow suit.
Who can say it?
An economical and environment-friendly flywheel system may stimulate the country to develop more alternative energy technologies: wind power, solar energy and geothermal energy.
Alaska is a powerful land with various forms of energy. Ahigh-
Technology spinning wheels may just be the key to starting to unlock them.