Rotating energy storage apparatus and method of imparting rotational motion of a vessel containing the same

An energy storage apparatus comprising:

• a housing comprising:
• a spherical outer wall defining an interior volume;
• and
• a plurality of recesses extending radially outward from the spherical outer wall;
• a rotating member positioned within the interior volume of the housing, comprising:
• a spherical structure;
• a plurality of permanent magnets positioned on an exterior surface of the spherical structure;
• and
• a plurality of location-defining elements, each of the plurality of location-defining elements being uniquely identifiable;
• a plurality of coils positioned within the plurality of recesses;
• a controller operably coupled to the plurality of coils;
• a power source operably coupled to the plurality of coils;
• and
• a location sensing apparatus operable to detect the plurality of location-defining elements;
• wherein the housing creates an airtight seal facilitating creating a vacuum within the interior volume
• wherein the controller is operable to compare time-sequential information from the location sensing apparatus to determine a rotational axis, a rotational orthodrome, and a rotational speed of the rotating member;
• wherein the controller is operable to identify a first subset of coils of the plurality of coils proximate to the rotational orthodrome, defining orthodrome coils;
• wherein the controller is operable to identify a second subset of the first plurality of coils proximate to the rotational axis, defining bearing coils;
• wherein the controller is operable to increase energy stored by the rotating member by selectively operating the orthodrome coils to generate magnetic fields that interact with a first set of permanent magnets of the plurality of permanent magnets proximate to the rotational orthodrome comprised by the rotating member to increase the rotational speed of the rotating member;
• and
• wherein the controller is operable to withdraw energy from the rotating member by directing current induced in the orthodrome coils by the rotation of the plurality of permanent magnets to a power delivery location;
• wherein the controller is operable to selectively operate the bearing coils to generate a magnetic field to resist a gyroscopic force exerted by the rotation of the rotating member;
• and
• wherein the controller is operable to redefine the orthodrome coils and the bearing coils responsive to a change in at least one the rotational axis of the rotating member and an absolute orientation of the plurality coils.

A method of operating an energy storage apparatus comprising:

• receiving a plurality of time-sequential measurements from a location sensing apparatus, the location sensing device detecting a plurality of location-defining elements in a uniquely identifiable manner and indicating a rotational position of a rotating member;
• determining a rotational axis and rotational speed of the rotating member from a comparison of the plurality of time-sequential measurements;
• selectively operating a plurality of coils to change independently to generate magnetic fields that interact with a plurality of permanent magnets comprised by the rotating member to change each of the rotational axis and the rotational speed of the rotating member;
• increasing energy stored by the rotating member by increasing the rotational speed of the rotating member by selectively operating the plurality of coils to generate magnetic fields that interact with the plurality of permanent magnets comprised by the rotating member to increase the rotational speed of the rotating member;
• and
• withdrawing energy from the rotating member by selectively operating the plurality of coils to generate magnetic fields that interact with the plurality of permanent magnets to produce an induced current in the plurality of coils and directing the induced current to a power delivery location.