Method and apparatus for superconducting trapped-field energy storage and power stabilization
AssigneeElectric Power Research Institute, Inc.
InventorMario Rabinowitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Magnetic energy is stored in trapped form in a wide variety of superconducting masses such as granules, particulates, foil, and thin film to be released as electrical energy by magnetically coupling to a normal coil as the trapped field is caused to decay. This trapped-field energy storage (TES) has many advantages over other superconducting energy storage schemes including elevated temperature operation, lowered refrigeration capital and operating costs, lowered costs of cryogen, lowered thermal conduction losses, lowered cost of thermal insulation, capability of operating in modular form, and transportability of the trapped magnetic energy.
Claims24
Apparatus for storing trapped superconducting magnetic field energy comprising:
- a coil having means for directing an electrical current therethrough;
- and
- superconducting material adjacent to the coil and coupled magnetically thereto, whereby a magnetic field generated by the coil when an electrical current is directed therethrough will be stored in the material.
A method for storing trapped superconducting magnetic energy comprising:
- placing a mass of superconducting material adjacent to a coil and in magnetic coupled relationship thereto;
- and
- directing an electrical current through the coil to cause the coil to generate a magnetic field in the material mass, said magnetic field being storable as energy in said material mass.
Apparatus for enhancing power stability of an electrical power system comprising:
- a coil having means for directing an electrical current therethrough;
- and
- a mass of superconducting material adjacent to the coil and in magnetic coupled relationship thereto, whereby a magnetic field generated by the coil when an electrical current is directed through the coil will remove undesired oscillations and other deleterious problems of the power system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.