Energy storage and conversion apparatus

Abstract

An energy storage and conversion apparatus (1) comprising a containment (5) defining a vacuum chamber (7), a substantially vertical shaft within the vacuum chamber (7), a stator (11) on the shaft (9), and a cylindrical rotor (13) which, in is driven by the stator (11) to store energy as kinetic energy of the rotor (13) and acts with the stator (11) as a generator to release energy, wherein the rotor (13) is supported by the shaft (9) via an end cap (29), positioned at the upper end of the cylindrical rotor (13), which engages the shaft (9). The rotor (13) is suspended from a pin bearing (31) which is attached to an end cap (29). The pin bearing (31) sits in a bearing cup (37) mounted in a damper (39) at the end of the shaft (9). A magnet bearing (43) is provided at the lower end of the rotor (13) to assist in positioning the rotor (13) relative to the stator (11).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.