LAUNCHPOINT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Grant: $99,710 - National Science Foundation - Jun. 4, 2009
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Award Description: 'SBIR Phase I: Robust Adaptive Levitation Control Technologies for High Speed, High Power Energy Storage Flywheels.' This award is effective July 1 , 2009 and expires December 31, 2009. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (Public Law 111-5) and is subject to the ARRA Terms and Conditions, dated May, 2009
Project Description: Electrical power quality problems have enormous economic impact; the Electric Power Research Institute estimates that power fluctuation and blackout losses exceed $100 billion/year. Launchpoint Technologies Power Ring flywheel is a cost effective energy storage device that can maintain power system stability by injecting stored energy back into the grid to carry the system through disturbances. Flywheels are more efficient and less polluting than the current method of using idling power stations to provide reserve for the grid. Flywheels have a longer life, lower maintenance cost, and do not contain toxic chemicals as do battery storage systems. This SBIR Phase I project will develop advanced control techniques that will enable high-efficiency operation of large-scale energy storage flywheels. The Power Ring flywheel is based on a hubless rotor levitated and controlled by a hybrid magnetic bearing. Idle losses are a key specification as they directly influence operational cost of the unit. Bearing losses are predicted to be 20% of the idle loss in the system. An advanced control system can reduce these losses by precisely filtering out vibrations in the bearing system. This control will allow multi-Megawatt devices with bearing losses reduced by at least a factor of 2. Launchpoint Technologies proposed new control topology for the magnetic bearing integrates robust control theory; modulated frequency control; on-line system identification; and adaptive control. The research will extend control theory state of the art by generalizing several disparate control design techniques into one unified framework. Launchpoint Technologies will apply the theory to synthesize a control algorithm for the flywheel system. A simulation of the flywheel system will demonstrate achievable reduction in bearing losses. An implementation of the controller on an experimental magnetic bearing test rig representative of the flywheel will demonstrate practical application.
Jobs Summary: System engineer Retained a systems engineer to conduct research and development in collaboration with the local university. Effort will lead to improved performance for the energy storage system we are developing. Without ARRA we would not have had funding to retain the engineer or do the research. (Total jobs reported: 1)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Jun. 4, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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