Abstract: A magnetic-stabilizer bearing apparatus is described for stabilizing the magnetic bearing of an electromechanical battery (EMB) system, which includes a magnetic bearing arrangement having magnetic-stabilizer bearing elements, at least two Halbach arrays attached to the flywheel with a fixed conductive element positioned in-between each of the arrays and an EMB flywheel, and a control arrangement to monitor the current and detect an anomalous axial displacement of the flywheel from its equilibrium position if currents measured by the control arrangement exceed a characterized distribution of currents. Also described is a related method for stabilizing a magnetic bearing of an electromechanical battery (EMB) system.

Abstract: A passive inert gas braking apparatus, system and method for braking a flywheel rotating within an electromechanical battery (EMB) system includes an electro-mechanical battery arrangement having a containment vessel containing a flywheel, a compressed gas storage arrangement to store compressed gas, a gas expansion arrangement to receive gas from the vessel, which is coupled to the storage arrangement, in which the vessel is coupled to the gas expansion arrangement, and in which the gas expansion arrangement is coupled to the compressor arrangement. Also described is a method for braking a flywheel rotating in an electromechanical battery (EMB) system by providing a compressed gas to an electro-mechanical battery arrangement having a containment vessel containing a rotating flywheel to slow the rotating flywheel, and after the flywheel has at least slowed because of the gas in the containment vessel, returning heated gas from the containment vessel to a gas expansion arrangement.