Abstract: Embodiments of the subject invention are directed to a homopolar motor and its mechanical coupling with a flywheel rotor. The homopolar motor includes a rotor and no additional bearings, shafts, gears, pulleys, etc., are required to couple the flywheel rotor and the rotor of the homopolar motor. The homopolar motor includes a stator with a stator laminate and a number of stator pole pieces. The pole pieces generate magnetic flux across a first radial gap to rotor assembly to generate torque. Rotor assembly is coupled to and rotates with shaft which in turn rotates the flywheel rotor. The rotor assembly includes a rotor laminate stack and a field coupler. The field coupler has a top portion that rotates with the shaft and a bottom portion that attaches to a housing and remains stationary.

Abstract: An energy storage system operable in a charging phase and in a discharging phase is disclosed. The energy storage system includes M energy storage units and N power converters, where M is at least two and N is at least one. The energy storage system also includes a switching fabric that reconfigurably couples the energy storage units to the power converters and a controller that reconfigures the switching fabric.

Abstract: A flywheel device includes structures allowing the flywheel system to be assembled offsite, transported safely, and installed with relatively few steps. The flywheel includes a rotor and a housing enclosing the rotor, where the housing includes a bottom plate, a top plate and side walls. The bottom plate and the top plate each includes a hole aligned with the center axis of the rotor. The flywheel also includes multiple bearing housings substantially covering the holes of the bottom plate and the top plate that are aligned to the center axis of the rotor. The flywheel also includes posts that physically contact the primary rotational mass of the rotor to prevent motion of the rotor during transport of the flywheel system. Some or all of these posts may be repositioned or removed during installation so that the rotor can spin freely.

Abstract: Embodiments of the subject invention are directed to a flywheel rotor that includes two or more sub-rotors stacked one on top of another, in which each sub-rotor is rotationally symmetric and disk shaped, where the axial centers of each sub-rotor in the stack are rotationally aligned, and each sub-rotor has an upper and a lower journal that extends outward from the origin of the center section of the primary rotational mass of the sub-rotor. Each pair of adjacent sub-rotors in the stack has a lower journal of an upper sub-rotor that is disposed above an upper journal of a lower sub-rotor. Also, there is a joining mechanism between each pair of adjacent sub-rotors that fixedly connects the lower journal of the upper sub-rotor to the upper journal of the lower sub-rotor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the subject invention are directed to a flywheel rotor that includes two or more sub-rotors stacked one on top of another, in which each sub-rotor is rotationally symmetric and disk shaped, where the axial centers of each sub-rotor in the stack are rotationally aligned, and each sub-rotor has an upper and a lower journal that extends outward from the origin of the center section of the primary rotational mass of the sub-rotor. Each pair of adjacent sub-rotors in the stack has a lower journal of an upper sub-rotor that is disposed above an upper journal of a lower sub-rotor. Also, there is a joining mechanism between each pair of adjacent sub-rotors that fixedly connects the lower journal of the upper sub-rotor to the upper journal of the lower sub-rotor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the subject invention are directed to a homopolar motor and its mechanical coupling with a flywheel rotor. The homopolar motor includes a rotor and no additional bearings, shafts, gears, pulleys, etc., are required to couple the the flywheel rotor and the rotor of the homopolar motor. The homopolar motor includes a stator with a stator laminate and a number of stator pole pieces. The pole pieces generate magnetic flux across a first radial gap to rotor assembly to generate torque. Rotor assembly is coupled to and rotates with shaft which in turn rotates the flywheel rotor. The rotor assembly includes a rotor laminate stack and a field coupler. The field coupler has a top portion that rotates with the shaft and a bottom portion that attaches to a housing and remains stationary.

Abstract: A flywheel device includes structures allowing the flywheel system to be assembled offsite, transported safely, and installed with relatively few steps. The flywheel includes a rotor and a housing enclosing the rotor, where the housing includes a bottom plate, a top plate and side walls. The bottom plate and the top plate each includes a hole aligned with the center axis of the rotor. The flywheel also includes multiple bearing housings substantially covering the holes of the bottom plate and the top plate that are aligned to the center axis of the rotor. The flywheel also includes posts that physically contact the primary rotational mass of the rotor to prevent motion of the rotor during transport of the flywheel system. Some or all of these posts may be repositioned or removed during installation so that the rotor can spin freely.

Abstract: An energy storage system operable in a charging phase and in a discharging phase is disclosed. The energy storage system includes M energy storage units and N power converters, where M is at least two and N is at least one. The energy storage system also includes a switching fabric that reconfigurably couples the energy storage units to the power converters and a controller that reconfigures the switching fabric.