Print this page Flywheel Energy Storage
Steven G. Liescheidt, P.E., CCS, CCPR
Course Outline
This one hour online course discusses the pros and cons of flywheel energy storage technology and potential applications. In addition, this course discusses equipment integration, life-cycle costs, and technology developments compared to other technologies.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.
Learning
Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will learn about:
- Flywheel technology;
- Flywheel applications; and
- Flywheel equipment integration.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for mechanical engineers.
Benefit for Attendee
Attendee of this course will be able to understand the benefits of using flywheel energy storage and applications where this technology is best suited.
Course Introduction
DC system flywheel energy storage technology can be used as a substitute for batteries to provide backup power to an uninterruptible power supply system. Although the initial cost will usually be higher, flywheels offer a much longer life, reduced maintenance, a smaller footprint, and better reliability compared to a battery. The combination of these characteristics will generally result in a lower life-cycle cost for a flywheel compared to batteries.
Course Content
This course is primarily based on Federal Technology Alert – Flywheel Energy Storage; DOE/EE-0286, September 2003:
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.
Course Summary
The superior energy storage density of flywheels compared to batteries is widely recognized. Much of the flywheel development occurring in recent decades has been oriented toward potential applications in vehicles and satellites, where mass and volume constraints are more rigorous than for UPS applications.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:
United States Green Building Council – www.usgbc.com
US Department of Energy – www.doe.gov
National Renewable Energy Laboratory – www.nrel.gov
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
