Application of Flywheel Energy Storage on Generator-Set

Abstract

The generator-sets have been widely used as a secondary or an emergency standby power by the society. Despite their several benefits such as their simplicity and reliability, they meet a stability and efficiency decrease when they produce the power. Referring to the above reason, this experimental study is aimed to investigate the potential benefits of the addition of the flywheel energy storage device to generator-set systems, in the term of output power stability concept. In this research, the generator-set system is simulated by using an electromotor as a prime mover coupled with a flywheel, to generate electricity from a generator or alternator. The flywheel basically acts as an energy storage device that stores energy in the form of the rotational kinetic energy. Therefore, the generator-set simulations are performed in loaded and unload conditions, with three different variations; (1) no flywheel, (2) connected to an 8.5 kg flywheel and (3) connected to a 16 kg flywheel. The result shows that the system which is connected to a 16 kg flywheel has a higher magnitude of the rotational kinetic energy than two other test variations, due to its bigger mass of flywheel. The variation (3) also has more stable and economical output when it is fully loaded by two sets of drilling machine in which indicated by the smallest drop rate of the alternator rotational speed and the less electromotor current usage among two others.