It’s Time to Expect
More from an Energy
Storage Solution.
It is the ability to use braking power from one train to move another… to capture energy generated in a shipyard crane’s lowering cycle to lift the next container… to eliminate the failures and environmental hazards of battery backup systems by eliminating the need for batteries.
In electric rail and shipyard crane applications, the REGEN® flywheel energy storage system is a reality. Delivering significant savings in energy and fuel costs while reducing a full range of emissions. In UPS applications, VDC brings increased power reliability—minus all the battery problems. In short, the VYCON® technology is a vital, first step toward the vision of energy storage.
At VYCON, we discover, develop, implement and continually improve upon industry-leading, environmentally friendly, flywheel power solutions. It’s time to expect more from an energy storage solution.
VYCON’s VDC and VDC-XE Direct Connect UPS backup systems bring unprecedented power capacity for instantaneous and reliable backup power for today’s mission-critical applications. Data centers, hospitals, broadcast studios, casino gaming centers and manufacturing plants are enjoying the reliability benefits of VYCON’s flywheel energy storage systems. Utilizing clean energy storage from VYCON’s patented flywheel technology, the VDC and VDC-XE are the perfect solutions for users needing a more reliable and greener approach to backup power in place of hazardous lead acid based batteries. Compatible with most major brands of three-phase UPSs the systems interface with the DC bus of the UPS just like a bank of batteries, receiving charging current from the UPS and providing DC current to the UPS inverter during discharge.
Flywheel Technology
How It Works
The successful integration of patented high-speed motor, generator and magnetic bearing technologies gives VYCON a substantial edge in delivering the four components that combine for a highly efficient, extremely reliable flywheel system.
Four components—the high-strength steel hub, the dual mode motor/generator, the fully active magnetic bearings, and the sophisticated system controls—constitute a unique synthesis of proprietary technologies.
As a result, VYCON is able to produce robust, durable, high-speed flywheel systems that are available at costs which make flywheels a viable DC power alternative.
The Anatomy of a Flywheel System
Each system makes optimum use of sophisticated components for increased efficiencies:
FLYWHEEL MODULE – The heart of the system providing a 20 year life with no maintenance.
CONTROL PANEL – Touch screen, graphical user interface provides system status, navigation paths, and system functionality options
POWER CONVERSION MODULE CONTROLLER – Monitors the output demand and controls the various subsystems including charging (motoring) and discharging (generating) of the flywheel permanent magnet motor.
MAGNETIC LEVITATION CONTROLLER – Controls the position of the flywheel rotor via a 5-axis active magnetic bearing system and provides data on system performance
BI-DIRECTIONAL IGBT POWER CONVERTER – The interface between the DC bus and the variable frequency, variable voltage AC generated by the flywheel
Vycon was formed in 2002 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Calnetix Inc., and subsequently spun-off in 2003 to allow the company to focus on its product line and acquire funding to support this focused effort. Calnetix licensed its patents and assigned, licensed or sublicensed certain rights to Vycon in inventions, technology, trade secrets, know-how, proprietary processes, copyrights, certain other patents, and other intellectual property. The rights granted to Vycon are confined to the specific field of use, where Calnetix granted Vycon a fully paid-up, royalty free, irrevocable, worldwide, exclusive license in and to Calnetix motor generator and magnetic bearing technology and patents in the field of energy storage flywheels for terrestrial use.
