Active Magnetic Bearing Control and Hardware for an Experimental Flywheel Energy Storage System

In an effort for human colonization and exploration of the lunar surface there should be a way to store energy for when demand requires it. For energy storage a flywheel can provide a reliable, efficient and low-maintenance system for this need. This paper contains the description of a low-speed flywheel that includes an external rotor and hubless electrical machine. This allows for a high energy low loss machine. For the machine to be hubless it requires the use of active magnetic bearings. In this paper the system model and control algorithm for the active magnetic bearings for the flywheel energy storage system is presented. The simulation and validation of the model is shown.