Flywheel Energy Storage for Innovative Railway Construction

该项目将探索从电动列车制动中捕获能量的可能性，当线路上没有其他列车或电力负载时，这些能量被浪费。能量将被存储在轨道旁的飞轮存储系统中。大多数铁路线使用的电力牵引系统是市场上最有效的。对效率有贡献的一个重要因素是再生制动系统的可用性。当需要时，牵引电机反向工作，并作为发电机，将动能转换回电能。由于英国牵引系统目前存在，再生制动期间产生的DC能量可以被转移，以在有两列火车靠近时（例如在车站）为另一列火车的加速提供动力。然而，即使有仔细的时间表规划，由于缺乏同步加速负载，损失相当大一部分再生制动能量也是常见的。在非高峰期和周末等出入境不太频繁的时候，损失更为明显。我们建议的项目将寻求通过整合飞轮储能技术来解决铁路网、牵引和车站联合运营的已知工程和效率挑战，以捕获再生制动中浪费的能量。我们将使用现有的技术，即飞轮，从列车中捕获和存储能量，旨在演示飞轮存储系统作为DC轨道旁能量存储的拟议用途。我们的项目将具体解决GCRE挑战的以下要素：使用新一代创新飞轮储能系统捕获和存储通过再生制动产生的其他浪费能源，从而降低铁路网络的碳足迹提高铁路系统关键部件的能源效率：站，从而降低能耗，这将有助于实现净零铁路网络和更低的碳足迹。降低成本，因为随着高峰需求的平滑，可以使用额定功率较低的电缆。提高网络的弹性和安全性，因为存储的电力可以减轻停电。使用飞轮存储系统提供了与现场绿色能源供应的灵活交互，以平滑峰值电力需求，从而提供了商业效益以及更广泛的社会效益。

This project will explore the possibility of capturing the energy from electric train braking, which is wasted when there is no other train or power load on the line to capture it. The energy will be stored in the flywheel storage system, trackside. The electrical traction systems used by the majority of railway lines are among the most efficient on the market. A significant factor contributing to the efficiency is the availability of regenerative braking systems. When called upon, the traction motor works in reverse and acts as a generator and converts kinetic energy back to electrical energy. As UK traction systems exist currently, the DC energy produced during regenerative braking can be transferred to power another train's acceleration if there are two trains in close proximity, for example at a station. However even with careful timetable planning, it is common to lose a significant portion of regenerative braking energy due to lack of simultaneous acceleration load. The losses are more pronounced during times with less frequent arrivals and departures such as off-peak and weekends. Our proposed project will seek to address known engineering and efficiency challenges of the combined operations of the railway network, traction and station by integrating flywheel storage technology to capture otherwise wasted energy from regenerative breaking.We will be using an existing technology, the flywheel, to capture and store energy from the trains and aim to demonstrate the proposed use of the flywheel storage system as trackside energy storage for DC systems.Our project will specifically address the following elements of the GCRE challenge:The capture and storage of otherwise wasted energy generated through regenerative breaking using a new generation innovative flywheel energy storage system therefore lowering the carbon footprint of the rail networkImprove energy efficiency across the key components of the railway system: stations, track operations and traction therefore lowering power consumption which will contributing towards a net zero rail network and a lower carbon footprint.Reduce construction costs as lower power rated cables could be used as the peak demand is smoothed.Improve the resilience and safety of the network as stored power could mitigate power outages. Using the flywheel storage system offer a flexible interaction with the green energy supply on site to smooth peak electrical demand, offering a commercial benefit as well as a wider societal benefit.