What is superconducting energy storage system (SMES)?

Superconducting Energy Storage System (SMES) is a promising equipment for storeing electric energy. It can transfer energy doulble-directions with an electric power grid, and compensate active and reactive independently responding to the demands of the power grid through a PWM cotrolled converter.

How does a superconductor store energy?

The Coil and the Superconductor The superconducting coil, the heart of the SMES system, stores energy in the magnetic fieldgenerated by a circulating current (EPRI, 2002). The maximum stored energy is determined by two factors: a) the size and geometry of the coil, which determines the inductance of the coil.

How does a superconducting coil store energy?

First, some materials carry current with no resistive losses. Second, electric currents produce magnetic fields. Third, magnetic fields are a form of pure energy which can be stored. SMES combines these three fundamental principles to efficiently store energy in a superconducting coil.

Can a superconducting magnetic energy storage unit control inter-area oscillations?

An adaptive power oscillation damping (APOD) technique for a superconducting magnetic energy storage unit to control inter-area oscillations in a power system has been presented in . The APOD technique was based on the approaches of generalized predictive control and model identification.

Can superconducting magnetic energy storage reduce high frequency wind power fluctuation?

The authors in proposed a superconducting magnetic energy storage system that can minimize both high frequency wind power fluctuation and HVAC cable system's transient overvoltage. A 60 km submarine cable was modelled using ATP-EMTP in order to explore the transient issues caused by cable operation.

What is a superconductor & how does it work?

Superconductors carry substantial currents in high magnetic fields (EPRI, 2002). All practical SMES systems installed to date use a superconducting alloy of niobium and titanium (Nb-Ti), which requires operation at temperatures near the boiling point of liquid helium, about 4.2 K (-269°C or -452°F) – 4.2 centigrade degrees above absolute zero.