USE OF SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETIC ENERGY STORAGE (SMES) TO IMPROVE POWER QUALITY FOR CRITICAL AIR FORCE APPLICATIONS

SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETIC ENERGY STORAGE (SMES) CAN HELP MEET AIR FORCE REQUIREMENTS FOR STORED ELECTRICAL ENERGY IN A VERY EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE MANNER. ONE APPLICATION OF SMES IS TO PROVIDE STORED ENERGY TO RIDE THROUGH SHORT TERM VOLTAGE DISTURBANCES. POOR ELECTRIC POWER QUALITY IS COSTING LARGE U.S. ELECTRICAL POWER CONSUMERS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN DOWNTIME, PRODUCT LOSS AND EQUIPMENT DAMAGE. WE ARE PROPOSING TO INTRODUCE SMES TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE AS A METHOD TO IMPROVE ELECTRICAL POWER QUALITY FOR CRITICAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS. TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, INC. (SI) IS THE ONLY U.S. VENDOR WITH A COMPLETELY DESIGNED, BUILT AND TESTED SMES SYSTEM. SI'S SUPERCONDUCTING STORAGE DEVICE (SSD (TM)) IS A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE 1 MW SMES SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND BUILT TO PROVIDE CARRYOVER CAPABILITY FOR LARGE, CRITICAL INDUSTRIAL LOADS. OUR EXISTING SYSTEM HAS HIGH AC/DC CONVERSION EFFICIENCIES AND LOW POWER LOSS DURING DC STORAGE. BY MODIFYING OUR COMMERCIAL SYSTEM WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE A LOW COST AND HIGH QUALITY METHOD TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF CRITICAL AIR FORCE APPLICATIONS.