Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) systems store energy in the magnetic field created by the flow of direct current in a superconducting coil that has been cryogenically cooled to a temperature below its superconducting critical temperature. This use of superconducting coils to store magnetic energy was invented by M. Ferrier in 1970.
Ferrier first unveiled the superconducting magnetic energy storage device in 1969 as a source of power to meet the varying power requirements throughout the day. Germany developed the first utility-scale CAES plant in the world in 1978, with a 290 MW capacity.
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.
Methods to increase the energy stored in SMES often resort to large-scale storage units. As with other superconducting applications, cryogenics are a necessity. A robust mechanical structure is usually required to contain the very large Lorentz forces generated by and on the magnet coils.
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.
Here the energy is stored by disconnecting the coil from the larger system and then using electromagnetic induction from the magnet to induce a current in the superconducting coil. This coil then preserves the current until the coil is reconnected to the larger system, after which the coil partly or fully discharges.
OverviewTechnical challengesAdvantages over other energy storage methodsCurrent useSystem architectureWorking principleSolenoid versus toroidLow-temperature versus high-temperature superconductors
The energy content of current SMES systems is usually quite small. Methods to increase the energy stored in SMES often resort to large-scale storage units. As with other superconducting applications, cryogenics are a necessity. A robust mechanical structure is usually required to contain the very large Lorentz forces generated by and on the magnet coils. The dominant cost for SMES is the superconductor, followed by the cooling system and the rest of the mechanical stru…