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C. Parametric Relationships for

Comparison of the Energy Use of
Flywheel Energy Storage Systems and
Battery Energy Storage Systems

The power flows in an energy storage device, which are illustrated in Figure 5.1
of Chapter 5, can be represented mathematically as

1
PL = (1 u)I L + uP , (C.1)
Cr / i C s

where PL is the total power dissipated by the system, IL is the idling loss, u is the
utilization defined as the fraction of time that energy is being drawn from the
storage system, P is the power output, Cr/i is the rectifier/inverter conversion
efficiency, and Cs is the conversion efficiency of the energy storage module.

When comparing two energy storage devices, the simplest situation is one in
which both devices have the same energy storage and power output. This is
because some losses scale with the power output of the storage system whereas
others scale with the amount of energy stored. For two systems with the same
energy storage and power output, the losses can be compared directly and a
parametric relationship can be defined among the different types of losses and
system utilization. Analysis of this relationship then enables determination of the
relative desirability of these particular FESSs and BESSs from the standpoint of
energy use.

If the power output and energy storage of the two systems being compared are
not the same, the devices should be combined so that their properties match. For
example, if System A has three times the power output of and the same energy
storage capability as System B, then three devices from System B should be
combined in parallel to produce the same output as System A. Similarly, if
System A has three times the energy storage capability of and the same power
output as System B, then the three devices from System B should be combined in
series to give the same output as System A. Losses in System B should be scaled
according to how many devices are used.

After establishing that the two systems of interest have equivalent power output
and energy storage characteristics, Equation (C.1) can be written for each system,
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the two equations can be set equal to each other, and the resulting equation
solved for utilization. The result is Equation (C.2), which provides a parametric
relationship between the utilization and the system losses for the energy use of
the FESS to equal that of the BESS:

IF
u= , (C.2)
1 1
I F
Cr /i Cs F Cr /i Cs B

where I F is the idling loss of the FESS per unit output power, the idling loss of
the BESS is neglected, the subscript B refers to the BESS, the subscript F refers to
the FESS, and all other definitions are as in Equation (C.1). For Equation (C.2) to
be meaningful, the energy conversion efficiency of the FESS energy storage
module (Cs )F must be higher than that of the BESS energy storage module (Cs)B.