Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)

(EL6018)

Dr Anu Singla
Department of Electrical Engineering
Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh
(Deemed to be University)
 Syllabus
❖ Electrical and Chemical Energy Storage
08
Batteries types, supercapacitors,
superconducting magnetic energy storage
(SMES), charging methodologies, state of
charge (SoC), state of health (SoH) estimation
techniques, battery modelling.
Mechanical and Thermal Energy Storage
Flywheel, pumped hydro storage, aquiferous
cold storage and cryogenic storage, high-
temperature storage (PCM).
 Introduction
 Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage
(SMES) Systems Market to Reach $102.4 Billion by 2030
 SMES Systems market in the U.S. is estimated at
US$14.8 Billion in the year 2022.
 China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to
reach a projected market size of US$22.2 Billion by the
year 2030 trailing a CAGR of 11.8% over the analysis
period 2022 to 2030.
 Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are
Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 5.9% and
6.6% respectively over the 2022-2030 period.
 Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at
approximately 6.5% CAGR.
Following are just a few of the companies that are
operating in the SMES Market.
 ABB
 ASG Superconductors
 Babcock Noell GmbH
 Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies
 Columbus Superconductors
 GE.
 Introduction
 In a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES)
system, the energy is stored within a magnet that is
capable of releasing megawatts of power within a fraction
of a cycle to replace a sudden loss in line power.
 It stores energy in the magnetic field created by the flow
of direct current (DC) power in a coil of superconducting
material that has been cryogenically cooled.
 As a result, electric current can pass through the wire with
almost no resistance, allowing energy to be stored in a
SMES system for a longer period of time.
 The stored energy can be released back to the network
by discharging the coil.
 Introduction
 Common superconducting materials include
mercury, vanadium, and niobium-titanium (NbTi).
 The energy stored in an SMES system is
discharged by connecting an AC power convertor
to the conductive coil.
 The power conditioning system uses an
inverter/rectifier to transform alternating current
(AC) power to DC or convert DC back to AC
power.
 Introduction
 SMES DC resistance is nearly zero, resulting in
no energy losses.
 Conversion energy efficiency in the SMES
system is around 95%.
 Introduction
 Due to the energy requirements of refrigeration
and the high cost of superconducting wire, SMES
technology is currently used for short duration
energy storage only.
 Economically suitable for short cyclic periods
only, with a maximum of hours of duration in
storage; this is due to a high self-discharge ratio
for longer periods (10%–15% per day) and
mechanical stability problems .
 Introduction
 SMES is a high-power technology, with higher
power density than other devices for similar
purposes, however it is expensive, with low
energy density and large parasitic energy
losses.
 System limitations arise from the high cooling
requirements, sensitivity to magnetic field
environments, current strength and magnetic field
changes.
 Working
 An SMES system contains three main components:
1) a superconducting coil (SC);
2) a power conditioning system (PCS); and
3) a refrigeration unit
 It stores energy in a superconducting coil in the form of
a magnetic field generated by a circulating current.
 Working
 The maximum stored energy is determined by
two factors.
1) The first is the size and geometry of the
coil, which determines the inductance of the
coil. Larger the coil, the greater the stored
energy.
2) The second factor is the conductor
characteristics, which regulate the
maximum current.
Superconductors can carry substantial
currents in high magnetic fields.
 Working
 The magnetic field is created with the flow of a direct
current (DC) through the superconducting coil.
 In SMESs, the superconducting coils are usually made
of niobium-titanium (NbTi) filaments with a critical
temperature of about 9.2 K (-263.95oC).
 To maintain the system charge, the coil must be cooled
adequately. This has been achieved by cryogenically
cooling to a temperature below its superconducting
critical temperature, thereby enabling the current to
circulate indefinitely with almost zero loss.
 Liquid helium is commonly used as a coolant, as it
can achieve temperatures close to absolute zero.
 The cooling system ensures that the superconducting
coil remains in its superconducting state.
 Working

 Once the superconducting coil is charged, the current

will not decay and the magnetic energy can be stored
indefinitely.
 The stored energy can be released back to the
network by discharging the coil.
 The power conditioning system uses an
inverter/rectifier to transform alternating current (AC)
power to direct current or convert DC back to AC
power.
 The inverter/rectifier accounts for about 2–3% energy
loss in each direction.
 Working
 The only conversion process in the SMES
system is from AC to DC; thus, there are no
inherent thermodynamic losses associated with
the conversion.
 This leads to higher cycle efficiency,
instantaneous charge and discharge (within a
few milliseconds), and high storage efficiency.
 SMES systems are highly efficient; the round-
trip efficiency is greater than 95%.
 Working
 Magnetic Shielding:
 Magnetic shielding is implemented to prevent
the external magnetic field generated by the
superconducting coil from affecting the
surrounding environment.
 The shielding minimizes the impact of the
strong magnetic field on nearby electronic
equipment and ensures the safety of the
system.
 Charging and Discharging of SMES
 The charging and discharging processes of a SMES system
involve the storage and retrieval of electrical energy in the
form of a magnetic field.
 Charging Process:
 Initialization:
 The SMES system begins in a standby mode with the
superconducting coil in a normal (non-superconducting)
state.
 The cryogenic cooling system maintains the coil at its
superconducting temperature using liquid helium or another
suitable cryogen.
 Initiation of Current Flow:
 When there is excess electricity in the system (e.g., during
periods of low demand or high renewable energy
production), the SMES system is activated.
 The power conditioning system directs a current to flow
through the superconducting coil.
 Charging and Discharging of SMES

 Charging Process contd.

 Magnetic Field Generation:
 As the electric current passes through the
superconducting coil, it generates a strong and
persistent magnetic field due to the superconducting
properties of the material.
 The magnetic field increases steadily as the current
continues to flow.
 The magnetic flux is a reservoir of electrical energy.
 Energy Storage:
 The energy from the electrical grid is converted into
magnetic energy and stored in the superconducting
coil.
 The energy storage control system monitors the
charging process, ensuring the coil reaches its
maximum magnetic energy capacity without exceeding
safety limits.
 Charging and Discharging of SMES

 Discharging Process:
 Demand for Electricity:
 When there is a demand for electricity in the grid,
the SMES system is activated for discharging.
 The power conditioning system facilitates the
release of energy from the superconducting coil.
 Initiation of Energy Release:
 The energy storage control system initiates the
release of stored energy by allowing the magnetic
field in the superconducting coil to collapse.
 As the magnetic field collapses, it induces an
electric current in the coil according to
Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction.
 Charging and Discharging of SMES

 Discharging Process contd.

 Conversion to Electrical Power:
 The induced electric current is then directed out of the
coil and through the power conditioning system.
 The power conditioning system converts the magnetic
energy back into electrical power suitable for use in the
grid.
 Supply to the Grid:
 The electrical power generated during the discharging
process is supplied to the grid to meet the demand for
electricity.
 Repeatable Process:
 The charging and discharging cycles of the SMES
system are repeatable and can be controlled
dynamically based on the changing requirements of the
electrical grid.
 Charging and Discharging of SMES

 The efficiency and speed of the charging and

discharging processes make SMES systems
suitable for applications requiring rapid and precise
energy responses, such as grid stabilization and
high-quality power supply.
 General Performance

 Typical Power: 100 kW to 10 MW

 Cycle efficiency: 95%
 Discharge time: ≥ minutes-hours
 Response time: 5 ms
 Cycle life: no degradation
 Technical lifetime: 30 years
 Characteristics

SMES offer several advantages, when

comparing to other technologies, namely:
 High round trip efficiency: 90-95%.
 Long lifetime: 30 years
 High power, only limited by the electronics and
electrical isolation.
 Ready to operate: in a few ms.
 Very robust: can be overloaded as much as the
electronics allows.
 Characteristics

Very flexible for hybridisation: can be

included in an electronic buffer with any other
large capacity energy storage system improving
their availability speed and their peak power.
Environmentally friendly: specific geometries
drastically reduce the stray field below any
determined level. SMES do not use materials
complex for recycling.
 Due to its characteristics, SMESs are more
suitable for high power and short duration
applications, since they are cheap on the
output power basis—with a high-power
density—but expensive in terms of energy
storage capacity.
 Main Applications

 Power quality at the customer or generator side.

 Voltage control and reactive power compensation.
 Typically, SMES systems are installed on the exit of
the power plants to stabilise output or on industrial
sites where they can be used to accommodate
peaks in energy consumption (e.g. steel plants or
rapid transit railway) in a highly efficient manner.
 Improve transient stability of the grid.
 Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS).
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