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Superconducting Magnetic Bearings for Space-Based Flywheel Energy Storage Systems

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX11CI15P
Agency Tracking Number: 100058
Amount: $99,938.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: T3.01
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2010
Award Year: 2011
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2011-02-18
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2012-02-18
Small Business Information
TX
Austin, TX 78750-3851
United States
DUNS: 806337460
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Joseph Beno
 Principal Investigator
 (512) 918-1496
 j.beno@BalconesTech.com
Business Contact
 Joseph Beno
Title: Business Official
Phone: (512) 918-1496
Email: j.beno@BalconesTech.com
Research Institution
 University of Texas - Center for Electromechanics
 Courtney Frazier Swaney
 
P.O. Box 7726
Austin, TX 78713-7726
United States

 () -
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

Balcones Technologies, LLC proposes to adapt technologies developed by and resident in The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics (CEM) in the areas of superconducting Trapped Field Magnet (TFM) motors, magnetic bearings, terrestrial and space-based flywheel energy storage systems, and air-core generators to address STTR 2010-1 Subtopic T3.01, Technologies for Space Power and Propulsion. In particular, our team will develop a concept design for high field intensity superconducting Trapped Field Magnetic Bearings (TFMB) for a space-based flywheel system, including magnetic field activation and cryogenic cooling subsystems. The design will focus on exploiting approximately $47M of CEM technology to develop commercially viable superconducting magnetic bearings that significantly exceed the force density (developed force per unit of system mass) of today's magnetic bearings and will optimize the design for the space flywheel application rather than adapt terrestrial designs for space.Relevant features of our anticipated solution include:
Â? Much lower power usage than conventional non-superconducting magnetic bearings.
Â? Much stiffer magnetic bearings than conventional non-superconducting magnetic bearings.
Â? Much stiffer magnetic bearings than current superconductingmagnetic bearing technology.
Â? Capable of high rotational speeds.
Â? Operation at magnetic fields of 2.5-3 Tesla to allow demonstration within a normal 24 month Phase II STTR, but with a design approach amenable to future systems at ~ 10 Tesla .
Â? Air-core magnetic circuit design (e.g., doesnot employ iron to guide magnetic fields which limits magnetic fields to 2 Tesla or less and practically limits operational fluxes to ~ 1 Tesla).
Â? TFM charging system to inject the magnetic field, most likely based on a system to cool the magnet while maintaining an applied charging field, butcould also be a pulse charging system of a pre-cooled TFM.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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