Kinemak-Energo, a resident of the Skolkovo Foundation, together with one of the largest producers of crushed stone in the North-Western region, is preparing for testing a flywheel peak generator as part of an autonomous quarry power supply system.
The NKE-3G device is designed to equalize the load schedule of diesel generator sets of the crushed stone quarry and other autonomous power systems in which diesel generator sets or gas-piston units serve as an energy source.
One of the big problems of autonomous power systems is transients and voltage drawdowns during frequent starts of powerful electric machines. Such electric motors are usually equipped with crushers, screens, conveyors and other mining equipment. Since the production process is cyclical and depends on the batch loading of processed materials into machines and conveyors, the electrical loads in the power system are also cyclical. At the same time, the DGU installations operate in the basic generation mode and have long access times to new modes, and electric motors consume high starting currents within a few seconds. To ensure peak short-term current loads, it is required to have significantly excessive generator power, which idles most of the time, i.e. it causes overspending of diesel fuel, consumes motor resources.
Flywheel peak generators of the NKE-3G type are designed to operate as peak short-term power in autonomous power systems. Such units do not consume diesel fuel, provide additional mains power for starting electric motors, align the load schedule of the DSU, and improve the quality of the supply voltage to the quarry network. In addition, the use of a peak flywheel generator makes it possible to reduce the power reserves of diesel generator sets.
To date, devices with an output power of 130 kW have been tested, and a 250 kW device for three-phase AC networks is being finalized. The facility tests are scheduled for the end of 2025.