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   Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (storage technology)  evaluated  
A Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage device (SMES) stores energy by circulating a current in a superconducting coil.
Technology field: Regenerative braking and energy management
open main section General information
close main section General criteria
  close sub-section Status of development: research & experiments
   

 
  Time horizon for broad application: not applicable
    In view of the characteristics of today's SMES, an application for brake energy storage in rail vehicles is extremely doubtful in the foreseeable future.
  Expected technological development: not applicable
    (no details available)
    Motivation:
    Storage of braking energy.
  Benefits (other than environmental): not applicable
    cf. Applicability to railway segments
  Barriers: high
   

 
    Success factors:
    (no details available)
  Applicability for railway segments: low
    Type of traction:  not applicable
    Type of transportation:  not applicable
   

The power and energy characteristics of SMES technologies make them a very difficult candidate for brake energy storage in rail vehicles. This is illustrated in Figure 2. It can be seen that SMES do not meet the requirements of any operation type in railways. Light rail vehicles have the braking characteristics closest to those offered by SMES, but still too far off to make an application realistic in the foreseeable future.

Figure 2: Ragone diagram and charging times (corresponding to braking times of different trains)

ragone_diagram_trains.gif

Source: IZT, data mainly from: Hentschel et al. 2000
    Grade of diffusion into railway markets:
  Diffusion into relevant segment of fleet: 0 %
  Share of newly purchased stock: 0 %
    (no details available)
  Market potential (railways): none
    cf. Applicability to railway segments
    Example:
    (no details available)
open main section Environmental criteria
open main section Economic criteria
open main section Application outside railway sector
open main section Overall rating
References / Links:  Caputo 2000;  Hennig, Stephanblome 2000;  Howe 2001
Attachments:
Related projects:
Contact persons:
 date created: 2002-10-09
 
 
© UIC - International Union of Railways 2003
 
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