Lunar Flywheel Controls System

The Lunar Flywheel Controls Systems is a portion of the Flywheel Energy Storage System multi-year project which has been scheduled for refinement and completion by the Lunar Flywheel Controls Team. The flywheel's rotor, stator, and magnet array have been constructed already.

The Controls System includes:
 * Linear and Rotational position sensors
 * Microcontrollers dedicated to rotational acceleration and linear stabilization
 * The control code run on the controllers, which determines the appropriate current for each coil based on sensor and user input.

These systems are being completed as part of a 2016-2017 senior design project. It is scheduled for completion in Spring 2017.

Project Overview
(FILL) precise control of Idaho's Flywheel Energy Storage System.

Problem Statement
For a moon base to be livable, it needs a constant energy supply. Nuclear and solar power have been considered, but neither can operate constantly through both fortnight-long lunar days and nights, so some combination of technologies is required. A high-efficiency energy storage system is a desirable way to provide constant energy when it couldn't otherwise be produced, and prevent excess produced energy from being wasted. The University of Idaho has proposed the idea of using a Flywheel Energy Storage System, which can have a higher potential energy/weight density and require less maintenance than other storage options. For maximum efficiency, the proposed system features:
 * An "inside-out" design with the rotor wrapped around the rotor
 * A vacuum chamber
 * Magnetic bearings

Project History
Several teams and of work have already been done to produce the existing parts of the Low-Speed Flywheel. Continuing the work of the Fly Rollers senior design team, this year's controls sub-team works to complete the Flywheel setup and develop the embedded system to control it. Meanwhile, the Flywheel Interface Guys are developing a graphical interface for the system, and  our Stator Design subteam is developing the governing equations and models needed to design a high-speed version.

Specifications
(FILL) The The controls team is working to finalize the design of the Low-Speed Flywheel and get it safely working.

Selections
(FILL)

Hardware choices: -Controllers -Sensors

Software choices: -Hysteresis vs Bang-bang current control algorithm

Details
(REPLACE) Graphs and lists of the overall system are shown below, demonstrating the evolution of the design.

Implementation
(FILL) The control code is written in c, using the Texas Instruments DesignDRIVE IDDK development kit and the TI ControlSUITE package.

Testing
(FILL) Testing the already-written code is important, we should do that.

Group Photo


Group photo of the members of the Lunar Flywheel Controls Team taken after a team meeting.

Documents

 * [[Media:2016-LFCT-Client Interview.pdf|Client Interview]]
 * [[Media:Design_Specifications_signed.pdf|Design Specifications]]

Meeting Minutes
Note: dates are in (YY-MM-DD) format.
 * [[Media:16-09-14 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-09-14]]
 * [[Media:16-09-29 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-09-29]]
 * [[Media:16-10-05 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-10-05]]
 * [[Media:16-10-12 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-10-12]]
 * [[Media:16-10-19 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-10-19]]
 * [[Media:16-10-26 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-10-26]]
 * [[Media:16-11-02 Meeting Minutes.pdf|16-11-02]]