DANGER: A 13.5 kWh mechanical battery at 600 m/s contains the energy equivalent of a medium-sized explosive. Failure of the vacuum chamber or the rotor ribbon will result in catastrophic structural failure.
- Testing Site: The vacuum chamber should be placed in a "containment pit" (below ground) or behind a 12-inch reinforced concrete blast wall during initial spin-up tests.
- Remote Operation: All testing must be conducted from a minimum distance of 20 meters.
- Vacuum Stability: Confirm vacuum is stable at <10−3 Torr for 1 hour.
- Cooling Prime: Confirm the Stirling engine is pre-cooled and the refrigerant pump is operational.
- Low-Speed Spin (1-10 m/s): Verify Hall Effect sensor timing and VFD "motoring" phase sequence.
- Resonance Check: Gradually increase speed in 10 m/s increments. Stop and "hold" at 50 m/s and 100 m/s to check for harmonic vibrations.
| Trigger |
Action |
| Vibration Spike |
Immediate "Full Regenerative Brake." Extract energy as fast as the VFD allows. |
| Vacuum Loss |
DO NOT BRAKE. Rapid air entry will cause aerodynamic heating/drag. Let the system spin down naturally or use "Eddy Current Braking" if the VFD is dead. |
| Cooling Failure |
Throttle VFD to 10% power. Allow Stirling engine to dissipate heat. Do not add more energy. |
¶ 4. Maintenance
- Tether Inspection: Every 500 hours of operation, the chamber must be opened to inspect the Dyneema Ribbon Core for signs of fraying or UV/thermal damage.
- Magnet Check: Ensure no N52 magnets have shifted or cracked due to G-loads.