VYCON VDC flywheel energy storage, 300 kW

VYCON VDC flywheel energy storage, 300 kW — ups
VYCON VDC flywheel energy storage, 300 kW

VYCON's magnetically levitated DC-bus flywheel, the most retrofit-friendly kinetic store in this set

VYCON VDC flywheel energy storage, 300 kW is one of 22 UPS systems tracked in the SecondWatt catalogue, each with specifications, lead times and indicative secondary-market pricing.

VYCON VDC dossier: 300 kW DC-bus flywheel at 18,500-36,000 rpm on magnetic bearings, ownership status since 2022, and a used-unit inspection checklist.

The VDC is a flywheel energy storage system rated 300 kW maximum with a total energy of 6,000 kilowatt-seconds, delivering 300 kW for 16 seconds. The rotating group spins between 18,500 rpm fully discharged and 36,000 rpm fully charged on five-axis active magnetic levitation, with ceramic backup bearings that VYCON states can support multiple high-speed drops and recover without damage. A medical-grade vacuum pump maintains the enclosure, its mineral oil is replaced roughly yearly in a ten-minute procedure performed without taking the unit offline, and the pump itself lasts eight to ten years. Architecturally the VDC is not a UPS. Like the Piller POWERBRIDGE it is a battery-replacement module that connects to the DC bus of an existing static UPS, UL listed for 400 to 600 VDC and connectable up to 850 VDC. That makes it the most retrofit-friendly product of its class and the one most likely to appear used as a standalone transferable asset, with more than 1,400 VDC systems deployed and over 13 million discharge and recharge cycles reported. Ownership is the open question and it needs correcting on any listing. Calnetix Technologies, which formed VYCON in 2002, now lists VYCON's status as sold in 2022, and VYCON does not appear on Calnetix's current affiliates and subsidiaries page. The buyer is not named anywhere, and VYCON's own About, Contact and News pages carry no parent-company statement. Do not describe VYCON as a Calnetix company; that is now a factual error.

Why it matters

Runtime that does not degrade is a genuine used-asset advantage, and it is conditional on one thing: vacuum integrity. A unit that sat decommissioned with an unserviced pump has almost certainly lost vacuum, windage losses rise and the published runtime no longer holds. Combined with unverifiable parts continuity since 2022, that puts the diligence squarely on service records rather than calendar age.

Who buys it

Operators retrofitting an existing static UPS DC bus to cut battery cycling, and facilities that want short high-power ride-through with no battery room. VYCON's own battery-hardening configuration puts the flywheel in parallel with batteries, where it absorbs over 98% of the discharges that would otherwise have cycled the cells, which is newly relevant where compute loads cycle batteries harder than legacy workloads did.

Role in the data center

DC-bus energy store retrofitted to an existing static UPS, either replacing the battery string outright or sitting in parallel with it to absorb short discharges.

Technical summary

Power rating: 300 kW maximum; 300 kW for 16 seconds of runtime Total energy: 6,000 kilowatt-seconds maximum (6 MJ) Rotational speed: 18,500 rpm fully discharged to 36,000 rpm fully charged Bearings: five-axis active magnetic levitation with ceramic backup bearings Vacuum: medical-grade pump, mineral oil replaced yearly in a 10-minute online procedure, 8-10 year pump life DC connection: UL listed for 400-600 VDC; connectable up to 850 VDC Design life: greater than 20 years with runtime that does not degrade Recharge: approximately 12 minutes after complete discharge Maintenance: DC capacitors replaced at about 7-8 years; no cooling required Installed base: more than 1,400 systems and over 13 million discharge and recharge cycles

Pricing and availability

Trend: up Warranty, used: 1-year typical from refurbishment dealers.

Lifecycle and maintenance

Flywheel and rotary systems are built around a 20-year design life with no stored-energy replacement, which is the whole economic case against batteries: Active Power markets CleanSource as 20+ years with no battery changes and VYCON rates the VDC above 20 years with runtime that does not degrade. The consumables move to bearings, vacuum and capacitors instead, at a ceramic bearing cartridge every third year on CleanSource HD, annual vacuum-pump oil with an 8-10 year pump on the VDC, and DC capacitors at 7-8 years. Piller extends rotary service intervals to 5 years with condition monitoring. Service history, not calendar age, sets the value of a used rotary asset.

Common failure points

Inspection checklist

Bearing type — establish it first; CleanSource HD runs ceramic ball bearings, the VYCON VDC uses 5-axis levitation Bearing service log — Active Power specifies a cartridge change every 3rd year on HD and every 4th on PLUS MMS Vacuum system — VYCON runs a medical-grade vacuum pump on annual oil service with an 8-10 year pump life DC capacitors — VYCON publishes a 7-8 year replacement point for the VDC's DC capacitors Rotor drop log — the VDC spins 18,500-36,000 rpm and recovers from backup-bearing drops a limited number of times Grease reservoir — Piller POWERBRIDGE auto-greases from a reservoir; an unserviced one voids the 20-year life case Runtime verification — CleanSource HD holds 15 s at 100% load, 29 s at 50% and 56 s at 25% per the UL datasheet Flywheel data — HD spins a steel rotor at 7,700 rpm storing 10.2 MJ; the 6.2 MJ web figure is a page error Efficiency — check against the datasheet: HD is 96.5% at 50% load and up to 98% at full load Generator interface — a flywheel is a bet on the genset; verify start-to-load against a 10-second class requirement Ambient limits — CleanSource HD is rated 32-104 degrees F (0-40 degrees C); verify how the unit was stored Controls and parts — magnetic bearing controllers are proprietary; VYCON ownership has been undisclosed since 2022 Parallel rating — HD parallels up to 7 systems for 4,725 kW; confirm frame count matches the nameplate claim Standards — confirm UL 1778 and cUL CAN/CSA 22.2 No. 107.1; the VDC's UL scope covers 400-600 VDC only Service entitlement — get a written parts letter; Active Power runs a 135,000 sq ft Austin plant with 24/7 service

Regional notes

Operates from 14592 Central Avenue, Chino, California. The site is live and markets the VDC as an active product, but the newest news item is dated October 2024 and the footer reads 2024, so production status should be treated as uncertain and confirmed in writing before transacting.