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On 1 August 2005, U.S. flywheel-power specialist Pentadyne Power Corporation announced a distribution agreement with South Korean uninterruptible-power-supply (UPS) manufacturer Ehwa Technologies Information (ETI). Under the arrangement, ETI was to make Pentadyne’s Voltage Support Solution (VSS) 120 available with many of its UPS models.
The VSS 120 was presented as a flywheel-based DC voltage source that could replace batteries for short ride-through periods or work alongside them. The announcement described enough capacity for an orderly shutdown or for a standby generator to start, while a hybrid installation could reduce stress on batteries during longer outages.
What the 2005 agreement covered
Pentadyne supplied the flywheel technology, and ETI provided a South Korean UPS channel. The product named in the announcement was the VSS 120, intended for integration with multiple ETI UPS families rather than as a consumer standalone device.
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ETI’s product lines specifically identified as candidates included its high-performance ETUS line and its environmentally focused Green UPS line. The announcement framed the partnership as a way to offer alternatives to lead-acid energy storage for UPS customers.
What Pentadyne’s VSS 120 was supposed to do
A flywheel stores energy mechanically. In the VSS 120 application described by Pentadyne, the spinning system supplied DC voltage to support a UPS when incoming power failed or fluctuated. Its role was short-duration ride-through, not the multi-hour energy storage normally associated with a large battery bank.
Battery-replacement operation
Used instead of batteries for the initial outage interval, the system was intended to keep a protected load running long enough for an orderly shutdown or until a standby engine-generator reached operating speed and assumed the load.
Hybrid operation with batteries
When connected with batteries, the flywheel could handle the immediate ride-through demand and reduce the depth or frequency of battery discharge. The stated objective was to preserve more battery capacity for a longer outage, while the flywheel handled the short transition to generator power or shutdown.
Capacity figures reported for the VSS 120
The EE Times announcement gave the following figures. They are dated product claims from 2005, and the article did not provide independent test data.
| Configuration | Reported capability | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| One VSS 120 | Up to 225 kVA | Maximum depended on the required backup time, according to the announcement. |
| Multiple VSS units in parallel | Up to 2 MW of ride-through power | Reported for parallel systems; the announcement did not supply an independent performance test. |
These ratings describe power available during the ride-through function, not a promise of a particular number of minutes for every load. Actual duration would depend on load, system configuration and the UPS installation.
Why ETI was considered an important distribution partner
Pentadyne senior vice president of sales Frank DeLatttre attributed 60% of South Korea’s domestic UPS market to ETI. That figure appears in the announcement as his statement supporting the opportunity; EE Times did not independently verify it.
“ETI’s 60% share of the Korean domestic UPS market opens an exciting new channel for the adoption of Pentadyne’s advanced flywheel energy technology.”
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ETI chief executive Wook Dong Kim positioned the product around maintenance, environmental and lead-acid-reduction goals:
“Our mission is to meet customers’ requirements and expectations by developing continuously innovative technology and solutions. The environmental friendly, low-maintenance benefits of the Pentadyne VSS 120 meet these criteria perfectly. Our customer base has been seeking alternatives to lead acid based energy storage and our partnership with Pentadyne will allow us offer them a reliable, cost-effective solution.”
Wook Dong Kim, ETI chief executive officer
“Our extensive UPS product lines, including the high-performance ETUS line and the environmentally sensitive Green UPS line, are ideal candidates for this advanced flywheel energy storage system.”
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.Wook Dong Kim, ETI chief executive officer
Those comments are company statements reproduced by EE Times. They explain the partners’ intended value proposition, but they are not independent findings about reliability, lifecycle cost or environmental performance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the flywheel approach fit a UPS system
The agreement targeted a specific gap between a utility failure and the arrival of a longer-duration backup source. A typical arrangement described by the announcement would operate in this sequence:
- The UPS detects a loss or disturbance on the incoming supply.
- The VSS 120 supplies the initial DC ride-through energy, allowing the UPS inverter to continue supporting the load.
- If a generator is installed, it starts and takes over after its transfer sequence; otherwise, the UPS can use the interval to complete an orderly shutdown.
- In a hybrid system, batteries remain available for the extended portion of the outage rather than carrying the entire initial transient.
The source does not specify installation procedures, recharge times, service intervals, generator-transfer settings or a universal runtime. Those details would have to come from the applicable UPS and VSS engineering documentation.
What the announcement does—and does not—establish today
- It establishes that Pentadyne and ETI announced a distribution relationship in 2005 involving the VSS 120 and ETI UPS models.
- It records the 225 kVA single-unit and 2 MW parallel-system figures as claims made at the time.
- It does not establish that the agreement continued, that the VSS 120 remains sold, or that either company currently offers the same products or services.
- It does not provide a current purchasing channel, retail listing, independent benchmark or current comparison with battery, supercapacitor or other storage technologies.
Bottom line
The agreement paired Pentadyne’s short-duration flywheel voltage support with ETI’s South Korean UPS portfolio. The VSS 120 was intended either to replace batteries for generator-start or orderly-shutdown ride-through, or to shield batteries from the first high-stress interval of an outage. The capacity numbers and market-share statement belong to the 2005 announcement and should not be read as evidence of current availability or independently verified performance.
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