1 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION
Design optimization can be defined as the process of finding the maximum or minimum of some
parameters which may call the objective function and it must also satisfy a certain set of
specified requirements called constraints. Many methods have been developed and are in use for
design optimization. All these methods use mathematical programming techniques for solutions.
In these cases it is difficult to apply traditional optimization techniques. Non-conventional
techniques are applied to such cases. These are potential search and optimization techniques for
complex engineering problems. Genetic algorithms are found to have a better global perspective
than the traditional methods.
Genetic Algorithms have good potential as optimization techniques for complex
problems and have been successfully applied in the area of Mechanical Engineering. Popular
applications include machine elements design, heat transfer, scheduling, vehicle routing, etc.

1.2 FLYWHEEL

INTRODUCTION
Flywheel is a rotating disk that stores energy as kinetic energy. The faster the flywheel spins the
more kinetic energy it stores. The flywheel rotates with a connecting rod, known as the shaft. The
shaft is where the energy moves in and out of the flywheel.

Fig 1.1 A flywheel
2 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

When more kinetic energy can be stored in a flywheel, the less energy needs to come from the main
power source. This increases the efficiency of the mechanisms energy output. Because a flywheel
can be used in such a variety of mechanisms, the amount of energy stored in the flywheel varies.
There are two factors that control the amount of energy the flywheel stores: the moment of inertia and
the rotational speed of the flywheel.

BENEFITS:
Energy moving in and out of the flywheel can be used to provide temporary and constant power.
A flywheels greatest benefit is in mechanisms where the main power source is provided in
unsteady bursts. By using conservation of energy, the flywheel stores energy as it is being
released from the main power source in a surge or burst. As the main source of energy decreases,
the energy stored in the flywheel is released. Mechanisms will receive an uninterrupted supply of
energy. Currently, flywheels are used in electrical grids to level out power surges and in cars to
smooth the rapid explosions from the engine that provide power.
With modern materials flywheels are smaller, weigh less, and can spin more quickly, therefore
they can store more energy. One of the most promising areas where flywheels are being applied
is the automobile industry. Williams, a Formula 1 racing team, is currently researching the use of
flywheel hybrid car systems. These flywheel systems would replace current electric hybrid
systems. In a hybrid system, a flywheel stores energy from the motion of the car as the car
breaks. To accelerate after slowing down or stopping, the car uses the energy stored in the
flywheel instead of using the engine and more fuel. Unlike a battery, a flywheel will never lose
its ability to charge and discharge energy. They would be cheaper, more efficient, and better for
the environment.












3 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

CHAPTER 2
GENETIC ALGORITHM

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Definition
GAs are special AI techniques which has a large space of potential solutions and whose search
methods model some natural phenomena such as :
Genetic inheritance.
Darwinian strife for survival.

GAs are search methods based on the mechanics of natural selection and natural genetics.They
combine survival of the fittest string structures with a structured yet randomized
information.They exchange to form a search algorithm with some of innovative flair of human
search.In every generation, a new set of artificial creatures(or strings) is produced.

Terms used in G.A:

Chromosomes are made of genes (features, charactersor decoders).
A gene is said to be in several states called alleles.
Every gene controls the inheritance of one or several characters and are located on certain
places of the chromosomes called loci.

Genetic operators:

Crossover: It combines the feature of two parents chromosomes to form two similar offspring's
by swapping corresponding segments of the parents. e.g.
P1:(a1 b1 c1 d1 e1)
P2:(a2 b2 c2 d2 e2)

4 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

Crossing after 2nd gene yields the offsprings:
O1:(a1 b1 c2 d2 e2)
O2:(a2 b2 c1 d1 e1)

Mutation: It arbitrarily alters one or more genes of a selected chromosomes for introducing
some extra variability into the population.
Let the chromosomes be:
P1:(0 1 1 1 0 1)

Mutating the 2
nd
& 5
th
gene yields the offsprings:
O1:(0 0 1 1 1 1)


Reproduction:

For selecting the new population w.r.t. the probability distribution based on the fitness value
Reproduction is used with the use of a ROULETTE WHEEL with slots sized according to fitness
is used.













5 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

2.2 PROBLEM FORMULATION
The objectives in a design problem and the associated design parameters vary from product to
product. Different techniques are to be used in different problems. The purpose of the
formulation procedure is to create a mathematical model of the optimal design problem, which
then can be solved using an optimization algorithm.
The formulation of optimal design problems requires other considerations such as
constraints, objective function, and variable bounds.

OBJECTIVE FUNCTION

The objective function is to minimize the weight of the flywheel (WF) which is the sum of the weights
of rim (WR), hub (WH) and spokes (WS).

The objective function is simplified by considering the weight of hub and spokes to be one-eighth of the
weight of the rim concentrated at the mean radius of the rim.

Therefore the simplified objective function is:

CONSTRAINTS:
Rim stresses:
The rim stresses have been developed due to combined effect of hoop tension and bending
stresses. The rim is subject to high bending stresses. The maximum combined stress at the rim of
the flywheel having six spokes is given by:


6 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

CHAPTER 3
OPTIMIZATION ANALYSIS

3.1 METHODOLOGY
For solving the problem I used Genetic Algorithm.
3.2 MATLAB TOOLBOX
In this the optimization is performed using and GENETIC ALGORITHM which is a
component of the MATLAB optimization toolbox.
STEPS FOR USING MATLAB TOOLBOX:
STEP 1: PROBLEM SETUP
1. At first I defined my objective function in editor of matlab and saved it as objfun.m file.
The objective function was defined as:





2. Then I defined the constraints in editor of matlab and saved it as simple_constraint.m
file.






3. Then I opened the optimization toolbox by typing optimtool in the command window.
4. In the toolbox I selected genetic algorithm.
5. In the fitness function column I called my objective function by typing @objfun
function f = objfun(x)
a=1000;
g=9.81;
f=9*2*3.14*a*x(1)*x(2)*x(3)*g/8;
function[c, ceq] = simple_constraint(x)
a=1;
n=1500;
s=300*10^6;
sr=400*10^6;
c= (a*((2*3.14*n*x(1)/60)^2)*(0.75+4.935*x(1)/(s^2*x(2))))-sr;
ceq = [];

7 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

6. Then I selected the no. of variables for my problem as 3.
7. Then I defined the lower bound and upper bound for the five variables as:
Lower bound=[0.8 .1 .1]
Upper bound=[1.2 .2 .15]
The optimization toolbox will appear as:


Fig. 3.1 optimization toolbox






8 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel



STEP 2: RUN SOLVER AND VIEW RESULTS

Then I selected the graphs that that I wanted to plot and clicked on start option. The algorithm
started and after some iterations it stopped and gave the desired result and displayed the graphs.
The procedure is shown in the following figure:


fig 3.2: Showing The Results













9 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel


3.3 RESULTS

The results obtained after 100 iterations are:

Radius (r) Breadth (b) Thickness (t) F(x)
800 100 100.07 554.87

Various plot obtained by performing genetic algorithm is shown below:


fig 3.3: Various Plot Obtained By Performing Genetic Algorithm





10 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSIONS

In this report, I have done minimization the weight of flywheel with the help of genetic algorithm
toolbox in MATLAB. Operation in Engineering Design is the past aimed at a Design problem
with single objective function with single variable and with or without constraints. But here the
code is used for the optimization of flywheel to minimize the weight. It is found that the results
obtained by genetic algorithms are better, search space is wide and it aims at global optimum
than that the local optimum as in a traditional method for the same input parameters.


















11 Optimization Of Weight Of Flywheel

CHAPTER 5
REFERENCE

1.Singiresu.S.Rao., 1984, "Optimization Theory and applications", Wiley Eastern, New Delhi.

2. Kalylanmoy Deb., 1995, "optimization for engineering design algorithms and examples",
prentice-hall of india private limited, New Delhi.

3.Maley, michael. Flywheel generated in solidworks. 17 apr 2009.