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Like the electric storage battery, the flywheel stores energy; but unlike any known battery, the
flywheel can accept or deliver this energy at whatever rate is desired and can be made to survive
any desired number of charge/ discharge cycles. This qualifies the flywheel for use in many sta-
tionary and vehicular energy-storage applications, which, if properly implemented, could result in
significant reductions in world petroleum consumption and energy use.
1
~~I14~
~n I_F~
IYWheel~~ densities of that magnitude, it is important to note
that the rate at which the flywheel accepts or
delivers the energy does not affect its design
lifetime. For the typical battery, however, the
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ENERGY CONSERVATION IN
VEHICULAR FLYWHEEL SYSTEMS
Fig. 3-The DOE/General Electric/Chrysler hybrid electric
The high power density capability of the modern car with a small flywheel to permit improved battery per-
flywheel uniquel y qualifies it as a load-leveling formance by load-leveling the batteries.
device in both the electric-motor-powered and the
internal-combustion-engine-powered automobile. In
either case, the principal advantage accrues from engine vehicle, the smaller internal combustion
the capability of the flywheel to provide the ac- engine is arranged to operate at nearly constant
celeration and braking capability that will reduce speed and near maximum power levels through a
the load peak requirements on the battery or variable transmission that spins up the flywheel.
engine. In these hybrid cases, the typical weight of When vehicle acceleration is required, the flywheel
the flywheel can be less than 0.5070 of the vehicle's delivers the energy to the wheels at a much higher
weight. The battery/ flywheel hybrid uses the energy power level via the variable transmission.
from the batteries to charge the flywheel over There have been many experimental flywheel!
relatively long periods of time, whereas the engine vehicles; generally their success is illustrated
flywheel can deliver the energy to the wheels at by the fact that some major car manufacturers
high intermittent power levels via an appropriate around the world are taking an active interest in
transmission arrangement. This hybrid system pro- the concept. Two companies, Volvo (in Sweden)
vides a number of advantages to the electric vehicle and Volkswagen (in Germany), have announced
equipped with it. Elimination of the energy peaks tentative plans for production of the
results in significant improvement in battery life. flywheel! engine vehicle.
There are also significant improvements in vehicle Typically, in the United States, flywheel!engine
range because the lower charge and discharge rates hybrid vehicles demonstrate an improvement in fuel
result in improved battery performance. Vehicular consumption of up to 50% while emissions are
acceleration is generally improved because the reduced significantly. Part of the improvement in
flywheel can, on demand, deliver energy at higher the fuel economy results from the regenerative
power levels than the battery. Lifetime cost of the braking permitted by the flywheel in the power
vehicle is improved because minimizing the load train.
peaks on the batteries increases their lifetime and About 30 years ago in Switzerland, the Oerlikon
extends the period between battery replacements. Co. successfully demonstrated the use of flywheels
One example of the battery/ flywheel hybrid ~lec in the urban bus. The Oerlikon bus was powered
tric car is illustrated in Fig. 3. This vehicle has bet- solely by flywheel energy storage, using a 3000 lb
ter acceleration and range performance than con- flywheel driving an electric motor/generator. When
ventional electric vehicles because a combined operated as a motor, the electrical unit charged the
flywheel, electric motor/ generator, and controller flywheel; during operation of the bus, the electrical
system are incorporated in it. The system was built unit functioned as a generator, providing power to
by General Electric, while the vehicle was designed electric motors in the vehicle's wheels. Having
and built by the Chrysler Corp. 3 operated successfully for more than 17 years in
The performance of an automobile powered by several countries, the flywheel-powered bus was ob-
an internal combustion engine is similarly improved viously feasible. I At present there are a number of
by including is a flywheel in the power train. The programs around the world in which the U5e of a
presence of the flywheel allows the size of the flywheel-powered bus is being vigorously pursued.
engine to be reduced by a factor of three, without In the United States, a $5M program was recently
compromising acceleration. Also, since the internal initiated at General Electric to develop a bus
combustion engine has to operate over a wide powered solely by a flywheel. This vehicle (Fig. 4)
range of rotational speed and power, it is less effi- will operate on the same principle as the Oerlikon
cient than it would be if it were operated at a bus. The principal difference between the current
relatively constant speed and power. The addition General Electric program and the previous
of the flywheel in the power train allows this to be Oerlikon program is that modern flywheels and
accomplished effectively. In the hybrid flywheel! control components will enable the new bus to go
Table 1
COMPARISON OF BEARING PERFORMANCE
·Characteristics of the slow roller bearing are estimated from the known relationships of the smaller
bearings and lower rotational speeds; all others are actual measurements.
*C J
~~at;;;:::center of Si-..-IO__ C ) ~
2' 1'--16'===:-1
A program is under way at the Massachusetts In- Five flywheels per floor
stitute of Technology for a scale demonstration of 8 floors per silo
4.54 MWh per silo
a complete, full-sized, energy-storage system for 48' I