Comments on: Flywheel Hybrids

By: southgate

southgate — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:52:33 +0000

Flywheel energy is a very good idea , smaller lighter cars and small generators that can be used at time of low battery if necessary, people have to get places and not all the world is connected with congested roadways and slow buses ,I was discussing this technology with an engineer 20 years ago. they thought it could not be done WRONG ,, It is the way to go for all sizes of vehicles , and keep the trucks lighter and the trailers smaller , and set speed limits that are reasonable according to the size of the vehicles 100 for anything 3000 kilos ans heavier and 110 for 2000 – 3000 kilos and 120 for anything lighter , this would do a lot to save fuel..
Time traffic lights in cities to encourage a steady state flow of traffic
I am a automotive tech who continually gets very good mileage in all my vehicles with special tuning ,m exhaust and aerodynamic improvements. My next project I would like to do is a vehicle with an ICE in the front ,an electric with flywheel in the back for all wheel drive and 2 modes of power.

By: soessex

soessex — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:45:36 +0000

Battery type hybrids are poor at saving energy; and, advancements in battery technology are most likely terminally limited. Flywheel technology is here now and power-flow is shock free and as smooth as though from an electric motor; see below. Here-to-fore the problem with flywheels has been complex and inefficient power management to and from the flywheel. This patent completely solves this problem with maximum possible efficiency (85 -95%).

PRESS RELEASE
January 3, 2012
Reference: US Patent 7,931,107 B2
VEHICLE KINETIC ENERGY UTILIZATION TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. (KERS)

This recent patent enables the reduction of fuel consumption in motor vehicles by the storage of kinetic energy for reuse. This technology incorporates an infinitely variable transmission (IVT) in the form of an eddy current induction device (called a Modulator) coupled to a gear system to conquer the torque flow management problem caused by infinitely varying bi-directional energy flow between a moving vehicle mass and an associated rotating flywheel mass created by the fact that the respective mass velocities move in an inverse acceleration relationship.

To illustrate this phenomenon, observe that as kinetic energy passes from the moving vehicle to, and is captured by, the flywheel it is caused to accelerate, however the vehicle is consequently caused to slow; but to function efficiently, the flywheel requires an ever increasing input-speed factor from a source which is ever slowing. This always changing speed dichotomy can only be effectively managed by an infinitely variable transmission, and, other than that offered by the above patent, none have been successful for the subject purpose.

The technology reflected in this patent involves very few parts, and is therefore economical to manufacture. It is in addition, long lived, requires little maintenance, and is very durable. Importantly, this system is suitable not only for passenger car use, but also for delivery vans, trucks, and buses.

The conservation of kinetic energy through the use of battery energy-storage technology is exceedingly inefficient while such a mechanical approach is well known to be very high in efficiency. As may be realized, existing battery hybrid technology was developed because it was a way around this, now solved, torque-management problem. As these complicated and costly battery-related electric energy arrangements only avoid, and do not solve this problem, the penalty for this has been the great loss of efficiency as compared to a mechanical storage system such as that proposed by the subject patent.

Thank you,
South Essex Engineering

By: KevinM

KevinM — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:55:54 +0000

Will it save as much gas in pulling away from those stoplights as it costs to add the extra weight to the car all the time?

Also - what happens in an accident? How would a flywheel behave then?

By: eddie chong

eddie chong — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 06:16:13 +0000

Back in the mid 50's as a school boy I read a popular magazine that featured an article that spoke up for "Flywheel Hybrids" especially for British buses. That was almost 60yrs ago when fuel cost was not much of a problem. However, in the post-war years people were conscious of where money was spent and saving it wherever it could be done is more important than cutting on quality of service or quantity of goods sold.
As a Social Observer, I note that the human spirit is perpetually
bogged down with things it needs to do on one hand and on the other hand, the companion spectre which holds back and sternly deters any action.
Then in the 60's, as an executive with a British oil marketing company, I discovered that the company was deeply into Solar Energy research! This contradiction is now cleared as I found out recently that this Petroleum company is now a world leader in Solar energy technology.
Mankind can learn from this lesson. 60 years can make a new technology base of great significance. Nobody heeded the early warnings of Global Warming 60 year ago either.

By: Gregg Weber

Gregg Weber — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:24:07 +0000

Seeing the garbage truck stop and start reminded me of flywheel busses years ago. So I looked on the Internet and found this.
I suspect that garbage pick up would be the most useful and efficient first use of this method. The biggest problem is scale. The mass of a full garbage truck vs. a SUV or other passenger car. If this can be solved by larger and/or many flywheels I don’t know. But apparently it was done on a bus many years ago.

By: Raisenbread

Raisenbread — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:37:56 +0000

Porsche 911 GT3 Flywheel Hybrid;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/porsche/7938918/Porsche-911-GT3-R-Hybrid-review.html

By: ac delco flywheel

ac delco flywheel — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:09:30 +0000

You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog. This idea will not store energy for a long time. My guess is about an hour at most. It will not help with a cold start on a Monday morning but by God, in a road car it will save a lot of gas pulling away from traffic lights.

By: Gardner

Gardner — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:58:47 +0000

This doesn't offend me in the slightest. I live in America and people such as myself were born and raised in an environment that encourages over-consumption and wasteage of our natural resources, while poisoning the environment. It's pretty sad.
Current vehicle hybridization tech is in its infancy, composed of only 2 technologies: ICE and EV with regenerative breaking.
In my view, a truly efficient hybrid vehicle would add Flywheel energy storage, solar, hydraulic assist, as well as thermal recuperation. Biodiesel technology should be further developed, which would completely eliminate the need for the use of oil-based technology.
It'll take the coming together of multiple disciplines to produce a truly efficient and capable hybrid vehicle. It's my belief this will probably take another 20yrs, depending on the level of commitment and investment in R&D. Of course, with the acceleration of global warming and disasters such as the one by BP in the Gulf, maybe that will help accelerate this technology. One can only hope.

By: krishnadas

krishnadas — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:17:14 +0000

According to me, it is duty of all responsible automobile design engineers to concentrate on following urgent fields of attention rather than on fancy vehicles and SUVs:

1. The hybrid technology should be combined with even public transport buses which require perpetual braking and spend long time in accelerating after every stopping. Using a powerful engine reduces the mileage drastically.

2. A four wheeler having ~ 8HP 4S petrol engine,flywheel+battery powered Hybrid, mostly composite structural construction, cruising at Max 70 kmph, with full computerization for power transfers and to carry small family in city is my dream.

I am an aerospace Engr, middle aged and from a 3rd world country. So I think miserly about spending on fossil fuel. I am sorry if my thinking irritates new generation youngsters.