Flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling and flywheel system

Abstract

The invention discloses a flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling and a flywheel system. The flywheel rotor mechanism comprises a shell. The flywheel rotor is arranged in the shell, a storage cavity is formed in the end face of the flywheel rotor, and a liquid-gas phase change working medium is stored in the storage cavity; the heat dissipation device is arranged in the full-length direction of the flywheel rotor and communicates with the storage cavity, and the end of the heat dissipation device diffuses towards the periphery of the flywheel rotor; the cooling assembly is installed on the shell, and the end of the cooling assembly extends into the shell and faces the storage cavity; wherein heat generated by the flywheel rotor enables a liquid working medium in the storage cavity to be converted into a gaseous working medium, and the gaseous working medium flows into the heat dissipation device after being acted by the cooling assembly, so that the heat generated by the flywheel rotor can be taken away more quickly and efficiently, the temperature of the flywheel rotor is effectively reduced, and the problems of performance reduction, damage and the like caused by overheating are prevented; and stable operation of the flywheel rotor in a proper temperature range is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of flywheel rotor heat dissipation, and specifically to a flywheel rotor mechanism and a flywheel system based on phase change working medium cooling. Background Art

[0002] With the large-scale application of clean energy and the rapid development of smart grids, the importance of new energy storage technologies is becoming increasingly prominent. As an advanced physical energy storage method, flywheel energy storage systems, with their outstanding performance characteristics, including high energy density, strong power output, long service life, and environmental friendliness, have shown broad application prospects in multiple fields. Currently, this technology has been successfully applied in important scenarios such as urban rail braking energy recovery, ship electric propulsion, renewable energy power generation frequency regulation, and backup power supply for critical equipment, providing key technical support for the next generation of clean energy-driven power infrastructure.

[0003] During flywheel system operation, the high-speed rotating rotor assembly generates aerodynamic friction with the surrounding medium, significantly increasing rotational resistance. To address this issue, existing technologies generally use vacuum packaging solutions to reduce windage losses. However, the vacuum environment also presents new technical challenges: the heat generated by the rotor assembly can only be dissipated through a single pathway: thermal radiation. Due to the relatively limited efficiency of radiative heat transfer, the heat accumulated in the rotor cannot be quickly dissipated, potentially causing excessive rotor temperature rise. This situation not only affects system operational stability but, in severe cases, can also cause thermal damage to the drive motor. Therefore, the development of effective thermal management solutions is urgently needed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a flywheel rotor mechanism and a flywheel system based on phase change working fluid cooling, so as to solve the technical defect in the prior art that the heat accumulated in the rotor cannot be quickly discharged, causing the rotor temperature to rise too high and causing thermal damage to the drive motor.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, a flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working fluid cooling is provided, comprising: case; A flywheel rotor is disposed in the housing and has a storage cavity on its end surface, wherein the storage cavity stores a liquid-gas phase change medium; A heat dissipation device is provided along the entire length of the flywheel rotor and is in communication with the storage cavity, with an end portion of the heat dissipation device spreading outwards to the periphery of the flywheel rotor; a cooling assembly mounted on the housing, with an end portion thereof extending into the interior of the housing and toward the storage cavity; The heat generated by the flywheel rotor converts the liquid working medium in the storage chamber into a gaseous working medium, which then flows into the heat dissipation device after being acted upon by the cooling component.

[0006] Furthermore, the heat dissipation device includes: A main trunk cavity is provided in the flywheel rotor and is provided in plurality along the circumference of the flywheel rotor axis, wherein the plurality of main trunk cavities are all connected to the storage cavity; A plurality of bifurcated cavities are sequentially arranged at intervals along the length of the main cavity, forming a dendritic structure with the main cavity.

[0007] Furthermore, the cross section of the bifurcated cavity is rectangular, wavy, spiral or arc-shaped.

[0008] Furthermore, the cross section of the main cavity is rectangular, wavy, spiral or arc-shaped.

[0009] Furthermore, the distances between the multiple bifurcated cavities are equal.

[0010] Furthermore, the storage cavity is an annular structure.

[0011] Furthermore, the cooling assembly includes: A cooling fan is provided on the housing and is in communication with the interior of the housing; The cooling fins are arranged in the shell and correspond to the cooling fan. The cooling fins are located above the storage cavity.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes: The bearings are arranged at opposite ends of the housing. A flywheel shaft is rotatably connected to the bearings. The flywheel shaft is located in the flywheel rotor, and the ends of the flywheel shaft are connected to the motor.

[0013] Furthermore, the motor is located between the bearing and the flywheel rotor.

[0014] In a second aspect, a flywheel system is provided, comprising the flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling as described above.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. By providing a storage cavity on the end face of the flywheel rotor to store a liquid-gas phase-change medium, when the flywheel rotor generates heat, the liquid medium absorbs the heat and transforms into a gaseous medium. The phase change process can absorb a large amount of latent heat. Compared with simple heat conduction or convection, it can remove the heat generated by the flywheel rotor more quickly and efficiently, effectively reducing the flywheel rotor temperature, preventing performance degradation and damage caused by overheating, and ensuring stable operation of the flywheel rotor within the appropriate temperature range.

[0016] 2. Multiple bifurcated chambers are arranged in sequence along the length of the main chamber, forming a tree-like structure with the main chamber, which can further refine the flow channel of the gaseous working medium, so that the gaseous working medium can penetrate into every corner of the flywheel rotor and more fully exchange heat with the flywheel rotor.

[0017] 3. By setting different structural shapes, different heat dissipation effects can be produced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the connection between the storage cavity and the heat dissipation device in the flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling provided by the present invention; Among them: 1. Cooling fan; 2. Cooling fins; 3. Storage chamber; 4. Upper radial bearing; 5. Flywheel shaft; 6. Flywheel rotor; 7. Dendritic flow channel; 8. Motor; 9. Lower radial bearing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings herein can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0021] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but rather merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined or explained in subsequent drawings.

[0023] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if the terms "upper," "lower," "horizontal," "inner," etc. appear, the orientation or positional relationship indicated is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the inventive product is typically placed when in use. These terms are merely for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc. are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] In addition, if the term "horizontal" appears, it does not mean that the component must be absolutely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0026] With the large-scale application of clean energy and the rapid development of smart grids, the importance of new energy storage technologies is becoming increasingly prominent. As an advanced physical energy storage method, flywheel energy storage systems, with their outstanding performance characteristics, including high energy density, strong power output, long service life, and environmental friendliness, have shown broad application prospects in multiple fields. Currently, this technology has been successfully applied in important scenarios such as urban rail braking energy recovery, ship electric propulsion, renewable energy power generation frequency regulation, and backup power supply for critical equipment, providing key technical support for the next generation of clean energy-driven power infrastructure.

[0027] During flywheel system operation, the high-speed rotating rotor assembly generates aerodynamic friction with the surrounding medium, significantly increasing rotational resistance. To address this issue, existing technologies generally use vacuum packaging solutions to reduce windage losses. However, the vacuum environment also presents new technical challenges: the heat generated by the rotor assembly can only be dissipated through a single pathway: thermal radiation. Due to the relatively limited efficiency of radiative heat transfer, the heat accumulated in the rotor cannot be quickly dissipated, potentially causing excessive rotor temperature rise. This situation not only affects system operational stability but, in severe cases, can also cause thermal damage to the drive motor. Therefore, the development of effective thermal management solutions is urgently needed.

[0028] To address the technical deficiencies mentioned in the background art, this embodiment provides a flywheel rotor mechanism and a flywheel system based on phase change working fluid cooling. The present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings: In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling, such as Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, the flywheel rotor mechanism includes a housing with bearings installed inside the housing. The bearings are divided into an upper diameter bearing 4 and a lower diameter bearing 9. The upper diameter bearing 4 and the lower diameter bearing 9 are connected by a flywheel shaft 5. The flywheel shaft 5 is located in the flywheel rotor 6. The bearings can ensure that the flywheel shaft 5 maintains a stable axial position during high-speed rotation, reducing radial and axial shaking.

[0029] A flywheel rotor 6 and a motor 8 are mounted on the flywheel shaft 5. The motor 8 is located between the flywheel rotor 6 and the lower diameter bearing 9 and is electrically connected to the external control system. As a key component for energy conversion, the motor 8 is connected to the flywheel rotor 6 through the flywheel shaft 5, enabling efficient energy transfer. During energy storage, the motor 8 converts electrical energy into kinetic energy of the flywheel rotor 6, and the flywheel shaft 5 accurately transfers the energy to the flywheel rotor 6. During energy release, the kinetic energy of the flywheel rotor 6 is transferred to the motor 8 through the flywheel shaft 5, and the motor 8 converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy. When the control system issues an operating instruction to the motor 8, the flywheel shaft 5 is driven by the motor 8 to drive the flywheel rotor 6 to rotate at high speed. During the rotation, a large amount of heat accumulates on the flywheel rotor 6, and the heat cannot be discharged to the outside of the shell. Over time, serious thermal damage is caused to the motor 8.

[0030] To resolve this issue, see Figure 1 A heat dissipation device is provided in the flywheel rotor 6. An annular storage chamber 3 is arranged on the end face of the flywheel rotor 6 away from the motor 8. The storage chamber 3 stores liquid-gas phase change medium. The heat dissipation device is provided along the length of the flywheel rotor 6 and is connected to the storage chamber 3, so that the heat dissipation effect can be more fully exerted in the process of using the liquid-gas phase change medium for heat dissipation.

[0031] At the same time, in order to achieve the effect of circulating heat dissipation, a cooling component is installed at the end of the shell away from the motor 8, and the cooling component is also electrically connected to the external control system; wherein, the output end of the cooling component faces the storage cavity 3. The installation of the cooling component can quickly cool the working fluid heated by the flywheel rotor 6 and act on the flywheel rotor 6, thereby eliminating the heat accumulated on the flywheel rotor 6, and ultimately achieving the effect of avoiding thermal damage to the motor 8.

[0032] For details, see Figure 1 and Figure 2The heat dissipation device includes a main cavity, which is opened in the flywheel rotor 6 and is arranged in plurality along the circumference of the axis of the flywheel rotor 6. The plurality of main cavities are all connected to the storage cavity 3; a plurality of bifurcation cavities are arranged in sequence along the length direction of the main cavity, and their ends spread out to the surrounding areas of the flywheel rotor 6 and form a branch-like flow channel 7 structure with the main cavity.

[0033] The heat generated by the high-speed rotation of the flywheel rotor 6 acts in the storage chamber 3 through the coordinated cooperation of the bifurcated chamber and the main chamber. After the liquid phase change working medium in the storage chamber 3 absorbs the heat, it evaporates into a gaseous phase change working medium, and the gaseous phase change working medium flows upward and enters the cooling component; the cooling component introduces external ambient air and makes it convect with the gaseous phase change working medium, thereby dissipating the heat from the shell; at the same time, during the convection process, the gaseous phase change working medium releases heat and turns into a liquid phase change working medium again. Driven by its own gravity and the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the flywheel rotor 6, the liquid phase change working medium flows into the flywheel rotor 6 through the branch-like flow channel 7, and continues to circulate this process, ultimately achieving heat dissipation for the flywheel rotor 6 while solving the problem of thermal damage to the motor 8.

[0034] Unlike the prior art, which employs spiral cooling tubes on the exterior of the flywheel rotor 6, this solution innovatively incorporates heat dissipation channels with a dendritic topology within the flywheel rotor 6, enabling heat dissipation within the dendritic space through gravity and centrifugal force. These dendritic channels 7 mimic the efficient fractal transport networks found in nature (such as the veins and vascular system of leaves). Through multi-stage branching, the phase change material is precisely delivered to localized hotspots on the flywheel rotor 6's surface, significantly increasing the effective heat exchange surface area between the working fluid and the inner wall of the flywheel rotor 6, greatly improving heat absorption and heat dissipation efficiency, and ultimately achieving superior overall heat dissipation.

[0035] At the same time, the design of the dendritic flow channel 7 greatly reduces the temperature gradient inside the flywheel rotor 6, avoiding the problem of overheating of specific areas common in traditional flow channels; moreover, the dendritic flow channel 7 achieves uniform temperature distribution, which is crucial for reducing thermal stress, preventing thermal deformation and cracks, maintaining consistent electromagnetic performance, and improving the overall reliability and life of the flywheel rotor 6.

[0036] Secondly, the dendritic flow channel 7 enhances local disturbances, that is, the bifurcations and confluences of the flow channels induce secondary flows, eddies, and fluid mixing, destroying the thermal boundary layer, significantly strengthening the local heat exchange process, and significantly improving the operational reliability and energy efficiency of the system. This not only reduces manufacturing costs, but also makes the flywheel rotor mechanism almost maintenance-free during long-term operation, effectively reducing the operation and maintenance costs throughout its life cycle.

[0037] Furthermore, the cross-sections of the main cavity and the bifurcation cavity can both be rectangular, wavy, spiral or arc-shaped; among them, rectangle is preferred in this scheme because the construction cost is low, the rectangular cross-section is relatively regular, and a larger flow area can be designed in the same space, so that the contact area between the working fluid and the wall of the bifurcation cavity is increased, which is conducive to the rapid transfer of heat and improves the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0038] If a wavy cross-section is used, the wavy undulating structure will cause turbulence in the working medium during the flow process. The turbulence can enhance the heat exchange between the fluid and the wall, further improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0039] If a spiral cross section is used, the spiral structure can make the working medium contact the wall evenly during the flow process, avoiding local heat concentration and contributing to the uniform distribution of the flywheel rotor temperature.

[0040] If an arc-shaped cross section is used, the arc-shaped cross section is relatively smooth, which can reduce the resistance of the working fluid during the flow process and make the working fluid flow more smoothly.

[0041] In this embodiment, the distances between the multiple bifurcated cavities are equal, which can ensure that the working fluid flows evenly inside the flywheel rotor, so that the heat is evenly dissipated in various parts of the flywheel rotor 6; at the same time, the uniform spacing between adjacent bifurcated cavities can avoid local congestion or poor flow of the working fluid during the flow process, thereby ensuring the continuity and stability of the heat dissipation process, and thus improving the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the storage chamber has an annular structure, and the liquid-gas phase change working fluid is one or a mixture of methanol, acetone, and water vapor. The annular structure enables the working fluid to be evenly distributed in the storage chamber, avoiding local accumulation or vacancies, and ensuring the uniformity and stability of the pressure in the storage chamber; at the same time, since the annular structure can be arranged around the center of the flywheel rotor 6, interference with other components and space waste are reduced, thereby improving the overall performance of the heat dissipation device.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the cooling assembly includes a cooling fan 1, which is arranged on the housing and communicates with the interior of the housing; Cooling fins 2 are disposed within the housing and correspond to cooling fan 1, located above storage chamber 3. Cooling fan 1 actively draws cool air from the outside into the housing, creating forced convection with the gaseous phase-change medium. Compared to natural heat dissipation, forced convection significantly increases air flow velocity, accelerating the removal of heat from the gaseous phase-change medium on cooling fins 2.

[0044] Secondly, a flywheel system is provided, in which a flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change fluid cooling, as described above, is installed. When a phase change fluid undergoes a phase change (e.g., from liquid to gas), it absorbs a large amount of latent heat. Compared to traditional air cooling or liquid cooling methods, a cooling mechanism based on a phase change fluid can achieve higher heat dissipation efficiency with a smaller volume and weight. For example, when the flywheel rotor 6 rotates at high speed and generates a large amount of heat, the phase change fluid can quickly absorb this heat and undergo a phase change, removing the heat from the flywheel rotor 6 and effectively reducing the temperature of the flywheel rotor 6. Because the phase change fluid circulates within the flywheel rotor mechanism, it can create a uniform heat dissipation effect, covering all parts of the flywheel rotor 6, avoiding the occurrence of local overheating, and ensuring the uniformity of the temperature distribution of the flywheel rotor 6, thereby improving the overall performance and reliability of the flywheel system.

[0045] When the load of the flywheel rotor 6 suddenly increases, causing the heat generation to rise sharply, the phase change working fluid can respond quickly and quickly absorb the excess heat through the phase change process, thereby avoiding the performance degradation or damage of the flywheel rotor 6 and the motor 8 due to excessive temperature, and ensuring that the flywheel system can operate stably under various working conditions.

[0046] Furthermore, during high-speed rotation of the flywheel rotor 6, thermal stress is generated due to temperature changes. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase-change working fluid cooling can effectively control the temperature of the flywheel rotor 6, reduce temperature gradients, and thus mitigate the impact of thermal stress on the flywheel rotor 6. For example, during the process of accelerating the flywheel rotor 6 from a stationary state to high-speed rotation, the phase-change working fluid can promptly absorb the generated heat, preventing deformation or cracking of the flywheel rotor 6 due to excessive thermal stress.

[0047] In summary, during the operation of the flywheel system, friction, wind resistance and other factors will produce certain energy losses, which will eventually be converted into heat. The installed flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working fluid cooling can dissipate this heat in time, reduce heat accumulation in the system, and thus reduce energy loss caused by temperature increase.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit its scope of protection. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in the field should understand that after reading the present invention, those skilled in the art may still make various changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions to the specific implementation methods of the invention, but these changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions are all within the scope of protection of the pending claims of the invention.

Claims

1. A flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling, characterized in that: include: case; A flywheel rotor is disposed in the housing and has a storage cavity on its end surface, wherein the storage cavity stores a liquid-gas phase change medium; A heat dissipation device is provided along the entire length of the flywheel rotor and is in communication with the storage cavity, with an end portion of the heat dissipation device spreading outwards to the periphery of the flywheel rotor; a cooling assembly mounted on the housing, with an end portion thereof extending into the interior of the housing and toward the storage cavity; The heat generated by the flywheel rotor converts the liquid working medium in the storage chamber into a gaseous working medium, which then flows into the heat dissipation device after being acted upon by the cooling component.

2. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat dissipation device comprises: A main trunk cavity is provided in the flywheel rotor and is provided in plurality along the circumference of the flywheel rotor axis, wherein the plurality of main trunk cavities are all connected to the storage cavity; A plurality of bifurcated cavities are sequentially arranged at intervals along the length of the main cavity, forming a dendritic structure with the main cavity.

3. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cross section of the bifurcated cavity is rectangular, wavy, spiral or arc-shaped.

4. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cross section of the main cavity is rectangular, wavy, spiral or arc-shaped.

5. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 2, characterized in that: The distances between the multiple bifurcated cavities are equal.

6. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage cavity is an annular structure.

7. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cooling package includes: A cooling fan is provided on the housing and communicated with the interior of the housing; The cooling fins are arranged in the shell and correspond to the cooling fan. The cooling fins are located above the storage cavity.

8. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: The bearings are arranged at opposite ends of the housing. A flywheel shaft is rotatably connected to the bearings. The flywheel shaft is located in the flywheel rotor, and the ends of the flywheel shaft are connected to the motor.

9. The flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling according to claim 8, characterized in that: The motor is located between the bearing and the flywheel rotor.

10. A flywheel system, characterized in that It comprises a flywheel rotor mechanism based on phase change working medium cooling as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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