Flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism and method of use

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of flywheel rotor heat dissipation technology, and discloses a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism and its usage method, including a housing; the housing contains a rotating shaft, a rotor, a flywheel, and a radiator, with the rotating shaft centrally located within the housing, and the rotating shaft divided into a rotor portion and a flywheel portion along its length; the rotor portion of the rotating shaft has the rotor arranged circumferentially outwards along the rotating shaft, and the radiator is arranged circumferentially outwards along the rotor, with a gap between the rotor and the radiator; the radiator is fixedly connected to the housing; the rotor portion of the rotating shaft is coaxially fixedly connected to the radiator via a pair of first bearings; the flywheel portion of the rotating shaft has the flywheel arranged circumferentially outwards along the rotating shaft, with a gap between the flywheel and the housing. This invention, through its components, enables non-contact radiative heat dissipation between the rotor and the radiator, reducing frictional loss, extending lifespan, and providing both heat dissipation and support functions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of flywheel rotor heat dissipation technology, specifically to a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] In flywheel energy storage systems, the rotor is the core component, converting electrical energy into kinetic energy through high-speed rotation. However, during operation, a large amount of heat is generated due to electromagnetic losses and mechanical friction. If heat cannot be dissipated in time, the rotor temperature will continue to rise, degrading material properties, leading to decreased strength, increased deformation, affecting energy storage and release efficiency, and even causing safety accidents, thus limiting the development and application of flywheel energy storage technology. Therefore, developing an efficient and reliable rotor heat dissipation mechanism is of great significance for ensuring the safe and stable operation of the system and improving its performance and lifespan.

[0003] Some existing technologies employ contact-based heat dissipation, such as mounting heat sinks on the rotor surface or using thermal paste to enhance heat conduction. However, the high-speed rotation of the rotor increases friction and wear between contacting components, leading to increased system energy loss, reduced conversion efficiency, shortened component and rotor lifespan, and increased maintenance costs. Moreover, perfect contact is difficult to guarantee, and the contact surface may have areas with high thermal resistance, such as air gaps, affecting effective heat transfer and resulting in unsatisfactory heat dissipation.

[0004] Traditional non-contact cooling systems, such as air cooling, require fans and other devices, increasing system complexity and size, generating noise and vibration, and affecting stability and reliability. Furthermore, air's low thermal conductivity limits heat dissipation at high temperatures; natural convection cooling is inefficient and cannot effectively dissipate heat from the rotor. Additionally, existing radiator designs are flawed, with poor cooling channel layout, uneven cooling medium flow, and dead zones. The limited heat exchange area between heat-conducting components and the rotor results in low heat transfer efficiency, and installation and maintenance convenience is not adequately considered, increasing assembly difficulty and cost. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address existing problems, this invention provides a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism and its usage method. By rationally arranging the first bearing, shaft, rotor, radiator, flywheel, and second bearing, the components cooperate with each other to achieve non-contact radiative heat dissipation between the rotor and the radiator, reducing frictional losses, extending service life, and combining heat dissipation and support functions. The shaft is divided into two parts, which are fixed by symmetrically arranged bearings to reduce uneven axial forces and effectively improve the rotational stability of the flywheel, making it suitable for widespread application.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution.

[0007] This invention provides a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism, including a housing; a rotating shaft, a rotor, a flywheel, and a radiator are disposed within the housing. The rotating shaft is centrally located within the housing and is divided into a rotor portion and a flywheel portion along its length. The rotor portion of the rotating shaft has the rotor arranged circumferentially outward from the shaft, and the radiator is arranged circumferentially outward from the rotor, with a gap between the rotor and the radiator. The radiator is fixedly connected to the housing. The rotor portion of the rotating shaft is coaxially and fixedly connected to the radiator via a pair of first bearings. The flywheel portion of the rotating shaft has the flywheel arranged circumferentially outward from the shaft, with a gap between the flywheel and the housing. The flywheel portion of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the housing via a pair of second bearings.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the radiator includes a radiator housing; the cooling water cavity is provided inside the radiator housing, and the cooling water cavity is arranged on the axial and radial outer sides of the rotor; the heat-conducting sleeve is provided on the side of the radiator housing facing the rotor, and the heat-conducting column is provided on the heat-conducting sleeve toward the radiator housing, and the heat-conducting column extends into the cooling water cavity.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the radiator further includes an inlet pipe and a drain pipe; the inlet pipe and the drain pipe are respectively connected to the cooling water chamber, the drain pipe is located on the side closer to the flywheel, and the inlet pipe is located on the side farther from the flywheel; both the inlet pipe and the drain pipe pass through the outer casing, and the inlet pipe is connected to an external cooling water source.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, there are several heat-conducting columns, which are evenly arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft and evenly arranged axially along the rotor portion of the rotating shaft.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the heat-conducting sleeve is made of oxygen-free copper C10200 or aluminum alloy 6061-T6.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the inner diameter of the heat-conducting sleeve is 1.0–2.0 mm larger than the outer diameter of the rotor.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the rotor surface is provided with a high infrared emissivity coating, the infrared emissivity of which is ε≥0.85, for non-contact radiative heat exchange with the heat sink.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first bearings are respectively located on both sides of the rotor portion of the rotating shaft, and the two first bearings are arranged symmetrically with respect to the centroid of the rotor.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the second bearing is fixedly connected to the housing by two crosses.

[0016] Secondly, this invention discloses a method for using a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism, comprising the following steps: Turn on the external cooling water source to allow cooling water to enter the radiator; The rotor generates heat during operation, which is transferred to the radiator through non-contact radiative heat exchange. Cooling water is discharged through the radiator and conducts heat to the outside of the casing.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This mechanism achieves non-contact radiative heat dissipation by rationally arranging the first bearing, shaft, rotor, radiator, flywheel, and second bearing, leaving a gap between the rotor and radiator. This reduces friction and wear caused by contact, lowers energy loss, and extends the service life of the components. The shaft is divided into a rotor section and a flywheel section, which are fixed by the first and second bearings symmetrically arranged on both sides of the two sections. This provides effective rotational support for the rotor shaft, reduces uneven distribution of axial support force, ensures structural stability and smooth rotation, improves the reliability of the flywheel energy storage system, and extends its service life.

[0018] Preferably, the radiator has cooling water chambers arranged on the outer side of the rotor's axial and radial directions, which can fully cover the rotor's heat dissipation area and expand the heat dissipation area; the cooling water chamber arranged on the rotor's axial direction can also remove the heat accumulated in the first bearing; the design of the heat-conducting sleeve and heat-conducting column, with the heat-conducting column extending into the cooling water chamber, can quickly transfer the rotor heat absorbed by the heat-conducting sleeve to the cooling water in the cooling water chamber through heat conduction, thereby improving heat conduction efficiency and effectively improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0019] Preferably, the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the cooling water chamber respectively, with the outlet pipe close to the flywheel and the inlet pipe far from the flywheel. This layout allows the cooling water to flow in the opposite direction to the heat transfer direction in the radiator, so that the cooling water can fully absorb heat before being discharged, thereby improving the cooling water circulation efficiency. The inlet pipe is connected to an external cooling water source, which can ensure a continuous and stable supply of cooling water and ensure the long-term effective operation of the heat dissipation mechanism.

[0020] Preferably, several heat-conducting columns are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft and the axial direction of the rotor section, which can make the heat absorbed by the heat-conducting sleeve more evenly transferred to the cooling water in the cooling water chamber, avoid local heat concentration, improve the uniformity of heat dissipation and the overall heat dissipation efficiency, ensure that the rotor temperature drops evenly, and prevent the rotor performance from deteriorating due to local overheating.

[0021] Preferably, the heat-conducting sleeve is made of oxygen-free copper C10200 or aluminum alloy 6061-T6. These two materials have good thermal conductivity, which can quickly absorb the heat generated by the rotor and improve the heat conduction speed. At the same time, they also have a certain strength and corrosion resistance, which can ensure that the heat-conducting sleeve is not easily damaged during long-term use and extend the service life of the radiator.

[0022] Preferably, the inner diameter of the heat-conducting sleeve is 1.0-2.0 mm larger than the outer diameter of the rotor. This ensures that there is a suitable gap between the heat-conducting sleeve and the rotor to achieve non-contact heat dissipation and reduce friction. It also allows the heat-conducting sleeve to be as close to the rotor as possible to enhance the thermal radiation effect and improve the efficiency of heat transfer from the rotor to the heat-conducting sleeve, thereby improving the overall heat dissipation performance.

[0023] Preferably, the rotor surface is coated with a high infrared emissivity coating with an infrared emissivity ε≥0.85, which can significantly enhance the non-contact radiative heat transfer capability between the rotor and the radiator, enabling the heat generated by the rotor to be transferred to the radiator more efficiently in the form of radiation, improving heat dissipation efficiency, effectively controlling the rotor temperature, and ensuring the normal operation of the flywheel energy storage system.

[0024] Preferably, a pair of first bearings are located on both sides of the rotor shaft and are arranged symmetrically according to the rotor's center of mass. This arrangement can evenly distribute the force and torque generated when the rotor rotates, reduce the vibration and deformation of the shaft, improve the smoothness and accuracy of the rotor rotation, reduce energy loss and noise caused by vibration, and extend the service life of the bearings and the rotor.

[0025] Preferably, the second bearing is fixedly connected to the housing by two crosses. The cross assembly can provide a more stable support structure, enhance the firmness and stability of the connection between the second bearing and the housing, effectively resist the complex forces and torques generated when the flywheel rotates, ensure the stable rotation of the flywheel shaft, and improve the structural strength and reliability of the entire flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism.

[0026] This method clarifies the operating steps of the heat dissipation mechanism. First, the external cooling water source is activated to allow cooling water to enter the radiator. After the rotor generates heat during operation, it is transferred to the radiator through non-contact radiative heat exchange, and then the cooling water conducts the heat to the outside of the casing. This operation method is simple and easy to implement, effectively dissipating heat from the rotor and ensuring that the rotor temperature of the flywheel energy storage system remains within a reasonable range during operation, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Furthermore, the shapes and proportions of the components in the drawings are merely schematic to aid in understanding the invention and are not intended to specifically limit the shapes and proportions of the components. In the drawings: Figure 1This is a structural cross-sectional view of a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism in Embodiment 1; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the heat sink from the main viewing direction in Embodiment 1; Figure 3 This is a top sectional view of the cross structure in Example 1; Figure 4 This is a top-view cross-sectional view of the radiator in Example 1; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the radiator casing from a top view in Embodiment 2; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the heat-conducting sleeve from a top view in Example 3.

[0028] The components are: 1. Outer shell; 2. Shaft; 3. Rotor; 4. Flywheel; 5. Cross-shaped structure; 6. Second bearing; 7. Radiator outer shell; 8. Cooling water chamber; 9. Inlet pipe; 10. Drain pipe; 11. Through hole; 12. First bearing; 13. Heat-conducting sleeve; 14. Heat-conducting column. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this invention, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0030] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiments.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0032] Example 1 like Figure 1-2As shown, this embodiment provides a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism, including a housing 1, a rotating shaft 2, a rotor 3, a flywheel 4, and a radiator. The rotating shaft 2 is centrally located inside the housing 1, and the rotating shaft 2 is divided into a rotor part and a flywheel part along its length. The rotor 3, flywheel 4, and radiator are all located within the housing 1. The housing 1 serves as a load-bearing and sealing boundary, combining structural support and thermal management functions. The rotor 3 is fixed to the bottom of the rotating shaft 2, and the flywheel 4 is fixed to the top of the rotating shaft 2. A radiator for dissipating heat from the rotor 3 is also fixed to the inner side of the housing 1. The rotating shaft 2 is rotatably mounted on the radiator via a first bearing 12. Through holes 11 are opened at the center of the upper and lower ends of the radiator housing 7. The rotating shaft 2 vertically passes through two through holes 11, and the surface of the rotating shaft 2 is rotatably connected to the wall of the through holes 11 via the first bearing 12. Specifically, under the action of the through holes 11 and the first bearing 12, the radiator housing 7 can effectively support the rotation of the rotating shaft 2 and the rotor 3, thereby significantly improving the rotational stability of the flywheel 4.

[0033] The rotor portion of the rotating shaft 2 is provided with the rotor 3 on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 2, and the radiator is provided on the outer circumference of the rotor 3, with a gap between the rotor 3 and the radiator; the radiator is fixedly connected to the outer casing 1; the rotor portion of the rotating shaft 2 is coaxially fixedly connected to the radiator through a pair of first bearings 12.

[0034] The flywheel portion of the rotating shaft 2 is provided with the flywheel 4 on the outer side of the circumference of the rotating shaft 2, and there is a gap between the flywheel 4 and the outer casing 1; the flywheel portion of the rotating shaft 2 is fixedly connected to the outer casing 1 by a pair of second bearings 6.

[0035] The flywheel 4 and the rotor 3 exchange kinetic energy through the rotating shaft 2.

[0036] like Figure 4 As shown, the radiator includes a radiator shell 7, a cooling water cavity 8, a water inlet pipe 9, a drain pipe 10, a heat-conducting sleeve 13, and a heat-conducting column 14; the cooling water cavity 8 is provided inside the radiator shell 7, and the cooling water cavity 8 is arranged on the axial and radial outer sides of the rotor 3; the heat-conducting sleeve 13 is provided on the side of the radiator shell 7 facing the rotor 3, and the heat-conducting column 14 is provided on the heat-conducting sleeve 13 towards the radiator shell 7, and the heat-conducting column 14 extends into the cooling water cavity 8.

[0037] Specifically, such as Figure 5As shown, the inlet pipe 9 and the outlet pipe 10 are respectively connected to the cooling water chamber 8. The outlet pipe 10 is located on the side closer to the flywheel 4, and the inlet pipe 9 is located on the side farther from the flywheel 4. Both the inlet pipe 9 and the outlet pipe 10 pass through the outer casing 1, and the inlet pipe 9 is connected to an external cooling water source. It should be noted that the inlet pipe 9 is connected to a cooling water source through a flexible hose (not shown in the figure). Specifically, cooling water can enter the cooling water chamber 8 through the inlet pipe 9 and then be discharged through the outlet pipe 10, forming flowing cooling water.

[0038] like Figure 6 As shown, there are several heat-conducting columns 14, which are evenly arranged around the circumference of the rotating shaft 2 and axially along the rotor portion of the rotating shaft 2.

[0039] Optionally, the heat-conducting sleeve 13 is made of oxygen-free copper C10200 or aluminum alloy 6061-T6, which can balance cost and thermal conductivity.

[0040] Preferably, the inner diameter of the heat-conducting sleeve 13 is 1.0–2.0 mm larger than the outer diameter of the rotor 3 to form a non-contact radiative heat exchange gap.

[0041] Preferably, a pair of first bearings 12 are located on both sides of the rotor portion of the shaft 2, and the two first bearings 12 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the centroid of the rotor 3.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, the second bearing 6 is fixedly connected to the outer casing 1 by two crosses 5. The two crosses 5 are fixed to the inner side of the outer casing 1 from top to bottom, and the rotating shaft 2 passes vertically through the center of the two crosses 5. The surface of the rotating shaft 2 is rotatably connected to the center of the crosses 5 through the second bearing 6. Specifically, under the support of the two crosses 5, the rotating shaft 2 and the rotor 3 can be rotatably supported.

[0043] Example 2 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that: 1) The rotor 3 is provided with a high infrared emissivity coating, the infrared emissivity of which is ε≥0.85, for non-contact radiative heat exchange with the radiator.

[0044] The surface of rotor 3 can be coated with a high infrared emissivity coating (ε≥0.85) to enhance its thermal radiation capability. Several integrally structured heat-conducting columns 14 are also fixed on the outer surface of the heat-conducting sleeve 13. The heat-conducting columns 14 penetrate and are fixed to the inner surface of the radiator shell 7. The heat-conducting columns 14 and the radiator shell 7 are connected by interference fit and brazing to ensure low contact thermal resistance and sealing performance. The ends of the heat-conducting columns 14 away from the heat-conducting sleeve 13 extend to the inside of the cooling water cavity 8. Specifically, the heat energy generated by rotor 3 during operation can be radiated onto the heat-conducting sleeve 13, and then transferred to the cooling water cavity 8 through the heat-conducting columns 14 by the temperature difference, thereby exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing in the cooling water cavity 8, so that the cooling water can absorb the heat energy in time, thereby realizing the function of heat dissipation for rotor 3.

[0045] Example 3 This embodiment also discloses a method for using a flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism, including the following steps: Turn on the external cooling water source so that the cooling water enters the radiator through the inlet pipe 9; During operation, the rotor 3 generates heat, which is transferred to the radiator through non-contact radiative heat exchange. Cooling water is discharged through the drain pipe 10, and the cooling water conducts heat to the outside of the outer casing 1.

[0046] The usage process of this embodiment is as follows: The user can put the cooling water into the cooling water chamber 8 through the water inlet pipe 9, and then discharge it through the drain pipe 10 to form flowing cooling water. Then, the heat energy generated by the rotor 3 during operation can be radiated to the heat-conducting sleeve 13, and then transferred to the cooling water chamber 8 through several heat-conducting columns 14 by utilizing the temperature difference, thereby exchanging heat with the cooling water flowing in the cooling water chamber 8, so that the cooling water can absorb the heat energy in time, thereby realizing the function of heat dissipation for the rotor 3. Moreover, under the action of the through hole 11 and the first bearing 12, the radiator shell 7 can effectively support the rotation of the shaft 2 and the rotor 3, thereby greatly improving the stability of the flywheel 4 rotation.

[0047] The above embodiments are merely one of the implementation methods for achieving the technical solution of the present invention. The scope of protection claimed by the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, but also includes any variations, substitutions and other implementation methods that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention.

Claims

1. A flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism, characterized in that, Includes a housing (1); the housing (1) is provided with a rotating shaft (2), a rotor (3), a flywheel (4) and a radiator, the rotating shaft (2) is centrally located inside the housing (1), and the rotating shaft (2) is divided into a rotor part and a flywheel part along the length direction; The rotor portion of the rotating shaft (2) is provided with the rotor (3) on the outer side of the rotating shaft (2) and the radiator is provided on the outer side of the rotor (3) with a gap between the rotor (3) and the radiator; the radiator is fixedly connected to the outer shell (1); the rotor portion of the rotating shaft (2) is fixedly connected to the radiator on the same axis through a pair of first bearings (12); The flywheel portion of the rotating shaft (2) is provided with the flywheel (4) arranged circumferentially outward from the rotating shaft (2), and there is a gap between the flywheel (4) and the outer shell (1); the flywheel portion of the rotating shaft (2) is fixedly connected to the outer shell (1) by a pair of second bearings (6).

2. The flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radiator includes a radiator housing (7); a cooling water chamber (8) is provided inside the radiator housing (7), and the cooling water chamber (8) is arranged on the axial and radial outer sides of the rotor (3); a heat-conducting sleeve (13) is provided on the side of the radiator housing (7) facing the rotor (3), and a heat-conducting column (14) is provided on the heat-conducting sleeve (13) towards the radiator housing (7), and the heat-conducting column (14) extends into the cooling water chamber (8).

3. The flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The radiator also includes an inlet pipe (9) and a drain pipe (10); the inlet pipe (9) and the drain pipe (10) are respectively connected to the cooling water chamber (8), the drain pipe (10) is located on the side close to the flywheel (4), and the inlet pipe (9) is located on the side away from the flywheel (4); the inlet pipe (9) and the drain pipe (10) are both inserted through the outer shell (1), and the inlet pipe (9) is connected to an external cooling water source.

4. The flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, There are several heat-conducting columns (14), which are evenly arranged around the circumference of the rotating shaft (2) and evenly arranged along the axial direction of the rotor portion of the rotating shaft (2).

5. A flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heat-conducting sleeve (13) is made of oxygen-free copper C10200 or aluminum alloy 6061-T6.

6. The flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inner diameter of the heat-conducting sleeve (13) is 1.0–2.0 mm larger than the outer diameter of the rotor (3).

7. The flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotor (3) has a high infrared emissivity coating on its surface. The infrared emissivity of the high infrared emissivity coating is ε≥0.85, which is used for non-contact radiative heat exchange with the heat sink.

8. A flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first bearings (12) are located on both sides of the rotor portion of the shaft (2), and the two first bearings (12) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the centroid of the rotor (3).

9. A flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second bearing (6) is fixedly connected to the housing (1) by two crosses (5).

10. The method of using the flywheel energy storage rotor heat dissipation mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Turn on the external cooling water source to allow cooling water to enter the radiator; The rotor (3) generates heat during operation. The heat is transferred to the radiator through non-contact radiative heat exchange. The cooling water is discharged through the radiator and conducts the heat to the outside of the outer shell (1).

Images