Spherical Flywheel Energy Accumulator for Gyroscopic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The widespread use of flywheels in moving vehicles is hindered by the gyroscopic effect, which affects maneuverability and poses risks due to potential bursts and damage from high-speed disintegration, and existing solutions have not fully mitigated these issues.
Innovation Solution
A spherical mechanical energy accumulator system with counter-rotating pairs of electro-mechanical flywheels, utilizing permanent magnet motors and a spherical housing with a vacuum interior to minimize gyroscopic effects, and featuring a resilient mounting system with shock-absorbing materials and controlled burst mechanisms to prevent damage and injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a single flywheel is used to store kinetic energy, then energy storage capacity is improved, but gyroscopic effect increases causing vehicle maneuverability to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The single flywheel is segmented into multiple smaller flywheels (at least two) that are counter-rotating. This segmentation allows the system to maintain total energy storage capacity while eliminating the net gyroscopic effect, as the opposing rotations cancel each other's gyroscopic influence on vehicle maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
Counter-rotating flywheels are used where one flywheel rotates in the opposite direction to another. The gyroscopic effects of these counter-rotating flywheels cancel each other out, providing a counterbalancing effect that eliminates the harmful gyroscopic influence on vehicle handling while maintaining kinetic energy storage capability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If flywheel speed is increased to improve energy storage efficiency, then energy density is improved, but risk of burst and damage from disintegration increases
Solution Approach 1:
A containment structure is provided around the flywheel assembly that is designed to contain fragments in the event of a burst. This beforehand cushioning measure ensures that even if the high-speed flywheel disintegrates, the fragments are contained and cannot cause external damage, thus allowing the system to operate at high speeds for improved energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harmful effect of flywheel burst is converted into a contained event where fragments are redirected harmlessly. The containment structure transforms the dangerous burst scenario into a controlled event that protects surrounding components and passengers, enabling the system to safely operate at high rotational speeds for optimal energy storage.
3Ease of operation
If multiple counter-rotating flywheel pairs are used to reduce gyroscopic effects, then vehicle maneuverability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flywheel assemblies are merged into a single integrated housing structure. The counter-rotating flywheel pairs are combined within one compact enclosure with shared support mechanisms and containment structures, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the maneuverability benefits of counter-rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The flywheel assemblies are nested within a hierarchical structure where individual flywheels are contained within assemblies, which are in turn contained within a common housing. This nesting approach organizes the complex multi-flywheel system into manageable layers, simplifying installation, maintenance, and space utilization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces gyroscopic effects, minimizes damage from bursts, and enhances safety by absorbing road shocks and vibrations, allowing for efficient kinetic energy storage without compromising vehicle maneuverability.
Implementation Method 1
The reason for the lack of usage of flywheels as kinetic energy storers in automobiles has been the gyroscopic effect of the flywheel upon the maneuverability of the vehicle. A spinning flywheel produces a strong gyroscopic effect
Implementation Method 2
A spherical mechanical energy accumulator system with counter-rotating pairs of electro-mechanical flywheels, utilizing permanent magnet motors and a spherical housing with a vacuum interior
Implementation Method 3
featuring a resilient mounting system with shock-absorbing materials and controlled burst mechanisms to prevent damage and injury
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical energy accumulator, suitable for being mounted in a vehicle has a spherical housing with three pairs of flywheel assemblies mounted therein. Each of the pair of flywheel assemblies is rotatable in opposite directions about a respective axis. Each of the axes are perpendicular to one another. At least one permanent magnet motor is mounted within the flywheel assemblies. Each of the flywheels of the flywheel assemblies has a double conical flywheel base, a motor-generator suitable for driving the double conical flywheel base, and a flywheel lid covering the motor-generator. The mechanical energy accumulator may be mounted in a shell having an expansion member. The mechanical energy accumulator has a strong side and a weak side due to varying retention strength of windings therearound so as to create a controlled burst.