Super flywheel as an energy storage device in cars, trains or a private house
As a child, I had a small library of scientific and educational literature. Something of it remained now and is relevant to this day. For example, the magazines "Young Technician". In one of the books there was a description of a system for accumulating the kinetic energy of rotation for a car.
Found its name: N.V. Gulia "In search of an energy capsule." A flywheel was installed in the truck in the housing and when braking, energy was transmitted to accelerate the flywheel, and when driving - from it.
In Soviet times, this topic was dealt with by the author of that book, Nurbey Gulia:
Since 1946, gyro buses have been made in Europe, which stored energy in flywheels at stops:
Developed by engineer Bjarne Storsand. A flywheel weighing 1.5 tons developed 3000 rpm. The mileage of the gyrobus was then up to 6-10 km on a single charge. Charging time is up to 3 minutes. Gyrobuses were used on urban routes in Switzerland, Belgium and even in the Congo.
The principle is similar to modern hybrid vehicle installations. But in them, the accumulation of energy occurs in the battery, and the drive from them - from the electric motor.
Over the years, science in mechanical energy storage systems has advanced slightly. Super flywheels were developed. These are systems not with monolithic bodies of revolution, which are dangerous when destroyed. And super flywheels are systems with high density tape, fiber or wire winding. In case of possible destruction, there is no semblance of an explosion with the scattering of parts, and the system is slowed down by the frictional forces that have arisen from small parts.
Of course, to reduce frictional forces, the flywheel rotates in a vacuum housing. The use of bearings made of high temperature superconductors is ideal. But this will greatly increase the cost and a constant consumption of energy for cooling is required.
How much energy can you store? For monolithic flywheels, this value 2.5 W * h / kg. The above will not work for security reasons. Centrifugal forces tear any metal. The real performance of super flywheels in our time: 450 W * h / kg. But in graphene super flywheels - up to 1200 W * h / kg from promising models. Imagine, in 50 Kg super flywheel can accumulate up to 60 kWh energy. This will last until 400 km mileage of a small car. Moreover, the efficiency of system transformation is up to 95-98%.
For comparison, lithium-ion batteries have a stored energy density of 150 W * h / kg
Where can such super flywheels be applied? Where the extinguishing of the mechanical energy of motion occurs. Those. when braking. It should not be spent on erasing the pads, but in such drives. Cars, trains, metro trains (where braking is especially frequent). Energy can be stored during braking and used during acceleration. This will save at least 50% energy.
Use in cars in traffic jams is an excellent solution. When braking, the flywheel spins, and when driving at low speeds, the flywheel spins the electric generator and it feeds the electric motor on the auto axis. It turns out an electric car, but with stored energy in a super flywheel.
Another difficulty is the emerging gyroscopic effect in the super flywheel. It can affect when cornering. Those. the flywheel will maintain the position at which it was spun. The issue is solved by a floating suspension, where the flywheel remains in its position on the frame, and the vehicle turns. If the spinning occurs with the same generator in the electric motor mode, then the issue with the drive to such a frame is also resolved.
Also drives on super flywheels can be used in elevators and cranes. Yes, and in a private house, you can also use such systems. For example, you have solar panels. During the day, energy is accumulated in the flywheel (through an electric drive), and in the evening and at night or on cloudy days, it is wasted. No need for batteries that have a short service life. The super flywheel system can work on 20-30 years old. Or accumulate energy at night (at night rate), and heat the house during the day.
To maximally protect yourself and the house from destruction - the system can be installed in a concrete ring buried in the ground.
Someone will say that this is all an abandoned theory and due to the fact that the technology has many shortcomings, there is no point in returning to it. This is not true. For more than 50 years in the Netherlands, kinetic energy storage systems have been produced for backup power supply at critical facilities: military, medical, information (data centers).
In the flywheel, which is in the center - between the diesel generator and the electric generator, kinetic energy is stored. Further, rotation is maintained by an electric motor from the mains. When the central power supply is turned off, the installation instantly gives out electricity. There is no pause for 15-30 seconds, which are necessary to start the diesel unit and reach its rated power. The building is not de-energized for these seconds.
The scheme is highly efficient at powers from 1 MW. Less weight in comparison with accumulators on a battery of the same capacity. Term of work - up to 30 years (when servicing). Whereas the battery needs to be changed every 5-10 years (up to 5 mln. RUB replacement cost for such power). We used to make such installations. The latter were installed at Baikonur. And now the Dutch are the leaders. Per 50 years they established 1600 such redundant kinetic drives.
More examples:
Two storage power plants have been operating in Canada since 2015 5 MW each each one. Each has 5 super flywheels weighing 3 tons each. Their rotation speed is 18 thousand. rpm
There is an even more serious drive in the US:
In Pennsylvania, a solar and wind power storage device is installed. 200 super flywheels weighing 2 tons are stored in total 40 MW energy. And a similar project in New York (on the second slide) is already working 9 years.
Judging from this photo, NASA is also developing compact systems for storing kinetic energy:
The carbon fiber super flywheel may have enough energy for the life of a small satellite. Do you think this technology has any prospects?
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