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Re: Nearly wireless streetcars. It's being done.
Author: Edward
Date: 10-27-2015 - 11:42
Don't think of these flywheels as big steel disks. They are carbon fiber reinforced polymer and only 12 or 18 inches in diameter. They spin in a vacuum and the vacuum chamber is surrounded by a water jacket or other energy absorber.
In case of failure the flywheel disintegrates to powder and dumps its energy into the water. It looks like a low grade steam explosion.
The energy stored is proportional to the rotational inertia of the wheel, but to the square of the rpm. A wheel that weighs half as much, but spins twice as fast, stores twice the energy. These things when charged are going are going at speeds that are slowly approaching 100,000 rpm as systems improve.
They are probably most practical as grid connected energy storage in competition with batteries. Put one in a hole underground and you don't have to worry about safety.
Now if they can only be made practical before they get passed by by batteries...
In case of failure the flywheel disintegrates to powder and dumps its energy into the water. It looks like a low grade steam explosion.
The energy stored is proportional to the rotational inertia of the wheel, but to the square of the rpm. A wheel that weighs half as much, but spins twice as fast, stores twice the energy. These things when charged are going are going at speeds that are slowly approaching 100,000 rpm as systems improve.
They are probably most practical as grid connected energy storage in competition with batteries. Put one in a hole underground and you don't have to worry about safety.
Now if they can only be made practical before they get passed by by batteries...
