FLYWHEELS

Flywheel - a heavy rotating body that acts as a reservoir of energy. Energy is stored in
the form of kinetic energy. It is extensively used in applications like punching press
(power is supplied at constant rate) and I/C Engines (power is generated at variable rate).

CONSTRUCTION OF FLYWHEELS

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 DESIGN OF FLYWHEELS

• TOTAL WEIGHT OF THE FLYWHEEL

𝑊𝑓 = 𝑊𝑟 + 𝑊𝑎 + 𝑊ℎ
𝑊𝑓 = 𝑊𝑟 + 𝑊𝑎ℎ
where: Wr = Weight of the rim
Wa = Weight of the arm
Wh = Weight of the hub
Wf = Weight of the flywheel

• WEIGHT OF THE RIM

𝑊𝑟 = 𝛾𝑉𝑟
𝑊𝑟 = 𝜋𝐷𝑚 𝑏𝑡𝛾
where: Wr = weight of the rim
𝜸 = specific weight or weight density
Vr = volume of the rim
Dm = mean diameter
b = width of the rim
t = thickness of the rim

• AVERAGE SPEED/VELOCITY
𝑣1 + 𝑣2
𝑣=
2
where: v = average linear velocity
v1 = maximum linear velocity
v2 = minimum linear velocity

• COEFFICIENT OF FLUCTUATION
𝑣1 − 𝑣2
𝑐𝑓 =
𝑣
where: cf = coefficient of fluctuation
v = average linear velocity
v1 = maximum linear velocity
v2 = minimum linear velocity

• KINETIC ENERGY STORED/RELEASED BY THE FLYWHEEL

𝑊𝑓
∆𝐾𝐸 = (𝑣1 2 − 𝑣2 2 )
2𝑔
where: ∆KE= kinetic energy
Wf = weight of the rim

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 v1 = maximum linear velocity
v2 = minimum linear velocity

• ENERGY NEEDED TO PUNCH A HOLE

1
𝐸 = 𝐹𝑡𝑝
2
1
𝐸 = 𝑆𝑠𝑢 𝜋𝑑𝑡𝑝 2
2
where: F = punching force
tp = thickness of the plate
Ssu = ultimate shearing stress
d = diameter of the hole

SAMPLE PROBLEMS

1. A cast iron flywheel with a mean diameter of 36 in. changes speed from 300 rpm to
280 rpm while it gives up 8000 ft-lb of energy. What is the coefficient of fluctuation?
2. A shearing machine requires 1500 N-m of energy to shear a steel sheet and has a
normal speed of 3 rev/s, slowing down to 2.8 rev/s during the shearing process,
flywheel has a mean diameter of 75 cm. Find the required weight of the flywheel in kg.
3. Find the rim thickness for a cast iron flywheel with a width of 200 mm, a mean diameter
of 1.2 m, a normal operating speed of 300 rpm, a coefficient of fluctuation of 0.05 and
which is capable of handling 3000 N-m of kinetic energy. Assume the hub and arms
represent 10% of the rim weight and the specific weight of cast iron is 7200 kg/m 3.
4. It is found that the shearing machine requires 205 Joules of energy to shear a specific
gauge of sheet metal. The mean diameter of the flywheel is to be 76.2cm. The normal
operating speed is 200rpm and slow down to 180 rpm during shearing process. The
rim width is 30.48 cm and the weight of cast iron is 7,196.6 kg/m3, find the thickness
of the rim if the hub and arm account for 10% of the rim weight concentrated on the
mean diameter.
5. A mechanical press is used to punch 6 holes per minute and the holes are 25mm in
diameter on a 25 mm-thick plate and has an ultimate strength in shear of 420 MPa.
The normal operating speed is 200 rpm and it slows down to 180 rpm during the
process of punching. The flywheel has a mean diameter of 1 meter and the rim width
is 3 times the thickness. Assume that the hub and arms account for 5% of the rim
weight concentrated at the mean diameter and the density of cast iron is 7200 kg/m3.
Find the power in kW required to drive the press.

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 SUPPLEMENTARY PROBLEMS

1. A flywheel has a mean diameter of 4 ft and is required to handle 2200 ft-lb of kinetic
energy. The flywheel has a width of 8in. Normal operating speed is 300 rpm and the
coefficient of fluctuation is to be 0.05. Find the weight of the rim assuming that the
arms and hub are equivalent is 10% of the specific weight. 334 lb
2. Find the rim thickness for a cast iron flywheel with a width of 200 mm, a mean diameter
of 1.2 in a normal operating speed of 300 rpm, a coefficient fluctuation of 0.05 and
which is capable of hanging 3000 N-m of kinetic energy. Assume that the hub and
arms represent 10% of the rim weight and the specific weight of cast iron is 7200
kg/m³. 28.25 mm
3. A flywheel weighing 457 kg has a radius of 375 mm. How much energy, in N-m, does
the flywheel loss from 3 rps to 2.8 rps? 1474 N-m
4. A shearing machine requires 150 kg m of energy to shear a steel sheet, and has a
normal speed of 3.0 rps, slowing down to 2.8 rps during the shearing process. The
flywheel of the machine has a mean diameter of 75 cm and weighs 15.5 kg/cm^3. The
width of the rim is 30 cm. If the hub and arms of the flywheel account for 15% of its
total weight, find the thickness of the rim in cm. 0.00363 cm
5. A machine is to punch a 25-mm diameter hole from a 19-mm thick steel plate having
an ultimate shear strength of 400 MPa. A flywheel is to be designed with a mean
diameter of 1 meter, a maximum operating speed of 200 rpm, and a coefficient of
fluctuation of 0.1. The flywheel’s hub and arms’ weight may be taken to be 10% of the
rim’s weight. The width of the rim is to be five times its thickness. Determine the weight
of the flywheel in kg. 569 kg
6. From the above problem, determine the thickness in mm necessary for a density of
7200 kg/m3. 67.7 mm
7. If the coefficient of fluctuation is 0.1 and the mean speed of the flywheel is 1200 fpm,
calculate the weight of the flywheel in lb needed to store 900 ft-lb of energy. 724.5 lb
8. A machine is to be equipped with a cast iron flywheel 1.52 m mean diameter and 305
mm wide. The arms and hub of the flywheel are to be considered equivalent to 5% of
the rim weight assumed to be concentrated at the mean diameter. The change in
energy to be handled is 3400 N-m, and the coefficient of fluctuation is 0.03. The
running speed of the flywheel is 250 rpm and the specific weight of the cast iron rim
is 70550.26 N/m3. Find the rim thickness required in mm. 27 mm

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