Performance Analysis of the Flywheel Assembly Design Using SolidWorks Modeling and Simulation Capabilities

Abstract

The flywheel energy storage system (FESS) has been rediscovered a few years ago, it is a rotary system allowing the storage and restoration of kinetic energy which has an inertia wheel. The current paper investigates an assembly design of the flywheel for durable, maintainable and optimal performance. The designed model is based on a geometrical configuration which was already studied in a previous research. Using SolidWorks modelling and simulation capabilities, the model was designed and investigated with different combination of materials. A total of 16 combinations has been tested at high speed and then analyzed in order to optimize the effect of materials on the efficiency of the flywheel and particularly on the specific energy and stress Von-Mises stress. This research shows that a good geometric design of the flywheel and selection of combination of two materials can improve its energy storage capacity. Maximum specific energy of 55,764.538 J/Kg, is observed in the flywheel of combined material which is about 13% higher than flywheel of a single material.