FUEL EFFICIENCY POTENTIAL OF A FLYWHEEL HYBRID VEHICLE FOR URBAN DRIVING

The concept of a flywheel energy management power plant (FEMP) for automobiles, consisting of an internal combustion engine, an energy-storage flywheel, and a continuously-variable transmission (CVT), is found to have the potential of greatly increasing fuel economy in urban driving. The improvement occurs because of two factors: (1) The engine is only run at or near its highest efficiency, and (2) the system allows efficient regenerative braking. The design details of an experimental flywheel vehicle currently under construction are discussed. This vehicle is projected by a complete simulation to achieve a 58% improvement in fuel economy over the EPA-CVS city driving cycle. With further research and development, however, it is felt that a 100% improvement is feasible. The flywheel concept is found very sensitive to component efficiencies, with the CVT being the most critical item in this regard.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the 11th Intersociety of Energy Conservation Engineers, State Line, Nevada, September 12-17, 1976.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Institute of Chemical Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017
• Authors:
  • Frank, A A
  • Beachley, N H
  • Hausenbauer, T C
  • Ting, P
• Publication Date: 1976-9

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 17-24

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Braking; Economic efficiency; Energy; Flywheels; Fuel conservation; Fuel consumption; Internal combustion engines; Transmissions; Vehicle power plants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Automobile engines; Releasing
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00153244
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 769005 Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 29 1977 12:00AM