Flywheel Technology Helps Reduce Costs

Flywheel technology offer promise as an ecologically- and economically-efficient component for light rail vehicles. This article provides an overview of how modern flywheels work and why they can save energy. Modern flywheels bear a high capacity of on-board energy storage in a small space. Their rotors are made of high-tech carbon fiber and run under vacuum in a horizontal plane at more than 20,000 rpm. For vehicle applications, they are suspended by a cardan suspension. Combined with a motor-generator and modern control and power electronics, they can store and deploy energy at any moment. Managing these energy flows allows for a reduction of up to 25% in traction energy and can potentially reduce related infrastructure costs. This technology also needs no chemicals and can be easily recycled. After successful prototype tests, a series version of this equipment is now being developed.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/22167353
• Authors:
  • Christeller, Reinhard
• Publication Date: 2007-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 26-27
• Serial:
  • Public Transport International
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: International Association of Public Transport (UITP)
  • ISSN: 1016-796X
  • Serial URL: http://www.uitp.org/publications/public-transport-magazine.cfm

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Energy; Energy storage systems; Flywheels; Light rail vehicles; Prototype tests; Technological innovations; Vehicle components
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01055225
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 6 2007 9:02PM