FLYWHEELS

ME2851 : Fundamentals of Machine Element Design

S L I D E S B Y: S A S I R I G A M A G E P R E S E N T E D B Y: S . A . K C H A M O D
D E PA R T M E N T O F M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G D E PA R T M E N T O F M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G
U N I V E R S I T Y O F M O R AT U WA U N I V E R S I T Y O F M O R AT U WA
 Introduction
❑What is a flywheel
❑ It’s a rotating mechanical device used to store energy
❑ Has significant moment of inertia
❑ It stores energy during the time when the supply of energy is more than the requirement
❑ It releases it during the period when the requirement of energy is more than supply

4-May-23 2
 Introduction
❑ Common uses
❑ Providing continuous energy when the energy source is discontinuous: internal
combustion engines
❑ To deliver energy at rates beyond the ability of a continuous energy source :punching
machines, riveting machines, crushers.
❑ Stores energy from the power source during the greater portion of the operating cycle
and releases during a small period of the cycle.

4-May-23 3
4-May-23 4
 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Speed
❑ The difference between the maximum and minimum speeds during a cycle is called the
maximum fluctuation of speed
❑ The ratio of the maximum fluctuation of speed to the mean speed is called coefficient of
fluctuation of speed
❑ Maximum fluctuation of speed = N1 – N2
Where, N1 = Maximum speed in r.p.m. during the cycle
N 2 = Minimum speed in r.p.m. during the cycle

4-May-23 5
 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Speed
❑ Coefficient of fluctuation of speed,

N = mean speed in r.p.m = N1 + N2

4-May-23 6
 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Speed

❑ The reciprocal of Cs is known as coefficient of steadiness,

4-May-23 7
 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Speed

4-May-23 8
 Fluctuation of Energy
❑ Turning moment diagram for a four-stroke internal combustion engine

4-May-23 9
 Fluctuation of Energy
❑ Turning moment diagram for a four-stroke internal combustion engine

4-May-23 10
 Fluctuation of Energy
❑ Suction : pressure inside the engine cylinder is less than the atmospheric pressure
during suction stroke, therefore a negative loop
❑ Compression stroke : the work is done on the gases, therefore a higher negative loop
❑ Power stroke : the fuel burns and the gases expand, therefore a large positive loop
❑ Exhaust stroke : the work is done on the gases, therefore a negative loop

4-May-23 11
 Maximum Fluctuation of Energy
❑ The difference between the maximum and the minimum energies is known as
maximum fluctuation of energy
❑ A turning moment diagram for a multi-cylinder engine is shown below,

4-May-23 12
 Maximum Fluctuation of Energy
❑ Let the energy in the flywheel at A = E
❑ Then,

4-May-23 13
 Maximum Fluctuation of Energy
❑ Let the energy in the flywheel at A = E
❑ Then,

❑ Let us now suppose that the maximum of these energies is at B and minimum at E
❑ Maximum energy in the flywheel
❑ And minimum energy in the flywheel
❑ Maximum fluctuation of energy ΔE = Maximum energy – Minimum energy

4-May-23 14
 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Energy
❑ It is defined as the ratio of the maximum fluctuation of energy to the work done per
cycle.
❑ Then the coefficient of fluctuation of energy

❑ The work done per cycle may be obtained by using the following relations
Work done per cycle = Tmean × θ
θ = 2 π, in case of steam engines and two stroke internal combustion engines.
θ = 4 π, in case of four stroke internal combustion engines
The mean torque (Tmean) in N-m may be obtained by using the following relation

4-May-23 15
 Coefficient of Fluctuation of Energy
❑ The work done per cycle may also be obtained by using the following relation
Work done per cycle = P × 60/ n
Where, n = Number of working strokes per minute
n = N, in case of steam engines and two stroke internal combustion engines.
n = N/2, in case of four stroke internal combustion engines.
❑ The following table shows the values of coefficient of fluctuation of energy for steam
engines and internal combustion engines

4-May-23 16
 Energy Stored in a Flywheel
❑ m= Mass of the flywheel in kg,
❑ k = Radius of gyration of the flywheel in metres,
❑ I = Mass moment of inertia of the flywheel about
the axis of rotation in kgm2 = m.k2
❑ N1 and N2 = Maximum and minimum speeds
during the cycle in r.p.m.
❑ ω1 and ω2 = Maximum and minimum angular
speeds during the cycle in rad / s,
❑N= Mean speed during the cycle in r.p.m.
❑ω = Mean angular speed during the cycle in rad/s
❑CS = Coefficient of fluctuation of speed

4-May-23 17
 Energy Stored in a Flywheel
❑ Mean kinetic energy of the flywheel

❑ As the speed of the flywheel changes from ω1 to ω2 , the maximum fluctuation of

4-May-23 18
 Energy Stored in a Flywheel
❑ The radius of gyration (k) may be taken equal to the mean radius of the rim (R)
because the thickness of rim is very small as compared to the diameter of rim.
Therefore substituting K = R in equation

❑ Here, only the mass moment of inertia of the rim is considered and the mass moment
of inertia of the hub and arms is neglected.
❑ Because major portion of weight of the flywheel is in the rim and a small portion is in
the hub and arms.
❑ Also the hub and arms are nearer to the axis of rotation, therefore the moment of
inertia of the hub and arms is comparatively small
❑ Then the mass of the flywheel is found as follows,
m= Volume × Density = 2 πR× A× ρ
Where,
A= b× t (b= Width of the rim, and t = Thickness of the rim)
4-May-23 19
 Energy Stored in a Flywheel
❑Example 1:
The turning moment diagram for a petrol engine is drawn to the following scales,
Turning moment, 1 mm = 5 N-m; Crank angle, 1 mm = 1deg
The turning moment diagram repeats itself at every half revolution of the engine and the
areas above and below the mean turning moment line, taken in order are295, 685, 40, 340,
960, 270 mm2
Determine the mass of 300 mm diameter
flywheel rim when the coefficient of
fluctuation of speed is 0.3% and the engine
runs at 1800 r.p.m. Also determine the cross-
section of the rim when the width of the rim
is twice of thickness. Assume density of
rim material as 7250 kg/m3

4-May-23 20
4-May-23 21
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑The following types of stresses are induced in the rim of a flywheel:
1. Tensile stress due to centrifugal force,

2. Tensile bending stress caused by the restraint

4-May-23 22
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑ Tensile stress due to the centrifugal force
❑ The tensile stress in the rim due to the centrifugal force, assuming that the rim is
unstrained by the arms, is determined in a similar way as a thin cylinder subjected to
internal pressure
❑ Consider a small element of the rim as shown in figure
Volume of the small element =A.R.δθ
Mass of the small element, dm= Volume × Density = A.R.δθ.ρ = ρ.A.R.δθ

4-May-23 23
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim

4-May-23 24
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim

4-May-23 25
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim

Centrifugal force on the element,

4-May-23 26
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑ This vertical force is resisted by a force of 2P,

Then, 2P=2σt × A

Then 2ρA.R2.ω2=2 σt× A

Note :From the above expression, the mean diameter (D) of the flywheel may be obtained
by using the relation, v = πD.N / 60

4-May-23 27
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑Tensile bending stress caused by restraint of the arms
❑ The tensile bending stress in the rim due to the restraint of the arms is based on the
assumption that each portion of the rim between a pair of arms behaves like a beam fixed
at both ends and uniformly loaded
❑ Length between fixed ends,

4-May-23 28
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑ The uniformly distributed load (w) per
metre length will be equal to the
centrifugal force between a pair of arms
w=b.t.ρ.ω2.R N/m
❑ We know that maximum bending
moment,

❑ Bending stress

4-May-23 29
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑Now total stress in the rim,

❑ σ = σt+ σb

4-May-23 30
 Stresses in a Flywheel Rim
❑Example - 2
A multi-cylinder engine is to run at a constant load at a speed of 600 r.p.m. On drawing the
crank effort diagram to a scale of 1 m = 250 N-m and 1 mm = 3o, the areas in sq mm above
and below the mean torque line are as follows:
+ 160, – 172, + 168, – 191, + 197, – 162 sq mm
The speed is to be kept within ± 1% of the mean speed of the engine. Calculate the
necessary moment of inertia of the flywheel. Determine suitable dimensions for cast iron
flywheel with a rim whose breadth is twice its radial thickness. The density of cast iron is
7250 kg /m3 , and its working stress in tension is 6 MPa. Assume that the rim contributes
92% of the flywheel effect.

4-May-23 31
4-May-23 32
4-May-23 33
4-May-23 34
 Thank you

4-May-23 35