SEDL / STP / STP1242-EB / STP18267S

Design and Testing of Composite Flywheel Rotors

Gabrys, CW
Graduate research assistant and associate professor, Composites Manufacturing Technology CenterThe Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Bakis, CE
Graduate research assistant and associate professor, Composites Manufacturing Technology CenterThe Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Pages: 20    Published: Jan 1997

Download this paper for $25 PDF (460K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

A complete method of designing high-performance composite flywheel rotors is presented in this paper. One rotor design consists of multiple concentric rings of filament-wound, epoxy-matrix composites either press fitted or separated by compliant elastomeric interlayers. The other design involves a novel, thick filament-wound elastomer matrix composite. The elastomer matrix composite offers the potential dual benefits of manufacturing simplicity and fail-safe operation. A summary of design equations, predicted stress distributions during operation, and preliminary test data are presented. Energy densities measured in spin tests and predicted for future burst tests compare favorably with published results of other investigators.