Can a Flywheel Efficiently Power a Low-Pollution Car for Long Distances?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the feasibility of using a flywheel to power a low-pollution car for long distances. The car, with a mass of 1400 kg and a flywheel of 210 kg and 1.90 m in diameter, requires an estimated energy storage of 1.65 x 10^8 J to complete a 330 km trip. The angular velocity of the flywheel at full charge is calculated using the moment of inertia formula, yielding a value of 94.7625 kg·m². Additionally, a 150-hp motor is discussed for charging the flywheel before the trip, emphasizing the importance of understanding acceleration periods during the journey.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of rotational dynamics, specifically the moment of inertia.
  • Familiarity with energy conservation principles in mechanical systems.
  • Knowledge of basic kinematics, including acceleration and velocity calculations.
  • Proficiency in unit conversions, particularly between metric and imperial systems.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the principles of kinetic energy in rotating systems, focusing on the formula Kfw=1/2*I*ω².
  • Learn about the applications of flywheel energy storage systems in automotive engineering.
  • Research methods for calculating work done against frictional forces in mechanical systems.
  • Explore the efficiency of electric motors, particularly in relation to energy transfer to flywheels.
USEFUL FOR

Engineers, automotive designers, and students interested in renewable energy solutions and mechanical energy storage systems will benefit from this discussion.

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Homework Statement



"One possibility for a low-pollution automobile is for it to use energy stored in a heavy rotating flywheel. Suppose such a car has a total mass of 1400 kg, uses a uniform cylindrical flywheel of diameter 1.90 m and mass 210 kg, and should be able to travel 330 km without needing a flywheel "spinup."

a)Make reasonable assumptions (average frictional retarding force = 500 N, twenty acceleration periods from rest to 93 km/h, equal uphill and downhill, and that energy can be put back into the flywheel as the car goes downhill), and estimate what total energy needs to be stored in the flywheel.
b)What is the angular velocity of the flywheel when it has a full "energy charge"?
c)About how long would it take a 150-\rm hp motor to give the flywheel a full energy charge before a trip?

Homework Equations



Kfw=1/2*I*\omega^2
I=1/2*Mfw*R^2
Frictional Work: W=Ffd

The Attempt at a Solution



I converted the km/h to m/s, to get that the car maxes out at (155/6) m/s
I converted km to m, to get that the total trip was 330000m

I found that I=94.7625 and that the Wf=1.65*10^8
I assume that I calculate the acceleration to find the average velocity for the entire trip, although I'm not quite sure how to do that yet, but I'll get started on that. Honestly, I'm just confused what the significance of the fact that there are 20 acceleration periods. Could I divide the trip in 20, and figure out the work required for that distance and multiply it by 20, or is that unneeded?

Edit: I think I found the average velocity of the trip to be 12.9167 m/s. Can anyone tell me if I'm right or on the right track?
 
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Edit: So I think I figured out the acceleration. I took the difference between the max velocity and the average velocity and divided it by 20, to get that the acceleration was 0.443 m/s^2. Does this sound right?
 

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