A flywheel for energy storage and corresponding methods of manufacture

摘要

A flywheel 70 for kinetic energy storage and methods of its construction using composite materials are provided. The flywheel assembly 70 has a longitudinal axis 81 and comprises an annular rotor 26 and a rotor support 74 for coupling the rotor to an axial shaft 76. The rotor comprises fibres in a matrix material, and a ring 84 comprising fibres in a matrix material is mounted on the outer circumference of the rotor support and the rotor is mounted on the outer circumference of the ring. The rotor, rotor support and ring have longitudinal axes which are coincident with the longitudinal axis of the assembly. The presence of the intermediate ring 84 formed of a composite material assists in the fabrication of the assembly and increases its durability by providing a suitable interface between the rotor and a rotor support.