Abstract
A flywheel is a power-accumulating device primarily used in automotive applications to control speed fluctuations and ensure smooth power delivery. This study focuses on material selection aimed at increasing output torque and energy storage capacity while simultaneously reducing weight, vibration, and stress. The main challenges involve stress effects on the flywheel, which arise due to critical vibrations, low torque output, limited energy storage capacity, and excessive weight. In this research, a flywheel used in four-wheelers was analyzed and designed based on dimensional specifications and operational requirements. Typically, flywheels are manufactured from AISI 4340 alloy steel, but in this study, they were replaced with unidirectional CFRP composite material. The performance characteristics of both materials were evaluated using the commercial FEA software ANSYS 19.2. To determine stress, frequency, velocity, and acceleration, static, torque, and dynamic analyses were conducted under simulated real-world conditions. Based on these results, output torque and energy storage capacity were calculated using analytical methods. The findings revealed that a 23% reduction in weight led to a 3.6-fold increase in energy storage capacity and a 4.48-fold increase in output torque. As a result, both static and torque-induced stresses were significantly reduced, and the rotational speed increased when CFRP was used instead of steel.
Keywords: CFRP, Dynamics, FEA, Flywheel, Static, Steel