Two approaches to the optimal design of composite flywheels

Abstract

In this article, two approaches to the design of reinforced composite flywheels are presented. The main goal of the optimization procedure is to maximize the accumulated kinetic energy of a flywheel. The first approach is based on a discrete model of reinforcement, causing the discontinuity of static fields along reinforcement and preserving the continuity of kinematic fields. In the second approach, the material of the reinforced flywheel is subjected to the homogenization procedure using the Halpin–Tsai assumption and the continuity of both static and kinematic fields is preserved within the flywheel domain. The evolutionary algorithm was used in both cases to determine the optimal shape of reinforcements, while the finite-element method was applied in order to analyse the mechanical response of a flywheel.

Keywords:

• optimal design
• composites
• flywheels

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Grant No. 3955/T02/2007/32 of Ministry of Science and Higher Education.