Topic: Volvo Flywheel KERS Makes Cars Efficient and Sporty

[Autos_Editor]

Flywheel system delivers 20% fuel economy improvement and much shorter 0-100 kph sprint times.

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[Railton]

Excellent!
Reminds me of those old toy cars as a kid you would wind up by pushing them backwards across the floor then let them go.
Railton

[mixmanmash]

Excellent!
Reminds me of those old toy cars as a kid you would wind up by pushing them backwards across the floor then let them go.
Railton

Yup!  Simple technology, but it could really work well and be cost effective compared to hybrids.

[MarkStevenson]

And there is a significant weight savings here (I think) over hauling all those batteries around. When Williams F1 was using this technology during races, I was really hoping it would win out over the battery based solutions of other teams.

The only thing that sucks about this kind of technology is the risk of it seriously coming apart due to lack of maintenance. I would hate to buy a used car with one of these units.

[redman]

Nice & simple, but I take it you would have to drive and stop a few times just to get things spinning.

The bigger question stands, when will we see this in the real world.

We've seen many similar technologies flounder or been shelved.

[Rupert]

   Without going into the full technical aspects...I can't see what if anything this unit would add for highway driving. So in that instance just more weight to cart around because of no brakeing to drive it. The nature of a fly wheel requires it to be heavy to store rotating energy. I suppose lighter going at much higher RPM works also but yeah ..much higher RPM. So reduced efficiency for highway driving because of more weight ...more complexity...presumably space consuming.
    I don't know, I am amazed that this is a part of racing technology but I suppose that racers will try anything to get a bit more oomph out of a corner but not something that ordinary transport needs I would have thought. I wonder what is saved overall when considering the polution and energy involved in making the extra parts.

[MarkStevenson]

Also, Porsche used this on a racing car. Just imagine this flywheel spinning beside you where there should be a passenger seat.

[blur911]

Also, Porsche used this on a racing car. Just imagine this flywheel spinning beside you where there should be a passenger seat.

The Porsche system still used a motor/generator to spin the flywheel-motor/generator with electricity and to use it again.  The new Volvo system is mechanical so no need for additional batteries, motors, etc.  It does require a gearbox of some sort though.
Neat.

[Railton]

   Without going into the full technical aspects...I can't see what if anything this unit would add for highway driving. So in that instance just more weight to cart around because of no brakeing to drive it. The nature of a fly wheel requires it to be heavy to store rotating energy. I suppose lighter going at much higher RPM works also but yeah ..much higher RPM. So reduced efficiency for highway driving because of more weight ...more complexity...presumably space consuming.
 

Trickle-down technology - 15 years ago in YOW I worked with honeywell to develop a system to control a flywheel energy system for thr space station. This was used to replace the originally designed battery system. Three of the benifits of such a flyheel system were the replacement of the much heavier batteries which would also need to be replaced  after a set time (read send another team up in space to replace them all - just add $$$) as well as using the flywheels as gyroscopes to keep the space station in the right position.
Interestingly, the flywheel was developed by FESI, a Canadian Co in YOW and the flywheels spun on frictionless magentic bearings also developed by another Canadian co. and the controller itself also developed by a Canadian co.
The system integrator of course (Honeywell) was US.
Railton

[Weels]

Wasn't aware of this technology.  Interesting stuff.

[johngenx]

No, not much highway benefit, but so what?  If we can see gains in urban driving, that's a great thing.

Another case of racing improving things for all drivers. Very cool.

[Rupert]

When all is considered I wonder if the net gain is negative on the global warming front.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

"Tests in a Volvo car will get under way in the second half of 2011." 

[X-Traction]

As for the value of such systems for highway driving, bear in mind that energy can also be recaptured during steeper descents, or if the speed is changed by much. Basically anywhere you'd brake or engine brake.  So the range of situations where it saves fuel is more than urban driving.

It looks like this system operates only when the brakes are applied.  Now, European drivers take great pride in using their manual transmissions to engine brake and avoid showing their brake lights to drivers behind them whenever possible.  This is used as an indicator of a skilled driver.  This system will require them to use the brake pedal, and so appear to be less competent. 

[Rupert]

Cheaper to wear out brakes than wear out the transmission. My experience is that the brakes wear out even if you don't use them much. So use them whilst you can perhaps. You put it in 'D' and go when you get there you put it in 'P' and park. Took a long time to design and develop those features.

[johngenx]

I agree.  It's much easier to finely control brakes than compression braking.

[rrocket]

Also, Porsche used this on a racing car. Just imagine this flywheel spinning beside you where there should be a passenger seat.

They used KERS in F1 like 5 years ago too...

[X-Traction]

Also, Porsche used this on a racing car. Just imagine this flywheel spinning beside you where there should be a passenger seat.

They used KERS in F1 like 5 years ago too...

I believe most of the teams have continued to use KERS, but I thought most or all of them were electric rather than flywheels.  Maybe flywheels would interfere with an F1 car's handling.

The extra weight isn't a huge problem on F1 cars.  They have a mandated minimum weight, and are lighter than that.  They have ballast.  So the weight of a KERS system of whatever kind just replaces some ballast.

Wikipedia has a good overview of this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy_recovery_system

Maybe environmental awareness will mean dragsters will some day be powered with these sorts of systems.  (Stand by for village i***t post)

[MarkStevenson]

Also, Porsche used this on a racing car. Just imagine this flywheel spinning beside you where there should be a passenger seat.

They used KERS in F1 like 5 years ago too...

Williams F1 had a flywheel-type KERS setup a few years back. But, it is all battery based now, mandated by regulations.

[Spec5]

How is it that Volvo a company that doesn't even race in any highly publicized series (F1, Nascar, IndyCar, Grand-Am, Aussie SuperCars, Japan Sports Cars, WRC, etc.) beat mega companies (like McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Honda, etc.) to the punch with this technology?!