Bi-material Flywheels and Castigliano’s Theorems: a Case Study

Abstract

The analytical stress analysis of rim and spokes flywheels is revisited in this paper. A brief survey of mechanical energy storage gives a contextualization for the work. Then, the use of Castigliano’s theorems for the stress analysis of a rotating rim and spokes flywheel is recalled. The origin of widely available design formulas is elucidated and their rational is discussed. A hitherto unpublished analytical stress analysis for a bi-material flywheel is derived and a parametric solution is presented and discussed.