Variable inertia flywheel

A method of making a variable inertia flywheel, the method comprising:

• providing a central mounting hub;
• attaching a flywheel body to the central mounting hub, the flywheel body extending radially outward from the hub;
• providing a single liquid chamber being disposed around the periphery of the flywheel body and connecting the single liquid chamber to the hub via the flywheel body, the single liquid chamber having an outer wall and an inner wall;
• providing a liquid substantially filling an inside space of the single liquid chamber, said liquid having a rotational speed lagging behind a rotational speed of the single liquid chamber at start up and rotating in unison with the single liquid chamber at operational speed, thereby lowering moment of inertia at start up and increasing moment of inertia at operational speed;
• forming a one-way restriction valve and attaching the one-way restriction valve to an inside surface of the single liquid chamber, the one-way restriction valve being configured to permit the liquid within the single liquid chamber to rotate in a first direction relative to the single liquid chamber and to prevent the liquid from rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the single liquid chamber;
• forming at least one filling hole in the outer wall configured to permit the liquid to be introduced into the single liquid chamber;
• providing a plug configured to seal the at least one filling hole in a first position and configured to be removed from the at least one filling hole in a second position, wherein when the plug is in the first position, the single liquid chamber is not in communication with any other liquid chamber;
• and
• forming one or more valve seats attached to the inner wall and extending radially inward from the inner wall into the inside space of the single liquid chamber, the one or more valve seats being disposed around an inner periphery of the inside space of the single liquid chamber so as to substantially contact each free edge of the one-way restriction valve when the one-way restriction valve is in a closed position.

A method of storing and releasing energy comprising:

• providing a variable inertia flywheel having:
• a central mounting hub;
• a flywheel body attached to the central mounting hub, the flywheel body extending radially from the hub;
• a single liquid chamber being disposed around the periphery of the flywheel body and connected to the hub via the body, the single liquid chamber having an outer wall and an inner wall;
• a liquid substantially filling an inside space of the single liquid chamber, said liquid having a rotational speed lagging behind a rotational speed of the single liquid chamber at start up and rotating in unison with the single liquid chamber at operational speed, thereby lowering moment of inertia at start up and increasing moment of inertia at operational speed;
• a one-way restriction valve attached to an inside surface of the single liquid chamber, the one-way restriction valve being configured to permit the liquid within the single liquid chamber to rotate in a first direction relative to the single liquid chamber and to prevent the liquid from rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the single liquid chamber;
• at least one filling hole in the outer wall configured to permit the liquid to be introduced into the single liquid chamber;
• a plug configured to seal the at least one filling hole in a first position and configured to be removed from the at least one filling hole in a second position, wherein when the plug is in the first position, the single liquid chamber is not in communication with any other liquid chamber;
• and
• one or more valve seats attached to the inner wall and extending radially inward from the inner wall into the inside space of the single liquid chamber, the one or more valve seats being disposed around an inner periphery of the inside space of the single liquid chamber so as to substantially contact each free edge of the one-way restriction valve when the one-way restriction valve is in a closed position;
• storing energy in the variable inertia flywheel by causing the variable inertia flywheel to rotationally accelerate to an operational speed;
• releasing energy from the variable inertia flywheel by placing a rotational load on the variable inertia flywheel that causes the one-way restriction valve to move to a closed position.