Variable inertia energy storage system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGeorge T. Pinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable inertia energy storage system for storing large amounts of mechanical energy for an extended period of time on land or on a mobile vehicle includes a fly wheel having a rotating hub with spoke appendages each having an associated mass the center of which can be controllably changed with respect to the hub axis of rotation. The energy storage system also includes motor/generator elements for providing rotation forces to input mechanical energy to the flywheel or for generating electrical power for use on demand by a subsystem or the like.
Claims17
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the storage system comprising:
- an enclosed housing having a periphery;
- a central hub mounted in the center of the housing and rotatably mounted therein;
- a plurality of spokes attached to said central hub and extending outwardly toward the periphery of the housing;
- a plurality of masses each movable mounted on a respective one of the spokes for moving inwardly and outwardly from said central hub, each of said movable masses being self-propelled;
- a hoop disposed around and adjacent said periphery of the housing and adjacent the ends of the spokes, the hoop having electrical motor/generator elements mounted thereon;
- and
- complimentary motor/generator elements mounted on said housing periphery adjacent said hoop for generating electricity or providing rotation force as said motor/generator elements rotate past said complementary elements.
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the storage system comprising:
- a rotatable hub;
- a plurality of spokes equally spaced circumferentially around, and hinged attached to, said hub and extendable outwardly therefrom;
- a plurality of masses each fixedly mounted on and movable along with a respective one of said spokes;
- drive motors attached to the central hub and one end of the spokes for extending said spokes and said masses outwardly from said hub;
- and
- motor/generator means connected to said hub for rotation therewith, for generating electricity or providing a rotation force.
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the storage system comprising:
- a rotatable hub;
- a plurality of spokes equally spaced circumferentially around, and attached to, said hub and extending outwardly therefrom;
- a plurality of solid masses each engaging a respective one of said spokes, and each being inwardly and outwardly movable from said hub;
- means associated with said spokes for controllably positioning each of said movable masses with respect to the axis of rotation of said hub;
- and
- motor/generator means operatively connected to said hub for generating electricity or providing rotation force.
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the storage system comprising:
- a rotatable hub;
- a plurality of elongated members equally spaced circumferentially around, and hingedly attached to, said hub and extendable inwardly and outwardly therefrom;
- a plurality of masses each distributed along and extendable with a respective one of said elongated members;
- drive motors attached to the central hub and one end of the elongated members for extending said elongated members and said distributed masses inwardly and outwardly from said hub;
- and
- motor generator means connected to said hub for rotation therewith, for generating electricity or providing a rotation force.
A variable inertia energy storage system for mounting on land or on a vehicle, the storage system comprising:
- a rotatable hub;
- a plurality of elongated members equally spaced circumferentially around, and attached to, said hub and moveable inwardly and outwardly therefrom;
- a plurality of solid masses each distributed along a respective one of said elongated members, and each being inwardly and outwardly movable with respect to said hub together with said respective elongated member;
- means associated with said elongated members for controllably positioning each of said elongated members and said distributed masses with respect to the axis of rotation of said hub;
- and
- motor/generator means operatively connected to said hub for generating electricity or providing a rotation force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.