Apparatuses, systems and methods are described for a flywheel system incorporating a rotor made from a high-strength material in an open-core flywheel architecture with a high-temperature superconductive (HTS) bearing technology to achieve the desired high energy density in the flywheel energy storage devices, to obtain superior results and performance, and that eliminates the material growth-matching problem and obviates radial growth and bending mode issues that otherwise occur at various high frequencies and speeds.

A torsional vibration damper in which a vibration damping performance is enhanced without increasing a manufacturing cost. A torsional vibration damper damps torsional vibrations by a relative rotation between a rotary member and an inertia body. Hardness of the contact surface of any one of the inertia body and a rolling mass is harder than the contact surface of the other one. Smoothness of the contact surface of any one of the inertia body and the rolling mass is smoother than the contact surface of the other one.

A flywheel system comprises a flywheel rotor comprising a rotor disc and a rotor shaft and has a longitudinal axis extending centrally through the rotor disc and the rotor shaft. The system further comprises a journal assembly configured to facilitate rotation of the flywheel rotor. The journal assembly comprises a sleeve having an aperture extending therethrough from a first end to a second, opposite end, a rod at least partially disposed within the aperture of the sleeve, and a nut coupled to a portion of the rod. The rod has a length greater than the sleeve such that a portion the rod extends axially beyond the first end of the sleeve. A method of forming the flywheel comprises coupling the rod to the rotor shaft and pulling the second end of the rod to tension the rod. The nut maintains the tension in the rod when coupled thereto.

A centerless wheel assembly may include a centerless rim configured to rotate about a point. The centerless wheel assembly may also include a centerless flywheel that may be configured to indirectly couple with the centerless rim and to rotate about a point. The centerless wheel assembly may additionally include a device for rotating the centerless rim in a first direction and in a second direction. The centerless wheel assembly may also include a one-way bearing that may be disposed between the centerless rim and the centerless flywheel. The one-way bearing may be positioned such that as the centerless rim may rotate in the first direction, the centerless flywheel may be caused to rotate in the first direction and as the centerless rim may rotate in the second direction, the centerless flywheel may not be caused to rotate.

A gyroscopic roll stabilizer comprises a gimbal having a support frame and enclosure configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel inside the enclosure, a motor for rotating the flywheel, and bearing cooling system for cooling the bearings supporting the flywheel. For smaller units, the bearing cooling system is effective to enable a flywheel with a moment of inertia less than 40,000 lb in.sup.2 to be accelerated at a rate of 5 rpm/s or greater. For larger units, the bearing cooling system is effective to enable a flywheel with a moment of inertia greater than 40,000 lb in.sup.2 to be accelerated at a rate of 2.5 rpm/s or greater.

A gyroscopic roll stabilizer includes a gimbal having a support frame and enclosure configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel inside the enclosure, a motor for rotating the flywheel, and bearing cooling system for cooling one or more bearings supporting the flywheel. The bearing cooling system enables heat generated by the bearings to be transferred through the flywheel shaft to a heat sink disposed within a cavity in the end of the flywheel shaft, and then external to the enclosure.

A gyroscopic roll stabilizer comprises a gimbal having a support frame and enclosure configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel inside the enclosure, a motor for rotating the flywheel, and bearing cooling system for cooling the bearings supporting the flywheel. For smaller units, the bearing cooling system is effective to enable a flywheel with a moment of inertia less than 40,000 lb in.sup.2 to be accelerated at a rate of 5 rpm/s or greater. For larger units, the bearing cooling system is effective to enable a flywheel with a moment of inertia greater than 40,000 lb in.sup.2 to be accelerated at a rate of 2.5 rpm/s or greater.

A gyroscopic roll stabilizer comprises a gimbal having a support frame and enclosure configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel inside the enclosure, a motor for rotating the flywheel, and bearing cooling system for cooling the bearings supporting the flywheel. For smaller units, the bearing cooling system is effective to enable a flywheel with a moment of inertia less than 40,000 lb in.sup.2 to be accelerated at a rate of 5 rpm/s or greater. For larger units, the bearing cooling system is effective to enable a flywheel with a moment of inertia greater than 40,000 lb in.sup.2 to be accelerated at a rate of 2.5 rpm/s or greater.

A gyroscopic roll stabilizer comprises a gimbal having a support frame and enclosure configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, one or more bearings for rotatably mounting the flywheel inside the enclosure, a motor for rotating the flywheel, and bearing cooling system for cooling the bearings supporting the flywheel. The bearing cooling system enables heat generated by the bearings to be transferred through the flywheel shaft to a heat sink disposed within a cavity in the end of the flywheel shaft, or to a liquid coolant circulating within the cavity.

An improved flywheel system for storing energy and providing the stored energy includes a rotor on a centrally located shaft. The shaft is positioned through support bearings. A magnetic off-loader provides a magnetic force to move the shaft axially in regard to the bearings. A feedback control system, provided to reduce bearing loads on the bearing, comprises a sensor mounted in a bearing housing positioned to measure the distance of a gap between a top end of the shaft and a lower surface of the sensor. In response to changes in the distance the sensor sends an electrical signal to a controller which in turn provides variable electric current to the magnetic off-loader which then provides a magnetic lifting force to the rotor on the shaft to minimize bearing load.