The present invention relates to a flywheel apparatus for energy storage and recovery including a housing within which there is a chamber in which a flywheel on a shaft rotates. The chamber is evacuated to at or near vacuum pressure, so that air resistance-related energy losses of the flywheel as it rotates are reduced. Maintaining near-vacuum pressure within the chamber requires an effective seal between the housing and the shaft. The effective seal must be maintained despite any relative movement (in particular translational movement) of the flywheel and the housing. To this end, the shaft is mounted via a bearing arrangement on a carrier on which is also mounted a sealing arrangement. The carrier is mounted on the housing such that the carrier, the bearing arrangement and the sealing arrangement move substantially together relative to the housing.

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.

Disclosed is a device for lubrication of a unit turning under vacuum, such as a flywheel, where the unit includes an axle rotating relative to a fixed bearing structure, via at least one bearing or roller, and where the unit is placed in an enclosure connected to a vacuum, with: a lubricant reservoir connected by pipes both to the bottom of the enclosure and also to the bearing; and fluid suitable circulator for connecting the reservoir either to the vacuum, for filling the reservoir from the enclosure by gravity, or to the atmosphere for lubricating the bearing. The fluid circulator includes a three-way valve connecting the reservoir either to the vacuum or to the atmosphere.

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 stabilization system for a rotating load, such as a flywheel, includes a mechanical bearing to continuously support a shaft of the rotating load so as to hold the shaft at a substantially fixed axis of rotation. A magnetic stabilization assembly includes a plurality of electromagnets arranged around the shaft. Control circuitry for controls a resultant magnetic field generated by the electromagnets such that the magnetic field acts on a ferromagnetic element of the shaft to reduce imbalance forces acting on the shaft.

A computer controlled support and stabilization unit comprising of a vertical array of magnets for levitating a flywheel containing fluid, a computer controlled adjustable bearing support that can clamp and unclamp the rotating center shaft of a flywheel containing fluid between a plurality of bearings, a computer controlled adjustable magnetic lifting support for lifting the flywheel containing fluid to reduce the forces placed on the vertical array of magnets for levitating a flywheel containing fluid and reduce the forces placed on the plurality of bearings clamping the rotating center shaft of a flywheel containing fluid.

A rotating mass energy store includes a rotor that contains conductors and a magnet arrangement. The rotating mass is symmetrical about axis of rotation and is hollow with a cavity, wherein an electrical stator is located in the cavity. All components of the energy store are enclosed in a housing that has a fitting/connection for a vacuum pump and or seal, and wire connection seals for conductive wire to pass through. The rotor is permanently magnetically levitated axially and radially. Electrical energy is exchanged and stored as kinetic energy in a rotating mass, otherwise known as a rotor.

Apparatus for containing a flywheel comprising: a flywheel; a shaft; a bearing arrangement for supporting the shaft; and a housing for housing the flywheel, the shaft and the bearing arrangement; wherein the flywheel is mounted on the shaft, the shaft is mounted to the bearing arrangement, and the bearing arrangement is mounted to the housing; wherein the flywheel has a rim formed by a circumferential face of the flywheel, and a hub formed by a central region of the flywheel, the hub being wider, axially, than the rim such that a circumferential contact surface is formed by the hub that is coaxial with the rim; wherein the housing comprises an annular force transfer region that faces, and is concentric with, the contact surface; and wherein, in use, excessive radial movement of the flywheel results in the contact surface contacting the transfer region.

A flywheel (6) is provided that comprises a rotatable shaft (7). At least one end of the rotatable shaft (7) is provided with a recess (51) and two magnets (15, 20, 31, 36). The flywheel (6) is provided with support means (18, 23, 34, 39) with the support means comprising: a first arrangement (18, 34) of magnets (17, 33) for vertical stabilization of the shaft (7); and a second arrangement (23, 39) of magnets (22, 38) for horizontal stabilization of the shaft (7). The first of the two magnets (15, 31) of the shaft (7) interacts with the first arrangement (18, 34) and the second of the two magnets (20, 36) interacts with the second arrangement (23, 39).

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.