An energy storage apparatus including a spherical rotating member having permanent magnets and uniquely-identifiable location-defining elements, a plurality of coils, a controller operably coupled to the plurality of coils, a power source, and a location sensing apparatus operable to detect the plurality of location-defining elements. The controller may compare time-sequential information from the location sensing apparatus to determine a rotational axis and a rotational speed of the rotating member, operate the coils to change the rotational axis speed of the rotating member, increase energy stored by the rotating member by increasing the rotational speed by operating the coils to generate magnetic fields that interact with the permanent magnets, and withdraw energy by operating the coils to generate magnetic fields that interact with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnets to produce induced current in the coils and directing the induced current to a power delivery location.

A prime mover is combined with a flywheel storage device and a control system to implement a flywheel pulse and glide system in a vehicle. In one embodiment, the control system is configured to cycle power delivery between the prime mover and the flywheel storage device to power the vehicle. The prime mover, when activated by the control system, is configured to power the vehicle and spin up the flywheel storage device to capture a sufficient amount of energy.

The disclosure is related to a flywheel energy storage system comprising a casing, a shaft, a flywheel, and at least one electric motor assembly. The shaft is rotatably disposed in the casing. The flywheel comprises a hub and an annular part, the shaft is disposed through the annular part, the annular part is fixed to the shaft via the hub, and the annular part has at least one cavity. The electric motor assembly is accommodated in the cavity and comprises a first motor rotor and a motor stator. In the cavity, the first motor rotor is fixed on the shaft, and the motor stator is fixed to the casing and located between the first motor rotor and the annular part.

An energy storage and recovery system device for a vehicle, comprising a flywheel, a first and a second set of gears, and multiple wet multi-plate clutches, wherein one of each gear set is arranged coaxially along a clutch shaft with one of the clutches, and wherein the device is coupled to the vehicle transmission, such that actuation of a clutch redirected the torque path via the gears, thereby enabling multiple ratios and therefore multiple speeds.

An electric motor drive retrofit system (EMDRS) comprises a power system, an energy storage system (ESS), a cooling system, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a user interface device (UID). A non-hybrid combustion engine drive vehicle with tight space constraints is retrofittable with the EMDRS to provide hybrid drive functionality. The EMDRS includes a motor generator unit (MGU) coupled to a motor control unit (MCU). MCU transfers charge between the MGU and ESS. During retrofit, the MGU is coupled between a transmission and an internal combustion engine (ICE) of the vehicle without extending a powertrain length by more than five inches. In a first operating mode (adding torque), MCU supplies the MGU from the ESS to supply torque to the powertrain downstream before a transmission input. In a second operating mode (regenerative braking), the MGU removes torque from the powertrain and drives MCU to charge the ESS.

An electric motor drive retrofit system (EMDRS) comprises a power system, an energy storage system (ESS), a cooling system, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a user interface device (UID). A non-hybrid combustion engine drive vehicle with tight space constraints is retrofittable with the EMDRS to provide hybrid drive functionality. EMDRS includes a motor generator unit (MGU) coupled to a motor control unit that transfers charge between MGU and ESS. During retrofit, the MGU is coupled between a transmission and an internal combustion engine (ICE) of the vehicle without extending a powertrain length by more than five inches. VCU does not interfere with any pre-existing vehicle electronics. The VCU controls the EMDRS to add torque (discharging ESS) or to remove torque (charging the ESS) based on a selected operating mode and vehicle sensor information (for example, brake and throttle pressure). Operating modes are selected by driver via the UID.

The invention relates to an energy storage and recovery system (ERS) coupleable to a prime mover and to an energy storage flywheel. The ERS has a hydrostatic arrangement with a first pumping element and a second pumping element. The pumping elements have a respective fluid displacement and a fluid coupling arrangement for the transfer of fluid power between the first and second pumping elements. The ERS also includes a differential device comprising at least three inputs, wherein a first driveshaft of the first pumping element is coupled to a prime mover in use, a first input of the a differential device is coupled to said prime mover in use, a second input of the differential device is coupled to a second driveshaft of the second pumping element, and the third input of the differential device is coupled to a flywheel in use.

A hydraulic system including hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic machine for pressuring the hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic circuit for delivering the hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic actuator, the hydraulic machine being configured to receive the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic actuator and a kinetic energy storage device for storing energy in a kinetic form, the kinetic energy storage device being operably coupled to the hydraulic machine, the system being configured such that the hydraulic machine is operable to transfer energy from the hydraulic fluid received from the hydraulic actuator to the kinetic energy storage device.

A transmission for an energy storage and recovery system comprises a variable slip transmission and a clutch arranged to transmit drive while slipping. The level of torque transmitted through the slipping clutch is dependent on the clutch force but is independent of the clutch slip speed. Preferably the clutch is provided by a plurality of clutches connected in parallel in a range extender. When drive is transferred between clutches in parallel, the clutch forces of both clutches are controlled to maintain the total torque transmitted by the clutches. This reduces torque fluctuations at the energy source/sink during clutch transfer. Where there are two slipping clutches in series, one clutch is controlled to provide the required torque and the other clutch is controlled in response to a clutch slip speed. This helps to control the speed of rotation of the mass between the clutches.

The present invention relates in general to working machines with working units which are subject to fluctuating loads or have a fluctuating power consumption. The invention relates in particular to a drive train assembly for driving such a working unit, the drive train assembly having a flywheel accumulator for mitigating the load impacts or load fluctuations. According to the invention, a starting aid for easier starting up of the flywheel accumulator into its desired operating speed range is provided, the starting aid having a planetary transmission, which is connected in terms of drive to the flywheel accumulator, and a control actuator for braking and/or accelerating a planetary transmission element in order to adjust the step-up/step-down ratio of the planetary transmission when starting up the flywheel accumulator. Furthermore, for refined smoothing of the power consumption in the started-up working mode, a control device is provided which accelerates and can brake the flywheel accumulator cyclically by adjusting the planetary transmission in accordance with the operating fluctuations of the working unit.