Flywheel for energy storage, comprising a rotor, a housing enclosure, means for charging energy by transferring electric energy to stored kinetic energy in the rotating rotor and means for discharging energy by transferring stored kinetic energy in the rotating rotor to electric energy, distinctive in that the rotor is vertically oriented, the rotor has mass of over 5000 kg, the rotor comprises a central vertical shaft, a radial bearing is arranged to an upper end of the vertical shaft, an axial-radial hydraulic bearing, or separate axial and radial bearings, is arranged to a lower end of the vertical shaft.

An example flywheel energy storage device includes a fiber-resin composite shell having an elliptical ovoid shape. The example device also includes an axially oriented internal compressive support between the axial walls of the shell. The example device also includes an inner boss plate and an outer boss plate on each side of the shell. The example device also includes a plurality of radially oriented, fiber-resin composite helical wraps forming the shell and coupling the shell to the inner and outer boss plates for co-rotation and torque transfer. The example device also includes boss plate attachments on internal boss plate supports to mount the shell for co-rotation and torque transfer via resin bonding, friction, and compression between the inner and outer boss plates.

A flywheel arrangement comprising a shaft with a flywheel fixedly connected thereto. The flywheel comprises at least one cavity and that cavity is at least partially filled with particulate matter.

A flywheel device includes a base, a cantilever mounted on the base, a bearing seat mounted on the base, first magnetic members mounted on the base, a rotation shaft arranged between the cantilever and the bearing seat, a magnetically floating seat mounted on the rotation shaft, second magnetic members mounted on the magnetically floating seat and corresponding to the first magnetic members, third magnetic members mounted on the magnetically floating seat, a repulsion driver locked on the base and surrounding the magnetically floating seat, fourth magnetic members mounted on the repulsion driver and corresponding to the third magnetic members, and a flywheel unit mounted on the rotation shaft. The second magnetic members have a polarity the same as that of the first magnetic members. The fourth magnetic members have a polarity the same as that of the third magnetic members.

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 of 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 gyroscopic roll stabilizer for a boat includes an enclosure mounted to a gimbal for rotation about a gimbal axis and configured to maintain a below-ambient pressure, and a flywheel assembly including a flywheel and flywheel shaft, with the flywheel assembly rotatably mounted inside the enclosure for rotation about a flywheel axis. The gyroscopic roll stabilizer also includes a motor operative to rotate the flywheel assembly and disposed inside the enclosure. A motor cooling circuit is configured to transfer heat away from the motor. The motor cooling circuit has a closed fluid pathway for recirculating cooling fluid therein. The fluid pathway includes a fluid channel jointly defined by the motor and the enclosure and having the cooling fluid therein. The gyroscopic roll stabilizer is configured to transfer heat away from the motor to the cooling fluid. Related methods are also disclosed.

A flywheel arrangement comprising a shaft with a flywheel fixedly connected thereto. The flywheel comprises at least one cavity and that cavity is at least partially filled with particulate matter.

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.

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 variable mass flywheel arrangement comprising a shaft with a flywheel fixedly connected thereto. The flywheel comprises a cavity with at least one inlet thereto. The inlet into the cavity is in fluid communication with a source of particulate matter and the particulate matter is able to pass into the cavity of the flywheel via the inlet.