Abstract - This study gives a critical review of flywheel energy storage systems and their feasibility in various applications. Flywheel energy storage systems have gained increased popularity as a method of environmentally friendly energy storage.
Flywheel energy storage (FES) works by accelerating a rotor (flywheel) to a very high speed and maintaining the energy in the system as rotational energy.
The use of new materials and compact designs will increase the specific energy and energy density to make flywheels more competitive to batteries. Other opportunities are new applications in energy harvest, hybrid energy systems, and flywheel’s secondary functionality apart from energy storage.
Thanks to the unique advantages such as long life cycles, high power density, minimal environmental impact, and high power quality such as fast response and voltage stability, the flywheel/kinetic energy storage system (FESS) is gaining attention recently.
However, the high cost of purchase and maintenance of solar batteries has been a major hindrance. Flywheel energy storage systems are suitable and economical when frequent charge and discharge cycles are required. Furthermore, flywheel batteries have high power density and a low environmental footprint.
Indeed, the development of high strength, low-density carbon fiber composites (CFCs) in the 1970s generated renewed interest in flywheel energy storage. Based on design strengths typically used in commercial flywheels, σ max /ρ is around 600 kNm/kg for CFC, whereas for wrought flywheel steels, it is around 75 kNm/kg.