A gyrobus is an electric bus that uses flywheel energy storage, not overhead wires like a trolleybus. The name comes from the Greek language term for flywheel, gyros. While there are no gyrobuses currently in use commercially, development in this area continues. Contact online >>
A gyrobus is an electric bus that uses flywheel energy storage, not overhead wires like a trolleybus. The name comes from the Greek language term for flywheel, gyros. While there are no gyrobuses currently in use commercially, development in this area continues.
The concept of a flywheel-powered bus was developed and brought to fruition during the 1940s by Oerlikon (of Switzerland), with the intention of creating an alternative to trolleybuses for quieter, lower-frequency routes, where full overhead-wire electrification could not be justified.
Fully charged, a gyrobus could typically travel as far as 6 km (3.7 mi) on a level route at speeds of up to 50 to 60 km/h (31 to 37 mph), depending on the total weight of passengers, as top speeds varied as passenger levels varied from stop to stop. The installation in Yverdon-les-Bains (Switzerland) sometimes saw vehicles needing to travel as far as 10 km (6.2 mi) on one charge, although it is not known how well they performed towards the upper end of that distance.
Charging a flywheel took between 30 seconds and 3 minutes; in an effort to reduce the charge time, the supply voltage was increased from 380 volts to 500 volts. Given the relatively restricted range between charges, it is likely that several charging stops would have been required on longer routes, or in dense urban traffic. It is not clear whether vehicles that require such frequent delays would have been practical and/or suitable for modern-day service applications.
The demonstrator was first displayed (and used) publicly in summer 1950 and, to promote the system, this vehicle continued to be used for short periods of public service in myriad locations at least until 1954.
In 1979, General Electric was awarded a $5 million four-year contract by the United States government, the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation, to develop a prototype flywheel bus.[2]
In the 1980s, Volvo briefly experimented with using flywheels charged by a small diesel engine and recharged via braking energy. This was eventually dumped in favour of using hydraulic accumulators.
During the 1990s, the Dutch Centre for Concepts in Mechatronics had developed a flywheel for both mobile and stationary applications.[3]
In 2005, the Center for Transportation and the Environment, working with the University of Texas at Austin, Center for Electromechanics, Test Devices, Inc., and DRS Technologies sought funding for the development of a prototype gyrobus.[4]
The first full commercial service began in October 1953, linking the Swiss communities of Yverdon-les-Bains and Grandson. However, this was a route with limited traffic potential, and although technically successful it was not commercially viable. Services ended in late October 1960, and neither of the two vehicles (nor the demonstrator) survived.
The third location to use gyrobuses commercially was Ghent, Belgium. Three gyrobuses started operation in late summer 1956 on a route linking Ghent and Merelbeke. The flywheel was in the center of the bus, spanning almost the whole width of the vehicle, and having a vertical axis of rotation. The Ghent to Merelbeke route was intended to be the first of a proposed multi-route network; instead, its gyrobuses stayed in service for only three years, being withdrawn late autumn 1959. The operator considered them unreliable, "spending more time off the road than on", and that their weight damaged road surfaces. They were also considered to be energy hungry, consuming 2.9 kWh/km—compared with between 2.0 kWh/km and 2.4 kWh/km for trams with much greater capacity.
One of Ghent''s gyrobuses has been preserved and restored, and is displayed at the VlaTAM-museum in Antwerp. It is sometimes shown (and used to carry passengers) at Belgian exhibitions, transport enthusiasts'' bazaars, etc. The tram depot in Merelbeke has been closed since 1998, but it still stands, as it is protected by the law.
Since 2005, Dresden, Germany has had an Autotram, a vehicle that uses a fuel cell as its main source of energy and a small flywheel for regenerative braking only.[6]
Media related to Gyroscope-powered buses at Wikimedia Commons
The renewable energy sector has made significant progress in recent years and one humble device could bring us a step closer to an emission-free future.
Meet the flywheel—a rotating mechanical disk that can store and release energy on command. The flywheel draws input energy from an external electrical source, speeding up as it stores energy and slowing down as it discharges the accumulated energy. This is particularly useful in conjunction with renewable energy generation such as wind and solar power since optimal conditions fluctuate seasonally and even annually, making it difficult to supply year-round. By storing energy, we can save it for later use.
In fact, rudimentary flywheels have existed as a means of mechanical energy storage for thousands of years. The potter''s wheel quite literally kick-started their evolution. The turning platform could be connected by a long axle to a heavy flywheel at ground level, which allowed the potter to spin the platform using their foot, leaving both hands free to mould the clay. The next major development came with the industrial revolution; James Watt, an 18th-century Scottish engineer, saw the opportunity to implement this technology in steam engines. He created the sun and planet gear to convert the jolting reciprocating motion of steam-powered pistons into continuous rotational motion of the wheels, pioneering locomotive transport.
In 1953, the Gyrobus made its debut in Switzerland. Unlike traditional trams and buses, the Gyrobus was powered entirely by a 1.5 tonne flywheel that spun 3000 times per minute, with no need for an internal combustion engine or networks of overhead cables. Starting up the flywheel could take up to 40 minutes but once it was spinning it only needed to be recharged at stations with energy from the grid every few miles. This took no longer than 5 minutes, in which time passengers could be dropped off and picked up.
So why don''t we see these vehicles in our streets today? The idea was abandoned principally due to economic reasons; 3.3kWh of energy per kilometre for each bus was deemed simply unaffordable. Rough terrain led to wear and tear of the bearings, undermining performance, and safety was also called into question. Unsurprisingly, they were soon replaced by cheaper diesel-powered vehicles.
Nowadays it does seem ironic that the technology which led to such extensive burning of fossil fuels could help to reverse the effects of climate change. Only recently have flywheels been considered a viable option for electrical energy storage systems, with developments in materials and magnetic bearings reducing friction and maximising efficiency. The conservation of angular momentum means that rotational energy can be stored in these spinning objects (so long as no external torque is applied to the system). Increasing the rotating mass, optimising the shape of the flywheel or simply making it spin faster will increase the amount of energy stored.
Flywheel energy storage systems require little maintenance and can quickly respond to peaks in demand. Their performance is not affected by life, temperature or depth of discharge (the amount of energy the flywheel can release). Flywheels can also be easily manufactured from materials that are not harmful to the environment, unlike traditional chemical batteries.
With reusable rockets and the colonisation of Mars fast becoming a reality, the potential for flywheels beyond our home planet is immense. Martian bases would certainly rely on renewable sources of energy and durable energy storage systems could be all-important for survival.
Flywheels offer a promising alternative to chemical batteries which can be expensive to produce, are often made from rare metals and have shorter lifespans, with limits to how quickly they can store and release energy. These mechanical batteries are already helping to moderate spikes in the national grid and small portable flywheels are even being used in Formula 1, storing energy as the car brakes and supplying it back to the wheels when it needs to speed up again. As climate change becomes an ever more prevalent issue and energy demand continues to increase, environmentally friendly energy storage solutions like the flywheel will be key to a sustainable future.
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