Mechanical Analysis of Solid and Hollow Shaped Flywheels Made Through Cast Iron and Gray Cast Iron through Simulation

Abstract

Flywheel is used to store energy and supply when it is required to complete the cycle of an engine and or any mechanical machine. However, the excess amount of forces during storing energy creates unwanted stresses on flywheel. These unwanted stresses produced premature failure of flywheel when crossed ultimate point. Thus, this research work is investigating the mechanical stresses and deformation of flywheel at torque value of 2500 Nm. The mechanical stresses and deformation were calculated through ANSYS v17.2. For optimum values of stresses and deformation, two different materials (cast iron and gray cast iron) and shapes (solid and hollow) of flywheel were evaluated. The simulated results demonstrated that the solid flywheel offered better mechanical stresses than hollow flywheel. Whereas, for comparing the material, gray cast iron had better mechanical results than cast iron for a particular geometry of flywheel. Based on it, it can be concluded that gray cast iron with solid geometry flywheel is far better than hollow flywheel made through cast iron.