Saving fuel and thus reducing emissions is becoming increasingly important, even for operators of mobile work machines. One solution to make the operation of construction and municipal machinery more efficient is flywheel energy storage, which captures energy during low-load periods and releases it as needed during peak loads.
Energy is becoming more expensive, whether it's diesel, gas, or electrical energy. Operators and manufacturers of mobile work machines are therefore seeking innovative concepts to reduce fuel consumption. One possibility is flywheel energy storage, as produced by PUNCH Flybrid. The integrated drive system relieves the combustion engine, allowing for a smaller sizing of the engine and thereby saving fuel.
The principle of the flywheel storage is similar to the recuperation in electric cars. The flywheel takes in the energy that would normally be lost when a machine brakes to a stop or when lowering the boom of an excavator, and it releases this energy during the next operating cycle. The additional power can be used either as a boost function or for fuel savings.
Construction machinery benefits greatly
Flywheel storage systems are especially advantageous in machines with recurring operating cycles. For instance, a tower crane constantly shifts between idle and maximum performance. The flywheel system is charged when the diesel generator powering the tower crane is in idle mode. As soon as the crane needs to lift a heavy load and thus demands power from the diesel generator, the flywheel feeds in high-power energy to assist the diesel generator. This allows for a smaller, more efficient diesel generator to be used in combination with the flywheel energy system. This load-balancing concept can result in saving over 50 percent of fuel, depending on the application. Because the main engine can be downsized thanks to the supporting flywheel storage, the unit can operate with a higher base load, increasing the drive's efficiency.
The STW ESX.3cs compact controller is used as the master controller in the PUNCH Power 200 system. The controller provides the necessary high-speed signal processing and monitors the entire system, including cooling.
The controller thus helps to provide machines with the energy necessary to operate them with optimal efficiency. The result is lower emissions and a significantly reduced fuel consumption of the driving combustion engine. Both machine operators and the environment benefit from this.
More about our compact controllers can be learned by machinery manufacturers and operators at Agritechnica in Hanover from November 12th to 18th, in Hall 15 at Booth G50.