Vibration Isolation of a Locomotive Mounted Energy Storage Flywheel

Utilizing flywheels to store and reuse energy from regenerative braking on locomotives is a new technology being developed in the Vibration Control and Electromechanics Lab at Texas A&M. This thesis focuses on the motion analysis of a locomotive mounted energy storage flywheel system for a variety of support motion inputs. Two input cases, sinusoidal floor input and ramp input, are analyzed in different sections. Simulation results and methods of ensuring the operating success of the flywheel system are provided at the end of each section. Section 1 introduces the problem and method being used to study the vibration under different circumstances. Section 2 analyzes the response of the flywheel system to sinusoidal floor input given by Ahmadian and Venezia 2000. Natural frequency and transmissibility of the system are utilized to explain the simulation results carried out in the frequency domain. It is found that the motion differences between flywheels(rotors) and magnetic bearings(stators) are guaranteed to be small. Section 3 emulates the locomotive traversing a bump with 1:150 slope. Simulation shows that catcher(backup) bearings are needed to limit the vibration of rotors through a bump. It is also found that gyroscopic effect causes problems in vibration isolation. Section 4 explores de-levitation method and installation of gimbals as possible remedies to this problem. Finally, a summary of simulation results from different input cases is made.