🚀 go-pugleaf

This discussion about flywheel batteries in cars reminded me of the first
time I heard of this idea. but with a slight twist.  In the 70's Popular
Science had a page or two about buses using flywheels to store energy 
when they brake, and release it when they accelerate.  Thus, the flywheel
would _not_ be used for steady state driving, but would store and supply
peak energy; for a public transit vehicle this could be significant.

This would put a different slant on those 6 hp cars; shove small motors
in them and let the flywheel take up the slack for uphill/downhill and
sto/start driving.  Of course, it works best for stop/start city driving,
and would only be dead weight when turning the vehicle on in the morning.
I believe this idea was meant for electric vehicles (easier to transfer
energy around), and initial daily startup would be at a garage with
some tool or process that ensured the lack of a spinning flywheel wouldn't
hinder getting up to speed the first time.  Note that once you are up
to speed, the flywheel might as well stop; it'll be spun up again during
decelleration.

I probably have all the details wrong, but I just thought I'd toss this out.

-simon

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Simon Tooke  (not speaking for) SCO Canada, Inc.         Voice:  (416) 922-1937
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