🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <71918@cup.portal.com>, Ted_Eugene_Viens@cup.portal.com writes:
>All safeguards have been defeated.  The rotor is locked in an unlimited charge
>mode.  The charging current brings the rotor speed far above any design
>limits or safety margins.  Suddenly, there is catastrophic failure.  What
>can we expect to happen?  Conservation of energy tells us that all of the 
>energy in the flywheel is going to go somewhere very fast.
>   What kind of energy will it be?  At the moment of failure, it will all be
>kinetic energy.  The rotor is composed of three basic parts:  the composite
>flywheel, the steel axle shaft, and the copper coils used to transfer energy
>into and out of the flywheel.  The axle shaft and hardware to mount the
>composite flywheel will be symetrical and strong enough to stay fairly centered
>and dispell its engery by frying the cases of the now failed magnetic bearings
>over a relatively long period of time (several seconds to many minutes.)

Sorry, but you apparently missed a post early in this thread where the
designers of one of these flywheels were quoted as saying that in a
catastrophic failure, the flywheel WOULD disintegrate.  They described the
flywheel after disintegration as "fluff."  This bit of disingenuousness was
apparently meant to make the flywheel seem safe.  After all, "fluff" couldn't
possibly be dangerous, could it?

[Further speculations based on ignorance of the designs in question deleted]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.