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Are Flywheels Right for Rail?

M. G. Read/R. A. Smith/K. R. Pullen
International Journal of Railway, vol. 2, no. 4, pp.139-146, 2009

Abstract : Vehicle braking in non-electrified rail systems wastes energy. Advanced flywheel technology presents a way to capture and reuse this braking energy to improve vehicle efficiency and so reduce the operating costs and environmental impact of diesel trains. This paper highlights the suitability of flywheels for rail vehicle applications, and proposes a novel mechanical transmission system to apply regenerative braking using a flywheel energy storage device. A computational model is used to illustrate the operation and potential benefits of the energy storage system.

Keyword : Braking energy, Regenerative braking