Topology optimization of energy storage flywheel

To increase the energy storage density, one of the critical evaluations of flywheel performance, topology optimization is used to obtain the optimized topology layout of the flywheel rotor geometry. Based on the variable density method, a two-dimensional flywheel rotor topology optimization model is first established and divided into three regions: design domain, inner ring, and outer ring. Then the optimized flywheel topology layout can be obtained through the post-processing combined with the finite element analysis. In addition, several influence factors significantly affecting the topology optimization result are further investigated. Finally, a series of optimized flywheel layouts are obtained under different manufacturing constraints, stress constraints, and volume fraction constraints. These optimized flywheels obtained by topology optimization can provide a valuable guidance for the energy storage flywheel design in practical engineering.