Composite flywheel

Abstract

A flywheel includes a wheel having a composite rim structure with multiple radial layers of steel material. Epoxy type adhesive can bond the multiple layers of stainless steel together.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a flywheel comprising:
 forming multiple radial layers of stainless steel material into a wheel; and   bonding the multiple radial layers of stainless steel material together with epoxy type adhesive to form a composite rim structure of the wheel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing the radial layers of stainless steel material with a series of cavities. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising providing the stainless steel material with a length of stainless steel fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The methods of  claim 3  further comprising vacuum impregnating the epoxy type adhesive into spaces between the stainless steel fibers and the radial layers of the stainless steel material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising providing stainless steel material comprising stainless steel wire rope. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising providing stainless steel material comprising a web of stainless steel braided wire. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising providing stainless steel material comprising a web of stainless steel mesh. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising positioning the composite rim structure around an outer perimeter of a core member. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising mounting the core member on a central shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming the composite rim structure with a series of discrete concentric annular rings of stainless steel material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming the composite rim structure with a continuous spiral wound length of stainless steel material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming the composite rim structure to include multiple radial layers of nonmetallic fiber material positioned so that adjacent radial layers of stainless steel material have a layer of the nonmetallic fiber material bonded therebetween. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising forming the radial layers of nonmetallic fiber material from carbon. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a flywheel comprising:
 forming multiple radial layers of porous steel web material and multiple radial layers of porous nonmetallic fiber web material into a wheel, with alternating radial layers of porous steel web material and porous nonmetallic fiber web material; and   bonding the multiple radial layers of porous steel web material and multiple radial layers of porous nonmetallic fiber web material together with an adhesive to form a composite rim structure of the wheel.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising winding the porous steel web material and the porous nonmetallic fiber web material from continuous lengths into a bilayer spiral configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising forming the porous steel web material from alloy steel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising forming the porous steel web material from stainless steel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising forming the porous nonmetallic fiber web material from carbon. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising providing the porous steel web material in mesh form and the porous nonmetallic fiber web material in cloth form. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising positioning the composite rim structure around an outer perimeter of a metallic core member. 
     
     
         21 . A method of forming a flywheel comprising:
 forming multiple radial layers of surface treated steel material into a wheel; and   bonding the multiple radial layers of surface treated steal material together with an adhesive to form composite rim structure of the flywheel.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising treating surfaces of the steel to remove at least one of rust and oil. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising treating surfaces of the steel to increase surface area for bonding with adhesive. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising treating surfaces of the steel with a rust inhibiting protective coating.