Building on its experience in the research and development of advanced energy management concepts—including the engineering of kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) for motorsport—Ricardo has devised Kinergy, a high-speed, hermetically-sealed flywheel energy storage system concept with an innovative and patented magnetic gearing and coupling mechanism.
The high power density and long-life potential of Kinergy technology combines both simplicity and effectiveness, avoiding the need for vacuum pumps and seals typically associated with high-speed carbon fibre based flywheel systems., Ricardo says. The lack of any mechanical coupling or other form of linkage through the system’s casing enables Kinergy to offer a robust, compact and lightweight package suitable both for incorporation into new product designs as well as retrofit applications aimed at improving the efficiency of existing vehicle fleets and industrial equipment.
Kinergy has the potential for use in a range of applications due to its comparatively very low projected production costs. Ricardo says that the technology is thus ideally suited for use in road vehicles where regenerative braking and torque assist is employed as a means of improving efficiency and hence reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Such potential applications range from small, price-sensitive mass-market passenger cars to large luxury SUVs, buses and trucks.
Across all of these vehicle categories, Kinergy offers the prospect of enabling effective hybridization extending into market sectors where the use of conventional electro-chemical battery systems technology would be prohibitively expensive. Further potential Kinergy applications also include low-cost, compact energy management and storage systems for use in industrial and construction equipment, elevators, railway rolling stock, and local electrical substations and power distribution systems.
FLYBUS. The £1-million (US$1.7-million) FLYBUS project involves the development of a Ricardo Kinergy flywheel energy storage device incorporating a Torotrak patented Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) for installation in a demonstrator vehicle based on an Optare Solo bus. Allison Transmission Inc. will also be involved, supporting the project with hardware and integration expertise.
Both technologies have already undergone development as part of a flywheel-based mechanical hybrid KERS which has been designed for use in motorsport. The mechanical hybrid system will offer the commercial vehicle sector a low-cost opportunity to deliver fuel efficiency savings of 20%. With further optimization, Torotrak believes that there are possibilities to significantly improve this.
The demonstration project will focus initially on installing an existing Torotrak CVT and Ricardo supplied flywheel in the Optare Solo bus, connecting the mechanical hybrid system directly to the Allison automatic transmission already fitted to the vehicle as standard equipment. The majority of the application, integration, development and test work will be undertaken by Torotrak in partnership with Ricardo, while Optare and Allison—providing, respectively, the test vehicle and an Allison 2000 Series transmission hardware together with control integration support—will also offer their series manufacturing expertise.
The Technology Strategy Board is to provide £0.5 million (US$0.83 million) for the FLYBUS research program as part of its Low Carbon Vehicles initiative, with the consortium partners jointly matching this investment. The aim is to demonstrate a flywheel-based mechanical hybrid system in an Optare Eco Drive Solo bus and to confirm the benefits of mechanical hybrid systems, effectively KERS-based technology, for fitment as original equipment in new commercial vehicles and also as a retrofit system for updating existing vehicles. The consortium plans to demonstrate the new low emissions, high fuel efficiency vehicle to bus companies, fleet operators and regulatory bodies both in the UK and beyond.
KinerStor. The KinerStor project will be led by Ricardo and will comprise a consortium of industrial partners including CTG, JCB, Land Rover, SKF, Torotrak and Williams Hybrid Power. The project aims to demonstrate the potential of flywheel-based hybrid systems with the potential for 30% fuel savings (and equivalent reductions in CO2 emissions) at an on-cost of less than £1,000 (US$1,660), thus enabling the mass-market uptake of hybrid vehicles in price-sensitive vehicle applications.
The project will research and de-risk the principle critical flywheel sub-systems individually, then bring them together for system optimization in two forms of proprietary device; a mechanical/magnetic coupled flywheel system developed by Ricardo (the Kinergy system), and an electrically coupled unit developed by Williams Hybrid Power. The KinerStor project team aims to design, build and test a number of prototype units such that on completion, the developed technologies are ready for vehicle-based installation, testing and demonstration.
The KinerStor consortium brings together relevant skills and expertise in specialist areas, including: advanced flywheel systems, focusing on new material technologies including low-cost composite fibres and specialist steels; continuously variable transmissions; bearing and coupling design; drivetrain integration; and volume vehicle manufacturing. The project’s structure will allow for the development of common core-technology solutions which can be tailored to the individual needs of vehicle manufacturers, maximizing potential fuel saving and CO2emission reduction benefits.
The KinerStor project is supported by an investment from the UK Government-backed Technology Strategy Board with balancing resources provided by the project partners.
COMMENTARY: Ricardo plc is a United Kingdom-based company. The Company is engaged in the provision of technical and strategic consulting to a broad range of industry sectors, commerce and other agencies. It operates in two business segments: technical consulting and strategic consulting.
- Technical Consulting - Provides services in relation to the development and implementation of engineering projects and low volume precision manufacturing. Technical consulting is analysed by geographical sector to reflect the differing economic factors in these markets.
- Strategic Consulting - Generates income from management and operational consultancy.
The Company serves a range of customers, including the brands across a range of industrial sectors, as well as government agencies and national and international regulatory authorities. It provides technical consulting in engines, driveline and transmission systems, hybrid and electric systems, intelligent transportation systems, calibration, and fuels and lubricants development.
Ricardo is a public company and trades on the London Exchange. Click HERE to download a copy of Ricardo's msot recent annual report.
I clipped the following right off of Ricardo's website
Ricardo is a leading global provider of product innovation, engineering solutions, clean technology and strategic consulting. Through our advanced and well-equipped technical facilities in North America, Europe and Asia we serve a wide and balanced customer base including the market-leading brands across a range of industrial sectors, as well as government agencies and national and international regulatory authorities. We are a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index.
Since Ricardo was founded nearly a century ago, the company has been renowned for its track record of highly successful research-led product innovation and development expertise. With our internally funded research activity and proven ability to attract the best of international scientific and engineering talent, Ricardo has been able to maintain its technical edge, which has provided us – and our customers – with crucial first mover advantage in highly competitive markets.
Ricardo’s deep technical knowledge and wide experience is particularly apparent in the transportation sectors that we serve, which range from passenger cars and motorcycles, to commercial, agricultural and off-highway vehicles, railway locomotive power and marine propulsion systems. Key areas of expertise include low-carbon gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies; the latest driveline and transmission systems; control electronics and software development; vehicle systems integration, and the engineering of the latest concepts in wind energy and tidal power systems.
Ricardo is capable of taking on the toughest of engineering and strategic consulting challenges and has an enviable track record of delivering exacting projects on time and to budget. Our most important asset is our team of dedicated professionals – of which nearly three quarters are highly qualified, multi-disciplined engineers and technicians.
Our core values include respect for all our stakeholders, utmost integrity in our honest and ethical approach to our work, the creativity and innovation that has defined the very character of Ricardo for almost a century, and the passion and commitment to our work that underscores everything we do for our customers.
Creativity in collaborative working is in the Ricardo DNA; it is no coincidence that time and again, big name clients across multiple industries return to Ricardo for successful project delivery, and record their appreciation of the seamless way that Ricardo people integrate into project teams.
Click on the links below to learn more about Ricardo’s work in each industrial sector:
Interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2010:
- Order book up 16% at £117m, following strong intake (30 June 2010: £101m; 31 December 2009: £99m)
- Revenue up 11% at £90.2m (31 December 2009: £81.0m)
- Profit before tax of £5.0m, up 32% (six months ended 31 December 2009: £3.8m)
- Low gearing maintained. Net debt £7.5m (30 June 2010: £7.8m; 31 December 2009: £6.7m)
- Basic earnings per share 9.4p (31 December 2009: 6.3p)
- Increased interim dividend of 3.4p per share (31 December 2009: 3.2p per share)
- The market outlook is more positive both in respect of the return of passenger car customers and opportunities for diversification
- The Board remains confident of further progress for the full year
Commenting on the results, Dave Shemmans, Chief Executive said:
“Overall, this has been a pleasing half year performance with positive signs of recovery in the passenger car market and further progress made with our diversification strategy. Strong order intake in the past six months, up 28% on the same period in the prior year, has yielded an order book at a healthy £117m, up 16% compared with 30 June 2010, with a good pipeline of prospects. The balance sheet is strong, the operating margins have improved, and profit before tax on continuing operations is up 32% on prior year despite cost overruns on a large engineering design programme, which has now been completed.
Orders received in the period reflected an improving confidence in the market and a return of multi-year outsourced development programmes from clients. We secured key projects in the automotive and off-highway sectors whilst our defence business benefited from the formal award of the contract to Ricardo by Force Protection Europe for the set up and assembly of 200 UK Ministry of Defence Foxhound vehicles (formerly known as Ocelot), with production commencing in July 2011.
Overall, the market outlook is more positive with the return of passenger car customers and opportunities for diversification. We are pleased with both the results for the first half and the growth of the order book and we are confident of further progress for the full year. Winning multi-year engineering programmes, commencing assembly on the supercar engine, and securing a significant defence programme, provide longer term business visibility.”
I had heard about flywheels before, but this is the first time I have actually seen one used in an actual application, this particular case the Optare Solo Flybus. Torotrak (click to view video) has developed its own flywheel technology and it will be used experimentally in Formula I race cars. This is really cool technology. I don't understand it, but if flywheels are more efficient than batteries, weight half as much and have a very low carbon footprint, what's not to like.
Courtesy of an article dated June 16, 2011 appearing in NewScientist and an article dated November 24, 2009 appearing in Green Car Congress
I like ANMJ on FB & just subscribed to the email feed! :)
Posted by: Pandora Beads | 03/04/2012 at 12:49 AM