Flywheel Application

Please explain your problem more fully.

Do you mean that the flywheel is failing mechanically, or just not storing energy as expected?

More information, please!

The flywheel is failing mechanically, it shows vibration from the start that increases as it operates.

Assuming the flywheel is correctly balanced to start with, it sounds like your bearings are shot.

What do you do when repairing after a failure?

.....yes,our first intuition is the bearing, so we regularly lubricate it, but still doesnt last. . . .we directly replace parts that are delapidated specially the bearing . . . any suggestion of flywheel brand that could help us? . . . .

@ JohnDG

by the way, thank so much for the reply . . . .

Sorry, getting out of my depth here (I'm more an "electronics & software guy").

Was this a commercially-produced assembly, or something you put together yourselves?

Given new flywheel & correctly matched bearings, I'd suspect alignment problems.

Anyone else got any ideas?

I'm also an electronics guy but I've been working in a factory where I learned a few mechanical things.

Is the flywheel correctly specified? If it's not rated for the speed that you're using, it'll destroy itself eventually.

I'd go with JohnDG on alignment also. The system has to be correct from all aspects (alignment, correct bearings, correctly sized and balanced flywheel, balanced load, etc.) in order to have a problem-free motor-driven system.

Your foundation or mounting also needs to be on firm ground. We used to have stand-by-spares fail immediately because the other motor (which was right next to it) was vibrating while in use. The bearings on the spare were damaged even when the motor wasn't running because of the vibration. Isolating them from each other eliminated that problem.

I feel your fly wheel is not properly alligned.

Is the flywheel connected directly to the motor and pump?

Is it possible to separate the flywheel, and let it run on it's own bearings? Use flex couplers or drive-shafts and universal joints. How high a speed is the motor turning? How heavy is the flywheel? If the transfer pump is surging, it might be over stressing the flywheel. Why would a transfer pump need a flywheel?

there are too reseason ususally, 1 make transmittion smoothly because of large flywheel quality. 2. change transfer ratio

the vibration ocure will be caused by either said above threads or check if the flywheel connect well with shift of motor by pin or( dowel). if some gap existed, a vibrateion will start.

check load to see if its too heavy for motor to drive.

check motor power wire to see if it lack phase or have a bed contact with line.

ask electrician for help to do it.

Dumb question, - What do you need the flywheel on such a huge three phase motor for?

I've never seen a pump-motor with a flywheel but, taking a guess at it, it's probably to prevent hammering in the pipes. The flywheel prevents the pump from coming up to speed too quickly and prevents it from stopping too quickly. This will prevent the dreaded water-hammer.

Maybe...

Remove anything attached to the flywheel. Spin it slowly on its own bearings by hand. If it comes to a perfect stop then balancing is not required. If it comes to a stop and then moves slightly in the opposite direction of spin then it needs to be balanced.

Make like a tightrope walker and balance, balance, balance.

There is other things to look for, sudden starts and stops. Is the keyway and key the correct size? Is there fore and aft movement in the shaft? If there is any slop it can put a large kick to the poor thing.

Is the flywheel made of the correct material to with stand the forces at the speed you are turning the shaft.

We must suppose the pump in question is a positive displacement pump, probably a piston pump. The reason for this supposition is that a centrifugal pump wouldn't need a flywheel. Thus, is the shock loading very high in this system? Is the flywheel mounted adequatly to allow the stored energy back onto the shaft ( see jmart23 above). The coupling method may be sufficient to spin up the flywheel but its kinetic energy can be put back into th shaft much more violently and have a detrimental effect on the key or other coupling method. Alignment, speed or balance are unlikly to be your problem as they would almost certainly result in bearing failures on the motor or pump.

You may be able to diagnose the problem with a strobe light, as the problem will always be at the same point of shaft rotation. If the coupling to the shaft cannot be seriously strenghtened then it may be possible to fit a flywheel with a resilient coupling which still maintains the flywheel's energy the same but allows it to be imparted to the shaft over afew degrees thus softening the blow.

this is my frst time in this site and i would like to show my appreciation by thanking everyone who shared their thoughts and experiences in this forum. thank you very much guys. . . . rest assure that i will consider all your suggestions in this problem of mine.

to the one/group who stablished this site . . . . thank you very much.

imagine . . . experiences, knowledge and thoughts of different engineers around the world . . . this is really great . . . . thank you again. . . .

@

JohnDG

Vulcan

sivaprasad

i will definitely check on the alignment and pursue a keener process in doing so . . . . thank you

@

cnpower

i will look into your suggestion with regards to "change of ratio" . . . thank you

@

Duckinthepond

will do your suggestions . . . .

@

jmart23

im not sure i know what tightrope walker is, can you elaborate more . . . will also check on the materials.

@

capblanc

could you elaborate more how to diagnose with a strobelight . . . and yes it is a centrifugal pump . . . . thank you

for the rest . . . . thank you very much for your contributions

Strobelight, if properly used, can help to track amplitude and frequency of vibration if vibration equipment is not available.

If you can find the frequency of the vibration, and determine its multiple to the driver speed, the number could provide guidance on the cause of the vibration.