Tutorial on Flywheels: Dynamics of Machinery (Part I)

1. A horizontal 300 kW cross compound steam engine runs at 100 rpm. The speed of the
engine to be maintained with 1% of the mean speed. The flywheel has a mass of 2000
kg with radius of gyration of 1 m. Determine the co-efficient of fluctuation of energy.
Ans. 0.02437
2. An electric motor drives a punching press. A flywheel fitted to the press has a radius
of gyration of 0.5 m and runs at 250 rpm. The press is capable of punching 800 holes
per hours with each punching operation taking 1.5 sec. and requiring 12,000 N-m of
work. Determine the rating of the machine in kW and the mass of the flywheel if the
speed of the flywheel does not drop below 230 rpm. Ans. 2.67 kW & 608 kg.

3. The effective turning moment exerted by two stroke engine at crank shaft is represented by
(cycle repeats every 1800 of crank rotation:
T ( N. m) 8000 1000sin 2 2000cos 2 , where =inclination of the crank to the
inner dead centre. The mass of the flywheel is 500 kg and its radius of gyration is 75 cm. The
engine speed is 300 rpm. Assuming external resistance as constant, determine for 180 0 of
crank rotation (a) the power developed, (b) the total percentage fluctuation in speed, and (c)
the maximum and the minimum torque produced.
Ans: (a) 251 kW, (b)0.8078%, (c) 10239.3 N m (max), 5764 N m (min)
4. A 5 kW induction motor running at 950 rpm operates a riveting machine. It has a
flywheel fitted to it of mass 100 kg and radius of gyration 0.4 m. Each riveting takes
1 second and requires 10 kW. Determine (i) the number of rivets closed per hour and
(ii) the fall in speed of the flywheel after the riveting operation.
Ans: (i) 1800 rivets/hour, (ii) 30.52 rpm
5. A punching press executes 20 holes of 2 cm diameter per min. in a plate 1.5 cm thick.
This causes the variation of speed in the flywheel attached to the press from 250 to
225 rpm. The punching operation takes 1.5 sec. per hole. Assume 500 N-m of work to
be done to shear 1 cm2 of the area and that the frictional losses account for 15% of the
work supplied for punching. Determine 1) Power needed to operate the punching
press in KW and 2) Mass of flywheel with radius of gyration of 0.5m.
Ans. 1.85 kW & 265.7 kg
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