Mechanical kinetic energy recovery systems have been proposed so far as a driveline component made up of a flywheel, a clutch and a continuously variable transmission connected to the driving wheels and designed for long time and high energy storage and high power charge and discharge rate. In the approach proposed here, there are actually two small KERS, one acting individually on each wheel, made up of just a clutch, a CVT and the flywheel. In this system, braking on one of the two rear wheels otherwise not motored is obtained by engaging the CVT through the clutch. Then, the wheel reduces its speed while the flywheel accelerates. Powering of one of the two rear wheels is then obtained when needed by engaging again the CVT through the clutch. Then, the wheel increases its speed while the flywheel decelerates. When the clutch is disconnected, flywheel and rear wheel are decoupled. This configuration is aimed to a further reduce the complexity and further reduce the costs of the KERS. This KERS has same potentials to reduce the fuel consumption of the traditional driveline based KERS. The system also offers the benefits to produce same accelerations of a four wheel drive car powered by a larger engine with a two wheel drive arrangement.

Boretti, Alberto - University of Ballarat