KEEE 2276

EXPERIMENT U4: MOMENT OF INERTIA OF FLYWHEEL

MOHD FUAD BIN SARMAN (KEE 120026)

DEMONSTRATOR:

ABSTRACT

In this experiment, the moment of inertia of flywheel is being studied by variating the
point of mass of flywheel. The experiment is conducted by recording the time taken for
the respective point of mass to being rotated by a fixed load until the point where the load
is escaping from the flywheel and the number of rotations done after be independent from
the load. The moment of inertia then is calculated by substituting the data obtained from
the experiment and the experimental value is calculate and compared to the experimental
one.

INTRODUCTION

The mass moment of inertia is an important concept in rotational motion. The mass
moment of inertia also called as the rotational inertia of a body is a measure of how hard
it is to get it rotating about some axis. Rotational inertia is one indicator of the ability of
rotating body to store kinetic energy. It is also an indicator of the amount of torque that
will be needed to rotational accelerate the body. Just as the mass is a measure of
resistance of linear acceleration, moment of inertia is a measure of resistance to angular
acceleration.
 Flywheel is a solid disc of significant size and weight mounted on the shaft of
machines such as steam engines, diesel engines, turbine etc. Its function is to minimize
the speed fluctuations that takes place when load on such machines suddenly decreases or
increases. The flywheel acquires excess kinetic energy from the machines when load on
the machine is less or its running idle and supplies the stored energy to the machine when
it is subjected to larger loads. The capacity of storing / shedding of kinetic energy depend
on the rotational inertia of the flywheel. This rotational inertia is known as moment of
inertia of rotating object namely wheels.

Formulation and calculation

Work output from fallen mass is given by the difference between lost in potential and
kinetics energy during mass separation from energy wheel.

Potential energy = mgh

= mgh2πrN

where N = the number of rotation

Final velocity of mass v = N r

Kinetics energy = 1/2 m (N r)2

Work produce on energy wheel = mg (2rN) - 1/2m (N r) 2

Figure 1 Free diagram of the flywheel.

 Energy wheel starts from static condition. It will reach a total of N1 rotation before
stopping, when it is allowed to rotate after body separation. This means that all work was
used to overcome the bearing friction which is assumed to be constant. At the time the
load separates from the energy wheel, it will reach the maximum angle speed  N and the
kinetics energy is given by ½ m(Nr)2.

Let say torsion of bearing friction is Cf. By assuming the work used to overcome the
friction is equal to the output work, hence

mg (2rN) - ½ m (N r)2 = Cf (2N1) ................................... (I)

Energy equivalent after N rotation is

mg (2rN) - ½ m (N r)2 = Cf (2N) + ½ IN 2 ......................... (II)

Therefore, if N, N1 and N are measured, Cf can be determined from (I) and (II)

From equation: θ = 0 t+1/2 αt2

It can be shown that N = 4πN/t

OBJECTIVES

1. To compare the theoretical and experimental value of moment of inertia for flywheel.

2. To investigate the variations in moment of flywheel with different detachable parts.

 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
PART 1: A COMPLETE FLYWHEEL WITH OUTER AND INNER RINGS

Readings 1 2 3 Average
Time, t (s) 9.00 9.00 9.00 9.00
No. of rotation, 52 56 54 54
N1

Table 1 The tabulation if data for the complete energy wheel with outer and inner rings.

4πN
N =
t
4π (5)
=
9.00
= 6.9813 rad/s

mg 2rN  1 m( N r ) 2
Cf = 2
2N1

(0.3)(9.81)2 (0.02)(5)  1 (0.3)(6.9813  0.02) 2

= 2
2 (54)

= 5.4414 × 10-3 Nm

mg 2rN 0  1 m( N r ) 2  2N 0C f

I1 = 2 2
N 2

0.3698(5)  6 10 5 (6.9813) 2  2 (5)(5.4414 10 3 )

= 2
(6.9813) 2

= 0.0687 kgm2
PART 2: A COMPLETE FLYWHEEL WITH INNER RING ONLY

Readings 1 2 3 Average
Time, t (s) 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00
No. of rotation, 73 75 67 72
N1

Table 2 The tabulation if data for the complete energy wheel with inner ring only

4πN
N =
t
4π (5)
=
8.00
= 7.8540 rad/s

mg 2rN  1 m( N r ) 2
Cf = 2
2N1

(0.3)(9.81)2 (0.02)(5)  1 (0.3)(7.8540  0.02) 2

= 2
2 (72)

= 4.0793 × 10-3 Nm

mg 2rN 0  1 m( N r ) 2  2N 0C f

I2 = 2 2
N 2

0.3698(5)  6 10 5 (7.8540) 2  2 (5)(4.0793 10 3 )

= 2
(7.8540) 2

= 0.0557 kgm2
PART 3: A COMPLETE FLYHEEL WITHOUT OUTER AND INNER RINGS

Readings 1 2 3 Average
Time, t (s) 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
No. of rotation, 81 84 82 82
N1

Table 3 The tabulation if data for the complete energy wheel without outer and inner
rings.

4πN
N =
t
4π (5)
=
7.00
= 8.9760 rad/s

mg 2rN  1 m( N r ) 2
Cf = 2
2N1

(0.3)(9.81)2 (0.02)(5)  1 (0.3)(8.9760  0.02) 2

= 2
2 (82)

= 3.5796 × 10-3 Nm

mg 2rN 0  1 m( N r ) 2  2N 0C f

I3 = 2 2
N 2

0.3698(5)  6 10 5 (8.9760) 2  2 (5)(3.5796 10 3 )

= 2
(8.9760) 2

= 0.0430 kgm2
PART 4: A COMPLETE FLYWHEEL WITH OUTER RING ONLY

Readings 1 2 3 Average
Time, t (s) 9.00 9.00 9.00 9.00
No. of rotation, 56 58 57 57
N1

Table 4 The tabulation if data for the complete energy wheel with outer ring only.

4πN
N =
t
4π (5)
=
9.00
= 6.9813 rad/s

mg 2rN  1 m( N r ) 2
Cf = 2
2N1

(0.3)(9.81)2 (0.02)(5)  1 (0.3)(6.9813  0.02) 2

= 2
2 (57)

= 5.1550 × 10-3 Nm

mg 2rN 0  1 m( N r ) 2  2N 0C f

I4 = 2 2
N 2

0.3698(5)  6 10 5 (6.9813) 2  2 (5)(5.1550 10 3 )

= 2
(6.9813) 2

= 0.0691 kgm2
Moment of inertia for components in energy wheel.

mass m = v

where  = density of steel

= 7850 kg/m3

and v = volume

= r2 t

Moment of inertia for solid cylindrical wheel

I = 1 MR2
2

A. Basic Unit

R = 0.125 m

Mass m = v

= 7 850(0.125)2(0.030)

= 11.56 kg

Moment of inertia I = (0.5) (11.56) (0.125)2

= 0.090 kg m2
B. Outer ring

R= 0.125 m

r = 0.09 m
B
A

Inertia moment of outer ring

I = ½ MR2 - ½ mr2

Where M = mass of A and B

R = A’s radius

m = mass of B

r = B’s radius

I = (0.5)7850(0.125)2(0.02)(0.125)2 - (0.5)7850(0.09)2(0.02)(0.09)2

= 0.044 kg m2

C. Inner ring

R’= 0.089 m

r’ = 0.02 m
D
C
Moment of inertia,

I = ½ M’R’2 - ½ m’r’2

Where M’ = mass of C and D

R’ = C’s radius

m’ = mass of D

r’ = D’s radius

I = (0.5)7850(0.089)2(0.02)(0.089)2 - (0.5)7850(0.02)2(0.02)(0.02)2

= 0.015 kg m2

Calculation of moment of inertia based on part of experiment

Part 1: Flywheel with both outer and inner rings

I = Ibasic unit + Iouter ring + Iinner ring

= 0.090 + 0.044 + 0.015

= 0.149 kg m2

Part 2: Flywheel with inner ring only

I = Ibasic unit + Iinner ring

= 0.090 + 0.015

= 0.105 kg m2

Part 3: Flywheel without either inner or outer ring

I = Ibasic unit

= 0.090 kg m2
Part 4: Flywheel with outer ring only

I = Ibasic unit + Iouter ring

= 0.090 + 0.044

= 0.134 kg m2

Part of experiment Experimental value, I Theoretical value, I Error percentage %

(kg m2) (kg m2)
1 0.0687 0.149 53.89%
2 0.0557 0.105 46.95%
3 0.0430 0.090 52.22%
4 0.0691 0.134 48.43%

Table 5 Comparison of experimental and theoretical value for moment of inertia of

flywheel.

From the comparison of the theoretical and experimental value of moment of inertia
for the flywheel in table 5, this experiment resulted in a very large percentage of error in
which the highest occurrence is 53.89% while the smallest is 46.95%. This error might be
caused from the human error in which this experiment involved almost everything was
handled by human measurement instead of machine. Thus, we can detect some source of
error such as the miscalculated number of rotations due to the rotation is too many and
too long to be calculated. The wheel also rotates at high angular velocity. Thus, person
who calculated it might be confused and miscalculation was occurred. There also might
be error in recording the time taken in which it was from human mistake whether too
immediate or too late to start the recording or while stopping the stopwatch and also it is
depending on what type or scale of the clock being used since in this experiment, we have
no specific stopwatch to be used, instead, we used our own watch. Since the experimental
calculation is not in ideal case, thus, the rest assumption of source of error is pointed on
the apparatus itself whether there has the lost of energy to the surrounding. Energy is lost
due to frictional force in which the friction between the flywheel with the core and the
cord will cause a small fraction of energy loss in heat.

Thus, due to this error, a higher step of precaution should be taken to minimise the
error. In this experiment, we done thrice reading on three parts of the experiment while
the other one, we did twice repetition. This repetition is a way to minimise the error.
However, it could be effective if the one who calculate the rotation is a machine since this
will avoid a bit human error. Other than that, we may apply lubricant on flywheel to
reduce the friction.

To explain about the theoretical concept in this experiment, we consider the

theoretical one since the experimental one has a lot of inaccuracy. From the calculation if
moment of inertia, we obtain that the largest value is at part one during the whole unit is
on action. This is of course due to the highest mass as related in the equation of inertia for
solid cylinder which is, I = 0.5MR2 in which the higher the mass, the bigger the moment
of inertia. This relationship also being proved by the part 3 experiment in which with the
lightest mass, it gives a smaller moment of inertia. To compare on part 2 and part 4, it
seems that the moment of inertia for part 2 is much smaller as compared to part 4. This is
due to the relationship in which the higher the length of the radius, the higher the value of
moment of inertia as described in equation I = 0.5MR2.
 CONCLUSION

From the experiment, the moment of inertia of flywheel had been studied in which
results in the dependency of mass and radius of the wheel as stated in the equation I = ½
MR2. From here, as the mass and the radius of then flywheel is increased, the moment of
inertia is also increased. However, in the comparison of experimental value to the
theoretical value, t is found that there are a huge deviation from the theoretical one. Here
we conclude the error was done by human mistakes and also might be because of the
energy loss due to frictional force. Thus, it is incomparable with the theoretical one
because of this is not an ideal condition.

REFERENCES

1. Woodford C. (November 12, 2013). “Flywheels,” retrieved at May 28, 2014, from
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/flywheels.html

2. Bear, FP; Johnson, E.R.Jr, Vector Mech. For Eng, DYNAMICS, International Edition
1996. McGraw-Hill Co, New York 436-438.