Vauhtipyörä

Vauhtipyörä is a Finnish term that translates to "flywheel" in English. In engineering and mechanics, a flywheel is a heavy rotating disc or wheel that stores rotational energy. Its primary function is to smooth out the power delivery from an intermittent source, such as an engine, or to absorb and store energy for later use.

The principle behind a flywheel's operation is inertia. When torque is applied to the flywheel, it accelerates and stores kinetic energy in its rotation. Conversely, when the torque source decreases or disappears, the flywheel continues to rotate, releasing its stored energy and maintaining momentum. This makes it particularly useful in applications where consistent rotational speed is required, despite fluctuations in the driving force.

Common applications for flywheels include internal combustion engines, where they help to smooth out the power strokes of the pistons and provide a continuous rotation to the crankshaft. They are also found in machinery like punch presses, which require a sudden burst of energy to perform a task, and in some renewable energy systems to store generated power. The mass and diameter of a flywheel are key factors determining its energy storage capacity. A larger and heavier flywheel will store more energy and provide greater rotational stability.