Crossword clues for flywheel
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
flywheel \flywheel\ n. A heavy wheel or disk which stores kinetic energy by rotating on a shaft, and by its momentum smoothes the operation of a reciprocating engine by reducing fluctuations of speed. It is used in certain types of machinery, such as automobiles.
Note: Flywheels rotating at high speed have also been proposed as a means to store kinetic energy for use as a low-polluting source of energy in vehicles.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Wiktionary
n. a rotating mass used to maintain the speed of a machine within certain limits while the machine receives or releases energy at a varying rate
WordNet
n. regulator consisting of a heavy wheel that stores kinetic energy and smoothes the operation of a reciprocating engine
Wikipedia
A flywheel is a rotating mechanical device that is used to store rotational energy. Flywheels have an inertia called the moment of inertia and thus resist changes in rotational speed. The amount of energy stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square of its rotational speed. Energy is transferred to a flywheel by the application of a torque to it, thereby increasing its rotational speed, and hence its stored energy. Conversely, a flywheel releases stored energy by applying torque to a mechanical load, thereby decreasing the flywheel's rotational speed.
Common uses of a flywheel include:
- Providing continuous energy when the energy source is discontinuous. For example, flywheels are used in reciprocating engines because the energy source, torque from the engine, is intermittent.
- Delivering energy at rates beyond the ability of a continuous energy source. This is achieved by collecting energy in the flywheel over time and then releasing the energy quickly, at rates that exceed the abilities of the energy source.
- Controlling the orientation of a mechanical system. In such applications, the angular momentum of a flywheel is purposely transferred as a torque to the attaching mechanical system when energy is transferred to or from the flywheel, thereby causing the attaching system to rotate into some desired position.
Flywheels are typically made of steel and rotate on conventional bearings; these are generally limited to a revolution rate of a few thousand RPM. Some modern flywheels are made of carbon fiber materials and employ magnetic bearings, enabling them to revolve at speeds up to 60,000 RPM.
Carbon-composite flywheel batteries have recently been manufactured and are proving to be viable in real-world tests on mainstream cars. Additionally, their disposal is more eco-friendly.
Flywheel is a 2003 American Christian drama film about the unexpected pitfalls that a used car dealer can expect to experience if he suddenly goes honest. The dealer intentionally overcharges his customers until reaching a turning point in his life where he decides to end his shady business practices and become a Christian. Alex Kendrick both directed the film and starred in the lead role, and with his brother, Stephen Kendrick, co-wrote the film. Flywheel also stars Lisa Arnold and Tracy Goode.
First released on April 9, 2003, this movie is the first full-length feature film by Sherwood Pictures, which now includes the production of Facing the Giants, Fireproof and Courageous.
A flywheel is a rotating disk used as a storage device for kinetic energy.
The term also may refer to:
- An energy storage device that includes a flywheel: flywheel energy storage
- Flywheels, a 1987 Transformers Decepticon character, a member of the Duocons.
- Flywheel (film), a 2003 Christian drama film by Sherwood Pictures
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Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel (1932–33) radio show with Groucho Marx and Chico Marx
- Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel (1990 radio series) (1990–92) a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of the 1932 series
- Flywheel (band), formerly known as Pound
- In the world of venture capital, the term "flywheel" is used to represent the recurrent, margin-generating heart of a business.
Usage examples of "flywheel".
Chains swing deadweight like useless limbs, snapping into zombie motion where cogs engage and flywheels turn.
Balthasar had his hand poised on his flywheel to respond the moment Luis called him into a shot.
Tyrel looks at the swiftly stroking rods, the planetary gear, and the flywheel.
Probably torn some teeth off your flywheel, the starter gear hits that dead spot and just spins.
The power source for this kind of vehicle might be a turbine, until heat-seeking missiles force a change to fuel cells or, for lagniappe, a set of flywheels mounted in different parts of the chassis.
Beneath the light unit, a motor hummed and heavily greased cables slid around a spinning flywheel.
The disk acts like an enormous rotating flywheel, driving currents and mass flow both up and down from the disk.
I went over the rear axle casing, propeller shaft tunnel, flywheel housing, crankcase flanges and trays while the building creaked and the draught chilled my bones and the bastard began laughing softly with that awful laugh of his that turned to coughing because of the cigarette smoke.
While other workers screw in the air filter (seventeen seconds) and attach the starter motor (twenty-six seconds) and put on the flywheel.
And in the center of it all, an enormous steam Wurlitzer pounded and thrummed, flywheel spinning, slide valves popping, with shafts and belts connected to an incredible Rube Goldberg concoction of rocking cranks, syncopating levers, undulating cams, whirling gear trains, and nodding tappets, all acting out its cycle of interlocked motions with a complexity and ingenuity that astonished even Hunt.