After the first place on the podium for the Hybrid Porsche many congratulations were offered – even from Oxford in Great Britain: Williams Hybrid Power, manufacturer of the flywheel generator, sent their congratulations in a press release.
„We are delighted with the progress Porsche have made with our technology in the last weeks”, says Ian Foley, WHP Managing Director. “At the second round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring, the system has for the first time operated at its full output under racing conditions. We have thus taken another step forwards to the goal of showing how flywheel technology can benefit both performance and fuel economy in the forthcoming Nürburgring 24 hour race at the Nürburgring.”
WHP’s patented flywheel generator is a novel regarding electro-mechanical energy capture, storage and recycling technology. The system which is very versatile and has a wide applicability was first developed for Formula One. The flywheel generator is an electro-mechanical system with a rotor capable of spinning at speeds of up to 40.000 revolutions per minute and storing energy mechanically in form of rotation energy. This energy is stored under braking when the two electric motors at the front axle reverse their function and act themselves as generators. The driver is able to call upon this extra energy stored in the flywheel generator as needed, such as when accelerating out of corners or during overtaking manoeuvres. The flywheel generator is slowed down electromagnetically in the generator mode and up to 120 kW can thus be supplied to the two electric motors at the front axle. This additional power is available for the driver after each charge process for a duration of approximately six to eight seconds.
