Modeling of Flywheel Hybrid Powertrain to Optimize Energy
Consumption in Mechanical Hybrid Motorcycle
Muhammad Zaidan Abdul Manaf
1,a
, Nik Abdullah Nik Mohamed
2,b
,
Mohamad Shukri Zakaria
1,c
, Mohd Noor Asril Saadun
1,d
,
and Mohd Hafidzal Mohd Hanafi
1,e
1
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UniversitiTeknikal Malaysia Melaka, 76100 Durian Tunggal,
Melaka, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM,
Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
a
muhammadzaidan@utem.edu.my,
b
enikkei@eng.ukm.my,
c
mohamad.shukri@utem.edu.my,
d
asril@utem.edu.my,
e
hafidzal@utem.edu.my
Keywords: Flywheel Hybrid Motorcycle, Flywheel, Power Transfer Efficiency (PTE), Power
Conversion Efficiency (PCE) and Back Trace Simulation.
Abstract. The creation of internal combustion engine is a significant milestone in power
engineering world which simplified high mechanical energy demand jobs like moving vehicle and
machinery. Even though the internal combustion engine gives lot of advantages, however, this type
of engine is incapable to convert the heat energy from fuel combustion to the mechanical energy
efficiently. Small capacity engine e.g. motorcycle engine having the power conversion efficiency
between 25-30%. Therefore, alternative power source is required to support the internal combustion
engine in order to increase the overall system efficiency. These phenomena give encouragement to
implement the hybridization process. This is to increase the system efficiency in transferring power
to the wheel. Hybridization processes e.g. flywheel as secondary power source can increase power
transfer efficiency between 30%-80%. Hence, the purpose of this research is to develop the
mathematical model of the power transfer efficiency of flywheel hybrid motorcycle by using back
trace simulation method. This model will record the amount of energy use in acceleration phase of
the driving cycle. Subsequently, the efficiency ratio of motorcycle power transfer is calculated and
comparison of those ratios between the conventional motorcycle and the hybrid motorcycle is made.
The outstanding results show that the hybrid motorcycle is capable to conserve the energy used up
to 36% compare to the conventional motorcycle that wasted energy up to 200%. As a conclusion,
flywheel as the secondary power source is capable to supply enough energy to propel the
motorcycle forward.
Introduction
The concept of flywheel hybrid powertrain is originated from kid’s toys car. It is used small
metal disk known as flywheel to store the kinetic energy transmitted from the wheel during the push
action. When release, the store kinetic energy inside the flywheel is transfer back to the wheel and
propel the toys car forward. Two concepts gathered from these simple innovations which are the
regenerative braking concept and the power propulsion concept. Above all, it does not involve any
chemical and electrical concepts. It is totally harnesses the power of mechanical energy. Therefore
the same concepts is used in full scale motorcycle to reduces internal combustion engine
contribution in propel the motorcycle forward.
Furthermore, the concept of using flywheel as alternative power source in vehicle is parallel
with global initiative to reduce harmful carbon release to atmosphere. In Asian country, motorcycle
is the most famous transportation device cause of it size and low maintenance. For example in
Malaysia country, until September 2012, the total numbers of vehicles on road reaches 22.3 million
with 47.3% from it are motorcycles [1]. Contribution of carbon based emission release by
Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 393 (2013) pp 287-292
© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.393.287
All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,
www.ttp.net. (ID: 219.93.10.33, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,Universiti Teknikal Malaysia, Durian Tunggal, Malaysia-31/07/13,05:27:52)