First orders for kinetic energy storage
The Flybrid-Xtrac-Torotrak Kinetic Energy Recovery System that has been in development for the last two decades, has finally started to received commercial orders.
According to design engineer Dan Jones, the company signed up with a “Supercar manufacturer”, whom Jones declined to identify, “Just before Christmas”, following on from an agreement to supply units for a demonstration project for First Group Buses last year. This is expected to result in both retro fitting old buses and fitting them onto new buses.
The prototype system has been, “Fully calibrated”, on a dynamometer system and the system is making, “Good progress” in the Technology Strategy Board backed, Jaguar-Land Rover project to develop a fuel efficient luxury car. Major patents have been granted and a breakthrough has been made in sealing the shaft leading into the vacuum chamber containing the 64,500 rpm flywheel. Further details will appear in an article to be published in the February 2009 edition of Eureka.
