Definition of FLYWHEEL

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A heavy wheel attached to a rotating shaft, a flywheel smooths out delivery of power from a motor to a machine. The inertia of the flywheel moderates fluctuations in the speed of the engine and stores the excess energy for intermittent use. In automobile engines, the flywheel smooths out the pulses of energy provided by combustion in the cylinders, and provides energy for the compression stroke of the pistons. In power presses, the punching, shearing, and forming are done in a fraction of the operating cycle. During the rest of the cycle, the speed of the flywheel is built up by a comparatively low-powered motor, and most of the required energy for the cycle is provided by the flywheel.

Examples of flywheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Verge explores the latest developments in energy storage, from those giant batteries to infinitely spinning flywheels to bottling gas in underground caverns. — Angela Chen, The Verge, "Why the future of the power grid depends on giant batteries," 14 Aug. 2018 The brainchild of Brendan McCarthy, a Long Island fishing guide, this new kid on the block comes with a V-bar grate that raises and lowers with a flywheel. — Steven Raichlen, New York Times, "Cooking Over Wood: A Guide to the Grills," 29 June 2018 Although economic flywheels played an important role, the story of how the internet became centralised is more complex. — The Economist, "More knock-on than networkThe story of the internet is all about layers," 28 June 2018 As a boat rolls, the angular momentum of the flywheel creates a reaction force that transmits through the mounts to the hull of the boat. — Dan Neil, WSJ, "Skip the Seasickness: How Boats Are Getting More Tech-Savvy," 28 June 2018 The resulting rotation engages the flywheel, turning the engine over. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Watch Us Take Apart a Chainsaw Into 297 Pieces," 24 June 2015 McCloskey's 1920 Rumely Oil Pull tractor has to be started with a large flywheel on its side. — Mitchell Kirk, Post-Tribune, "Cass County man collects tractors from around the world," 6 July 2018 The flywheels come in various sizes for monohull boats (sorry, no catamarans) from 25 feet to more than 85 feet long. — Jack Stewart, WIRED, "Seakeeper’s Super Spinning System Keeps Ships Stable at Sea," 21 May 2018 Current satellites often rely on a type of flywheel called a reaction wheel. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Magnetic Engines Could Help Satellites Stay in Orbit Longer," 25 July 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flywheel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.