Peter L. Peres wrote:

> >Slightly OT, but I once saw an "economy marathon" type
> >vehicle with variable-diameter flywheel, so energy could
> >be fed into it (or drawn out like a spinning ballerina)
>
> You mean the wheel had constant rpm and changed the interial moment by
> physically changing the diameter of the moving part ? Clever but I suspect
> 'some' mechanical troubles. It could be done with liquid, pumping it in
> and out at the hub to change Mi. The centrifugal force would keep it glued
> to the circumference (on the inside of a hollow wheel).

From memory it had pivoting weights similar to
the system used for ignition advance weights in
older cars. A slipring and cable (or similar) were
used to "open" or "close" the wheel size when
running so the vehicle could feed some energy back
into movement for hills and soak it up on the
downhills. It was only a tiny one-man thing.
I suppose it's just a way of getting energy out
of a flywheel without doing much. :o)
-Roman

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