ENERGY STORAGE SUBSTATION CONCEPTS FOR AIRCRAFT ACTUATION FUNCTIONS.

Abstract : This report includes the studies designed to integrate the flywheel into existant aircraft actuation systems and evaluate the weight, reliability, and performance characteristics which result. In the course of the system investigations, several apparent facts were brought to light which tended to suggest an unanticipated necessity to direct development effort, in the exploitation of flywheel energy storage, toward utilization of all-mechanical couplings between the fly-wheel input and output components. The development level of these couplings whether they be, direct, on-off clutches, or servo controls, will establish an important measure of the probable successful application of the energy storage substation, in reducing air vehicle weight, within the minimum reliability limits that are acceptable. The studies covered two basic areas which were, continuous duty cycle operation as typified by the XB-70 elevon system, and intermittent duty cycle operation as typified by the XB-70 landing gear system. The elevon system studies compared a hydraulic powered energy storage substation and an energy storage substation with hydraulic power input and mechanical power extraction to the system currently in use on the XB-70.