Abstract: A flywheel system has an approximately toroidal flywheel rotor having an outer radius, the flywheel rotor positioned around and bound to a hub by stringers, the stringers each of a radius slightly smaller than the outer radius of the flywheel rotor. The hub is suspended from a motor-generator by a flexible shaft or rigid shaft with flexible joint, the flywheel rotor having a mass, substantially all of the mass of the flywheel rotor comprising fibers, the fibers in large part movable relative to each other. The motor-generator is suspended from a damped gimbal, and the flywheel rotor and motor-generator are within a chamber evacuatable to vacuum. An electrostatic motor/generator can also be within the same vacuum as the flywheel.

Abstract: A flywheel system has an approximately toroidal flywheel rotor having an outer radius, the flywheel rotor positioned around and bound to a hub by stringers, the stringers each of a radius slightly smaller than the outer radius of the flywheel rotor. The hub is suspended from a motor-generator by a flexible shaft or rigid shaft with flexible joint, the flywheel rotor having a mass, substantially all of the mass of the flywheel rotor comprising fibers, the fibers in large part movable relative to each other. The motor-generator is suspended from a damped gimbal, and the flywheel rotor and motor-generator are within a chamber evacuatable to vacuum. An electrostatic motor/generator can also be within the same vacuum as the flywheel.

Abstract: A flywheel system has an approximately toroidal flywheel rotor having an outer radius, the flywheel rotor positioned around and bound to a hub by stringers, the stringers each of a radius slightly smaller than the outer radius of the flywheel rotor. The hub is suspended from a motor-generator by a flexible shaft or rigid shaft with flexible joint, the flywheel rotor having a mass, substantially all of the mass of the flywheel rotor comprising fibers, the fibers in large part movable relative to each other. The motor-generator is suspended from a damped gimbal, and the flywheel rotor and motor-generator are within a chamber evacuatable to vacuum. An electrostatic motor/generator can also be within the same vacuum as the flywheel.