Flywheel proves to be a rotating heavy disc bolted to the end of crankshaft of the engine. It aims to store rotational energy to prevent engine from stalling, and moderate gaps in power delivery to the engine. It provides one of friction surfaces for clutch as well, and it is weighted to provide balance to crankshaft.
Flywheel can be single mass or dual mass !!!
Single mass flywheel is made from a single heavy cast piece of steel or other materials. It doesn’t have moving piece, and it provides a contact between clutch assembly and engine. These one-piece discs have great thermal as well as warp resistance. When needed, it can be resurfaced, so that durability can be improved. This kind of flywheel enables engine rev quicker, hence it is appropriate for frequent engine speeds and gear change situations, such as racing engine or off-road driving. By the way, single mass flywheel is relatively cheaper. In terms of drawbacks, noise, vibration and harshness of operation should be mentioned.
Dual mass flywheel has two flywheels. One flywheel is attached to crankshaft and the other one is attached to clutch. This type of flywheel aims to store energy from a piston firing pulse, which can be transmitted to crankshaft, so that it rotates smoothly until the next piston pulse, hence reducing noise as well as vibration. A couple of springs with high strength between two discs prove to be “mechanical sponge” to dampen damaging torsional spikes due to engine vibration and protect gearbox. This type of flywheel can improve fuel efficiency as well, since engine power can be used in a more efficient way. At this point, it is often used in large vehicles, notably with diesel engine and manual transmission. But it can be used in particular petrol vehicles as well.
Although dual mass flywheel has its unique advantages, cost turns out to be its main drawbacks, because the assembly is much more complex. Additionally, it can’t be resurfaced, which means it must be replaced entirely. The hollow make-up makes it prone to heat-related warping. This type of flywheel is tuned to match engine torque curve, vibration features and vehicle load conditions. If these parameters cannot be kept, the flywheel will be damaged prematurely.
ZNDmotor manufactures both single mass and dual mass flywheels, which can fit lots of shaft sizes and configurations. Waiting for what? Just feel free to contact us right now !!!