Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method

This study presents a simulation-based approach to evaluate crack initiation and propagation in steel flywheel energy storage rotors under centrifugal loading. A high-fidelity finite element model was constructed and validated against benchmark stress profiles, with the area under the curve deviatio...

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Main Authors: Ailene B. Nuñez, Aristotle T. Ubando, Jeremias A. Gonzaga, Roy Francis R. Navea, Gil Nonato C. Santos, Wei-Hsin Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025019139
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author Ailene B. Nuñez
Aristotle T. Ubando
Jeremias A. Gonzaga
Roy Francis R. Navea
Gil Nonato C. Santos
Wei-Hsin Chen
author_facet Ailene B. Nuñez
Aristotle T. Ubando
Jeremias A. Gonzaga
Roy Francis R. Navea
Gil Nonato C. Santos
Wei-Hsin Chen
author_sort Ailene B. Nuñez
collection DOAJ
description This study presents a simulation-based approach to evaluate crack initiation and propagation in steel flywheel energy storage rotors under centrifugal loading. A high-fidelity finite element model was constructed and validated against benchmark stress profiles, with the area under the curve deviations below 2 % and statistical confirmation via paired T-test (p = 0.2575). Stress concentration was observed at the rotor-shaft junction, indicating it as a primary crack initiation zone. A parametric model fitted to simulation data approximated J-integral values with R² = 0.95 and a mean absolute error of 2.47 %, capturing dominant trends across the design space. Separately, a Gaussian Process Prediction Model (GPPM), trained on a Gaussian Process-based space-filling design (GPM-SFD), achieved R² = 1.0 on training data and 0.936 on test data, demonstrating strong predictive generalization and stability. The highest energy release rate (684.84 J/m²) occurred for a 20 mm radial crack near the shaft at 10,000 rpm, marking the most fracture-prone configuration. Crack propagation simulations revealed pure mode I dominance (> 99.99 %) in radial cracks and mixed-mode behavior in tangential cracks, with mode II reaching 1.2 % and mode III exhibiting antisymmetric torsion. These results establish critical thresholds for crack growth, inform fatigue failure predictions, and support digital twin deployment for real-time structural monitoring in high-speed rotating systems.
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spelling doaj-art-dae1b655b2f3420c85a46d5897cec2f32025-08-20T03:32:49ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-09-012710584210.1016/j.rineng.2025.105842Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element methodAilene B. Nuñez0Aristotle T. Ubando1Jeremias A. Gonzaga2Roy Francis R. Navea3Gil Nonato C. Santos4Wei-Hsin Chen5Department of Mechanical Engineering, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, Philippines; Thermomechanical Analysis Laboratory, De La Salle University – Manila: Laguna Campus, LTI Spine Road, Laguna Blvd, Biñan, Laguna, PhilippinesDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, Philippines; Thermomechanical Analysis Laboratory, De La Salle University – Manila: Laguna Campus, LTI Spine Road, Laguna Blvd, Biñan, Laguna, Philippines; Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Research, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, Philippines; Corresponding author.Department of Mechanical Engineering, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, Philippines; Thermomechanical Analysis Laboratory, De La Salle University – Manila: Laguna Campus, LTI Spine Road, Laguna Blvd, Biñan, Laguna, Philippines; Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Research, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, PhilippinesDepartment of Electronics and Computer Engineering, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, PhilippinesDepartment of Physics, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, 1004 Manila, PhilippinesDepartment of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Research Center for Smart Sustainable Circular Economy, Tunghai University, Taichung 407, Taiwan; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 411, TaiwanThis study presents a simulation-based approach to evaluate crack initiation and propagation in steel flywheel energy storage rotors under centrifugal loading. A high-fidelity finite element model was constructed and validated against benchmark stress profiles, with the area under the curve deviations below 2 % and statistical confirmation via paired T-test (p = 0.2575). Stress concentration was observed at the rotor-shaft junction, indicating it as a primary crack initiation zone. A parametric model fitted to simulation data approximated J-integral values with R² = 0.95 and a mean absolute error of 2.47 %, capturing dominant trends across the design space. Separately, a Gaussian Process Prediction Model (GPPM), trained on a Gaussian Process-based space-filling design (GPM-SFD), achieved R² = 1.0 on training data and 0.936 on test data, demonstrating strong predictive generalization and stability. The highest energy release rate (684.84 J/m²) occurred for a 20 mm radial crack near the shaft at 10,000 rpm, marking the most fracture-prone configuration. Crack propagation simulations revealed pure mode I dominance (> 99.99 %) in radial cracks and mixed-mode behavior in tangential cracks, with mode II reaching 1.2 % and mode III exhibiting antisymmetric torsion. These results establish critical thresholds for crack growth, inform fatigue failure predictions, and support digital twin deployment for real-time structural monitoring in high-speed rotating systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025019139Crack propagationFatigueSpace-filling designFlywheelEnergy storage systemsFinite element method
spellingShingle Ailene B. Nuñez
Aristotle T. Ubando
Jeremias A. Gonzaga
Roy Francis R. Navea
Gil Nonato C. Santos
Wei-Hsin Chen
Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
Results in Engineering
Crack propagation
Fatigue
Space-filling design
Flywheel
Energy storage systems
Finite element method
title Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
title_full Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
title_fullStr Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
title_full_unstemmed Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
title_short Crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
title_sort crack propagation in an energy storage flywheel rotor using finite element method
topic Crack propagation
Fatigue
Space-filling design
Flywheel
Energy storage systems
Finite element method
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025019139
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AT royfrancisrnavea crackpropagationinanenergystorageflywheelrotorusingfiniteelementmethod
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