What is the conventional limit of flywheel operations for cast steel, in feet per minute?

The conventional limit of flywheel operations for cast steel is generally accepted to be around 12000 feet per minute. This limit is based on the mechanical properties and the safe operational capabilities of cast steel materials. Flywheels store and release kinetic energy, and they must be designed to withstand the stresses associated with high rotational speeds.

As flywheels operate, they experience centrifugal forces that increase with the square of the rotational speed. Cast steel, while strong and capable of withstanding significant loads, also has a limit to its durability and the stresses it can tolerate without failure. Exceeding this limit can lead to catastrophic failure, resulting in the physical disintegration of the flywheel.

In engineering practice, the operational limits are determined through formulas and empirical data that take into account the material properties, the dimensions of the flywheel, and safety factors. A limit of 12000 feet per minute provides a balance between performance and safety for most applications using cast steel flywheels.