With a flywheel, what is surely required is large moment of angular
inertia, and low weight.
With aluminium, which is stronger than steel, *perhaps* it is possible to
achieve this better than with steel. One would have as much as possible of
the weight of the flywheel distributed around the periphery, with a
thinner section inside. I am sure the same can be done with steel, but a
more extreme distribution could be done with aluminium.
I don't see why either the weight or angular moment of inertia would have
any impact of the maxiumum revs -- only the rate at which engine speed can
be increased, and even then, the flywheel only has a significant impact
when the engine is revved-up out of gear (or with the clutch dis-engaged).
Simon
|