Bumps in the road recharge batteries

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

interesting idea for recovering pothole energy:
Shock Absorbers Boost Fuel Economy - 2009-05-07 15:22:21 | Design News
Add a boost converter and we could charge the IMA battery on the fly.

[3-Wheeler]

Mike,

Yes I read that as well. Pretty sharp bunch of guys to come up with that idea and actually make it work.

When you think about it, it's amazing how much energy is lost from forward motion on those infamously bumpy roads to/from work.

Jim.

[boogetyboogety]

Oh, this brings back memories... we thought about this waaaay back in college, thirty-some-plus years ago, but we envisioned the shock-absorber-motion concept not as an electrical power generator, but as an air pump device to store compressed air in a tank to provide power for automotive accessories (so there would not be any parasitic engine power losses to power steering, power brakes, air conditioners, and any other belt-driven generators of energy). Back-of-the-envelope calculations showed it could probably work, but as with many other beer-fueled flashes of insight back in the day, the concept was soon forgotten and never resurrected (by us, anyways). Now they even have compressed-air-powered engines, so maybe we could finally build a perpetual-motion car with today's technology...

"One point twenty-one gigawatts!?!"

[uhtrinity]

"What they found shocked them. Assuming 1-cm deflections at 1.5 Hz, with a spring constant of 160,000 N/m in a 3,000-lb sedan, they learned that there were 1.45 kW-hr available from the suspension."

But they don't say the average distance needed to recoup that. Less than 1kW/hr would recharge a stock Insight pack. The only indication they give on output is:

"Assuming that over-the-road trucks travel 100,000 miles per year, Levant engineers say their shock absorber would pay for itself in two years." or "Expectations are that the GenShock could help vehicles reduce fuel consumption by up to 10 percent."

But for the latter to happen wouldn't you have to use a hybrid system with it?

[Cobb]

Piezo electric shocks? Ive heard about this for skis, but you never see it.

I was reading an article about using thermal couples in exhausts to use the waste heat for energy.

[toctoc1980]

Originally Posted by Cobb

Piezo electric shocks? Ive heard about this for skis, but you never see it.

I was reading an article about using thermal couples in exhausts to use the waste heat for energy.

Bose suspention (Sorry its in french)
YouTube - Suspension BOSE

I already tinked to put a remote turbo to my insight with replacing de compressor by a alternator to recharge my Battery pack. But its juste a idea. Dont have money ans electronical knowledge to do this