Do-it-yourself regenerative braking?

[zman]

So all the problems with energy storage after it is recovere by spinning the alternator got me thinking about producing hydrogen.

Istead of using H in a fuel cell I was thinking about introducing it to the fuel-airmixture by piping it to the intake manifold.

The alternator would spin when in regen brakeing mode and generate hydrogen. The selenoid operated valve would be shut to keep H out of the air manifold. When the light turns green open the valve and allow it to mix in with the fuel-air mixture for power.

All of this is done in low pressure enviroment so no danger of explosions.

I don't know how much energy would be recovered, but it would be relatively easy to set-up.

[Daox]

While that might be viable and would in fact work, the inefficiencies of all the energy conversions add up like crazy. First, you convert your motion to electricity, then electricity to hydrogen, then hydrogen to physical motion again. By the time you do all that, you only have a tiny fraction of the original energy you were trying to capture.

[zman]

I totally agree, the inefficiencies are huge, but the objective is to recover some energy in the easiest way possible otherwise we are releasing brake dust and heat into the atmosphere. This system would acomplish two things, slow you down without the use of brakes and give you little boost while taking off.

[Daox]

Quite true zman. Give it a shot and see what you can get out of it.