Tufts develops regenerative electromagnetic shock absorber

[MetroMPG]

Via GCC:

Tufts University has developed an electromagnetic shock absorber that apparently has some really good energy generating potential:

At the SAE Government/Industry Meeting in Washington in 2001, Goldner, Zerigian and J.R. Hull from Argonne presented a paper estimating that the percentage of recoverable power/energy for a 2,500 lb vehicle that employs four optimized design regenerative magnetic shock absorbers and whose average speed is 20 meters/s (45 mph) on a typical US highway is likely to be between 20% and 70%.

They're claiming that this 2500 lb vehicle can generate an average output of 1-6 kW "traveling at relatively moderate speeds on typical roads encountered under normal urban driving conditions."

Source: Green Car Congress: Electric Truck Exclusively Options Regenerative Magnetic Shock Absorber Technology from Tufts

SAE paper: http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/...ive/771018.pdf

[FastPlastic]

I was wondering when someone would look in to this. It ran through my head at one point. Just wasn't a project I could take on. Got the idea from those little rechargeable flash light that you shake. Just in a much larger scale.

The amount of force those shocks see is enormous I'm sure. I think it has the potential of increasing the range of any vehicle with an electric power train immensely. It would also be something that could be retro-fitted to an existing vehicle if done right.

[captainslug]

Same principle as wave generators.

[MetroMPG]

Considering a small car only requires around .3 kW to run (not counting lights, stereo, etc), these 1-6 kW shocks could conceivably supply all the vehicle's power needs and then some, permitting the alternator to be off most of the time.

[cfg83]

MetroMPG -

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Considering a small car only requires around .3 kW to run (not counting lights, stereo, etc), these 1-6 kW shocks could conceivably supply all the vehicle's power needs and then some, permitting the alternator to be off most of the time.

That's what I was about to say. It could be used for regular cars and hybrids for increased range/electrical charging.

CarloSW2

[NeilBlanchard]

...so you pray for bumpy roads?

Great idea!

[cfg83]

NeilBlanchard -

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

...so you pray for bumpy roads?

Great idea!

The irony is, I drive the 710 freeway in LA for my commute, which I like to call "Diesel Alley". This is *the* freeway between the Long Beach Harbor and the rail yards in LA, so it's uber-buckled from truck traffic.

On that disaster of a road I could probably generate 4KW!!!!!!!!!!!

CarloSW2

[metromizer]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

...so you pray for bumpy roads?

If you commute on northern California hiways like I do, there's no need to pray

For a non-snow belt area, my state's hiway maintainence org has no excuse... other than being broke that is

[NeilBlanchard]

I live in New England -- say no more! I think we invented the frost heave...

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by metromizer

For a non-snow belt area, my state's hiway maintainence org has no excuse...

Oh, it can get worse :-) I only drove the Insight on I-80 over the Sierra one trip, because I was afraid that I was going to high-center it on the ruts the truck traffic had worn into the concrete.