|
A 5.5 HP Honda pressure washer produces 2.2 gallons at 2700 PSI.
With an accumulator you could store energy and launch a 4000 pound car to 70 MPH.
Once.
It takes 20 revolutions of the wheels to go 0-60 in 5 seconds in a car the size of a Corolla. The same number of revolutions to stop the car in just over 120 Feet.
At 30% (typical electric regen) you get 3.3 revolutions out of 20 back. At 80% you get 16.
Hydraulic Hybrids were at 78% 4 years ago, according to sources at Next Energy when I went there in 2006.
Cost becomes an advantage when you eliminate the hundreds of parts that are used to transfer power to the wheels in a conventional power train. Transmission, clutch, differential, axles, brakes, all gone.
Cost per wheel unit (manufacturing cost) would be about $100. Like a smart bomb, the axle, hub and bearings are already there.
An accumulator is basically a tank with a balloon inside the tank. Cycle life expectancy is measured in the tens of thousands, and you rebuild it by replacing the balloon. Very mature technology.
Take a Pontiac Solstice, which has a hydro formed tubular frame and used the frame as the accumulator. Replace the conventional power train with 4 in wheel drives. Put a .9 liter electric supercharged engine in it and you have 0-60 in 4 seconds and 100 MPG with decent aero and low rolling resistance tires.
About 2000 pounds curb weight.
The limiting factor for acceleration is the max displacement of the in wheel drives and the tires traction. Reverse engineer the system to reach the limits of traction under ideal circumstances and use wheel slip indicators to reduce displacement for traction control and ABS.
Virginia Tech calculated the power of my design at 35 HP and 380 pounds feet of torque.
Per wheel.
Much like the electric motor that produces high torque relative to the horsepower.
Even in an electric configuration, consider this point. You do not need to control the current flow to the motor, since it is either charging the accumulator or not running.
Pulse and glide has been proven to be effective even in electric cars. This system makes P&G and integral part of the vehicle itself, while maintaining a constant speed, even while employing a P&G strategy.
If you use an IC engine you need no throttle control or fuel delivery control, just on or off accumulator charging.
Now consider the sum total of parts you no longer need to offset the cost of the in wheel drives and the accumulator. The true cost would be offset by the brake components and the power train and induction system components no longer needed.
Overall you should see a 25% reduction in total parts count per vehicle, and a 15% reduction in per vehicle manufacturing cost.
I can build a system that would work on a bicycle, motorcycle, car, truck, train, ships, or even airplanes. Anything with wheels can be capable or regeneration.
Start-stop is simply reversing the flow of pressure from accumulator to engine, with only the controls necessary for reversing the flow.
regards
Mech
|