Tech | February 01, 2009 | 29 comments

Scientists invent regenerative shocks

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Scientists at Tufts University have patented a shock absorber that converts compressive energy into electricity, which can then be stored in a hybrid vehicle's batteries. Called the Power-Generating Shock Absorber (PGSA), actually an electromagnetic linear generator, it uses "magnet arrays, high magnetic permeability spaces, coil winding arrays," and a linear electric motor to capture the energy of its motion and use it to charge the batteries.

The movement of a standard shock absorber creates heat, which is neutralized by the oil in the shock. In a PGSA, a linear electric motor converts the magnetic field created by the repetitive motion into electricity. Or, if you like your technology to sound science-y, it "uses an electromagnetic linear generator to convert variable frequency, repetitive intermittent linear displacement motion to useful electrical power."

The technology can be used on any vehicle that uses shocks and batteries, but its greatest application could be on trucks due to their higher mass and electricity-generation potential. Electric Truck, LLC has licensed the shock technology, which is predicted to generate between 2kW and 17kW of energy on an average road. According to the men who created it, "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 45 mph on a typical US highway is likely to be between 20% and 70%." Put four of those on a Prius and stay in town, and all of a sudden you're talking about interstellar gas mileage.
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29 comments // Scientists invent regenerative shocks

  • manfreddrake
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  • simplecj
  • RepressThis
  • simplecj
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  

    • Turbines steal energy from the car by increasing wind resistance, or drag. Meaning your engine will have to create that extra power to overcome the increased resistance. Add to that all the inefficiencies in the system and you'll be lucky to recapture 60% of the extra energy expended.

      This is a similar situation with the fraudulent claims of under-the-hood electrolysis and hydrogen generation. You actually can't produce enough hydrogen to make a difference at the intake. Should you try, you would have to supply so much energy to the electrolysis cells that you would have to add one or two high power alternators, BUT you'd be wasting lots of energy and money for worse gas mileage. Electrolysis is 60% at best with common quality cells, homemade ones will most likely be around 40-50%. There are cells capable of 80+% efficiency, but they are still very large and expensive and not really available to consumers.

      Other than solar, breaking and shock absorption, any other form of energy, especially hydrogen, is best harvested at a fixed location using wind or solar to supply the energy.

      The only way wind turbines could be effective is if you could activate them when braking at speeds over 20mph or so. But they would have to be retractable for when you're not braking.

      IMO, electric hydrogen fuel cells mated with a national network of solar/wind powered hydrogen fueling stations would be the perfect solution to the current transportation dilemma.

    • 3 years ago
  • ocanada
    • 0
      ocanada  
    • simplecj:

      My stepdad is working on a home made solar to hydrogen station, and would use the home made hydrogen as a boosting agent simmilar to no2

      Also I do see reverse hydrolosis being a viable alternative motive power technology, but only until they can replace rare elements like Paladium with something more commonplace and get a serious production effort so that they aren't a million dollars like they are today. I think hydrogen is decades not years away, and hybrids need to be near 100 percent of our near future production fleet because they are an easy bridge to the future, there is no reason we can't have a push for efficiency in all vehcles. Make it mandatory that all new vehicles are hydrogen, plug in electric, hybrid, super efficient deisel, or at least have a flex fuel chip.

    • 3 years ago
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  

    • They should have been including this technology in hybrid and electric cars from day 1!

      What's the best way to reclaim wasted energy and increase efficiency? Absorb movement through regen braking AND through the dampening effect of the shocks. This should have been a no-brainer!

      This technology isn't new at all, it should have been immediately recognized by the auto engineers.

      Seriously, when our best hybrid vehicle is barley tipping 50mpg on the highway, somethings not right.

      I am building an e-trike for my senior engineering project that will get me about 1000mpg equivalent and a range of about 30 miles which can easily be extended with more batteries. Considering the size of a compact hybrid car, I would expect AT LEAST 100mpg!

      We need to, and we can, develop much more efficient transportation!

      I would also like to see most of the up facing body panels with embedded thin-film solar panels. To me it's just stupid not to harvest any energy that's available. With the new thin film high efficiency low cost solar PV, embedded solar is finally here! I believe Honda is about to release a plug-in car with the top embedded with solar. I say, why not the hood and the trunk too? Shit, they've even got window tint like material that can capture solar energy. Every square inch that is available and situated correctly is a prime opportunity to capture energy!

    • 3 years ago
  • ocanada
    • 0
      ocanada  

    • Combined with solar photovolteics for in car electronics, regenerative breaking, and you've got yourself quite the package.

    • 3 years ago
  • sammysoul
    • 0
      sammysoul  

    • Where's the reference for this? You should have posted an article, press release, or at least the patent number so we can have a look at this. So far, this is just a theoretical concept to me. Looks good on paper; if it's viable in real life is another story.
      And what would a truck do with all this electricity? As far as I know, we don't have trucks running with electric engines, mainly due to lack of battery capacity. If these shocks really would generate that much power, maybe electric trucks would actually become possible...

    • 3 years ago
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  • akamaial
  • TabulaRasa
    • 0
      TabulaRasa  

    • I'm almost skeptical that SOMETHING or SOMEONE [oil companies] won't stop this from coming out if it improves gas mileage by too much. Jealousy in those with a lot of the worlds money is not a good thing..

    • 3 years ago
  • Robroy1
    • 0
      Robroy1  

    • Good idea but I need to see the cost and the output numbers. A 20-70 spreas is really kind of out there. After all shocks don't have a long filed of travel. I just hope this does not lead to building bumpy roads to create electricity.(LOL) But I must say it is an impressive idea and another step in the right direction.

    • 3 years ago
  • logicpocket
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  • mcflyy6
  • mcflyy6
    • 0
      mcflyy6  

    • I love how things are re"discovered". How long ago do you suppose someone actually came up with this and couldn't find an application for it. It's so simple in theory I'm sure Tesla would have sketched the thought out on a napkin at some point.

    • 3 years ago
  • jahkee3
  • Lirybka
  • Boner22
    • 0
      Boner22  

    • Why not put wind turbines on the cars too. I think you could generate a lot of energy once the vehicle is moving as well.... Then again maybe the wind resistance would cancel out the energy benifit.

    • 3 years ago
  • sammysoul
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  
    • Boner22:

      No! Turbines steal energy from the car by increasing wind resistance, or drag. Meaning your engine will have to create that extra power to overcome the increased resistance. Add to that all the inefficiencies in the system and you'll be lucky to recapture 60% of the extra energy expended.

      This is a similar situation with the fraudulent claims of under-the-hood electrolysis and hydrogen generation. You actually can't produce enough hydrogen to make a difference at the intake. Should you try, you would have to supply so much energy to the electrolysis cells that you would have to add one or two high power alternators, BUT you'd be wasting lots of energy and money for worse gas mileage. Electrolysis is 60% at best with common quality cells, homemade ones will most likely be around 40-50%. There are cells capable of 80+% efficiency, but they are still very large and expensive and not really available to consumers.

      Other than solar, breaking and shock absorption, any other form of energy, especially hydrogen, is best harvested at a fixed location using wind or solar to supply the energy.

      The only way wind turbines could be effective is if you could activate them when braking at speeds over 20mph or so. But they would have to be retractable for when you're not braking.

      IMO, electric hydrogen fuel cells mated with a national network of solar/wind powered hydrogen fueling stations would be the perfect solution to the current transportation dilemma.

    • 3 years ago
  • drewsuf721
  • jahbini
    • 0
      jahbini  

    • This is one of those ideas that make you think: "why wasn't this invented in 1930?"

      Simple, effective, worthy. We need this yesterday!

    • 3 years ago
  • simplecj
    • 0
      simplecj  
    • jahbini:

      Exactly my thoughts!! They should have been including this technology in hybrid and electric cars from day 1!

      What's the best way to reclaim wasted energy and increase efficiency? Absorb movement through regen braking AND through the dampening effect of the shocks. This should have been a no-brainer!

      This technology isn't new at all, it should have been immediately recognized by the auto engineers.

      Seriously, when our best hybrid vehicle is barley tipping 50mpg on the highway, somethings not right.

      I am building an e-trike for my senior engineering project that will get me about 1000mpg equivalent and a range of about 30 miles which can easily be extended with more batteries. Considering the size of a compact hybrid car, I would expect AT LEAST 100mpg!

      We need to, and we can, develop much more efficient transportation!

    • 3 years ago
  • pjacobs51
    • 0
      pjacobs51  

    • Great idea and so simple. This type of energy capture is already used in the break system of most electric cars. With the addition of the PGSA the recharge rate will be dramatically increased.

    • 3 years ago
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