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Scientists develop power-generating shock absorbers

 
4 4,800 views Feb 1, 2009

The Power-Generating Shock Absorber (PGSA) uses energy that would be otherwise lost as heat to generate electricity

The Power-Generating Shock Absorber (PGSA) uses energy that would be otherwise lost as heat to generate electricity

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When it comes to power-regeneration technology the first place most people look at is brake hardware. Many of the petrol-electric hybrid vehicles on the roads today, and even some non-hybrids, feature some sort of brake energy regeneration device. These usually consist of storing energy in a separate fly wheel or using an electric motor as a generator to slow a vehicle.

Scientists at Tufts University have now developed a system that relies on the movement of a shock-absorber to generate power. According to Tufts Journal, the technology is an electromagnetic linear generator, which converts energy that would otherwise be lost, into electrical energy that can help charge a vehicle’s battery.

The electricity generated can then be combined with electricity from other power generation systems, such as solar panels or regenerative brakes, and stored in the vehicle’s batteries or used to power ancillary features.


The technology was pioneered by engineering professor emeritus Ronald Goldner and colleague Peter Zerigian within the School of Engineering, with support also from Argonne National Laboratory. A transport company in the U.S. has licensed the technology and plans to start trials using a fleet of electric trucks later this year.





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Comments (4)

  1. ma_Rice1 avatar Rice1 Posted: 2/1/2009 8:13pm PST

    Battery's low... need to drive through a cobblestone driveway...
     
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  2. ma_Chris avatar Chris Posted: 2/1/2009 8:47pm PST

    ok now THIS is actually physically possible.. but those roads that make power from cars driving on them? THAT is impossible.

    now the question is how much power do these babies actually produce.. cause i doubt its much.
     
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  3. Katherine Posted: 2/6/2011 6:12am PST

    Careful people need a power generator anyway. It needs time to make sure that we drivers can absolutely believe in those innovations.
     
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  4. mark_adrews avatar mark_adrews Posted: 5/17/2011 6:05pm PDT

    These shock absorber will be beneficial not only in the sense of saving money but also to the environment by providing an alternative source of energy,which means contributing on avoiding global warming.
     
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