Hybrid Vehicles

I'm a techie, but I was even lost with that one.....can anyone translate?!?!?

Basically, the animation illustrated the major components of the Hybrid Powertrain (Battery, Generator, Electric motor, Engine, and Power splitter). It also introduced the concept of Regenerative Braking. Typically, energy is wasted when a vehicle is brought to a stop. The energy is dissipated in the form of heat, a by-product of friction. All hybrid vehicles divert this energy to the huge storage battery. In turn the battery is used to power the vehicle at engine idle. Take a look at the entire animation and supporting documentation. It's pretty clever.

Hey Al!....N.Y.C. Transit has been using this technology for several years with its new technology
subway cars. Those are the new cars on the IRT line that features a computerized station announcement system. As workers on the tracks, our main concern with this technology was safety issues.

For example, power is removed from certain section of tracks, normally at power gaps, to allow for repairs to be done. Trains are diverted from this power off area via track switches. Our main concern was the possibility of a train entering the power off area and regenerating electricity back into the third rail. Any yes, there have been instances where a train has run into a power off area. Luckily, it was the older type cars.

MTA Link: http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/facts/ffenvironment.htm

S:
Very cool article. Thx for sharing. I wasn't aware of the new electrical technology subway cars. I do remember the 'virtual' conductor on the #2 -Train. I thought the voice sounded very artificial, but I'm sure that MTA Union took care of the people who lost their jobs. I remember reading that the city buses were using fuel regeneration to clean the soot from the diesel particulate filters.

The auto industry has been tinkering with hybrid vehicles for awhile, but the concept has not really taken off. Most problems involve customer demand and oil monopolies. Nonetheless, Honda, Toyota and Ford all of varied levels of hybrid vehicles on the market.

This was very informative. I've long held the belief that alternative technology (to fossil fuels) is under development, and even available; but has been suppressed by the oil companies and other special interests who stand to lose big time if oil consumption decreases.

I recently looked into buying Toyota's hybrid; but they are backordered in this area for at least 6-9 months. That just demonstrates the level of demand for alternatives to foreign oil. Im so sick of these ridiculous gas prices, if I could I would walk to work or ride my bike. Wonder how long it would take to bike 40 miles to work and back?! :-)

Charlene

C:
I understand that the gov't is offering tax credits for purchasing hybrid vehicles. It does appear that the automakers are getting serious about alternatives to fossil fuels.
In the interim, you might wish to consider a motorcycle or scooter ;)

Hey Al!...This regenerative braking technology is pretty old in itself. The inventor of the third rail, Granville T. Woods, used it in his power distribution systems back in the late 19th century.

Link to this site: http://www.brooklynrail.com/Grandville_Woods.html

Granville T. Woods' field shunting speed control system

Granville T. Woods invented an innovative field shunting speed control system for trolleys and electric rail cars; this system would replace the resistor based speed control systems then in use. The earlier resistor based systems controlled train speed by reducing the electrical energy being supplied to the traction motors through the application of resistors. This system was not only inefficient but also produced a great deal of heat, since excess energy would be converted to heat. The excess heat was problematic when combined with the wooden trolleys and rail cars in use at that time; resistor based speed control systems could (and occasionally would) cause the wooden rail cars to spontaneously ignite.

"Granville T. Woods invented an electric rail car speed control system that used field shunting instead of resistors. In this system, the field coil in the electric motor would have a portion (step) of its field coil added or removed from the circuit thereby supplying the motor with more or less energy allowing the car to accelerate, maintain speed or coast (and decelerate by using a regenerative braking system)."

P.S.... No employees lost their job as a result of the installation of this virtual conductor. The conductor is still necessary for operating the doors. However, the intimacy of hearing a human voice is vanishing as digital technology encompasses our lives.

Hmm. I thought Granville was only responsible for the walkie-talkie. It's unfortunate that many of our ancestors did not get the patents for their intellectual genius.

Regarding regenerative braking: I'm sure that most of the technology used today, is a regurgitated concept from an earlier idea.