Energy from breaking moving vehicles.

I like your idea, I'm a hydronics guy too. One big problem to resolve...if the vehicle tires were allowed to indeed transfer their weight into the pipe to "squish" it along, that means the pavement would need to provide some movement inorder to actually squeeze the pipe. It would be a terribly bumpy ride especially for economy cars and motorcycles...hehe... Also, the squeezing force would cause violent short bursts producing whopping pressure spikes in the pipe.

It sure is intriguing though, trying to find a way to steal some energy from vehicles going down hill.

Now, if there were hi-tech pavement strips or a lane, that a vehicle could try to stay in, and it were slightly soft and the hose were laid longitudinally ( did I spell that right ?) so that it was a constant squeezing motion and not a bumpy ride...hey, it doesn't matter which direction we build pressure because pressure is energy which we can convert!

The idea came to me just after midnight (our time 30 deg east) and it was not thought over yet. I intended to put the project on ice first thing this morning but maybe it deserves a go. (at least it is not perpetual motion)

The traffic on the 2 lane road is 8000 -10000 /h. Say 50000 per day with about 20% big trucks.

If each vehicle 'pump' 200 ml a pass about 10 cubic meter of water will be available at a head of + 400m.

This will produce very little power and the cost may be to high.

The ride will be very bumpy and sales of shock absorbers may rise.

Another problem is the turnoff on the slope. The water pumped at the top may exceed the supply from the bottom part.

Maybe the design should be changed to a giant bubble wrap type of surface covering. Each bubble must be interconnected to the one above it by a non return valve.

WOW!

Great idea.

It doesn't need to be bumpy!

A longer, gentle ramp with the 'tube' beneath it would do the job giving a bigger gentler squeeze.

Say a metre long with a 2inch squeeze (deliberate mixing of units).

Could even have the tube running along the road for a few metres?

My company makes peristaltic pumps...which is what this would be!

The periswatshalwecallit pumps should increase the yield.

'Linearstaltic' ?

FrogStaltic? (That's for our Cockney viewers....Frog & Toad=Road)

Peristaltic pumps. I seem to have missed out on some interesting new developments. I perceive it as a canvas fire hose type of thing being squeezed out like a toothpaste tube.

Is it used for pumping blood? It seems that you are making at least 2" Is it made in bigger sizes? What type of market are you serving?

What about a link to your co?

Hi our ones are boring circular ones with tubes upto about 10mm bore.

Delivery rates upto 1L/min max.

The company is chemicalcontrols.co.uk

Del

Thanks i will have a look.

Actually interesting. Thanks. Do you have a branch or agent in South Africa?

No, we are just a small Uk based company, (we sell a few units in Europe)

Maclaren were using this (recoverable power from the braking system) in F1 a few years ago, until it was banned. The FIA now want to make it standard in a few years, and cut down on the amount of fuel allowed during the race.

Hmmmm. Another Civil Engineering solution would be to mount the roundabout over the carriageway at major road intersections, instead of under it. Vehicles decelerating would have the added benefit of a rising slope to assist them to stop, and a falling slope to help them get away from the roundabout. Designers of the Post Office Underground railway took this gradient-assist principle on board in the design and construction of its stopping points, which are all above the general elevation of the running lines between them.

Why the M25/A12 intersection (AKA junction 28) is otherwise is a thing of great mystery. Look at all those skid marks coming down the anticlockwise exit...

Hmm. The last time I was on the M25 (otherwise known as the devils prayer wheel) I don't remember there being any exits without skid marks. Of course, you have plenty of time to look around.......

Regenerative braking is an existing concept and more likely to be captured on an individual basis that such a expensive idea. I really think the idea that is proposed is way out there.

Don't Break <from breaking moving vehicles>.

Brake by all means.

First begin by learning basics like Entropy and Conservation of Energy.

CR4 saw this HOT topic Earlier Too --.Maybe regularly --again and again.

Good to imagine free lunches!

They usually break when they don't brake.

To use the system for energy production this would best be installed on straight flat, straight run of road, collecting energy from passing vehicles.

Any attempt to utilise it for braking would tear the tube apart. Not to mention the loss of grip on the wheels.

Maybe install some kind of "vibro-mechanism" at sufficient intervals within that stretch to harness energy for the passing vehicles.

See #3.

The point in the thread is that, braking energy is wasted, so if we recover it we gain?

Any energy extraction on the flat straight road would take speed off the car and therefore increase its fuel consumption and not be a nett gain?

The general concept is a good thought stimulator. It is not at all practical, but it does help build brain power. As a Prius driver I vote for the on-board energy recovery - works for any braking, is less prone to breaking, and can be applied in the amount needed - when needed.

srue wsih floks weer bttere wtih tehir lnaugae slliks.

You hiding again?

Why not a small test

100mm [ or more ] mounted as a trafic control [ speed bump ] use the fluid moved to generate power to illuminate a warning sign.

This would be a variation on the pneumatic traffic count sensors, so rather than water, why no just use air and instead of a static column in the hose, use a non-return valve and small turbine at the opposite end?

Nice idea..air is much less wet than water, and there's a lot of it about!

Yup air, water whatever's cheap & effective.

You've probably seen the micro generator used to power sensors on equipment, so they can be wireless. It always comes down to "is the juice worth the squeeze" or what's the payback time. w/the price of oil rising old ideas may be worth another look. use solar powered pumps to fill a resivour in the day, run the water through turbines @ night or when it's cloudy, or compress air using wind powered compressors, exstract when needed..............