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Regenerate while the car is stopped?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by sdmccann, Feb 1, 2008.

  1. sdmccann

    sdmccann New Member

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    So I was watching the History channel tonight and I learned about generating electricity from oceanic waves. Well why not apply that to the car? Everytime the car stops, the 10-15 gallons of gasoline in the tank gets pushed to the front of the car and once the car comes to a complete stop the gas starts to bounce back and forth. That movement is lost energy and it continues for quite a while especially after stopping from 40mph. Imagine being hit with 15 gallons of water traveling at 40mph. That would hurt/meaning it carries a good amount of energy.

    How much energy can be captured from this? Does anyone have the engineering background to figure this out/ determine if it is worthwhile?

    Of course, the same principles are at play when the car accelerates also.
     
    #1 sdmccann, Feb 1, 2008
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I suspect the amount of regeneration from such a minor fluid movement would be negligible and probably the weight of the equipment needed to facilitate that regeneration would require more energy to move than you'd ever regenerate....IF the gas in the prius actually sloshed. But it really doesn't slosh much b/c it's contained in a collapsible bladder.
     
    #2 efusco, Feb 1, 2008
  3. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Evan took my answer.

    And remember that the Prius doesn't hold 15 gallons. ;) And you ARE recapturing a tiny bit of that potential energy (that energy that would hurt if it hit you) since you're using regen to slow it all down. The extra amount of energy if it were to slosh around is insignificant. Honking the horn for 1 second would likely use more energy than you could recover in one stop.
     
    #3 darelldd, Feb 1, 2008
  4. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    Give it a go and let us know how it goes. I'll not bother.
     
    #4 patsparks, Feb 1, 2008
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The kinetic energy contained in the moving gas is already recaptured by the regenerative braking system. What energy is in the moving gas is transfered to the car, which in turn is transfered to the braking system. The actual transfer will oscillate up and down as the gas sloshes back and forth, but all of the energy will ultimately transfer, minus the small amount consumed as friction which heats the gas, and the final slow down with the friction brakes. Still, it's a small amount of energy.

    Tom
     
    #5 qbee42, Feb 1, 2008
  6. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    Keep in mind those oceanic wave generators are probably longer then your prius, and the energy generated by a miniature oceanic wave generator in your bladder is insignificant to the energy captured when regenerative braking a 1 ton vehicle to a stop.
     
    #6 Bob64, Feb 2, 2008
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