Date:         Sat, 19 Nov 2005 09:41:34 -0500
Reply-To:     Wil Haslup <wil@CHARMFX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wil Haslup <wil@CHARMFX.COM>
Subject:      Re: serial hybrid conversion?
In-Reply-To:  <407BAA84-3863-46E8-B873-067519A330EB@tactical-bus.info>
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jimt wrote:
> these have been around for a while in special applications.
>
> they primarily use a standard electrical charge outlet for their
> charging.  the engine is used to charge the batteries when needed or
> in low level charge maintainer.

...some do but some don't.  The MotorWeek segment I mentioned focused on
an after market shop that did the conversions for you.  They promoted
converting one of the tiny cars out now...maybe a mini..I can't remember.

There wasn't any mention of plugging it in...only that it could go
anywhere any other fueled car could and didn't need to be plugged in.

> the serial hybrid is not really usable as a fuel saver like the
> parallel systems.  the parallel systems use the normally wasted
> kinetic energy to charge the batteries and are able to use the stored
> charge to save on engine operations using fuel.  serial is always
> using fuel unless an alternative charging system is available.

It occurs to me that since the drive motors are positioned on the wheels
its practical to have them "recover" kinetic engine when stopping as well.

The government has a nice diagram of where power is lost in a
conventional car/engine.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/atv.shtml

A serial could be setup to start the fueled engine as the reserve charge
falls below 75% or so....so it doesn't need to run all the time, just
when its obvious charge is slipping.

- Electrics in city driving would definitely help efficiency over fueled
engines.
- Removing as much of the drive train/power transmission also increases
efficiency.
- The % lost to idle in a serial isn't relevant since whenever the
fueled engine runs it's charging.
- I'm wondering if even the large amount of heat produced/power lost to
heat could be converted using some sort of thermocouple or other mechanism.

...there's also the advantage of any shade tree mechanic being able to
swap the fueled engine for any other power plant that can generate
electricity.  As things move forward even a "Mr. Fusion" (a la "Back to
the Future") could be thrown in though concerns over efficiency would
have diminished if that were available.

; )

> on the serial systems think of it as a battery powered car that
> carries its own generator to recharge when needed.
> jimt

A friend pointed this out to me a while ago and it seems to be a serial
hybrid.

http://www.hybrid-vehicle.org/hybrid-truck-hemtt.html

...seems a bit large if the concept is more wasteful than the parallel
version.


--

Wil


-- http://www.charmfx.com/

"You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the
whole world revolves around you and your money! Well, it doesn't, Mr.
Potter! In the whole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were
nothing but a scurvy little spider!"
-- George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946)