I think that it is possible to make an electric Semi-Truck. This is a idea that is thrown out by many. People argue that the power is there, from the engine, to move the truck, so in that aspect it is possible. But they always point out one thing: The power supply. The batteries are not large enough to power the engine for very long. So there is not enough of a range of travel before you have to recharge the batteries. It would take a lot of time to recharge them also, so it would take a long time to deliver the product.
But what if each axle was, or had, a generator? The engine only has to power one axle in order to move the truck. Why not use the three to five other axles as generators? Why is this not possible? So in theory, wouldn’t you be producing three times as much, or more, of the power that is being used to move the truck?
This would be very effective when you are driving on the freeways, as the wheels are turning a lot. Also, once you reach a high speed, the engine doesn’t have to do so much work. Thus, you wouldn’t need all of the energy being produced, and you could easily recharge your batteries and listen to some music at the same time.
Also, in hybrid cars there is a device that charges the batteries as you brake. Now, I don’t know exactly how that works, but I am sure that the harder you brake, the more energy you produce. Also, the more weight that you are stopping might contribute to the amount of energy produced.
In trucks, there are brakes on several axles, including the trailer. So, if you are stopping over forty tons of goods, with more than one axle, you can also produce a lot of energy there. So this would be an effective way of driving if you are in the city.
So all that seems to be the problem with creating this product is that nobody wants to put the money into it, right? Well, this seems to prove that the electric Semi-Truck is a very possible thing.
2007-03-01 08:05:50 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
What you describe is indeed similar to regenerative braking. Energy is extracted from the forward motion of the vehicle to charge the batteries. There is one problem with trying to use this energy to power the car all the time - you can not apply regenerative braking without stopping the car.
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There is a principle in physics, called the principle of conservation of energy. This basically means that you cannot make energy from nothing. So if you put generators on the wheels of a car, the generators get their energy from the motion of the car. And by using this energy, the car will be slowed down and stopped.
2007-03-02 03:33:42 · answer #1 · answered by apeweek 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lol! A perpetual motion machine :D
You can't drive the vehicle with one axle and recover the energy at the others, you'd still only get back the input energy less all the friction losses and when the system was balanced you'd have no remaining power for overcoming wind resistance and rolling resistance... you wouldn't go anywhere.
Hybrid vehicles, and others like the gyro powered buses in Europe, already use regenerative braking. Nothing new there. But a battery powered big rig is a total non-starter with current technology. The power density and recharge rates just aren't anything like good enough. You are going to need 1000 mile range and 30 minute recharge before there's any hope, and all that without drastically affecting payload or operating costs.
2007-03-01 16:48:21 · answer #2 · answered by Chris H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You miss the concept that all the power is not preserved in moving the truck and then using regenerative braking.
You can't have one motor moving the truck and 3 others generating power at the same time. Those "generators" need energy to make them generate power. That's why regenerative braking works-- the kinetic energy that's in themoving vehicle gets absorbed in the generators.
All that said, energy is lost throughout the process in heat, friction, etc. You drive alot more than you brake so you're not going to get all that energy back.
The only similar idea employed has been with trains used in rail-yards. They have humungous batteries and are used for short periods. So they are viewed as advantagious becuase they wouldn't have to idle large diesel engines for long periods.
Your idea won't work. Sorry, its not feasible nor practical
2007-03-01 16:18:09 · answer #3 · answered by dapixelator 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All of the other respondents are right. There is no such thing as free energy, at least not for your application. Your idea is a lot like fuzzy logic, it won't work, for all of the reasons given. Your one engine is going to supply the force needed to make the generators work, so why not just the one engine to drive the whole machine as is done now, to begin with.
2007-03-02 00:35:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It violates the laws of thermodynamics (specifically the first and second). What you propose is a perpetual motion machine, which is not possible.
2007-03-01 16:14:12 · answer #5 · answered by tatonkadtd 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋