Electric vehicle theory question
chris8X57
Member Posts: 1,238 ✭✭✭✭
Why don't car engineers incorporate some kind of small wind driven generator on them to charge while driving and extend range. Obviously the around-town owner wouldn't benefit, but the highway driving distance driver would at 60-70mph.
The German rocket powered Messerschmitt ME-163 had no way to power accessories, so the krauts put a small Seppeler propeller on the front that drove a 2000 Watt 24 Volt generator to charge a 20 Amp storage battery. (I googled this..) The Seppeler propeller had some kind of spring clutch device to control over spinning at 500 mph. Obviously, that kind of speed isn't relevant.
It would look kind of goofy, but why not a couple of small, streamlined nacelles with small 15" propellers turning generators that would supply a re-charge to the vehicle power cell?
Disclaimer: I am a dinosaur that still loves gas powered V-8 big blocks, four barrel carburetors, and dual exhausts. I lament the passing of an era.
Comments
Due to friction, wind resistance, and other factors it actually takes more energy to spin the generator than it is capable of creating.
I used to own a Honda Civic Hybrid. I don't know how they did it, but every time you applied the brakes, this generated a little bit of juice to recharge the battery.
I would guess that some (all ?) of the hybrid manufacturers do the same.
Neal
because of the law of conservation of energy. you cant make more than you use. also they didnt make power with the vehicle brakes, they made it by using the drive motor as a generator, the additional drag of the motor/gen would slow the car.
It's called dynamic braking.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_braking#:~:text=Dynamic%20braking%20is%20the%20use,returned%20to%20the%20supply%20line.
Thank you neoblackdog. There is no free energy. The wind hitting the blades creates friction, which slows the car down.
Now, if you parked your electric car for the night, on the cliff overlooking Malibu Beach, and the wind blew all night at 20 mph into your twin fans on the roof of the Tesla...
You could park anywhere in Wyoming.
Or DC. Then you would need a cooler and brake to slow down bearing wear.
Same reason wind power isn't going to work out. Not enough energy to convert into useable energy. Those wind turbines are HUGE and they barely work.
Just more wasted money from the govt.
What Neo and others have said. The effort required to spin the generator would cause the car's drive motor(s) to consume more power than the generator would produce.