| Author | Message | ||
| Tom (Pengyou)
Registered Member Username: Pengyou Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 220.205.81.106 Rating: N/A |
I read on a website of a conversion to a mini cooper. The company that did it put motors in every wheel. They used a computer linked in with the steering somehow to make the "differential" effect. They turned on or turned off motors to get the "gear" effect. Has anyone seen this idea applied to busses? It would be interesting....much more freedom to modify because you don't have drive lines, tranny's or diffi's in the way. The weight could be more evenly balanced in the bus...all wheel drive...a diesel engine that was only half the size of the factory engine and a lot more simple because it did not have to change speed as often or as quickly...and best yet, maybe a diesel engine that can run on pure veggie fuel. Any ideas? | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 508 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.117.21 Rating: N/A |
As the majority of people on this site are bus conversion enthusiasts, I would think that most if not all here purchase used units that would be prohibitive to go in this direction. Solar cells to save generator use would be more to our interest. My opinion, of course. BTW, what kind of coach do you have or are interested in? | ||
| Josh (Traveler)
Registered Member Username: Traveler Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2007 Posted From: 24.22.42.90 Rating: N/A |
MCI has several diesel electric hybrid prototypes. I read they built them for New Jersey Transit and I am not sure if they are actually functioning. Walmart has been experimenting with diesel hybrids in their semi trucks but also just prototypes at this stage. I agree that it would be great to have a hybrid coach. | ||
| Tony Gojenola (Akbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Akbusnut Post Number: 13 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 24.237.217.192 Rating: N/A |
Diese Electric Hybrid transit buses are in operation right now in Seattle, Portland, NYC, and possibly others. Here's a NYC evaluative report after some of the first prototypes: http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy02osti/32427.pdf tg | ||
| Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Registered Member Username: Tim_strommen Post Number: 268 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 67.169.151.53 Rating: N/A |
The individual (and high speed/accuracy) control of torque and speed is why some vehicle manufacturers are drooling over in-wheel drive units. Think of a wheel assembly that has a drive motor (with regenerative braking), disc brakes for suplemental braking effort, an electronic shock absorber, and an electronic steering actuator. With software control, you can program the drive motors to the correct speed for the suspension travel, steering wheel angle. You can redistribute the torque of the drive motors almost instantaneously using vehicle dynamics sensors (wheel slip, gyro sensors, and accelerometers) and finely tuned PID algorithms. With electronic shocks (magnetorehologic dampers), the suspension can be tuned in real-time (instead of being profiled and hard-coded at the factory). These functions enable all of the roll-stability, anti-skid, anti-lock, and traction control functions that are gaining favor in today's vehicles - yet over a broader variation of operating conditions and with more precise control. The odd challenge automotive engineers are facing, is how to make the input side of these systems (steering wheel, gas and brake pedals) feel like they are attached to the legacy systems (i.e. Tactile force feedback). On a Car like a "mini", the individual wheel drive is more practical - as the vehicle doesn't weigh very much, so the components can be smaller. For a bus, this gets a bit more complicated (big motors take space, and weigh a lot). There are several bus manufacturers with shipping functional Hybrid busses. Oshkosh Truck is working on a fully hybrid all-wheel-drive chassis for large multi-axle Class 8 trucks, off-road trucks, and military platforms. If you want to see some cool electronic suspension stuff, see this site: http://www.millenworks.com/html/suspension_systems.htm?&navItemIndex=5 Rod Millen (the company is now "Millen Works") created the IP that Delphi bought for use in GM veichles (like the Corvettes and Cadillacs), and they are developing a new suspension system for the Stryker platform. Cheers! -Tim (Message edited by Tim Strommen on April 01, 2007) | ||
| Norm Edlebeck (Bandleader)
Registered Member Username: Bandleader Post Number: 49 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 76.17.179.197 Rating: N/A |
Hi Tom (Pengyou)- I'm interested in the electric motor technology for a car I'm developing. I tried emailing you at the email address (on your profile) but it won't go through. Click on my name & give me your correct email address, please.(or give me email address where you found that info) Thanks in advance...Norm Edlebeck | ||
| Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Registered Member Username: Tim_strommen Post Number: 269 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 64.186.173.26 Rating: N/A |
I was contacted by email by a fellow nut (Stan), who reminded me that I forgot to give an example of how much space larger drive units take. his example of the LeTourneau heavy equipment is the perfect example of the size of some of these drive systems. Take for example the LeTourneau "Absolute" 50 Series (front end loader - link: http://www.letourneau-inc.com/mining/pdf/50_Series_Brochure.pdf). The wheel drives are designed for drive and braking (traction) using electric motors (disc brakes are only suplemental or parking function). The speed of these drives are controlled by a CAN-bus network ("CAN" is a common automotive interface standard), based on the input from a driver via two joysticks. The powerplant to run the motors takes >50% of the volume of the vehicle, while the motors take a paltry 15% fo the vehicle's volume. While it stands to mention that this vehicle is NOT a hybrid - as it does not have a direct mechanical connection from the prime-mover to the wheels. It is classified as a Diesel-Electric (much like >75% of today's rail locomotives). Norm, if you're looking for electric car parts, the company I bought the motor from for the electric fan conversion (it failed guys  ), is www.evparts.com. You may also want to look into pancake permanent magnet motors or the more common AC motors (these do require high voltages though...) Cheers! -Tim | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 518 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.117.21 Rating: N/A |
2d says that if the fans don't work, they are junk and should be burned. |