Exhaust driven Alternator

[GasSavers_Ace]

What if you used ram air though a hood/fender scoop, passing through a modified wind amplifier/charger to generate the additional electricity you need for the desired boost...? A friend just got a patent on such a devise. Pretty cool to see in action.

[theholycow]

That doesn't change the equation...the energy isn't free. A scoop doesn't pick up energy that's otherwise wasted, it just increases wind resistance.

[benfrogg]

Okay, so how about a new (maybe new? probably not) take on this-
Why not a hydraulically powered altenator? In small cars this would be through the cooling system circulation. You'd have to circumvent the thermostat; perhaps a small diameter hose run in closed loop back to the intake of the water pump? Like a separate loop that was always active? Then the altenator would serve the same function, shutting off when not in use as it does now.

On a vehicle with a hydraulic pumping system (such as a larger truck with a plow or a vehicle with a PTO) this could be used in the same way.

Most cars besides my VX also have a power steering pump. When driving in a straight line much of the energy of the pump is wasted because the pump is still spinning but not being used. Why not use this as the hydraulic altenator pump?

I like the coolant one the best. Probably would require a more efficient water pump to work most efficiently. Any thoughts on the gains of using this sometimes untapped energy? (when the car is cold and the pump isn't pumping due to the thermostat/during the normal open close cycle)

Thoughts?
B

[trollbait]

The coolant idea won't improve the efficiency of the altenator. It likely will be worse. You have the loss of spinning the water pump, then the friction and restriction of the plumbing, and then the loss of spinning the altenator.

The only way to improve the efficiency of making electricity in a car is to use a waste energy. There is plenty of heat being thrown away, but a system to convert it to electricity are either too complex and/or expensive to put on a passenger car for the gained benefit.

Recapturing kinetic energy during braking is another source of usable waste energy. Hybrids use it, and BMW was working on a system for non-hybrids that used a larger battery and downsized the existing altenator. It may even include switching an electric AC compressor.

[theholycow]

I can't imagine a hydraulic alternator ever resulting in more efficiency.

Originally Posted by benfrogg

Most cars besides my VX also have a power steering pump. When driving in a straight line much of the energy of the pump is wasted because the pump is still spinning but not being used.

Many new cars come with electric power assist rather than hydraulic because of that.

[JanGeo]

You guys keep trying to produce energy with an alternator instead of just running a secondary battery pack to power the car which can supply enough energy or eliminate the alternator and then recharge the secondary battery with regen energy or the grid or even solar cells on the roof. If you increase the efficency of the engine there will be less wasted energy to reclaim.

[bzipitidoo]

Seems there's such a thing as an electric turbo charger that runs off the exhaust:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_turbocharger

[fowljesse]

Here's an idea for the original idea; set the turbine to turn the generator at low exhaust speed (you'd need the smallest turbo you can find, I think), and have a pressure actuated cut-out, so it gets the right amount of pressure to run the generator, but not too much.

[trollbait]

Originally Posted by bzipitidoo

Seems there's such a thing as an electric turbo charger that runs off the exhaust:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_turbocharger

It sounds that the technology is more to improve to the efficiency and lag time of the turbocharger. It's really more of an electric supercharger with an exhaust driven generator. Powering electrical accessories is mentioned, but the main goal is to improve overall fuel consumption by allowing engine downsizing. Eliminating the altenator wasn't mentioned. With an aggressive driver, all the power generated by the system might go to the charger.

[spotaneagle]

how about a turbine powered generator that runs off of wind you pick up in front of your radiator? make it thin