New Technology for Hybrid Vehicles
Hybrid vehicles have become more and more popular in the U.S. since Toyota introduced the Prius. This fuel efficient vehicle is equipped with a small engine that is powered commonly by gasoline. Its fuel efficiency is due to the use of an electric motor which supplies the additional power to aid the engine.
While a small engine may not be suitable for some driving conditions, the electric motor powered by an on board battery pack makes the power produced by the small engine adequate enough. But designers and engineers in the auto industry are constantly looking for ways to improve the performance of a hybrid vehicle. Turbodyne Technologies Inc. is one of the companies looking for ways to improve the performance of hybrid cars. Recently, the company announced that they have developed a new technology which is aimed to help hybrid vehicles perform even better.
Turbodyne has improved the design of the Turbodyne TurboFlow⢠electronic air injection system. The technology is aimed for use by hybrid vehicles. âItâs clear that hybrid vehicle production is experiencing significant growth,â says Al Case, the Chief Executive Officer of Turbodyne. ââThe biggest challenge is maximizing engine output while maintaining fuel economy. Thatâs where the opportunity lies for the Turbodyne TurboFlow⢠air injection system,â Case added.
The TurboFlow technology differs from turbochargers and superchargers by the absence of mechanical linkages. That is because the Turbodyne TurboFlow air injection system uses an electric motor to operate the air compressor which in turn supplies air to the engine.
By eliminating the mechanical linkages, the air injection system is made better than turbochargers or superchargers. Superchargers need power from the engine to operate the air compressor and this means that the power generated by the engine will be reduced.
Turbochargers, on the other hand, use gas exhaust to force air to the combustion chamber. This means that when there is significantly less exhaust gas, like for instance when starting a car, the turbocharger cannot help the engine. Both the engine power reduction and lack of take-off power problems are solved by the Turbodyne TurboFlow⢠air injection system.
Since hybrid vehicles are known to have a good storage of electrical energy, it makes sense that the new air injection system for hybrid vehicles is powered by electricity. Since the Turbodyne TurboFlow⢠air injection system is not dependent on the engine, it can be used throughout a driving cycle. It is specifically designed to provide air into small displacement engines like those used on hybrid engines.
This new technology will further increase the performance of the fuel efficient vehicles. This could mean that hybrid vehicles will be continuing their domination of the auto industry in the future. From the way things look, hybrid vehicles have become the bully dog in the yard of automobile industry.
With more and more developments like these, we can surely expect more and more hybrid vehicles roaming our streets.
What are the hidden environmental costs of hybrid vehicles?
The Prius has been available worldwide since 2001. I'm told the battery has a life of 150K miles, so it won't be long before this "green" technology becomes so much toxic waste.
Will the Prius and like vehicles cause more problems than they purport to solve?
The batteries are HUGE Lithium Ion types. The existing recycling programs are designed for much smaller batteries. There is little/nothing available that I've found concerning the recycling infrastructure necessary to deal with the volume and volatility of this material.
The batteries are HUGE Lithium Ion types. The existing recycling programs are designed for much smaller batteries. There is little/nothing available that I've found concerning the recycling infrastructure necessary to deal with the volume and volatility of this material.
UPDATE: Once upon a time, people thought DDT and Thalidomide were good ideas. "New" does not always mean improved, even if the inventor's heart is in the right place.
I've placed a call with my county's hazardous materials department, in an effort to learn what is the future of any hybrid vehicle batteries that are once they reach their lifespan, since nobody here knows, and I have come up blank using the web as a resource.
If the net result of a dead battery is that the car is essentially totaled, the costs of saving fossil fuels over the life of the car would be evaluated against the environmental costs of replacing that car before one based on an internal combustion engine might need to be replaced. What actually happens to the battery and it's environmental impact(unknown) would be compared against the effects of continuing to burn fossil fuels (also unknown.)
Being an environmentalist is not as simple as feeeling good about using less gas.
November 16th, 2008 at 1:54 pm10000
November 16th, 2008 at 6:56 pmReferences :
The only real issue is the battery, and that material is recyclable. My own hybrid has a NiMH battery; the nickel is valuable and can be re-used.
November 16th, 2008 at 6:58 pmReferences :
I think that the main issue with hybrids is that they give us a false sense of security. We should still be riding bikes/walking places and trying to develop a car that doesn't require any gasoline at all. However, they certainly aren't a bad thing.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:00 pmReferences :
Batteries are recycled every day. Why would the batteries in a car become toxic waste?
November 16th, 2008 at 7:02 pmReferences :
If its a lead acis battery its toxic but they get recycled most of the time. Other battery technologies like NiMh are nontoxic and have longer life.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:04 pmReferences :
Truly a valuable question, because many people think that if a car doesn't produce harmful exhausts, then it's absolutely flawless from the ecological point of view. But it is not so. For example, if you consider the hypothetical hydrogen powered car, it only produces water (if it doesn't burn engine oil). But to produce hydrogen you will need some initial energy, which will most probably be acquired by burning coal or petroleum. Hence dangerous exhausts will be produced not by your car, but by the suppliers of hydrogen.
So if your hybrid car utilizes environmentally safe batteries and allows you to burn less fuel, it is, in my opinion, the best solution available so far.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:06 pmReferences :
I want to add that there ARE people who are working around the clock on making pollution free ways of producing hydrogen. This lady, Claudia, in Colorado, is using existing algae to produce it, and I'm sure there are others, too. No matter what, your question don't create an excuse to continue driving gasoline powered vehicles, and not at least try to create more eco friendly alternatives. But, not saying that you are one, there will always be negative cynics that always seem to look for excuse to continue to be ignorant jerks. I probably won't win a popularity contest with this statement, but I'm not looking to be popular, and adopt a popular opinion for popularity, with witty comments. I just can't stand negativ cynics. But, if your question is asked out of the continued concern for our environment, and a desire to help clean it, i beg for you pardon. Why don't you try to actually come UP with something that really is better for the environment? Don't kick attempts of trying to better it, but try to help improve things.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pmReferences :