DRIVE SYSTEMS WITH BRAKE-ENERGY RECOVERY

Intended for use in city buses in regular service, two hybrid drive systems have been developed for storing recovered brake energy: a mechanical flywheel storage (gyrobus) and a hydraulic storage (hydrobus) system. The drive units comprise a diesel engine with an infinitely variable transmission, and the energy storage system arranged under the floor and connected to the transmission. The greatest fuel savings can be realized with the hydrobus, in which no stored energy is lost due to idling, although the purchase price and weight of this bus are higher. Current figures show that the hybrid drives with brake-energy recovery can attain or may exceed the economic efficiency of standard buses. Further development, such as optimizing the drivetrains and increasing the energy density of the storage systems, will enhance efficiency. Apart from a 10% to 25% fuel savings, which will offset the additional investment, these systems offer improved drive characteristics (including speed) and reduced pollution.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in HS-805 233 (TRIS 361554), "International Automotive Fuel Economy Research Conference (1st) Proceedings," Washington, D.C., 1980, pp 416-423. Conference held October 31-November 2, 1979. Research sponsored by Federal Ministry of Research and Technology, West Germany.
• Corporate Authors:

  Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nurnberg AG

  8900 Augsburg,   Germany 
• Authors:
  • HAGIN, F
  • Merker, P
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Continuously variable transmissions; Costs; Diesel engines; Economic efficiency; Energy storage systems; Flywheels; Fuel consumption; Hydraulic equipment; Power trains; Vehicle drive systems; Vehicle weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Old TRIS Terms: Hydraulic systems; Infinitely variable transmissions
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Finance; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00371000
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-031 383
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 1983 12:00AM