A team of talented MIT undergraduates came up with a hydraulic power-generating shock absorber that can reduce the vehicle’s fuel consumption by about 10%. Vehicle owners might one day thanks road imperfections with this new device.
The invention was spearheaded by MIT senior Shakeel Avadhany. Aside from the power regeneration features, these shock absorbers are also reported to perform better than conventional shocks.
The prototype for this invention is powered by a hydraulic system that pushes fuel up a turbine connected to a generator. This system is electronically controlled, making the ride smoother while generating enough power to recharge the mechanism’s batteries.
Meanwhile, Boston-based Electric Truck LLC has claimed commercial rights to a similar regenerative power chock absorber. Electric Truck LLC’s mechanism, unlike the MIT invention, runs on electro-magnetic charge.
This was developed and engineered by Tufts professor emeritus Ronald Goldner, with his colleague Peter Zerigian. The project was under Tufts School of Engineering, funded by Argonne National Library.
The MIT student found that their device could generate up to 1kW per shock absorber on a 6-shock heavy truck running on a standard road. This power, according to the study, can displace the large alternator, and sometimes even run accessory devices like hybrid refrigerators that are found in most trailers.
One of the test vehicles in this experiment was lent by AM General, a motoring company interested in the technology. AM General filed for a patent late last year, forming a company called the Levant Power Corp. This team will spearhead the production of the commercialized version of this device, to be dubbed GenShock.