Hydraulic hybrid vehicles (HHVs) use a pressurized fluid power source, along with a conventional

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal c ...

(ICE), to achieve better fuel economy and reductions in harmful emissions. They capture and reuse 70–80% of the vehicle's braking/decelerating energyHydraulic Hybrid Vehicles
US EPA compared to 55% for electric hybrids. For trucks and buses, this can also be less expensive than electric systems, due to the price of batteries required for the latter. Hydraulic hybrid vehicle systems can also weigh less than electric systems, due to the high weight of the batteries. This can lead to a lower impact on payload capacity, especially for heavy vehicle classes.

Principle of operation

Hydraulic hybrid vehicle systems consists of four main components: the working fluid,

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

, pump/motor (in parallel hybrid system) or in-wheel motors and pumps (in series hybrid system), and accumulator. In some systems, a hydraulic transformer is also installed for converting output flow at any pressure with a very low power loss.HyDrid brochure
, Innas BV In an electric hybrid system, energy is stored in the

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

and is delivered to the

electric motor An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate for ...

to power the vehicle. During

braking A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction. Backgroun ...

the

kinetic energy In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acc ...

of the vehicle is used to charge the

through the

regenerative braking Regenerative braking is an energy recovery mechanism that slows down a moving vehicle or object by converting its kinetic energy into a form that can be either used immediately or stored until needed. In this mechanism, the electric traction mo ...

. In hydraulic hybrid system, the pump/motor extracts the

during

to pump the working fluid from the

to the accumulator. Working fluid is thus pressurized, which leads to energy storage. When the vehicle accelerates, this pressurized working fluid provides energy to the pump/motor to power the vehicle. For a parallel hybrid system, fuel efficiency gains and emissions reductions result from reduced

mechanical load Mechanical load is the physical stress on a mechanical system or component. Loads can be static or dynamic. Some loads are specified as part of the design criteria of a mechanical system. Depending on the usage, some mechanical loads can be measu ...

on the internal combustion engine due to the

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...

provided by the hybrid system.

Efficiency gains

The US EPA claims that in laboratory tests, the city fuel economy of an urban delivery truck was 60–70% increased miles per gallon versus a similar, conventionally powered internal combustion truck. The CO₂ emissions of the same demonstration delivery truck were claimed to be over 40% lower, and the

hydrocarbon In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic, and their odors are usually weak or ...

and particulate matter production were also much lower (50% and 60% respectively). The EPA calculated for this test vehicle, the hybrid technology added a cost of about US$7,000 over a comparable conventional truck, while the lifetime fuel savings over 20 years were estimated above $50,000.

Types of hydraulic hybrid vehicles

Like the electric hybrid system, there are several possible drivetrain architectures. In a parallel hydraulic hybrid vehicles, the pump/motor is typically installed between the engine and gearbox, or between the gearbox and differential transmission box. The role of pump/motor is to provide assistance to the engine during acceleration and recapture energy under braking that would otherwise be lost as heat in the conventional brakes. As with electric hybrids, the pump/motor may or may not be able to drive the vehicle alone with the engine off. In a series hydraulic hybrid vehicle, the pump/motor directly connects to the driveshaft, or the in-wheel motors provide driving torque directly to the wheel. The internal combustion engine is only connected to a pump, and is set to operate in its most efficient power range to maintain the optimal hydraulic pressure in the accumulator. The traction motor must supply all the torque required to propel the vehicle, meaning maximum acceleration performance is available with the engine running or stopped. Its main disadvantage is in steady-state cruising, where the double conversion of energy introduces additional losses.

Advantages and disadvantages

In some cases hydraulic hybrid systems may be more cost-effective than electrical hybrid systems because no complicated or expensive materials (such as those required for batteries) are used. However, in most designs the pressure tanks of accumulators are made of

carbon fiber Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...

that make the pressure tanks somewhat expensive, but the price of carbon fiber has been forecasted to drop as economies of scale and manufacturing energy efficiency is reduced by 60% according to

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a U.S. multiprogram science and technology national laboratory sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and administered, managed, and operated by UT–Battelle as a federally funded research an ...

can lower the cost of manufacturing the tanks. Hydraulic hybrids recover, or harvest, the vehicle's kinetic energy during braking and decelerating significantly more efficiently than electric systems; hydraulic hybrids can recover up to 70–80% of the vehicle's kinetic energy compared to 55% for electric hybrids. Reduced cost, complexity, and weight for additional power take-off devices such as water pumps, hydraulic lifts, and winches. Technical challenges with hydraulic hybrid vehicles include noise, size, and complexity. Technical advances, such as very Large Diameter, Flat Format (LDFF) hydraulic motors which produce very high torque in limited drive line space, enable heavy vehicles like refuse trucks and city buses to be fitted with hydraulic hybrid systems. Sophisticated control software results in hydraulic hybrid vehicles which are safe, driveable, reliable and efficient.

References

External links

Fleet Test and Evaluation Project
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National Renewable Energy Laboratory

United States Environmental Protection Agency Hydraulic Hybrid Research Page
Hydraulic Hybrid Technology - A Proven Approach
United States Environmental Protection Agency, March 2004
The ERS (Energy Recovery System)
Lightning Hybrids
What are mechanical batteries?
Lightning Hybrids
Emissions Testing Results: Hydraulic Hybrid Delivers Major Emissions Reductions
Lightning Hybrids

Eaton Corporation (Requires QuickTime plug-in to view) *https://www.innas.com/hydrid.html, Innas BV
EPA Innovates Hydraulic Hybrid System
autoMedia.com
Hydraulic hybrid retrofits
KersTech Vehicle Systems *
IFPE High Efficiency Hydraulic Hybrid Drive System
NRG Dynamix (Formerly Hybra-Drive Systems LLC), December 12, 2007
NRG Dynamix
Web Site {{DEFAULTSORT:Hydraulic Hybrid Automotive technologies Hybrid vehicles Hybrid powertrain