Design of Regenerative Suspension System using Spiral Drive

Mechanism

Kazeem Pasha S B

1 a

and Champa V

1 b

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, B.M.S. College of Engineering, Bengaluru, India

Keywords: Spiral Drive Mechanism (SDM), Electronic Control Unit (ECU).

Abstract: In the present research, a unique spiral drive mechanism (SDM) which is able to generate green energy from

the vibration energy has been presented. The proposed model is able to capture the kinetic energy that

decelerating automobiles lose as vibrations when they collide with a speed bump on the road or on the road

roughness and any other disturbances which creates oscillations in the suspension system of the vehicle under

loaded and unloaded situations. The linear motion of the SDM is converted into rotational movement, A DC

generator transforms the mechanical energy into electrical power, which can then be stepped up using boost

converter and power can be stored in the batteries. The power generated can be utilized during turning on of

the electronic control units (ECU) and other vehicle modes which requires the electronic units to power up

even before the cranking of the engines . The harvested power which is otherwise lost in the form of heat can

be effectively utilized using the mechanism proposed in this paper. The paper focuses more on the reliability,

effectiveness of the mechanism and cheaper cost in producing the power.

1 INTRODUCTION

Numerous mechanisms that use regenerative

suspension systems to capture energy from road

disturbances have been described at conferences and

in academic journals. An explanation of the most

recent development will be provided by the literature

review on this subject. some of the prominent being

as stated, (Sorrentino et al., 2022) Brushless

permanent magnet devices often use field-oriented

control. However, when a vehicle travels over bumps

or potholes at high speed, the suspension is subjected

to impulsive forces. Therefore, a field-weakening

approach is necessary to ensure steady and effective

operation under the aforementioned circumstances.

The application of a field-oriented control method

with field weakening is demonstrated in this work. An

electro-hydrostatic shock absorber's three-phase

permanent-magnet synchronous motor is tested in a

lab. (Hua et al., 2022) the emerging electromagnetic

damper cum energy harvester (EMDEH), which has

the ability to both control vibration and harvest

energy, was used in this study to develop a novel

energy-regenerative semiactive secondary

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6953-4799

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2341-0278

suspension system of HSTs and the corresponding

control strategy. By semiactively regulating the duty

cycle of an energy harvesting circuit, the created

EMDEH can offer constantly variable damping

coefficients. A full-scale EMDEH prototype's

mechanical behaviour and energy efficiency were

experimentally studied using cyclic tests. Through

comparison with the outcomes of experiments, an

EMDEH simulation model was created and validated.

(Azam et al., 2021) this study presents the design,

fabrication, and testing of a novel mechanical energy

harvester (MEH) that utilizes a moveable speed hump

integrated into a rack and gear mechanism,

incorporating a mixture of one-way clutches. The

intended application of this harvester is on the road.

The gadget has the ability to extract the kinetic energy

that automobiles release as vibrations when they

decelerate upon encountering a speed bump on the

road, both while the vehicles are loaded and during

the subsequent restoration phase. The harvester that

has been presented comprises four distinct modules,

including the energy input module, transmission

module, energy conversion module, and storage

module. The vertical input movement of the bump is

144

B., K. and V., C.

Design of Regenerative Suspension System Using Spiral Drive Mechanism.

DOI: 10.5220/0012530100003808

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Intelligent and Sustainable Power and Energy Systems (ISPES 2023), pages 144-149

ISBN: 978-989-758-689-7

translated into rotational motion in both directions by

the transmission module. This rotational motion is

then further transformed into unidirectional rotation

of the generator shaft through the continual

engagement and disengagement of a one-way

mechanism.(Chen et al., 2020) the present study

explores the development and analysis of a novel

energy-regenerative vibration absorber (ERVA) that

incorporates a ball-screw mechanism. The ERVA

system is founded upon a rotating electromagnetic

generator with a modifiable nonlinear rotational

inertia. This characteristic allows for the passive

augmentation of the moment of inertia in tandem with

the escalation of vibration amplitude. The

aforementioned construction demonstrates efficacy

in both energy harvesting and vibration control, while

maintaining the original suspension size. Moreover,

the system utilizes a nonlinear model predictive

controller (NMPC) to boost performance. This

controller leverages road profile information as a

preview. The efficacy of NMPC-based ERVA is

illustrated through several simulations, highlighting

its superior performance.

2 DESIGN METHODOLOGY

The block diagram illustrates the utilization of power

derived from the vehicle suspension system, which

predominantly consists of mechanisms that convert

linear motion into rotational motion. The suggested

spiral drive mechanism is expected to operate within

the same framework. The selection of a generator

plays a crucial part in ensuring the efficient

generation of power, necessitating the consideration

of appropriate rotational speed. When the motor turns

counter clockwise, it functions as a motor, and when

it rotates clockwise, it operates as a generator. The

power generated is inadequate for battery charging

purposes, necessitating the utilization of a DC-DC

boost converter to elevate the voltage to the necessary

levels for the lithium-ion battery.

The spiral driving system bears resemblance to

the household 360-degree cleaning mop. The device

comprises a spiral spring that constitutes the sturdy

central peripheral component, as depicted in Figure 2.

Additionally, it incorporates an interlocking gear

mechanism that remains in a locked state when force

is exerted on the stick, and transitions to an unlocked

position when the stick is removed.

VEHICLE

SUSPENSION

SYSTEM

CHARGING

CONTROL

UNIT

LINEAR TO

ROTATIONAL

CONVERSION

GENERATOR

BATTERY

➢ HYDROSTATIC ENERGY

STORAGE

➢ ELECTROMAGNETIC

COILS

➢ RACK AND PINION

➢ LINEAR MOTORS

➢ HYDROELECTRIC

REGENERATIVE

SYSTEM

➢ BUCK

➢ BOOST

➢ BUCK BOOST

GENERATOR

12 VOLT/ 24

VOLTS

SPIRAL DRIVE

MECHANISM

PROPOSED

Figure 1: Block Diagram for the Proposed Mechanism.

The proposed structure is a vertical cylindrical

object that measures 60 centimeters in length. It has

the capability to stretch up to 90 centimeters during

vertical upward movement. Furthermore, it is

characterized by its strong construction. The

mechanism consists of a rod that is twisted in a spiral

form, enabling it to function as a support for

reciprocal motion and hence the name Spiral Drive

Mechanism.

Figure 2: Spiral Drive Mechanism (Inventor:-Yi-Pin Lin).

The integration of the spiral drive mechanism and

the DC generator, facilitated by the use of connectors,

enables the generation of electricity.

3 TWO DEGREE QUARTER CAR

DESIGN

Two-degree quarter car design is explained in the

below section.

Design of Regenerative Suspension System Using Spiral Drive Mechanism

145

3.1 Quarter Car Model

In order to ascertain the dynamics of the system, it is

important to comprehend the system's behaviour,

which can be achieved by a thorough analysis of the

system. In the context of vehicle dynamics, two often

employed models are the quarter car model and the

full car model. Due to the increased complexity

associated with the full car model, the decision has

been made to utilize the quarter car model, which

offers a simplified representation with two degrees of

freedom.

Figure 3: Quarter Car Model with 2

Freedom.

Where m

is the sprung mass, m

is the unsprung

mass, K

; K

are the spring constants the spring and

tire, C

; C

are the damping coefficient of the shock

absorber and the tire, lastly Z

is the position of

the sprung mass, unsprung mass and tire respectively.

The dynamic equations have been defined based on

the utilization of Newton's second law of motion.

𝑚

𝑏

𝑧

̈ + 𝑐

𝑏

(

𝑧̇

− 𝑧̇

)

+ 𝐾

𝑏

(𝑍

− 𝑍

) = 0 (1)

𝑚

𝑤

𝑧

̈ − 𝑐

𝑏

(

𝑧̇

− 𝑧̇

)

+ 𝐾

𝑏

(𝑍

− 𝑍

) + 𝑐

𝑤

(

𝑧̇

−

𝑧̇

)

+ 𝐾

𝑤

(𝑍

− 𝑍

) = 0 (2)

In the equation, the double dot notation is used to

denote acceleration, while the single dot notation

represents velocity. Single variables are used to

signify displacements.

The equations 1 and 2 can be represented using

differential equation methodology and have been

implemented utilizing control block techniques to

replicate the outcomes in the MATLAB simulation

software.

The equations of the model have been formulated

within a control block, and the response of the

vehicle's suspension to vibrations or irregularities is

represented as an oscillating wave that gradually

diminishes when the suspension reaches its resting

state.

Figure 4: Quarter Car Model MATLAB simulation.

The spring mass response graph shows how the

suspension behave for any disturbances in the form of

road humps. The frequency of oscillation as shown in

between the two measurement cursors is 1.138 Hz as

shown in Fig 5. This shows the potential to harness

the power.

3.2 ISO 8608 Road Profile

The road profile is commonly regarded as a stochastic

process denoted by y(d), where y represents the road

height and d represents the distance along the road.

As the car moves with a velocity v along the road, the

random process y(d) undergoes a conversion to a

random process y(t), which is then fed into the vehicle

suspension system through the tire. The stochastic

process y(d) is commonly characterized by its power

spectral density with respect to frequency, expressed

in either radians or cycles per unit distance.

Nevertheless, the existence of multiple definitions for

power spectrum density poses a challenge when

attempting to compare published data, as a clear

understanding of how the power spectral density has

been established is necessary.

The control blocks have incorporated the

governing equations of power spectrum density for

the four wheels simultaneously. The graph visually

represents the power spectral density for each

individual wheel. The first and third graphs exhibit a

phase relationship, as do the other two wheels.

ISPES 2023 - International Conference on Intelligent and Sustainable Power and Energy Systems

146

Figure 5: Spring Mass Acceleration Vs Time Graph.

Figure 6: Road Profile Simulation using MATLAB.

Figure 7: Roughness of the Road Vs Time for Individual

Car Tires.

In the aforementioned simulation, we conducted a

drive on a road with class C conditions, utilizing the

ISO settings, and subsequently generated power

spectral density (PSD) graphs. This provides an

insight into the variability of power harnessing across

varied road conditions, whereby the suspension

system demonstrates an increased capacity for

generating power in rougher terrains.

4 DC-DC BOOST CONVERTER

The power provided by the prototype is insufficient

to adequately power the arrangement, necessitating

the use of a boost converter to increase the voltage to

a level suitable with the battery voltage. The

MATLAB simulation of the closed-loop boost

converter has been conducted.

Figure 8: Open loop DC-DC Boost Converter.

The design equations have been used to calculate

the values of the parameter, the input voltage being

3volts and the output voltage is 12 volts. The

designed value of inductor is 45 mH and the capacitor

value being 7.8125 microF the value of resistor is 96

ohms. The state of charge(SoC) has been kept at 48%

, which means if the charge of the battery goes below

the threshold, the boost converter starts charging. If

the battery reaches its full charged capacity it will

start discharge as shown in the Fig 9 and 10

respectively.

When the voltage has been dropped to certain

limit and the SoC of the battery is below 48%, the

battery starts to charge as shown in figure 9.

Similarly, when the battery is fully charged the

switch is kept to zero so that the circuit is totally

disconnected and the battery slowly starts to

discharge till it reaches 48%.

Design of Regenerative Suspension System Using Spiral Drive Mechanism

147

Figure 9: MATLAB Simulation Battery Charging.

Figure 10: MATLAB Simulation Battery Discharging.

The current is in 260 mA which is sufficient to

charge the battery of 12 volts and 2600 mAh. The

battery discharge rate is kept at 30 seconds.

5 HARDWARE PROTOTYPE

Figure 11: Hardware Connection Diagram.

The spiral drive mechanism is coupled to 30 watts DC

generator. The output of the generator is connected to

boost converter which raises the voltage to 12 volts.

The potentiometer is used to adjust the voltage levels.

The output of the converter is fed to the 12-volt

Battery which is protected with the help of Battery

Management System (BMS) for any fault or short

circuit protection.

Figure 12: Hardware Setup of SDM.

The proposed mechanism can be able to generate

about 12 volts and 0.2 amps of current which is

enough to power up the battery packs. Oscilloscope

has been used to show the power generated

waveforms for a larger time division settings.

6 CONCLUSION

The primary objective of the project was to

demonstrate the potential utilization of the spiral

drive mechanism in converting the inherent

vibrational energy of the suspension system into a

viable power source. The system's capacity to

respond to external perturbations, such as uneven

road surfaces or bumps, is exemplified by the

simulation of the road profile and the quarter-car

model. The non-isolated DC-DC converter is

employed to enhance the generated power. A

comparison is made between the hardware prototype

and the MATLAB simulation model. The calculated

results were deemed satisfactory based on the

obtained values.

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148

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