Hybrid transmission promises fuel saving
June 6th 2011 Finnish boffins claim hybrid technology can halve fuel consumption of heavy duty material handling kit.
Researchers at Aalto University in Finland are said to have found a way to cut the amount of fuel consumed by non-road mobile machinery, such as material handling equipment, by half.
The researchers have added an electric power transmission system into the machines. The machines then become hybrids with both combustion and electric engines. Similar technology has already proven successful in personal cars; however, hybrid cars only capture energy from wheels during deceleration, whereas work machines create most of the extra energy during work tasks. This energy has not been captured until now.
The researchers at the Finnish Aalto University are now analysing the work cycles of different types of machinery in order to find out which work tasks allow energy to be captured. Deceleration and lowering a load are typical examples. This technology enables short-term energy storage, making it possible to store energy for later use during a peak in power demand. The electric transmission generates other side benefits such as better controllability, operator comfort, efficiency and more freedom in the machine structure.
The goal is to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Another benefit of hybridisation is that it leads to lower operation costs as well. With electric power transmission, the machines may even be connected to normal wall sockets. More articles from Handling & Storage Solutions: | 
