Convert Diesel Truck to diesel/electric hybrid

Fuel savings and tuning experiments
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emollusion
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:59 am

Convert Diesel Truck to diesel/electric hybrid

Post by emollusion » Mon Apr 21, 2014 3:21 am

I have had these thoughts for a while now.

Goal:
To convert a 25ton (25000kg) firetruck to first a diesel/electric hybrid and then to only electric with a closed steam engine backup to completely remove the diesel engine.

First I read about converting cars to a steam powered electrical generator/engine.
I found a suitable steam engine type for closed water system and burner.
I also looked into adding electric hybrid to pickup trucks.

It is all possible, Volvo has done ot to their new line of public buses so why not a truck.

A li-po battery bank, steam engine and electrical generator/engine.

Reason for a firetruck. Cheap and well maintained full size truck that is easy to work with.

This is meant as a long term project so nothing is gonna happen over a week.

Allternativley instead of steam engine downsize the diesel engine so it can rev up the generator.
This mostly depends on what is most economical and which has less impact on environment. Which ultimately depends on fuel for the steam burner.

Ideas or thoughts anyone?

mr bugsier5
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:36 pm
Location: Brielle , west coast of holland(europe)

Re: Convert Diesel Truck to diesel/electric hybrid

Post by mr bugsier5 » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:44 am

simpeler would be to discard the electric motor and generator and use the steam engine direct. :mrgreen:
i would prefer the existing diesel engine, just run it on vwo , just as good for the inviroment. 8-)

running the engine on wood or coalgas is a posibbility to, ;)

running a 25 ton truck on a hybrid way is what the do in mining trucks like the giant catterpillars, what you sugest does already exist. ;) only not with a battery backup :roll: , would not make any sense, these giant systems. :ugeek:
dont be afraid to ask!, a stupid question does not exist!
forgive me my bad English!, as long as you know what i mean it,s fine for me!
(you thry dutch, wont be easy to! HA HA!)

emollusion
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:59 am

Re: Convert Diesel Truck to diesel/electric hybrid

Post by emollusion » Sun Aug 17, 2014 12:20 am

I see what you mean and I have some thoughts about it. So let me motivate and please reply with what you think.

To run straight of a steam engine gives a short lack of power.
Using a diesel hybrid, the diesel engine would get rid of that but as we both said, allready done so no fun.

So to run from a steam engine, I need electrics.
Both to downsize the steam engine but also to have instant power.
To find a steam engine with 250kW of power is a bit expensive unless you build it your self. To build it your self needs way more precision than my home can give.

Fitting the steam engine is the easy part.
Steering servo and air compressor for breaks are basically the only parts that needs to stay in the truck.
Sure, the AC would be nice to keep.

The kind of steam engine I am thinkong about is a Quasitron turbine, vibe free and very silent, with a sterling engine system for the closed loop.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasiturbine" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_engine" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Which gives the next plus point, the truck will become very silent, not only more energy efficient. The loudest sound will come from the air drier when it uses the overpressure to dry it self out.

And regarding the bigger battery bank, I have other interests that could use it, like hamradio.

I do not agree with you about keeping the diesel engine and consider it enviro friendly rather then fitting a steam engine and run on green fuel only.

Sure, construction impacts on the environment is something to think about too.

hi_tech_guy_18
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue May 07, 2013 6:46 pm

Re: Convert Diesel Truck to diesel/electric hybrid

Post by hi_tech_guy_18 » Sun Aug 31, 2014 11:02 pm

Meet a 5 sec water to steam heat exchanger and a radial steam engine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NPpelLCIkk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the heat exchanger is multi fuel will burn any fuel
Bio Fuels Biodiesel - Ethanol - Vegetable oil - Syngas
Bio Gas


Even the fossil fuels & Gas

it could with a mod burn solid pellets
sawdust, grass trimmings, domestic refuse, charcoal, agricultural waste, nonfood energy crops, and dried manure, algae. dried waste food

________________________________________________________

However you can make a Steam to electricity Generator with less moving parts
A Solid State - Thermoelectric effect : mainly the Seebeck effect

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect
With a 5 sec heat exchanger
you can spread the heat over a wide surface aria (Square Pipe) using steam and convert the heat to electricity
nice thing about steam you can use it more than once to do more jobs and get more than one uses out of it before it turns back into Hot Water (even then you can still pull electricity power from it due it still has heat)

when its human hand temp you run it though a radiator to cool it and run the cooled water back over the
Reverse side of the Seebeck Peltiers so they work with better efficiency

As the return cooled water pick up the heat you can put it back into the 5 sec heat exchanger coils to turn back into steam using less energy / less fuel

Thanks to MPPT technology you can arrange the Peltiers cells to give a much bigger array output voltages and watts (140V DC) and it will Convert the excess voltage to more amps

Sadly led acids will be on the no no list
(Too Heavy and even Deep cycles will be killed in just a few drives)

you need something like a Hybrid Storage
Part Ultra Capacitors Part Lithium battery tech to get the weight down plus be very fast recharging yet can store energy in high density for long runs with less losses

lifepo4

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http://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo4cellspacks.aspx
Remember to get PCM & BMS broads for the Lithium battery tech

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http://www.batteryspace.com/PCB/BMS/CMB/UPS.aspx
Ultra caps

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http://laserhacker.com/?cat=6

nice thing about the Hybrid Storage is due to the ultra caps you can do regenerative braking with Brush-less AC motors on each wheel you gain 4x4 yet dont need axles drive shafts or differential gear boxes to link up all the wheels

If a Motor blows out you still have 3x or 2x to limp mode you home

techman
Site Admin
Posts: 1329
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 11:49 am

Re: Convert Diesel Truck to diesel/electric hybrid

Post by techman » Wed Oct 08, 2014 5:57 pm

I would love to know what your workshop looks like. You always have a ton of high tech ideas

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