Conversion of ICE powered multi-cabs to HYBRID, is it possible?

[ghosthunter]

Naguluhan na ko, hindi ba kailangan padin ng engine dito GH? Just like the chevy volt, the engine drives the generator to charge the batteries and the electric motor drives the wheels? series hybrid system. While the parallel, the engine or electric motor may drive the wheels one at a time or at the samee time.

Edited: Oh I see, the chevy volt is a series/parallel hybrid system. It can do both.

The Chevy Volt can use the engine/generator to either charge the batteries or power the electric motors drive the wheels (or both at the same time). The engine has no direct mechanical link to the drive wheels.

[ronki]

Oo nga daw ronki di na daw nagagamit yun ambulance na yun, balak namin kasi gawing public transpo nalang yun around ust, walang terminal, umiikot lang talaga siya kaya any student from any building department pwede sumakay. Ttitgnan ko nga yun ambulance na yun kung ano pwede mapakinabangan pa, nakatambak nalang daw kasi sa may botanical garden e.

sa tingin ko halos lahat magagamit mo, i-improve niyo na lang yung motor nun. Yung battery din, palitan nalang siguro ng mas efficient at rechargeable na battey.

[niky]

If the thing hasn't been used, plan on buying batteries, because I can guarantee the ones on the ambulance will be shot. They're about 30k a pop for deep cycles from Motolite... maybe cheaper if you import US batteries under AFV rules.

If you want to get more than one or two "ikots" out of the batteries, you'll need three or four. Best to get them sponsored.

A gasoline generator would defeat the purpose of an "eco-friendly" hybrid. You'll consume more gas charging than you would simply puttering around. Leave it electric.

[ghosthunter]

A gasoline generator would defeat the purpose of an "eco-friendly" hybrid. You'll consume more gas charging than you would simply puttering around. Leave it electric.

Well, the generator could be considered eco-friendlier than a standard gas or diesel fueled alternative.

For one, the engine will not be running all the time when the vehicle is moving, only when needed to either recharge Also the generator could be fueled by whatever preferred choice since they have yet to acquire the generator system. If you want eco-friendly, it could be fueled by LPG or by used vegetable cooking oil.

[niky]

Well, the generator could be considered eco-friendlier than a standard gas or diesel fueled alternative.

For one, the engine will not be running all the time when the vehicle is moving, only when needed to either recharge Also the generator could be fueled by whatever preferred choice since they have yet to acquire the generator system. If you want eco-friendly, it could be fueled by LPG or by used vegetable cooking oil.

Yeah, that's a good idea! Given the size of the UST campus, you have a lot of sources for veggie oil. Building a purification system with a water separator won't cost all that much.

[zel.chikot]

Yeah, that's a good idea! Given the size of the UST campus, you have a lot of sources for veggie oil. Building a purification system with a water separator won't cost all that much.

Sir niky and Sir GH, all your inputs are noted! That idea about the vegetable oil as fuel for the engine that will charge the batteries is a good idea! But I think a study about the purification system for veggie oil inside the campus is already a good thesis proposal. And adding a hybrid vehicle on our study will cost much more. And it will be a lot harder. Maybe we can let other groups do the purification system and we could do the HV or vice versa.

Btw we also had this proposal about algae as an alternative fuel but we're still researching about its feasibility.

Thanks for the inputs GH and Niky!

[niky]

No prob.

Algae is very complicated, you could build a proof-of-concept, but your yield will be very small.

Much more feasible and useful to the University is veggie-oil and a veggie-oil conversion for existing diesel generators.

Also possible but more ambitious is a methane generation and compression facility, working off of the University's septic tanks. Though I don't personally know the suppliers, there are those who do conversions for generators to run on methane here in the Philippines.

Anyway... anything is possible, you just have to crunch the numbers on the budget. Good luck!

[ghosthunter]

Btw we also had this proposal about algae as an alternative fuel but we're still researching about its feasibility.

That alone would be worth a thesis. It requires some special strain of algae that stores extra sugars within itself and then you have to find a method for extraction of that stored chemical then use it as raw material for bio-diesel. You will also need to find a way to grow algae that is more space efficient as well. Current trend for that is by using vertical stacks of plastic bags as it's growing area.