Regenerative brake – an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle or object down by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed. This contrasts with conventional braking systems, where the excess kinetic energy is converted to heat by friction in the brake linings and therefore wasted.
The most common form of regenerative brake involves using an electric motor as an electric generator. In electric railways the generated electricity is fed back into the supply system, whereas in battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles, the energy is stored chemically in a battery, electrically in a bank of capacitors, or mechanically in a rotating flywheel. Hydraulic hybrid vehicles use hydraulic motors and store energy in form of compressed air.
What is regenerative braking? – re-capturing the kinetic energy of the vehicle’s motion and turning it into another type of energy. Commonly, this is done by converting kinetic energy into electricity and recharging the car’s battery with it.
Kinetic energy
Friction
That’s engineering
- compression – a pushing force that flattens or shortens the thing upon which it is acting.
Engineering ideas
- kinetic energy, friction, heat, storage, energy recovery, generator, battery, capacitor, flywheel, compressed air
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