Research of electric power regeneration using automotive cooling fan (Influence of wind turbine on air resistance through vehicle cooling system)

Abstract

This work aims at developing a new fan-turbine that operates as a cooling fan at a low vehicle speed and operates as a wind turbine at a high vehicle speed to generate electric power. The present paper reports the influence of a wind turbine on air resistance through a vehicle cooling system. We have developed a method to measure air resistance by using a general-purpose facility and the following results have been provided. The wind turbine operation reduces air resistance through the cooling system and regenerates electric power simultaneously. Furthermore we have confirmed the influence of the wind turbine on air resistance through the vehicle cooling system by using a CFD analysis.

Keywords

• turbomachinery
• wind turbine
• wind energy
• axial fan
• electric power regeneration
• air resitance
• vehicle cooling system