Electromagnetic regenerative damping in vehicle suspension systems

An analysis is presented of energy regeneration in vehicle suspension systems, using electromagnetic devices. Previous research has shown that the amount of energy dissipated in vehicle suspension systems may be worth regenerating for purposes such as electric vehicles, where energy efficiency is a primary concern. A generalised electromagnetic topology is proposed to assist in the design of an optimal regenerative damper. This leads to an analysis of the electrical and magnetic circuit designs of electromagnetic regeneration devices together with an analysis of rotating and linear dampers. Rotating electromagnetic dampers have the advantage of mechanical amplification, but degrade the vehicle dynamics. A solution to this problem is proposed, using extra dynamic elements in series with the rotating damper. The implementation of this design will allow the use of smaller, and cheaper, rotating electromagnetic regenerative devices for use in vehicle suspension systems.