Modeling and Analysis of Hybrid Shock Absorber for Military Vehicle Suspension

This paper deals with the design, modeling and analysis of a hybrid shock absorber for vehicle suspension. A specific design of frictional-electromagnetic-regenerative shock absorber is proposed. The hybrid shock absorber consists of the proposed frictional -electromagnetic-regenerative shock absorber assembled in parallel with a conventional-viscous shock absorber. The concept of hybrid shock absorber is proposed due to the following advantages: the regenerative shock absorber will recover some wasted vibration energy from the suspension into electrical energy to support the need for electrical energy of the vehicle, while the viscous shock absorber maintains the performance of suspension closed to its original suspension. The vehicle suspension system dynamic was mathematically modeled for three different types of suspension:1).Conventional suspension using viscous shock absorber; 2).Hybrid suspension using combination of 50% frictional-electromagnetic-regenerative shock absorberand50% viscous shock absorber; and 3).Full regenerative suspension using 100% frictional-electromagnetic-regenerative shock absorber. In this research, 6 wheels military vehicle (APC:Armour Personal Carrier) is chosen as the model due to the high possibility of applying regenerative suspension to the military/off road vehicle. Based on the mathematical models, performances of the vehicle suspension and the regenerated power from regenerative shock absorber (RSA) were simulated. The results were compared between the three types of suspension and discussed.