subject: How A Hybrid Battery Works- The Concepts and Basic Functions [print this page] How A Hybrid Battery Works- The Concepts and Basic Functions
The issue of global warming has become a very serious one, especially in this decade. There are various concerns regarding the health of people and the planet in general. Rapid industrialisation along with excess use of raw materials has depleted the earth's natural sources. The levels of pollution have increased drastically making things very hard for us. To combat this global phenomenon, cutting edge technology has been used. There are various methods, machines and instruments which can be used as alternatives to decrease the dependency on natural resources; mainly petroleum products. Cars are one of the biggest polluters after industries. Almost every car uses petroleum products and this has been unchanged in the 21st century.
With the alarming levels of harmful pollutants expelled by the cars, an alternative was required. The most successful alternate forms of energy have been the use of the hybrid technology. This is a new type of technology which is clean, efficient and easy to use. A hybrid car is popular today with the growing awareness regarding its impact on global warming. Hybrid technology which is in use today does not make away with the internal combustion engine entirely. Instead, it uses the combination of this engine, a generator and hybrid batteries. Here, we shall concentrate on hybrid batteries, its working and how it is an integral part of hybrid technology.
A hybrid car comes with some standard fitments. These fitments depend on the type of hybrid. There are essentially two types and they include a parallel and a series hybrid. There are some minor differences but the equipment used is the same. They include the internal combustion engine, the transmission, a generator, a hybrid car motor and a set of batteries. In a parallel set up, the gasoline tank provides the fuel for the engine and the batteries provide the fuel for the electric motor. Here both the motor and the engine can give propulsion to the transmission. The hybrid car battery is connected to the generator which works on the principal of kinetic energy conversion. The generator generates energy while the vehicle is in motion which is in turn stored inside the hybrid batteries. These batteries are connected to the electric motor which uses it to run the transmission.
In a series hybrid, the hybrid car battery is essentially the central fuel supply. The gasoline engine and the generator are both supplying energy to the batteries which in turn are running the motor. This is a much more efficient way of increasing the efficiency of the engine but it lacks in power which is one of the most popular features in a car. The series hybrid concept is a more appeasing to a person who has not yet been converted into a pure hybrid lover. Hybrid motors are comparatively costly and the hybrid electric battery is also on the expensive side. This is because the technology has not become very cost efficient. After the cars hit volume sales, the costs are going to come down further.
