Probably a dumb question....but

I believe that Toyota will pay dealers for the old batteries, so it behooves them to recycle them through Toyota.

Recycling the Toyota traction batteries wouldn't be more complex of different than recycling any other dry cell battery.

Electric forklifts use wet cell batteries, much like a car battery, so I would imagine that the recycling process is quite different from solid dry cell batteries.

Reply to
Ray O
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Question for Ray O -

I know nothing about the battery (batteries) arrangement in the Prius, but please tell us, is it one humongous battery or lots of small batteries strung together? and when one of the small batteries gives up the ghost, is it necessary to change out the whole bunch?

Reply to
mack

The Prius traction battery pack is made up of lots of small batteries strung together. If one of the small batteries is toast, then it is possible to change just the bad battery.

This arrangement makes it easier to fit the battery pack within various vehicles with different shapes, and more economical to repair or replace individual batteries instead of having to replace an entire expensive battery pack.

Reply to
Ray O

Ok Mack, you are talking about perpetual motion and there ain't no such thing. It's first cousin to a free lunch and that doesn't exist either. You are talking about putting energy into a system and drawing out more than you put in. The form of energy doesn't make any difference. Think about it, if you coast downhill on a bike, what happens when you reach the bottom? Can you keep coasting forever? If the hill you coasted down is 50 feet high, can you coast back up a 50 foot high hill on the other side of the valley?

Ask stupid questions and expect to receive ridicule. Think first, open mouth later.

Reply to
Retired VIP

Most modern commercial transport category aircraft use an "APU" (axillary power unit) mounted in the aircraft that is used for electrical power, bleed air for starting and pressurization including heat and cooling to the cabin. The APU is a small turbine engine that a generator is mounted to. This entire unit is self contained for fire fighting and maintainence purposes and can be removed and installed easily by a winch device.

The aircraft engine driven generators have a component called a "CSD" (constant speed drive) mounted between the engine accessory gear box and the generator. It's function is to maintain the correct speed of the generator for voltage and frequency output (115VAC, 400MHz). The reason that the APU does not have one is that it is not throttled. It runs at a constant speed by design. The electrical needs of most transport category aircraft are so demanding that a slipstream driven pop out fan would not be feasible.

The closest device to the fan setup you mentioned that I have seen is on older aircraft (DC-8s) that is used to pressurize the cabin. They are called turbo compressors. You will notice the intake scoops on the nose of the aircraft on each side. They use ram intake air to drive the "TCs" to accomplish this.

Reply to
user

He's thinking of the RAT:

Reply to
B A R R Y

I've seen those on military aircraft, I think I saw one on an A-10, pod mounted, but not on civilian transports. Most generators that I am familiar with have an output of at least 40KVA and the slipstream generators won't output that. They are also susceptible to icing.

Reply to
user

The one I posted is on a 757.

You don't see them because they only deploy in emergency situations and are not used in normal operations.

Here's one for the A380 and B787:

Reply to
B A R R Y

You can order when new or add on any of these generator systems, but the vast majority of fleet operators worldwide usually try to keep maintenance to a minimum by fewer systems. I have not seen these installed on any myself. If it's on the aircraft whether the system is airworthy or not it can be an operations cost liability.

To give you an example on that generator picture you posted a link on, if it was unable to stow for flight due to a malfunction and perhaps even for ground ops you would incur some penalty, either in aircraft performance (parasite drag or perhaps landing bank limitations which lead into crosswind restrictions) or be prohibited from starting or continuing flight or ground ops. Each is different and spelled out.

These systems have flight, maintenance, and of course ground limitations for use and if they fail, either on the ground, in flight, or to continue the flight from an intermediate station with no maintenance base available, certain requirements must be met in what is called either a CDL (configuration deviation list), mostly used for sheet metal and flight controls, or a MEL (minimum equipment list), mostly for general aircraft systems. Each operator has these manuals approved on an individual basis by the FAA. Procedures to defer the system or part of if allowed, are spelled out and must be met.

For in flight or ground electrical and or pneumatic needs, most all have installed an APU. Very reliable.

Reply to
user

Do you actually read, or just type long, overly complicated brain dumps?

I'll say it again...

The devices I posted won't do much of anything on the ground, and aren't used for NORMAL OPERATION. They're an emergency device that automatically deploys. NOBODY, except you, ever compared a RAT to an APU.

The OP originally asked about using a similar device to charge hybrid batteries on a car. Some of use were actually trying to explain how the extra drag would negate the gain, and that RAT's are designed to operate far above highway speeds.

How does that APU do when an aircraft runs out of fuel in flight?

Remember this?

Reply to
B A R R Y

It would not automatically deploy. In an emergency, things that would automatically deploy, usually deploy at the worst time, like at .90 mach. Batteries are normally used for emergency.

Are you used to running out of fuel in flight? A precautionary landing would be in order. ;)

I didn't mean to upset you BARRY, I was only trying to be informative to the OP.

Reply to
user

Especially in the case of Toyota's THS/THSII/HSD which is just a single planetary gear instead of several and no special metal belt such as in the Ford 500/freestyle among others. The cost of the 2 PM synchronous motors offsets it though.

I will add that if the hydrogen is electrolyzed from water via electricity the car will only go 1/3rd-1/4th the distance per KWH compared to using the electricity to charge a battery in an electric car.

Reply to
Daniel Who Wants to Know

No, that was an excellent question!!

Reply to
dbu

What was?

Reply to
B A R R Y

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