Re: [Phys-l] [ncnaapt] another crackpot idea from the California legislative assembly

[egonjoe <egonjoe@comcast.net>]

I hate to jump in and get over my head, but the idea is based on the  
assumption that the cars are going to be on the road anyway.  Isn't  
the devil in the details?  There will be friction to move from one  
depressed area of piezoelectric to the next, which involves the car  
climbing back up the hill by the exact same amount that the tire has  
sunken to generate the compression of the piezoelectric.  Sounds like  
a wash energetically, but it also sounds like a situation which could  
be different than we would expect given a questionable set of  
assumptions.  Seems like a measurement would be more convincing.  
Perhaps the elasticity of the soft tire causing work against friction  
and robbing gas mileage would end up depositing energy in the piezo  
rather than heat. There, I've said it.  It's one of those complicated  
real world physics problems that we always seem to get wrong with a  
calculator or a simulator.
Happy analysis,
Charles Jordan
On Feb 26, 2011, at 9:30 AM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

> Comments/questions on AB 306 (Gatto): Energy: piezoelectric  
> transducers: study.
>
> This bill would require the Energy Commission to conduct research on  
> the feasibility of generating electricity using piezoelectric  
> transducers under major roadways as a renewable resource, by  
> collaborating with the Department of Transportation to establish a  
> pilot project that would employ piezo-based energy harvesting  
> technology. The bill would allow the Energy Commission to expend the  
> moneys in the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology  
> Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to implement this  
> research as part of the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle  
> Technology Program. The Energy Commission would be required to  
> report its findings in the integrated energy policy report adopted  
> in 2013. These provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2015.
>
>
> my post:
>
>
> The proponents of this suggested method, evidently, aren't  
> physicists. Physicists know that this is not a source of energy, but  
> just a transfer of energy from gasoline that powers the vehicle to  
> electricity in the roadway device. Such a method will decrease the  
> efficiency of the vehicle by increasing the rolling friction. Think  
> about it by answering the question, why do under inflated tires  
> reduce fuel mileage, and visa versa?
>
> bc
>
> bc forgot to add: using gasoline to generate electricity directly  
> would be more efficient than this crackpot method!
>
>
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