Across the globe, it is a known fact that driving condition in each vehicle deteriorates because of the frequent usage of acceleration and brakes. To get through this issue, Mazda came up with an innovative Brake Energy Regeneration System which they named as ‘i-ELOOP’ to improve fuel economy at least by 10 percent. An expert from the Phoenix Mazda dealer enlightened us with the mechanism that works behind i-ELOOP.
Mazda’s Brake Energy Regeneration System
This brake energy regeneration system from Mazda is unique as it uses a capacitor to store big amount of electricity on a temporary basis. In comparison to batteries, these capacitors have fast charging and discharging features that cause resistance to the normal deterioration process that happens because of prolonged usage.
It is a groundbreaking system that continuously keeps recovering kinetic energy whenever a vehicle decelerates and starts reusing it as electricity. This electricity is further stored to be used for future. One can now use this power to switch on the headlights, audio system, the climate control, or every other electrical equipment installed in the car. This helps in reducing the need for burning extra fuel in order to generate electricity and thereby improves the fuel economy. This system from Mazda unlike the system in hybrid vehicles, even has cut down the requirement for a dedicated battery and an electric motor.
How i-ELOOP Works
i-ELOOP is made to focus on three functionalities; ‘use.’ ‘storage’ and ‘regeneration,’. It is all about demonstrating the development of the process as how to generate electricity and store it as efficiently as possible.
It wasn’t an easy task to create a system which can efficiently recapture the kinetic energy, generate enough electricity, and quickly store it for future usage. To make it work successfully, Mazda utilized a variable voltage alternator clubbed with a low-resistant, high-capacity electric double layer capacitor (EDLC).
Unlike those batteries that work through chemical reaction, the capacitors can store good amount of energy as electricity. Because of this, it is able to charge and discharge in rapid speed producing large amounts of electricity. Even after a prolonged usage these capacitors display only a minimal amount of deterioration of the electrodes. The usage of these capacitors does not only work on improvement of the fuel economy, but it helps equally in prolonging the life span of each vehicle’s lead-acid battery.
Moreover, the capacitor that are used with the i-ELOOP do not require any heavy or precious metals. What else? The primary component of this capacitor is an activated charcoal that proved to be most environment-friendly.
The Components and the Improved Mechanism
The energy that previously used to get wasted whenever the accelerator was released, is now being reused, stored and regenerated by the i-ELOOP with a high-performance alternator. This alternator is driven by the constant rotation of the tires that generates electricity that gets transferred to the capacitor and stored for further usage. The alternator then gets switched off whenever the driver presses the accelerator. At that time the capacitor starts supplying electricity to the electronic components of the car. This relieves the engine is from the task of producing electricity and that results in improving the fuel economy in the last lap. Get to know more about the i-ELOOP technology from the Mazda Phoenix dealer.
Winding Up:
i-ELOOP is yet another wonderful contribution to the fuel conservation movement from Mazda, that can be termed not just inspirational but useful for every car owner who wants to enjoy the car rides and yet maintain a longer life span of its engine.
