Design and Development of Regenerative Suspension System Using Rack and Pinion Mechanism

Conventional vehicle suspension systems dissipate a considerable amount of vibration energy in the form of heat during damping, leading to continuous energy loss. The present work focuses on the design and development of a regenerative suspension system capable of converting this wasted mechanical vibration energy into useful electrical energy using a rack and pinion mechanism.

The developed system consists of a coil spring, rack and pinion arrangement, DC generator, and supporting frame structure. The vertical motion of the suspension caused by road irregularities is converted into rotational motion through the rack and pinion mechanism, which subsequently drives the generator for electrical power generation.

The prototype model was fabricated and tested under simulated vibration conditions. Experimental observations indicate that the output voltage varies from 7 V to 26 V depending on the rotational speed and vibration intensity, with a maximum generator speed of 60 RPM. The system was designed considering a vibration frequency range of 1–2 Hz, representing typical suspension behavior under normal and moderately rough road conditions.

The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of harvesting vibration energy from vehicle suspension systems. The proposed system is simple, compact, cost-effective, and suitable for implementation in modern automobiles, especially electric and hybrid vehicles, to improve overall energy utilization and reduce energy wastage.