At a time when the auto manufacturers are trying electrics, electric hybrids, and alternative fuels, NRG Dynamix has harnessed an age-old technology, hydraulics, to propel a vehicle. The hydraulic hybrid uses fluid power to move the vehicle; the engine merely acts to keep the fluid pressurized. In this way, the engine can operate at its most efficient under all driving circumstances. And sometimes, it turns off altogether.

NRG Dynamix made headlines in 2009 by being first to market with its all-in-one-package, full-series hydraulic hybrid called Drop ‘N Hybrid.

The full-series hydraulic hybrid used in this vehicle is unique in that the entire system is enclosed in one aluminum housing, lending itself to ease of installation and reliable performance. “Our objective for this design was safety; we wanted all internal components double-walled to reduce the likelihood of any pressurized fluid escaping, even in a vehicle crash situation” said James O’Brien, President and CEO of NRG Dynamix. “But we learned that the Drop ‘N Hybrid strategy was lighter, less likely to leak at fittings, and easier to package in any vehicle. It just makes sense”.

About NRG Dynamix 

For more information about NRG Dynamix, visit www.nrgdynamix.com.

1. Cost.
   Soon, Prius owners will face the reality of replacing their battery packs. Ho Much? Not sure but a similar battery pask for the Chevy Volt is 16,000.  
2. Charge time.
   Toyota boasts of energy savings through braking regenration, which is simply capturing braking energy for release to launch the car from the stop. But they also quote 30% efficiency vs. 90% efficiency in a full series hybrid.
3. Weight.
   Weight is important to any discussion about vehicle transportm expecially in applications that value payload such as taxi cabs. Toyota adds 350 lbs to the vehicle in batteries alone. The NRG Dynamix Drop N Hybrid is approaching weight neutrality when one considers swapping out the standard vehicle transmission with the NRG Drop N System. 
4. Hazardous and Complex. Our design shop is located next to the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department. Once, while our machinist had oour prototype on the dyno, a fireman moseied over for a chat. He mentioned that firemen are afraid to hose down an electric hybrid for fear of electrocution.  

What are your comments about this???

Ken Knight, Executive Director-Global Manufacturing and Engineering, Gen Motors, says “We live in a world of creative destruction.” Going forward, “interbuildability and flexibility” is the manufacturing guiding principle at GM.

- Jim “I’ll be here all week” O’Brien (Wait, no I won;t, I’m heaing back to the office on Wed.)

DEERFIELD, MI – Make that two wins in a row for Ashley Frye.  The Deerfield 12th Grader was awarded $1,000 in scholarship money at the 2011 Science Fair.

In all, seven students split a total of $4,500 in scholarship award money, ranging from $500 for top projects in each of Grades 6-10, and $1,000 each for the top projects in Grades 11 and 12. With no entry from Grade 10, a $500 award was presented for second-place from Grade 12.

A total of 24 students participated in the 2011 Britton-Deerfield Science Fair, held in the gymnasium at Deerfield School. “The students really stepped it up this year,” said Jon Way, Middle School Science Teacher.

Frye’s project was Bio-fuel Production By-Product Applications in (Farm Animal) Feed Rations. Frye last year also won a $1,000 scholarship award for her 11th Grade project. “I want to study agri-science at MSU,” Frye said. “The money will help.”

All projects were better this year, according to Middle School Science Teacher Scot Pifer. “They were more complex and the kids presented them better,” Pifer said.

Michael H. D. Bowman, Principal, added, “I can’t wait to see what they bring next year.”

This was the first time combined Britton-Deerfield schools science fair. Last year it was Deerfield Schools only. Both years the fair has been sponsored by James A. and Sharon A. O’Brien, of LaSalle, MI. The O’Briens also donate all of the award money presented.

Jim and Sharon O’Brien are Principals of O’Brien Engineered Products, Inc. of Deerfield, MI. “I got interested in science and engineering through a high school science fair,” James O’Brien said. “We hope to spark interest among future scientists,” added Sharon O’Brien.

Science Fair Judges this year included Matt Roush, writer of the Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report, and engineers, many of them associated with NRG Dynamix, of Deerfield, MI.

NRG Dynamix is a research and development firm founded by James O’Brien. The company’s full-series hydraulic hybrid system promising up to a 60 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and up to a 90 percent reduction in emissions in military vehicle and truck applications is scheduled for market introduction later this year.

For more information on NRG Dynamix, go to www.nrgdynamix.com.

Dan writes: How much would a drive unit sized for a compact car cost? I’m [also] curious if there is a difference in the way the car drives?

NRG Dynamix isn’t ready to share list price at this time. But the fuel savings for a taxi running one shift in New York over two years would be enough to pay for the whole car – NRG Drive hydraulic Drop ‘N Hybrid and all.

As for ‘feel,’ that’s more a fuction of tuning, and we tend to tune to the factory feel, so there’s no noticable difference operating a vehicle with NRG Drive vs, one without. Some NRG Dynamix customers want more performance, others want more mileage, and we can tune for either with the customer understanding they give up a little of one to get the other.

Jeremy Kaminski of Kamien Performance Cars in New Buffalo, MI, writes, “Some supercars can put out about 600 lb/ft of torque to the wheels. Is this possible with a hydraulic motor and if so would a pressure recovery system (pump, accumulator) be able to keep up with the demand for an extended period of time?”

Hydraulic motors excel in torque, and it would not take a very large hydraulic motor to generate 600 lb/ft of torque. NRG Dynamix has built prototypes that far exceed that for specific applications. With potential weight saving and packaging flexibility due to smaller size, hydraulic motors are compelling consideration for any motor-drive application, including racing.

“Does a hydraulic motor ever reach a max rpm even if pressure is sustained? I ask this to get an idea for a limit in vehicle top speed.”

A hydraulic motor is not a self-governing device; if you can sustain pressure, it will continue to speed up until something breaks. This can be avoided by using systems similar to those that protect electric motors from the same issue, and with a properly funded project it would be fun to go after a land-speed record!

“How much would an entire assembly weigh (pump, accumulator, motors, etc.)?”

NRG Dynamix makes one of the lightest full hybrid systems in its NRG Drive with Drop ‘N Hybrid. But weight is tied more to what the vehicle has to do than a simple question of how much does it weigh.

“What kind of cost is associated with a conversion?

NRG Dynamix has developed NRG Drive and the Drop ‘N Hybrid to be price-competitive for fleet and OEM opportunities. The average projected return on investment is less than two 2 years. In time, I hope some of those production units will be available for individual and small shops to push our technology to the limits. Personally, I would like to see our stuff at the drag strip or at an endurance race.

For more information on NRG Dynamix, NRG Drive, Drop ‘N Hybrid, Hydraulic Pumps, Hydraulic Motors, Accumulators and more, go to nrgdynamix.com. Send your questions and comments to info@nrgdynamix.com.  *Friend us on Facebook; Follow us on Twitter.

“NRG Drive is a hybrid system that makes sense,” says NRG Dynamix President and Chief Technology Officer, James O’Brien II. “It delivers up to 60 percent better fuel economy, reduces emissions up to 90 percent and enhances driving performance, without changing the way you operate the vehicle.”

The NRG Drive system with Drop ‘N Hybrid™ fits in place of factory transmissions, without costly changes to vehicle architecture in most cases, and only requires minimal maintenance at normally scheduled intervals.

“You use it like you normally do, but you get a lot more miles per gallon and it pollutes a lot less. That’s better for business and the environment, and works to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil. It just makes sense,” O’Brien says.

Industry experts predict fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engines will be the norm through 2030 or 2050. Rather than re-invent the internal combustion engine or our main transportations power source, NRG Drive makes it more efficient by making it less wasteful.

“More miles per gallon, fewer emissions…more efficient,” O’Brien says, summing up the benefits of NRG Drive.

The NRG Drive system is being developed by NRG Dynamix primarily for light- and medium-duty truck markets and heavy off-road equipment. NRG Drive is also being developed for military applications, including use in the HUMVEE where it has proved to greatly increase mpg and overall performance.

NRG Dynamix is located about 50 miles southwest of Detroit in Lenawee County, and about 20 miles northwest of Toledo. Founded in 2004 as Limo-Reid, NRG Dynamix is a developer of hydraulic systems, components and powertrains, and provides advances variable displacement gear pumps/motors as a component of HHPTs, and serves hydraulics companies.

For more information on NRG Dynamix, NRG Drive, and Drop ‘N Hybrid:

Nrgdynamix.com
Nrgdynamix.com/info
Nrgdynamix.com/wordpress
Twitter.com/nrgdynamix

Maybe in some future blog I’ll explain this further, but for now, let me just say, this is one reason NRG Dynamix concentrates on Sustainable Motion, where every effort is made to develop safe and affordable technologies that let you live life the way you want to, without compromise, while still being ‘green.’