Experimental evaluation of energy recovery in a hydraulic braking system using accumulator-based storage

Abstract

This study presents the experimental evaluation of a hydraulic braking system equipped with an energy recovery mechanism based on a pressure-accumulator. The aim was to quantify the effectiveness of regenerative braking through comparative tests under three accumulator pre-charge pressures: 500 psi, 800 psi, and 1000 psi. The experimental setup included a custom-built data acquisition system that recorded the dynamic behavior of the system during deceleration phases, with and without the accumulator engaged. The power recovered was assessed by calculating the area under the energy-time curve using numerical integration techniques. Results indicate that the inclusion of the hydraulic accumulator reduced the total energy dissipated by up to 15.24% at 500 psi. As pressure increased, energy recovery efficiency slightly declined, reaching 14.43% at 800 psi and 13.19% at 1000 psi, likely due to internal hydraulic losses and early saturation of the accumulator. These findings demonstrate the technical viability of hydraulic energy recovery systems in mechanical braking applications and highlight the importance of optimal pressure selection for maximizing performance.