Question

List out the advantages of regenerative braking over mechanical friction braking for an EV
traction motor drive system

Answer 1

Regenerative braking is an energy recovery mechanism that slows down a moving vehicle or object by converting its kinetic energy into a form that can be either used immediately or stored until needed.

Advantages:

1) In this mechanism, the electric traction motor uses the vehicle's momentum to recover energy that would otherwise be lost to the brake discs as heat.

2) This contrasts with conventional braking systems, where the excess kinetic energy is converted to unwanted and wasted heat due to friction in the brakes, or with dynamic brakes, where the energy is recovered by using electric motors as generators but is immediately dissipated as heat in resistors.

3) In addition to improving the overall efficiency of the vehicle, regeneration can significantly extend the life of the braking system as the mechanical parts will not wear out very quickly.