Pneumatic suspension: advantages and disadvantages
Pneumatic suspension: advantages and disadvantages
From time to time in the environment of motoristsflashes of controversy about the pros and cons of air suspension. The compressed air system has long attracted designers to improved performance. However, the disadvantages of pneumatics can cross out its merits.
In the design of air suspension of any type is includedA special pillow filled with compressed air (gas) and liquid. Mount the air suspension can be on any type of car, just to fit the mount. A feature of the design is the ability to manually or automatically adjust the height of the body. The driver can independently change ground clearance and rigidity of a suspension bracket (if there are shock-absorber racks). Automatic settings depend on parameters such as speed, auto tilt, acceleration, etc. That is, depending on the conditions the car can become stiff, like a sports car, or comfortable, like a limousine. The most relevant is the use of air suspension in trucks.
Advantages of air suspension
One of the main advantages of the design -Increased energy intensity, which does not allow dangerous rolls during bends. This is due to a decrease in the amplitude of the oscillations, resulting in a reduction in the amount of energy absorbed by the shock absorbers. When using steel springs, these properties of the suspension can be achieved only by significantly complicating the structure. The second important plus is a fairly wide range of stiffness control. This allows you to choose the most optimal option, depending on the load on the suspension. Another advantage is the permanent position of the body. This improves the stability of the car and the correct position of the headlights at any load, which creates a safe driving environment at night. In addition, the air suspension: - increases the carrying capacity; - precisely adjusts the braking force depending on the load on the wheels; - has a durability (up to 1 million km of run), provided that it is properly operated. disadvantages
One of the most common problemsair suspension - air leakage associated with the wear of the connecting elements. If in time not to eliminate small defects associated with wear and tear, this will inevitably lead to more serious breakdowns. Another disadvantage is the "hanging" of the suspension: when the engine is not running, the rear axle is lowered, when it is launched, it rises, but at the same time the front axle is "bulged". A similar situation develops when driving fast: before the car is lowered, and when braking it is raised above the rear axle. And one more important drawback - in the event of breakage of the air suspension elements, in most cases you have to change the entire system, which will result in a considerable amount. And if we consider the use of a pneumatic structure on Russian roads, then there will be one more negative - a negative effect on the suspension of chemical reagents and negative temperatures.
