AIR SUSPENSION

All of us are aware with suspension systems. Normally, vehicles come with coil and leaf spring suspension system.This type is more abundant because of its simple mechanical nature and comparatively low chances of failures. But, the limitation of coil and leaf springs are also too many. They can't be adjusted on the go and their adjustments are done at the time of fitting itself. This makes it a tough choice for customers in the market. If you buy a car with softer suspension, it will be good for bad roads, but won't be stable enough on the highways. Similarly, a car with stiffer suspension can give you back pain if driven on bad roads for long time, but is much more stable at high speeds on highways. In order to overcome this dilemma of choosing between soft and stiff, a more dynamic air suspension system is also available in the market, called air suspension. Hydropneumatic suspension systems are also of dynamic type.

Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by a compressor which is driven by the engine of the vehicle or some electric system. Air suspension system mainly uses Bellows, which is a balloon like structure made up of rubber. The compressor is used to inflate and deflate the bellows, which in turn increases or decreases the ride height.The purpose of air suspension is to provide a smooth, constant ride quality, but in some cases is used for sports suspension.

COMPONENTS:

• Vulcanized, heavy-duty rubber air springs(bellows) at each of the vehicle's   wheels
• An air compressor in the vehicle's trunk or under the hood of the vehicle
• A storage tank for compressed air, which allows you to store air at around an average of 150 PSI
• Valve blocks which direct air to the four springs from the storage reservoir through a set of solenoids, valves, and o-rings.
• ECAS computer that communicates between the vehicle's main computer to calculate where to direct air pressure.
• Air pipes connecting from the storage tank to the air springs that channel the flow of air throughout the suspension system.
• A desiccant-filled drier canister to keep the internal recesses of the system dry

BENEFITS/ADVANTAGES:

• Increased driver as well as passenger comfort
• Reduced noise and vibrations from the road
• Lesser wear and tear
• Adjustable ride height
• Adjustable stiffness

DRAWBACKS:

• Much high initial cost, hence used mostly in luxury cars
• Higher maintenance cost
• Fuel efficiency may decrease due to increase in weight(since its components are heavier)
• Not easily repairable(most mechanics can't repair such complex systems. Hence failure in remote areas may cause trouble.