Automotive application: generative braking

[WCRiot]

 First off I must say that I am a mechanical engineering student, so be gentle with my half baked ideas.
What i am playing with and testing is have a small generator applied while the vehicles brakes are applied. I am using a go kart to roll down hill and test the system I am constructing.

My goal is to reduce the brake pad wear by using a generator which is only applied while braking, to slow and stop a vehicle.

My initial thoughts are test are: to use a small dc motor as a generator. This will be a BASIC test to see if the idea actually works. This will also be a test to determine a method of how to apply the motor ONLY during braking.

What I would like to charge: I want to be able to charge a group of capacitors to temporarily hold the charge. i will evenutally use this charge to initially turn an electric motor.

My questions are this: What type, size and capacitance capacitor should i use to see if the charge can be held? I want to see how much charge can be produced while braking.

What kind of circuit if any is needed to charge the capacitor? I was thinking of first trying to hook the motor/generator directly to the capacitor.

What would charge the capacitor faster or more efficiently? a faster turning generator? or a generator that puts more load on the system ? Would a motor with higher turns be a better generator or a motor with lower turns?

again. please be gentle, I'm still learning. But, that is why we are all here isn't it?

[Loki67671]

WCRiot,
You will have determine what your motor/generator output is when operating in the "generator" mode. The circuit values will come, in part, from that information. If you just want to strait experiment without calculations, which by the way can be very dangerous, I would steal components from an old microwave oven. I recommend you look into locomotives for some of your answers. They have been using dynamic braking for quite some time. Other answers you will be determining on your own. Good thinking though, recover some of our expended energy and store it then use it to help ease the energy budget plus save on brake pads.............. ....................Loki