Air Suspension System

Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose – contributing to the car's handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road noise, bumps, and vibrations. These goals are generally at odds, so the tuning of suspensions involves finding the right compromise. The suspension also protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The design of front and rear suspension of a car may be different.
This article is primarily about four-wheeled (or more) vehicle suspension. For information on two-wheeled vehicles' suspensions see the suspension (motorcycle), motorcycle fork, bicycle suspension, and bicycle fork articles.
Air suspension system The conventional metal springs faced some drawbacks which were air suspension system overcomes and so they are preferred and used in more these days. Let's see some of the plus points of this system. 1) The automatic control devices installed in the vehicle allows making optimum use of the variable space for deflection of wheel. 2) The height of the automobile remains steady and so the changes in the alignment of headlamp due to varying loads are restricted. 3) It helps to reduce the load while the vehicle in motion i.e. the dynamic loading as the spring rate variation between laden and unladen weight is much less. 4) It gives smooth and comfort ride of the vehicle. Air springs are classified into two types: 1) Bellow type and 2) Piston type Please refer to the sketch of air suspension system The air springs shown are mounted on the front and rear axle. The atmospheric air first passes through the filter where the dirt is removed and passed on to the compressor. Air is compressed here and the pressure of air is raised from atmospheric to about 250 Mpa. This pressure is maintained by the accumulator tank. The safety relief valve is provided on the accumulator as a safety device and it opens when the pressure rises above 250 Mpa. This air then moves to lift control valve and through leveling valves to te air springs.