The U.S. Army is using a low voltage power generation system to deliver on board vehicle power (OBVP) generation to its Fuel-Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator (FED). The system enables the FED Alpha vehicle to provide 30 kW of power at 28 Vdc over a wide engine-operating band.
The FED Alpha is the first of two vehicle projects that the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) is developing to showcase fuel efficient technologies, while maintaining tactical vehicle capability equivalent to an up-armored HMMWV. Maximizing fuel efficiency not only saves the Army money in direct fuel costs, but it can also help save soldiers lives by reducing the frequency of driving fuel convoys into highly targeted combat locations.
The low voltage power generation platform consists of flexible power electronics that support multiple generator configurations and mild hybrid capability. The generator system used in the FED vehicle is an in-line ISG 28 Vdc, 30 kW liquid cooled generator with three 10 kW air-cooled power electronics modules that communicate on J1939 software protocol.
The Kollmorgen power generation platform generates all of the power needed to support the tactical demands of military vehicles from a low voltage system. It has reduced the weight of the TARDEC FED ALPHA vehicle by approximately 150 lb when compared with high voltage power generation systems. Those weight savings, combined with more than 90% efficiency play a large role in the vehicle’s significant fuel savings.
Kollmorgen
www.kollmorgen.com
Filed Under: Automotive, Energy management + harvesting, Power supplies, Motion control • motor controls, ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL