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How Hybrid Technology Works in Military Applications

Modern military vehicles are extremely advanced and there is a constant rise for power demand in these systems. Traditional generators of the commonly used 24 V on-board systems have reached capacity and aren’t able to meet the power demands of these vehicles.

However, today there are certain powerful high-voltage energy systems that have been built on a modular design concept. This also enables the inclusion of hybrid functions in energy storage equipment such as lithium-ion batteries.

Military hybrid vehicles – The power needs

The trend of using hybrid technology, currently commonplace in public service vehicles and cars is now increasingly noticeable in military vehicles too. Since the protection requirements for the latter are more stringent, there is also an increase in the overall weight of military vehicles. However, it is also necessary that these vehicles be easily manoeuvrable on field.

Unlike the consumer market, the primary focus for any military vehicle is on upping the drive power, specifically when the engine is in a low speed range. For example, the peak loads that arise when the vehicle is being accelerated can easily be accommodated by an efficient hybrid technology or system.

This means diesel engines that are lesser in weight and have a reduced power can be used by the military. Aside from this benefit, these systems also offer energy savings as energy is recovered from the system when it is started, stopped or while braking.

Military hybrid vehicles-systems and working

The different types of technology and components in these systems include:

#1 Integrated Starter Generator

This is specifically designed to provide 120kW of electrical power. It is a flywheel generator which is integrated between the vehicle’s combustion engine and its transmission. The salient features of this system are:

• Starter and booster functionality
• High power density
• Bearing-less
• Maintenance free
• Water-cooled
• High efficiency up to 95%

#2 Generator Control Unit plus Inverter

This is essentially a bidirectional power converter that allows the system’s integrated starter-generator to operate as a generator as well as a motor. The salient features of this system are:

• Integrated bus power management
• Stabilized high voltage DC out-put
• Four-quadrant operation
• Isolated network system with high voltage DC breakers
• Water-cooled

#3 Vehicle Power Supply

This is a bio-directional, isolated DC/DC converter that is specially designed to convert the electrical power from a high voltage DC-bus to the military vehicle’s conventional low-voltage DC (24-28V DC) network. The salient features of this system are:

• Electrically isolated
• CAN-bus interface
• High efficiency
• Scalable
• Water-cooled

#4 High Power Sinewave Inverter

This is a DC/AC inverter with a high voltage, which provides an efficient 3 or 1-phase power system for the standard 50/60 Hz AC equipment that is used in field hospitals or camps and similar facilities. The salient features of this system are:

• 3 or 1-phase, 50 Hz (400V)/ 60 Hz (207V)
• Unidirectional inverter 100 kVA (50Hz, 400V)
• CAN-bus interface
• Allows supply of more than one consumer
• Water-cooled

#5 Battery Power Converter

This is a bidirectional DC/DC converter – it acts as a linkage between the high-voltage DC bus and any standard high-voltage battery. It can also be used for applications wherein electrical energy is required to be transferred between 2 high-voltage DC levels (that have a ratio of about 1:2). The salient features of this system are:

• Allows connection of high-voltage batteries to a high-voltage DC bus
• 100kW multi-purpose bidirectional DC/DC converter
• Water-cooled
• CAN-bus interface

The specifications of these systems vary based on the type of vehicle they are to be installed in. If you want to know more about our power products and services, don’t hesitate to contact us at KaRaTec Power Supply Pty. You can give us a call at 612 9808 1127. You can also fill in this contact us form.

Thanks for reading,
Karatec Power Supply Pty
612 9808 1127