Electric machinery and vehicles
Although most people think of electromobility as relating solely to electric cars, there are many other promising applications with great electrification potential.
This includes a great number of commercial vehicles or mobile working machinesthat are already operated without a combustion engine. Particular attention is being paid to vehicles and machines that are used in urban spaces, such as municipal machines and compact construction machines. Moreover, large and powerful machines are also being electrified, such as those used in mining and in ports and airports. For all these machines and vehicles, HYDAC supplies an extensive portfolio of components and systems for applications relating to the battery system, thermal management, energy-efficient working drive unitsand hydrogen and fuel-cell technology. Furthermore, our TTControl controller family is, of course, also perfect for use in electrified machines and vehicles.
Battery systems
For many mobile working machines, batteries are the most suitable energy storage system for the purposes of electrification. However, the requirements for batteries for mobile working machine are totally different than those for electric car batteries. The lithium-ion battery system developed jointly by HYDAC and INVENOX optimally fulfils the requirements for off-highway applications.
The cylindrical cells used, in the formats 18650 and 21700, enable a high level of safety, good supply reliability and maximum flexibility in terms of voltage, capacity and dimensions. To counter the disadvantage of the comparatively small cylindrical cells needing complex contacts, HYDAC and INVENOX have developed a patented innovative contacting system that involves the cells being clamped between two aluminium core circuit boards by means of a flexible electrically and thermally conductive contact material, rather than being welded to a current collector individually. This eliminates the need for vulnerable welded connections, increases the packing density and, as the cells are cooled directly above the electric poles, also increases the performance and service life.
In addition to customised developments in the low-voltage (< V) and high-voltage (> V) ranges, standard systems in both voltage classes are available:
Invenox LIOS low-voltage systems
Robust, modular plug & play Li-ion battery system for 24V and 48V vehicle architectures.
Invenox LIOS high-voltage systems
Powerful fluid-cooled battery system for voltages up to 800 V and capacities up to 400 kWh.
Controllers and software
TTControl, a joint venture of TTTech and HYDAC International, supplies safety-certified high-power controllers and powerful inexpensive mid-size controllers for applications that need to function reliably under tough ambient conditions, as well as corresponding robust user interfaces with various screen sizes from 7" to 12".
In the context of electromobility, our controllers are ideal for use as VCUs (vehicle control units), DCUs (drive control units), FCCUs (fuel cell control units), in battery management systems (BMS) or in thermal management systems.
To complement our hardware, with MATCH we offer an innovative, efficient and TÜV-certified tool for the development and maintenance of safety-related control software for mobile working machinery. MATCH offers you optimally coordinated solutions over the entire lifecycle: from planning right up to service. Functional safety is included. With MATCH, the actual functional development of the machine is carried out in a standardised, freely available development environment, for example in C, C++, CODESYS or Matlab. One system for all your software requirements. Versatile tools and variable subsystems provide you with tailor-made solutions in planning, engineering, testing, production and service. Documentation records are generated automatically and the implementation of safety standards is supported consistently. Our software experts are on hand to help with practical assistance and advice, from the implementation of your own development team to the complete development of your functionally safe software.
Thermal management
The term thermal managementrefers to the energy optimisation of the heat balance in electrified mobile working machinery or an electrified commercial vehicle with the aim of achieving consumption and emission reduction. Almost all the technical conditions are changing in terms of the temperature ranges, heating/cooling power, the number of heating/cooling tasks and the fluids used. The variety of coolants ranges from water glycol to special electrically non-conductive fluids such as transformer oils and demineralised water (DI-water), which is used in particular in the cooling of fuel cells.
Cooling on board electrified machinery is required in particular for electric components such as electric motors, power electronics systems (drive unit frequency converters, DC/DC converters and charging devices), batteries and fuel cells. Furthermore, the driver’s cab and the batteries need to be heated up under certain conditions.
Passive coolers and cooling systems
In most cases, with the exception of the battery, the fluid-cooling of the electric components can be realised passively – that is, purely to the environment. Alongside customised adjustments, standard components are available here.
Standard cooling systems
Cooler-filter tank
Customised coolers for fuel cell systems
Active cooling systems (chillers)
Because high-energy lithium-ion batteries have an especially limited comfort range, they are normally cooled with an active cooling system – that is, a system with a cooling compressor (chiller). In addition to customised developments, we can supply a modular system with various levels of cooling power and various supply voltages. As an option, these cooling systems can be equipped with high-voltage heaters that can quickly provide required heat energy, for example to warm up the battery.
Energy-efficient working drive units
With the electrification of mobile working machinery, there is an increasing focus on the efficiency of the entire drive train. This involves not only reducing the operating costs by lowering the consumption of electricity or hydrogen but also limiting the costs incurred for a vehicle battery of sufficient size, particularly in the case of battery-powered electric vehicles. On top of this, battery-powered mobile working machinery gives manufacturers a new way to stand out from the competition, by developing machines and vehicles with particularly high ranges or the ability to handle long working periods without interim charging.
With the installation of high-efficiency electric components like lithium-ion batteries, electric motors and frequency converters, the majority of the power loss is now attributable to the hydraulic system, which makes redesigning the hydraulics an especially important factor in optimising the energy use of the vehicle as a whole. Despite electromechanical drive units gaining importance in certain applications, in very many working functions hydraulics can continue to show its strengths, such as robustness, compact size and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, in order to cope with the growing requirements regarding the efficiency of the overall machine, HYDAC provides solutions in the form of components, subsystems and services relating to increasing efficiency in the drive train. Drawing on decades of experience in component development, HYDAC has established itself in recent years as a reliable partner for efficient drive systems, with the development of hydraulic hybrid systems.
Variable-speed compact power units
Highly integrated hydraulic power unitsthat enable efficient and decentralised supply of hydraulic auxiliary equipment.
DVA mobile
Intelligent variable-speed pump drive unitsoptimised for hydraulic supply in electrified vehicles. Available in 48V technology and HV technology (350V and 650V) in the 5–60 kW power range.
Hydraulic optimisation as a service
HYDAC offers all-inclusive optimisation of your hydraulic system as a service:
- Analysis of sources of loss
- Measurement of existing systems
- Development of optimised concepts
- Performance of simulations of the overall system
- Restructuring of prototype machines
Hydrogen and fuel cells
In mobile solutions where large amounts of energy and high levels of power are required over a prolonged period, for example in heavy goods vehicles, buses, trains and ships, batteries used on their own quickly reach their limits, both economically and technically. In such cases, the fuel cell used in conjunction with high-pressure tank systems for hydrogen is an effective way to drive and work with zero local emissions. For mobile fuel cell solutions and tank systems, HYDAC supplies innovative solution strategies for cooling systems, mounting technology, sensors and filtration. For filling fuel cell vehicles and machines with hydrogen, HYDAC supplies additional components and systems .
Mounting technology for hydrogen tank systems
Alongside mounting high-pressure tanks, we also use our clamping band solutions in the immediate surroundings of the fuel cell. In these applications, the conventional threaded rods that apply the pressing forces to the seals of the fuel cell are replaced with clamping bands. This makes it possible to realise more even pressing forces and improve the leaktightness of the stack. We will be happy to help you in dimensioning and designing the head plates and base plates of your fuel cell.
Hydrogen filters for mobile solutions
Particles entering the fuel-cell vehicle often have serious consequences for the functionality of the tank components and the fuel cells. The most prevalent problem is damage to seals and seal seats of the valves, which can cause leakage and thus failure of the tank system. Drawing on its experience in developing filter systems for hydrogen filling stations, HYDAC can offer filter solutions for protecting components in the tank systems of fuel cell electric vehicles. The HYDAC Chemicron® filter material used provides defined filtration rates and maximum filter integrity.
Pressure sensors for hydrogen for mobile solutions
With over 30 years of experience in pressure sensor development and production, HYDAC Electronic has established a new series of hydrogen pressure sensors on the market. Thanks to HYDAC’s in-house manufacture of the pressure measurement cell, it was possible to develop a hydrogen cell based on stainless steel. The sensors are based on a robust, long-life sensor cell with a thin-film strain gauge on a stainless steel membrane. The sensor cell is welded to the process connection; there are no internal seals. The compatibility with hydrogen is ensured by using a particular material. The pressure sensors are now used worldwide in fuel cell vehicles (with EC79/2009 certification) and stationary solutions (ATEX, IECEX, CSAUS) .
