Application of Electricity in Automobile

Outline
Why Electricity is needed in automobiles? Safety and other reasons. Target power levels. Architectures. Points about engineering research needs. Major applications: power steering, starter-alternators, etc. Mild hybrid designs based on 42 V. Research opportunities. Conclusion.

Why Electricity is needed in automobiles?

The electrification of the automobile is a major step in its evolution. Electrical applications are beneficial for the same reasons as for systems in aircraft:
Better efficiency More flexible control Ease of energy conversion

Low-cost control and conversion of energy is a key point. Electric power is rising because of electric auxiliaries as well as more features.

Why Electricity is needed in automobiles?

When electricity is used to power various components (steering, brakes, suspension, air conditioning), the results are better efficiency and more flexible performance. Performance is decoupled from the engine. Many estimates have been made, such as 10% fuel economy improvements by simple electrification of existing functions.

Why Electricity is needed in automobiles?

Possible new features:
Combined starter-alternator to reduce costs and enhance performance. Regenerative braking. Start on demand arrangements to avoid idle engines. Improved, more efficient power steering and other subsystems. Active suspensions. Electrical valves and engine elements -ultimately the self-starting engine.

Why Electricity needed in automobiles?

The conventional car is rapidly becoming more electric. The total electric load is about 1500 W today, and is increasing toward 5000 W. Conventional alternators cannot deliver more than about 2000 W, and are not efficient. A higher voltage system supports lower current and loss.

Why Electricity is needed in automobiles?

Three alternatives:
Stick with 12 V. This limits effective power levels. Get the voltage as high as possible (>100 V). This requires a major overhaul of safety systems and basic designs. Push the voltage as high as possible before significant safety issues come into play.

42 V tries to do the last: get the voltage as high as possible while avoiding severe safety issues.

Safety Issues
A cars electrical system is typically open. Complicated wiring harnesses with close contact and hundreds of connections. Regulatory agencies have set a level of about 60 V dc as the maximum reasonable level in an open system. Headroom is required to stay below this level under all allowed conditions.

Safety Issues
Industry premise: stay with an open electrical system for the foreseeable future. This philosophy supports the option for evolutionary change of automotive electric power.

Safety Issues
There are also fully regulated and battery regulated systems. Battery-regulated system ultimately defer to the battery to set the voltage level. A battery-regulated system must allow for
Polarity reversal Disconnection: momentary or continuous Wide voltage swings

Inductive spikes from corrosion or deliberate disconnect are significant.

Safety Issues
12 V battery systems require undamaged operation at 12 V or from short-term spikes up to 75 V. At higher battery voltages, surge suppressors and other add-ons will be needed to limit these extremes to present levels. In a battery regulated system, 36 V is about the highest possible level (but these are charged at 42 V) without excessive possibility of damage and spikes much beyond 60 V.

Safety Issues
In a fully regulated system, there is some buffering between the battery and the rest of the system. With full regulation, the wide swings of a battery system are not necessarily encountered by the user. 48 V batteries are possible within the 60 V limit, with such regulation. The higher voltages also support extra efforts, such as anti-reversing diodes.

Safety Issues
The term 42 V refers to a range of choices with nominal battery levels in the range of 36 V to 48 V. While there is incomplete consensus, the evolutionary approach would favor 36 V batteries (charging at 42 V). For comparison, we should take 42 V to mean a tripling of present voltage, to give at least triple the power. With better generation, power up to 5x is available.

Safety Issues
We can also consider a closed system, in which electrical contact is more protected. Closed systems are used in todays hybrid and electric cars. The voltage levels there can exceed 300 V dc.

Power Levels
Voltage 12 V
42 V 300 V

Typical power level 1200 W

5000 W 30 kW

Maximum power level 2000 W

10 kW 100 kW

At 42 V, a cars electrical system rivals that of a house. But, 10 kW is not enough for traction power.

Architectures
Each automotive voltage level has advantages for some loads. 12 V or less for lamps, sensors, electronics, controls. 42 V for motors, pumps, and fans. High voltage for electric traction power. Incandescent lamps, for example, are more rugged and more reliable at low voltages (but they are disappearing).

Architectures
Many possible architectures are possible. Most retain some 12 V capacity. They are typically divided into single-battery and dual-battery systems. There is no consensus on which to select, and we are likely to see several.

Architectures
Single battery at 42 V:
ENGINE 42V ALTERNATOR 42V BATTERY 42V LOADS

Problem: jump starts? Problem: charge balance.

DCDC

12V LOADS
www.hoppecke.com

Architectures
Dual battery:
ENGINE 42V ALTERNATOR 42V BATTERY 42V LOADS

The dc-dc converter must be bidirectional to support starting and reliability.

12V BATTERY

BIDIRECTIONAL DCDC

12V LOADS

Architectures
12 V battery
ENGINE
42V STARTER/ ALTERNATOR REGULATOR

42V LOADS

Here a starter-alternator is shown as well.

12V BATTERY

BIDIRECTIONAL DCDC

12V LOADS

Architectures
Distributed converters with 42 V battery.
ENGINE 42V STARTER/ ALTERNATOR 42V BATTERY 42V LOADS

Here there are many dc-dc converters at the various loads.

LOCAL DC/DC

LOADS

Architectures
The ultimate is a true multiplexed system:
Deliver a single 42 V power bus throughout the vehicle, with a network protocol overlaid on it. Local dc-dc converters provide complete local operation and protection. A ring bus or redundant bus structure could be used to enhance reliability. What about fuses? No central point is available.

Architectures
Costs would seem to dictate a single-battery arrangement. However, this involves either a high-power 42V to 12V converter (bidirectional) or a troublesome 42 V battery. Some researchers talk about a small dc-dc converter just for jump starts. Most systems are partially multiplexed (power and network distribution rather than individual loads).

Issues
Key off loads: sensors, alarms, clocks, remote systems. All draw down power. Flat loads draw roughly fixed power, although the alternator output can vary. Connectors. Fusing. Arcs: much above 12 V, it becomes possible to sustain an arc in close quarters.

Connectors
150 A connector for 42 V (AMP, Inc. prototype).

Points About Research Needs

Many of the new challenges of 42 V have been addressed in other contexts:
48 V systems throughout the telephone network (with battery regulation) Higher dc voltages in several aerospace applications (with bigger arcing problems in lowpressure ambients)

Methods need to be adapted to the low-cost high-vibration automotive case.

Points About Research Needs

Motors are of keen interest.
Dc motors are cheap to build because of the convenient wound-rotor structure. The small machine design methods for cars do not translate well to 42 V.

At 42 V, ac motors make sense. But small ac motors have been expensive in most contexts. How to build cheap, small ac motors (with electronic controls)?

Points About Research Needs

Fusing is critical. Power semiconductor circuits capable of acting as self fuses active devices used as circuit breakers based on local sensing. Actual fuses and circuit breakers with costeffective arc management suitable for automotive environments. Fusing issues (among others) have slowed down the development of 42 V systems.

Major Applications
Electric power steering. Two forms: assist pump and direct electric. The assist pump uses an electric motor to drive a conventional hydraulic unit. The direct system uses electric motors with the steering rack. In both cases, action can be controlled independent of the engine.
Source: Delphi Corp., Saginaw Steering Systems Div.

Major Applications
Electric air conditioning. Remove the air conditioning system from engine belt drive. Provides much better control and flexibility. Easier cycling,possible heat pump application.

Major Applications
Integrated starter-alternator (ISA). Build an electric machine into or around the flywheel. Both permanent magnet and induction types are being studied.

Source: Mechanical Engineering Magazine online, April 2002.

Major Applications
Provides on-demand starts. Supports regenerative braking. The very fast dynamics of an ac machine allows even active torque ripple cancellation. If ripple can be cancelled, there is promise for much quieter engines and much lower vibration levels.

Major Applications
Electromechanical engine controls. Valves. Source: FEV Engine Technology, Inc. Fuel.

Major Applications
Active suspensions. Use electromechanical actuators in conjunction with mechanical suspension members. With enough actuator power, road bumps (large and small) can be cancelled with an active suspension.

Major Applications
Catalyst management systems and exhaust treatment. Today, most automotive emissions occur in the first few minutes of operation, when the catalyst is too cold to be effective. Catalyst heaters or short-term exhaust management systems can drastically reduce tailpipe emissions in modern cars and trucks. Electrostatic precipitator methods can be of value with diesel particulate exhaust.

Additional Applications

Mild Hybrids
The key limitation of 42 V is that it really does not support electric traction power levels. As the promise of electric and hybrid vehicles becomes clearer, engineers push for higher power levels beyond the reach of 42 V. A compromise is possible: the mild hybrid vehicle.

Mild Hybrids
A light hybrid or mild hybrid uses a small motor to manage performance. The engine can be shut down at stops. Braking energy can be recovered. Source: www.familycar.com The car does not operate in an all-electric regime. The Honda Insight is a good example.

Mild Hybrids
For a mild hybrid approach, about 5 kW or so can provide a useful level of traction power. The technique is accessible in a 42 V system, although higher voltage (144 V in the Insight) is beneficial. A 42 V ISA has substantial promise for fuel economy improvements, and straddles the boundary between a conventional car with an ISA and a mild hybrid.

Other Hybrids
Higher-power hybrids require high voltage (240 V and up) for traction power. Electrical accessories are essential. Such cars can benefit from 42 V systems.

Other Hybrids
Source: www.familycar.com

The Toyota hybrid system operates at 288 V, and reaches 30 kW.

All key accessories are electric.

Electric and Hybrid Gallery

General Motors EV1. 1300 lb battery pack at 312 V, 102 kW motor. 0-60 mph in less than 9 s.

Volvo turbine-based hybrid prototype.

Electric and Hybrid Car Gallery

This Ford Escort was the first true practical prototype hybrid a complete station wagon.

Second-gen diesel hybrid.

Electric and Hybrid Car Gallery

Research Opportunities
Low-cost small ac motor systems:
42 V dc bus Cheap inverters Small ac motors that can be manufactured easily

Engine electromechanical devices and controls. Protection and semiconductor fusing. System-level analysis.

Conclusion
The continuing increase in electric power levels in automobiles will require higher voltages. 42 V systems (batteries at 36 V or 48 V) are the highest possible in an open electrical system. There are fuel economy improvements just at this level, but the extension to mild hybrids offers much more. While the industry is now is a go slow mode for 42 V, no one doubts its eventual use.

The End!