DEUTZ Introduces Mild Hybrid Drive for Off-Road Construction Equipment
Engine manufacturer DEUTZ has developed a mild hybrid drive system for off-road construction equipment that has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30%. The hybrid drive consists of a DEUTZ four-cylinder diesel engine, an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery pack and a control unit. The electric drive serves to assist the main diesel engine drive.
The electrical system provides a nominal 15 kW output, with a peak capacity of up to 30 kW, almost doubling the power of the DEUTZ engine. The electric motor/generator is situated where the engine’s flywheel and flywheel housing is normally located.
Constantly energized when the engine is running, the system produces electrical energy that is stored within a lithium ion battery pack. In response to high engine loads, the system reverses its operating mode and turns into an electric motor to assist the engine in driving the machine’s hydrostatic transmission.
The hybrid power unit has the following functions:
-
Start and stop: automatic engine stop during idling phases, automatic engine start in the case of continued operation, the usual starter is omitted.
-
Power boost.
-
Battery charging: if the diesel engine has excess power, the electric unit can charge the battery while operating as a generator.
-
Recuperation: part of the braking energy is refed into the battery by the electric unit.
 |
| An AR65 wheel loader. |
A prototype unit has already been fitted to an Atlas Weyhausen wheel loader. While the standard AR65 loader is powered by a 68 hp (51 kW) DEUTZ TCD 2011 diesel engine, the hybrid version has been replaced by a smaller 50 hp (37 kW) D 2011 non-turbo-charged oil-cooled version.
Currently, all functions on the Weyhausen loader’s equipment side are still hydraulically driven. The next step will be to power the loader totally by a full hybrid drive system, delivering eventual emission-free operation.
DEUTZ developed the hybrid drive has been developed in conjunction with Heinzmann, a manufacturer of engine control systems and a long-term DEUTZ partner and supplier. Commercial production is unlikely before 2010.