Hydraulic Hybrid
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Waste Management Field Testing Peterbilt Hydraulic Hybrid Waste Collection Trucks
November 14, 2008
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| Components of the Eaton heavy-duty hydraulic launch assist (HLA) system. Click to enlarge. |
Waste Management, Inc., North America’s largest waste management company, is field-testing parallel hydraulic hybrid waste collection trucks. Four parallel hydraulic hybrid-diesel collection trucks have been incorporated into Waste Management’s fleet and are being tested in Fort Worth to study and optimize the hybrid system’s efficiency and reliability.
The four Peterbilt 320 vehicles in Fort Worth use the Eaton Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA system). The HLA system can capture and store up to 75% of the energy normally lost as heat by the vehicle’s brakes in the form of pressurized hydraulic fluid. (Earlier post.)
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EPA to Award Up to $1.35M to Projects to Advance Hydraulic Hybrid, Engine and Fuel Technology
November 06, 2008
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible entities to collaborate with EPA in a set of hybrid technology pilot projects that can span the optimization of Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle (HHV) technology (including plug-in electric-hydraulic hybrids); unique clean and efficient engines for full-series hybrid vehicles; and clean lower greenhouse gas transportation fuels.
The EPA expects to select 5 programs. Estimated total program funding is $1,350,000, with an award ceiling of $450,000. The EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) has identified the following as high priority specific technology projects:
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UPS to Purchase 7 Hydraulic Series Hybrid Vans; Prototype Showed 45-50% Improvement in Fuel Economy
October 27, 2008
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| The hydraulic system provides a high power-density energy storage option. Click to enlarge. Source: EPA |
After two years of road-testing of a prototype, UPS has placed its first order for hydraulic diesel series hybrid delivery vehicles (HHV), becoming the first in its industry to do so.
Disclosing the results of its road testing on Detroit routes for the first time, UPS and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the prototype vehicle had achieved a 45-50% improvement in fuel economy compared to conventional diesel delivery trucks. UPS believes similar fuel economy improvements and a 30% reduction in CO2 are achievable in daily, real-world use.
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Bosch Highlighting Hydraulic and Electric Hybrid Systems at IAA
September 23, 2008
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| Components of the hydraulic hybrid Hydrostatic Regenerative Braking System. Click to enlarge. |
Bosch will highlight its hydraulic hybrid drivetrain at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany as one of its solutions to help reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions in the commercial vehicle sector. Bosch will also showcase its hybrid-electric, CNG, exhaust aftertreatment, and new higher-pressure common rail injection systems.
The Bosch-Rexroth Hydrostatic Regenerative Braking system (HRB) for heavy commercial vehicles reduces fuel consumption by up to 25%. The hydraulic hybrid drivetrain converts kinetic braking energy into hydraulic energy and stores it. The next time the vehicle accelerates, the stored energy is fed back into the powertrain, thereby reducing the load on the combustion engine.
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Frost & Sullivan Names Sanderson Engine Development Emerging Company of the Year
August 12, 2008
Frost & Sullivan recently recognized Sanderson Engine Development, LLC (SED) with the 2008 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Emerging Company of the Year. Sanderson is the desinger of the Sanderson Rocker-Arm Mechanism (SRAM) for converting reciprocating motion into rotational motion without the use of a conventional crankshaft. (Earlier post.)
Frost & Sullivan called the SRAM an emerging core technology for an entirely new generation of engine-driven pumps, compressors, generators, and any other device for which current power systems deploy multiple components (as in a crankshaft engine and a swash plate hydraulic pump) to transfer power.
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Artemis Intelligent Power Unveils New Hydraulic Hybrid Powertrain
June 02, 2008
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| Three different configurations of the HEDDAT-based series hybrid system with increasing hybrid functionality leading to up to 30% reduction in CO2. Click to enlarge. |
Artemis Intelligent Power has unveiled a new hydraulic hybrid powertrain for vehicles based on its Digital Displacement (DD) technology, which replaces the port plates and swash plates in conventional hydraulic machines with computer-controlled high-speed solenoid valves.
The UK Energy Saving Trust confirmed that a prototype BMW 530i hydraulic series hybrid, retrofitted with the HEDDAT (High Efficiency Digital Displacement Automotive Transmission), showed double the fuel economy in city driving compared to the same car with a manual transmission. Overall, including highway driving, the prototype had 30% lower carbon emissions than it had before the company fitted its hydraulic system. The development costs for the prototype were shared by the UK Department for Transport, through a technology program run by the Energy Saving Trust.
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HTUF Selects Hybra-Drive to Build Three Hydraulic Series Hybrid Trucks for Testing
May 14, 2008
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| The hydraulic series hybrid uses the combustion engine to power a hydraulic pump/motor. Click to enlarge. |
The Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF), a government-corporate partnership led by CALSTART, has selected Hybra-Drive Systems LLC (HDS) to build three identical Class 6 hydraulic series hybrid delivery trucks for real-world testing by UPS, FedEx Ground and Purolator.
Under the new agreement, which is being funded by the Department of Energy, Hybra-Drive will build and deliver three hydraulic hybrid trucks over the next 9 to 12 months. UPS, FedEx Ground and Purolator then will each conduct a 6 to 9 month evaluation of the vehicle. Hybra-Drive anticipates that the evaluations will demonstrate up to a 60% cut in fuel use along with an accompanying reduction in emissions.
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Virginia Tech and RIDE Partner on New Hydraulic Pump/Motor for Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles
April 03, 2008
Virginia Tech and RIDE Inc. are working together to develop a hydraulic pump/motor for hydraulic hybrids based on the RIDE (Rotational Inertial Dampening Engine) technology. (Earlier post.)
Al Kornhauser, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech, who specializes in internal combustion engines, fuel cells, and other energy-conversion systems, is working with RIDE. Mechanical engineering students under Kornhauser’s guidance will design, build, and test a hydraulic pump/motor for use in a hydraulic hybrid vehicle.
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Peterbilt to Begin Full Production of Electric Hybrid and Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
April 01, 2008
Peterbilt Motors, a division of PACCAR, will begin full production of its Model 330 and Model 335 medium-duty hybrid vehicles in summer 2008, and of its Model 320 Hydraulic Launch Assist (HLA) vehicle in the fourth quarter of 2008. (Earlier post.)
Both the Peterbilt Model 330 and Model 335 Hybrid Electric vehicles feature the Eaton Hybrid Power system and provide up to a 30% improvement in fuel economy in an urban driving cycle. The Model 335 Hybrid Electric utilizes these same components to provide up to a 60% improvement in overall fuel efficiency, when configured for utility applications. The Model 330 Hybrid Electric can be configured for non-CDL operation with hydraulic brakes for a greater range of driver options.
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Hybrid Truck Users Forum WG Selects Electric and Hydraulic Hybrid Suppliers
March 31, 2008
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| Rexroth hydrostatic regenerative braking system (HRB) reduces fuel consumption by up to 25% and can be retrofitted as an add-on system even in vehicles without hydraulics. Click to enlarge. |
The members of CALSTART’s Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) Refuse Working Group have selected the supplier team of Crane Carrier/ISE/Bosch Rexroth to negotiate with for validation and testing of Class 7 & 8 heavy-duty electric hybrid and hydraulic hybrid refuse vehicles.
The hybrid trucks are expected to yield 30% to 50% reductions in fuel use with an accompanying reduction in emissions, to be demonstrated in chassis dynamometer and field testing. The working group members taking part in the hybrid refuse truck pilot project include the Department of Sanitation, City of New York; Solid Waste Management Department, City of Houston; and the City of Chicago.
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UQM’s New 150 kW Propulsion System Selected for Advanced Hybrid Bus Development Project
December 18, 2007
UQM Technologies’ newly introduced 150 kW (201 hp) permanent magnet propulsion motor—the PowerPhase 150—has been selected as part of a collaborative advanced hybrid electric bus development program being performed by the Flint, Michigan, Mass Transportation Authority (MTA), Kettering University, Michigan State University and Transportation Techniques LLC.
This new propulsion system is an upgrade of a 100 kW system that has been available for the last ten years, and achieves a 1 hp/lb power density. The additional 50% output is being made available without any additional size or weight to the system.
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Parker Hannifin and FedEx Ground to Test Class 6 Hydraulic Series Hybrid
December 07, 2007
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| Chassis layout for an EPA/Parker Hannifin Class 6 hydraulic series hybrid yard hostler. Click to enlarge. |
Parker Hannifin Corporation and FedEx Ground, a unit of FedEx Corp. will test a Class 6 vehicle employing hybrid hydraulic technology that seeks to improve fuel economy by more than 50% and significantly reduce engine emissions.
The new vehicles will rely on a Parker series hybrid hydraulic drive that eliminates the conventional transmission, along with its weight and maintenance, while improving drive train power density. Primary pump/motor components developed by Parker leverage additional technologies developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a series hybrid drive.
