Evaluation of pulse power devices in electric vehicle propulsion systems

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6115360

Burke, A F ^[1]; Dowgiallo, E J ^[2]

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1. EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
2. USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)

The application of pulse power devices in electric vehicle propulsion systems to load level the main energy storage battery has been studied. Both high energy density capacitors (ultracapacitors) and high power density, bipolar batteries are considered. Computer simulations of vehicle operation with hybrid (two power source) powertrains indicated the energy storage capacities of the pulse power devices required to load level the main battery are 300 to 500 Wh for the capacitors and 5 to 10 Ah for the bipolar batteries can be reduced from 79 W/kg to about 40 W/kg depending on the vehicle gradeability (speed, percent grade, and length of grade) desired. Evaluation of the status of the technology for the pulse power devices indicated that for both devices, improvements in technology are needed before the devices can be used in EV applications. In the case of the ultracapacitor, the energy density of present devices are 1 to 2 Wh/kg. A minimum energy density of about 5 Wh/kg is needed for electric vehicle applications. Progress in increasing the energy density of ultracapacitors has been rapid in recent years and the prospects for meeting the 5 Wh/kg requirement for EVs appear to be good. For bipolar batteries, a minimum power density of 500 W/kg is needed and the internal resistance must be reduced by about a factor of ten from that found in present designs.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/CE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 6115360
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-90473; CONF-901207-2; ON: DE91006117
• Resource Relation: Conference: 10. international electric vehicle symposium: electric vehicle-a viable technology, Hong Kong (Hong Kong), 3-5 Dec 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
25 ENERGY STORAGE
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
EVALUATION
HYBRID ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
PULSE TECHNIQUES
CAPACITORS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DESIGN
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
PERFORMANCE
POWER DENSITY
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
EQUIPMENT
SIMULATION
VEHICLES
330300* - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Electric-Powered Systems
250902 - Energy Storage- Batteries- Performance & Testing
330400 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Hybrid Systems