World premiere for earthmover hybrid drive

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Press article HEINZMANN (20th March, 2007)

Schönau, 20th March, 2007 - The first earthmoving machine in the world with integrated hybrid drive – a hybrid loader – has been received with great interest. DEUTZ and Weyhausen’s innovative drive concept contains HEINZMANN technology. The electric motor/generator for the diesel hybrid drive incorporates resource-saving, forward-looking technology from two HEINZMANN divisions – Engine & Turbine Controls and Electric Drives.

Hybrid drive – a new technology full of promise – has in recent years spawned a whole range of market-ready products in the private car sector, and now it is coming to earthmoving machinery.

The trailblazing drive concept will significantly reduce fuel consumption. This modern technology comes at the right time for the intensely competitive automotive sector, since use of the technology in cars and commercial vehicles has brought savings of up to 30 per cent. Now this potential will be phased into the earthmoving vehicle sector.

The premiered hybrid system has been integrated into a wheel loader. The drive unit is the mild hybrid type, consisting of a diesel engine, an electric motor, a battery and a control unit. The electric drive serves only to assist the main diesel engine drive.

Initially, the mild hybrid solution will involve only the following functions:

  • starting and stopping – the starter motor is no longer required
  • boosting – the electric motor kicks in during performance peak
  • battery recharging – when the diesel engine’s peak performance is not required, the electric motor can act as a generator and recharge the batteries. (In the future the alternator and drive will be dispensed with completely).
  • adoption of an electric motor significantly improves the drive system’s overall efficiency. When working as a drive, the electric motor takes power from the battery and delivers it to the drive system. Functioning as a generator, it takes power from the drive system and uses it to recharge the battery. The engine can thus be made more compact and function more efficiently. Performance peaks can be covered by the battery. 

HEINZMANN developed the Deutz Motor-built electric synchronous motor/generator from an existing electric motor.

It is mounted directly on the crankshaft of the standard diesel motor. The liquid cooled electric motor makes available 10kW and up to 30kW maximum output. In boost function, overall power can reach up to 150 per cent of the output power of the diesel engine. Use of a functioning voltage of 400 Volts provides elevated system efficiency.

The hybrid drive is easy to fit, and can be integrated with different types of engine and retrofitted to existing systems. The electric motor, barely 160 millimetre long, takes the place of the diesel engine’s flywheel. The overall length of the transmission increases by 80 millimetres. A host of applications await hybrid drive, and it will soon be demonstrating its positive features, including for example its constant speed in the low speed range and in transient use.

Contact partner: Mr. Frank Böhler

HEINZMANN GmbH & Co. KG
Am Haselbach 1
79677 Schönau/Schwarzwald
Telefon: +49 (0) 7673-8208-0
Fax: +49 (0)7673-8208-188