The second game changer technology is mild hybrid electric vehicles. A mild hybrid is like a standard car with a fuel-burning engine and a 12V lead acid battery but also has an extra 48V lithium-Ion battery and an electric drive.
The 48V battery can be used to power the car purely electrically for the first hundred metres or so after moving off, thus a smaller and more efficient engine can be used without harming the acceleration. This also means in heavy stop-go traffic, the fuel burning engine will not be running.
Thus automotive manufacturers can be the latest energy efficiency standards for urban traffic conditions without having to redesign the whole vehicle.
The 48V battery also allows for higher peak electric loads than is possible with a 12V system, so that the air conditioning, power steering and turbo charger can all be electrically powered at will and not constantly absorbing power by being mechanically connected to the engine. With some clever control algorithms, the overall efficiency of the vehicle can be significantly increased.
What this all means for industrial applications is that 48V lithium-ion batteries will soon become mass-produced, low-cost items. As lithium-ion batteries are also more compact and lighter than an equivalent lead acid battery, they are ideal as a back-up supply storage element for 48V systems.
The major difference between a 48V lead acid and 48V lithium-ion storage battery is the allowed voltage levels. The traditional telecoms standards for a 48V input DC/DC converter supply are based on old lead-acid battery chargers with a 18-75V output voltage range. Lithium-Ion battery packs must not be over-charged nor deep-discharged to avoid damage to the cells.
The 48V battery can be used to power the car purely electrically for the first hundred metres or so after moving off, thus a smaller and more efficient engine can be used without harming the acceleration. This also means in heavy stop-go traffic, the fuel burning engine will not be running.
Thus automotive manufacturers can be the latest energy efficiency standards for urban traffic conditions without having to redesign the whole vehicle.
The 48V battery also allows for higher peak electric loads than is possible with a 12V system, so that the air conditioning, power steering and turbo charger can all be electrically powered at will and not constantly absorbing power by being mechanically connected to the engine. With some clever control algorithms, the overall efficiency of the vehicle can be significantly increased.
What this all means for industrial applications is that 48V lithium-ion batteries will soon become mass-produced, low-cost items. As lithium-ion batteries are also more compact and lighter than an equivalent lead acid battery, they are ideal as a back-up supply storage element for 48V systems.
The major difference between a 48V lead acid and 48V lithium-ion storage battery is the allowed voltage levels. The traditional telecoms standards for a 48V input DC/DC converter supply are based on old lead-acid battery chargers with a 18-75V output voltage range. Lithium-Ion battery packs must not be over-charged nor deep-discharged to avoid damage to the cells.
