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ITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS,the electrical systems Iwo main forces are driving cars to multivoltage systems-
in some luxury automobiles will be so changed as to the quest for ever-greater fuel economy and the emergence of
be almost unrecognizable Although they will new power-hungry automotive functions. Novel electrical equip-
doubtless employ the old reliable 12-V lead-acid battery, their ment, like electromechanical valve actuators and active suspen-
loads will be driven by a variety of voltages, both ac and dc, per- sions, will triple the aggregate electrical power demand in some
haps derived from a single ac distribution network. Designers will cars-from 800 W today to an average of 2500 W and a peak
be able to match voltages to individual loads for best efficiency value above 12 kW by perhaps as early as 2005. That power can
and performance-lights perhaps at 6 V ac, electronics at 5 V dc, be more effectively distributed and utilized at voltages much
active suspension at 350 V dc, and motors and actuators at 42 V higher than today's I 2 V dc.
dc. The digital signals controlling those loads will be carried by a All the same, a large, complex infrastructure now supports the
separate communications network [Fig. 11 12-V system with components and services Surmounting this
That, at least, is how a working group of engineers from mak- obstacle will require agreement within the industry on many new
ers of autos and automotive components envision the electrical system parameters, and reaching that agreement will take time.
systems of luxury vehicles in the 2005-2015 time frame T h e
group, which gathered under the auspices of the Massachusetts The case for electrical efficiency
Institute of Technology at the request of Mercedes-Benz AG, For better fuel economy, many devices now driven directly by
expects the technology to spread to less opulent models as costs the engine will be driven electrically, That way, the speed of, say,
drop [see "Planning for 2005,'' p. 271. the water pump and the cooling fan can be varied to match the load
Semiconductors, of course, are the enabling technology that or even turned off when not needed. To get the most out of switch-
will make it all possible (as well as making it all necessary). T h e ing to electric drive, the requisite electric motors should be operat-
costs of solid-state power converters, switches, and logic devices ed at voltages substantially above 12 V to boost their efficiency.
have been dropping steadily. T h e cost per watt today is less than Fuel economy also dictates that electricity be distributed at
half what it was in 1990 and is fast arriving at a level that is prac- higher voltages, to reduce ohmic losses without resorting to a
tical for certain automotive applications. heavy and expensive harness of large-gauge wire. Improving the
electrical system's efficiency so it lops 100 W off the average elec-
trical load has the same effect on fuel economy as reducing the
JOHN G. KASSAKIAN Massachusetts lnstitute o f Technology, car's weight by 50 kg, as measured by the FTP (Federal Test Pro-
HANS-CHRISTOPH WOLF Mercedes-Benz AG, cedure) 75 standard profile of starts, runs, and stops [Fig. 21
JOHN M.MILLER Ford Motor Co., 6; Even more to the point, the U.S. Corporate Average Fleet Ef-
ficiency (CAFE) standard prescribes a maximum fuel consump-
CHARLES J. HURTONGeneral Motors Corp. tion rate for cars sold in the United States. The Federal govern-
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much more. The cost of B
is only half that of C, but
C is much more energy-
efficient. A is said to be
"dominated" by C and B
q0
0
, , ~ ,A
weight
5
, , , ,
10 0
, ,c; , ~
Losses
5
, , BA ,
10
with respect to cost ver-
sus losses.
[5]A hypothetical electrical distribution system of the future delivers power to loads over a high-voltage, medium-frequency bus. The alternator's ac out-
put is converted to regulated ac for the bus and dc for the battery. Distribution boxes convert the ac bus voltage to whatever is needed by local loads.
security system+an draw power when the engine i s offr but not incandescent lamps are so rugged and so much easier to focus than
discharge the battery to the point where the car cannot be started. 12-V units that some manufacturers may return to them, especial-
Loads will be switched on and off by semiconductor switch- ly for cars with ac distribution, where transformers make down-
es controlled through a data bus of optical fiber o r copper. T h e converting from the high-voltage bus especially easy.
power MOSFET is the switching device of choice because i t is For headlights, high-intensity gas o r metal-vapor discharge
efficient and rugged and its manufacturing technology is well technology will probably replace tungsten. They are already
understood and widely practiced. Moreover, MOSFET power available as an option in the new Mercedes-Benz E-class car,
switches can be driven directly by a car's electronic control units. providing twice the light at half the power.
Whether the distribution is ac, dc, or a mixture of both will Motors and actuators will definitely benefit from a higher,
depend on manufacturers' individual choices, and their assump- regulated voltage; at 12 V, motors lose 15 percent of their ener-
tions about cost, performance, manufacturability, controllability, gy in the brushes alone. T h e dc motor, brushed or brushless, will
repairability, adaptability, and reliability. Whatever the electrical be the choice for most applications such as fans and pumps be-
distribution architecture, it should be compatible with existing cause of its efficiency at high voltage, as well as its easy control,
12-V dc loads. This design will allow the present 12-V dc infra- low cost, and high quality and reliability.
structure to be used while new, more efficient, or functionally Where high torque at low speed is needed-in window lifts
improved loads at other voltages are introduced. and windshield wipers, for instance-the ultrasonic motor with
As happens now, lamps and motors will account for most of the its low-profile pancake-like shape i s promising. T h e Lexus al-
electrical load. Incandescent lamps will continue to be powered at ready uses ultrasonic motors to adjust its headrests.
12 V,regardless of whether the power supply is ac or dc, because T h e upper limit on motor voltage will be set by safety con-
tungsten filaments for low voltages are shorter and less fragile than cerns and semiconductor device voltage limitations. Many auto
those that operate at higher voltages. In fact, short-filament 6-v makers favor 42 V dc, which can readily be handled by power