Advanced Military Hybrid Technology

A hybrid energy storage (HES) system that combines lithium batteries and ultracapacitors can provide both high energy and high power. The proposed work will develop a prototype HES system that will target the Phase I SBIR objectives of 110 Wh/kg energy along with 1000 W/kg power, economically. HES technology is key to charge-depleting Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), also known as plug-in hybrids, which can use energy from the electric grid for propulsion, and thus increase performance while decreasing fuel usage. HES technology is also key for many pulse power applications as well as military vehicles with demanding stealth requirements. The proposed Phase II effort will develop a modular concept that is optimized for versatility of use. The chosen HES system will be built using Hybrid Electric Module (HEM) building blocks. The HEM blocks will consist of energy storage, power processing, and the control required to achieve the performance goals of the HES. AeroVironment will build on our Phase I work and tackle these challenges using our extensive hybrid vehicle design and modeling experience. AeroVironment has the battery management/power electronics expertise to develop a system optimized for both high energy and high power.