Heavy Duty Vehicles Cold Starting System

With the integration of new technologies and advanced electronics into military vehicles, there grows an increasing demand on electrical systems to sustain adequate energy during extended "silent watch" periods. Meanwhile, on-board storage systems must be capable of delivering sufficient electrical power to start heavy-duty engines under extreme cold temperatures. Conventional storage systems, including military lead-acid batteries, represent a compromise that is neither optimized for prolonged energy nor instantaneous power delivery. As a result, many heavy-duty vehicles in their present configurations will be unable to meet future silent watch and cold engine starting requirements. However, through the use of a dual-power distribution system, it is possible to optimize for both of these performance criteria simultaneously. Potential innovations include the integration of ultracapacitors to deliver maximum power during engine starting in conjunction with deep-cycle batteries that maximize the delivery of stored energy over extended periods of time. The objective of the proposed Phase I program is to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a dual-power distribution system for a heavy-duty military vehicle platform that outperforms convention implementations.