Electric Axle Drive Arrangement with Segmented Converter Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portal axles in electric vehicles are heavy and provide low comfort due to their rigid design, affecting the vehicle's dynamics and suspension.
Innovation Solution
A drive arrangement featuring two electric machines with integrated transmissions and a converter unit, allowing for individually suspended wheels via articulated shafts, which separates the drive unit from the wheel-guiding unit, reducing weight influence and enabling a more comfortable ride by minimizing high-voltage lines and components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a rigid portal axle with integrated electric motors is used, then the drive function is achieved, but the vehicle comfort and suspension quality deteriorate due to excessive weight
Solution Approach 1:
The drive unit is segmented into separate functional components: electric machines, transmissions, and converter units are separated from the wheel-guiding unit. This allows the drive function to be achieved while reducing the weight of the wheel assembly, thereby improving suspension quality and vehicle comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The heavy electric machines and converter units are extracted from the traditional portal axle structure and positioned separately. The wheel-guiding unit is relieved of drive component weight, enabling better suspension performance and comfort while maintaining the portal axle's functional advantages.
2Reliability
If individual wheel suspension is implemented, then vehicle comfort improves, but the complexity of the drive system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The converter units for multiple electric machines are merged into a single common converter unit. This reduces the overall number of components and simplifies the drive system architecture while still enabling individual control of each wheel's suspension and drive functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The common converter unit serves multiple electric machines simultaneously, providing a universal power conversion solution. This multi-functional approach reduces system complexity while maintaining the capability for individual wheel control needed for comfort suspension.
3Ease of operation
If multiple frequency converters are used for each electric machine, then precise control is achieved, but the number of high-voltage lines and components increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple frequency converters are merged into a single common converter unit that can control multiple electric machines. This reduces the number of high-voltage lines and components while maintaining the precision control capability needed for optimal electric machine performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A drive arrangement for an electric vehicle has an axle drive device of a portal design with two electric machines for driving the wheels of an axle of the electric vehicle, and at least one electric energy store that can be discharged when an electric machine is operated as a motor and/or can be charged when an electric machine is operated as a generator. The drive arranged is characterized in that the two electric machines (11) of the axle drive device (10) are combined with a respectively assigned transmission (12) in an electric axle to drive the individually suspended wheels (2) of the axle by means of, in each case, one articulated shaft flange (13) via a respective articulated shaft. Frequency converters assigned respectively to the two electric machines are combined in a converter unit.