Military Vehicle Power Export With Engine-Off Electric Drive
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional military vehicles powered by internal combustion engines produce significant noise, making it difficult to operate discreetly, especially in enemy territory where silence is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A military vehicle equipped with an electrified driveline that includes an internal combustion engine, a motor/generator, and an energy storage system, allowing for silent operation by using electric power to drive the vehicle without the engine, and featuring a power conversion system including a DC-DC converter to manage energy distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If an internal combustion engine is used to power the military vehicle, then the vehicle can provide sufficient power and mobility, but the vehicle produces significant noise that compromises stealth and discretion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the internal combustion engine with an electric motor for vehicle propulsion. The electric motor is powered by an energy storage system (battery), eliminating the mechanical combustion process that generates noise. This substitution allows the vehicle to operate silently while maintaining mobility, directly resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and power provision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an energy storage system (battery) as an intermediary between the power source and the vehicle propulsion system. The battery stores electrical energy and provides it to the electric motor, enabling silent operation without requiring a running engine. This intermediary component decouples the need for immediate combustion-based power from the vehicle's mobility requirements.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the engine is turned off to reduce noise, then stealth is improved, but the vehicle loses its primary power source and cannot operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the internal combustion engine with an electric motor that can be powered by stored electrical energy. This substitution enables the vehicle to operate without the engine running, eliminating noise while maintaining full operational capability through the electric propulsion system and energy storage infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements an energy storage system that pre-stores electrical energy in batteries before the vehicle needs to operate silently. This preliminary energy storage allows the vehicle to shut off the engine and operate on stored power, ensuring continuous operation without noise. The energy is prepared in advance during charging phases, enabling silent operation when needed.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If an electrified driveline with energy storage system is implemented, then silent operation is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex internal combustion engine system with an electric motor and energy storage system. While this introduces new components (battery, electric motor, power management electronics), it eliminates the combustion engine, transmission, exhaust system, and associated mechanical complexity. The overall system complexity is managed through integrated power management control that coordinates the energy storage and electric motor operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the vehicle to operate silently and stealthily by decoupling the engine from the drivetrain, reducing noise output and allowing extended periods of quiet operation, enhancing operational capabilities in covert missions.
Implementation Method 1
an energy storage system receiving and storing electrical power from the generator
Implementation Method 2
the power conversion hardware including a DC-DC converter
Data Source
AI summary
A military vehicle includes a chassis, a cab mounted to the chassis and defining a rear wall, an engine mounted to the chassis, an electric machine coupled to the engine and generating electrical power when driven by the engine, an energy storage system receiving and storing electrical power from the generator, and power conversion hardware positioned between the energy storage system and the rear wall of the cab, the power conversion hardware including a DC-DC converter.