Objective and Results

Recuperation, the recovery of electrical energy during a braking process, is a technique used to reduce the energy consumption of vehicles. The electric (auxiliary) drivetrain directly allows recuperation without using additional aids. The situation is different for vehicles powered by fossil fuels or fuel cells. Here, recuperation directly via the drive train is not possible. This approach has particularly high potential for truck trailers due to the high kinetic energy, so the goal is to develop the recuperation axle of a truck trailer so that it can be used independently of the tractor.

Content and Approach 

The main focus at ETI is the development in the area of highly efficient and compact drive solutions with synchronous reluctance machines as well as the dimensioning and control of power converters with intermediate current circuits based on the latest generation of power semiconductors. Here, a generator is simulatively designed and subsequently functional samples of the generator including one of the power converter are examined and built. The optimal converter topology can be ensured by the existing scientific work at the ETI.  Finally, the commissioning will be measured by a specially constructed test bench in order to optimise the efficiency of the overall project.