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Today I’ll be taking a look at the Dynamometer Drive System.
Galco Industrial Electronics Engineering division has provided a dynamometer drive system for
projects such as the Autonomous Platform Demonstrator Project, or APD.
The APD was developed by engineers at the US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development
and Engineering Center, also known as TARDEC.
The APD is a hybrid-electric vehicle that weighs 9.3 tons, stretches 15 feet long and
can travel more than 50 mph without a driver.
The 6-wheel-drive, skid-steer vehicle runs on a series-HE power train consisting of a
diesel generator prime mover and lithium-ion battery pack that provide power to six in-hub
electric drive motors.
TARDEC sought the collaboration of universities such as Carnegie Mellon and Michigan State
University for further research, testing and development.
Carnegie Mellon was the primary academic source of knowledge for the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency Crusher program and utilized their expertise in the design, build and test
staged of the APD.
MSU contacted Galco’s Engineering division to provide three different types of Dynamometer
Drive systems to control the two existing 500 HP DC and four existing AC Dynamometers
rated 285 HP, 305 HP and two at 600 HP.
Galco Engineering also had experience with two of the existing 285 and 305 HP dynamometers.
Galco Engineering through years of Dynamometer Drive Experience easily handled the task of
providing the DC dynamometer Drives Systems, two AC Line Regenerative Drive Systems and
a custom ABB Drive Module solution for two remaining AC Liquid Cooled Dynamometers.
The Six dynamometers were required to operate simultaneously in order to simulate high speed
road conditions with the vehicle ascending and descending 30 degree grades.
The unique 6-dynamometer setup is like no other power train research facility in the
world.
With more than 1,000 kilowatts of absorption capability, the facility can handle almost
any known vehicle for testing.
The APD’s test requirements called for high powered drives, controllers, software, dynamometers,
sensors, measurement devices such as torque meters, and a closed-loop feedback system.
For the DC Dynamometers, it was a matter of sizing up the ABB DCS 800 Four Quadrant Line
Regenerative Drive to the FLA rating of each GE 500 HP DC Dynamometer.
Magnetics were required for the auxiliary AC motors associated with the trunion mounted
Dynamometer bases and blowers for each dynamometer.
Galco built, wired and tested the Drive cabinets using the DCS 800 module in our UL panel shop.
The 2 Reuland Electric Liquid Cooled High Speed AC Dynamometers were originally supplied
by Galco Engineering to GM Powertrain Ypsilanti for a torque convertor test stand Dynamometer
system.
It was later donated to MSU after the facility was shut down a few years ago.
MSU asked Galco to modify the existing common DC bussed drive system by separating the DC
buss and providing a line regenerative active front end rated to allow each each invertor
module to absorb and motor independent of each other.
In addition MSU requested that Galco replace the existing Inverter modules with new ABB
Inverter modules to insure reliability during the testing process.
As an ABB Drive Integrator this task was easily met.
We sized up the Incoming Supply Unit Module to match the KW rating of each inverter module
and integrated them into the existing drive cabinets along with new Inverter Modules.
The 3rd set of dynamometers were Electric Apparatus 8 pole machines rated 600 horsepower,
12,000 foot-pounds., with a top speed of 400 RPM.
These motors required Line Regenerative AC Drives.
Our solution was the ABB ACS 800.
One of the challenges to meet using these dynamometers was the line voltage rating of
575 volts.
The available line voltage to the plant was 480 volts.
Providing isolation transformers to step the voltage was cost prohibitive, so Galco Engineering
was able to take advantage of the voltage boost feature incorporated into the drive.
A proportional level of drive derating occurs when using this feature, which was taken into
account when Galco sized the drive.
This proved to be a great solution in meeting the dynamometers voltage requirement without
having to incur the significant cost of the isolation step transformers.
Galco Engineers utilized ABB’s high speed Drive Windows fiber optic interface for a
connection between each drive and a host computer that allowed the users to interface to the
drives remotely.
Galco Industrial Electronics was awarded the contract to take complete responsibility for
not only supplying the 6 Dynamometer Drive Systems, but the Electrical contracting as
well.
Galco wasted no time in formulating an aggressive timeline that met the timing requirements
for the vehicle test schedule.
As a result, MSU was able to conduct the appropriate testing for this vehicle.
Dynamometers and Drive Systems, along with thousands of other products and services are
available at galco.com.