Smoke and other obscurants have been used in wars dating back to the ancient Greeks. On today's battlefield, smoke can counter new generations of smart weapons. Smoke is used as camouflage, as blinding smoke laid directly on enemy positions and as a decoy to confuse and mislead enemy forces. These basic smoke applications are used to increase survivability, buy maneuver time for the attacker and protect forward-assembly areas and high-priority rear areas for the defense.
Smoke particles scatter or absorb radiant energy used by troops and smart weapons for target acquisition and for weapon guidance and control. Smart weapon sensors operate in three main parts of the electromagnetic spectrum: visible, near-, mid-and far-infrared wavelengths, and millimeter wavelengths. The most effective scattering smokes are aerosols that are the same size as the operating wavelengths of the sensor to be defeated. The best smoke for the visible spectrum may be transparent in the far-infrared area. The entire chain of electro-optical, infrared and millimeter-wave devices linking a smart weapon to a target is susceptible to smoke and other obscurants. In addition to absorbing light, some smokes emit heat, which can cover or clutter the thermal images of targets.
The reflection of laser or radar beams from smoke clouds can produce false targeting information for smart weapons, which can be blinded and defeated by smoke. Battlefield obscurants allow combatants to take advantage of technology overmatch. In Operation Desert Storm, U.S. ground forces used infrared-viewer technology at night to achieve dramatic results.The Army uses several models of smoke-generation systems, including: the M56 Coyote, the M58 Wolf, the M157A2 Lynx and the M1059/ M1059A3 Lynx. In addition, the M6 countermeasure discharger provides self-screening protection to individual combat vehicles.
The M56 Coyote Smoke-Generation System (SGS) provides large-area obscuration in the visual and infrared spectra. It is a Humvee-mounted, large-area, smoke-generator system. In addition to providing enhanced spectrum coverage, the M56 system provides smoke generators with a new wheeled-vehicle platform. The system is mounted on the new expanded-capacity M1113 Humvee and provides greater payload capacity and higher mobility for supporting smoke units.
Six M56 Coyotes form a smoke platoon. They support light and airborne maneuver units by disseminating smoke on the move or from stationary positions to defeat enemy sensors and smart munitions, such as tank thermal sights, guided munitions, directed energy weapons and other systems operating in the visible through far-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The system is modular and uses a gas turbine engine to disseminate obscurants. The visual screening module is capable of vaporizing fog oil at a rate equal to the M157 smoke generator for up to 90 minutes. The infrared screening module can disseminate particulate material to provide 30 minutes of screening. M56 program planners cite the expanding global use of infrared targeting and sighting devices for prompting development of the M56 Coyote, the Army's first large-area smoke system capable of generating visible and infrared blocking screens.
The M56 Coyote was type-classified "standard" in September 1994 and was followed by an initial production contract award for 296 systems in March 1995. First-article and production verification testing were successfully completed in September 1996. By the end of February 2000, 231 systems had been fielded to U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) and U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC). Fielding continues to FORSCOM and USARC with a follow-on six-year contract.
A materiel change program to add a millimeter-wave module began in FY 2001. This program will provide extended spectral coverage to defeat threat weapon systems operating in the millimeter regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The fielding of new M56 Coyotes pushed older M157 SGSs down to lower priority units. The last chemical unit with the aging M3A4 smoke-generation systems received M56 Coyotes in the first quarter of FY 2002.
The M58 Wolf Smoke-Generation System places the capabilities of the M56 on a derivative of the tracked M113 armored personnel family. In addition to its current multispectral obscurant screening capabilities, planned materiel changes will allow the addition of a millimeter-wave (MMW) obscuration module, providing the capability to counter the threat arising from the wide proliferation of advanced visual and infrared sensors and future MMW sensors.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Union Pacific to test low-emissions yard locomotive - lets contract to RailPower Technologies - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included
RailPower Technologies just nabbed a one-year demonstration deal with North American railroad giant Union Pacific (UP) to test its ultra-low-emissions "Green Goat" yard/switcher locomotive.
Not only does the locomotive claim to cut nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions about 80-90% compared to conventional switcher locomotives, but also RailPower claims that at $600,000 capital cost, it's about half the price of a conventional switcher -- and it saves about 30% on fuel while running on ordinary diesel.
Besides capital and operating cost savings seen, "it also has no impact on our fueling infrastructure as both its two generator modalities -- conventional [diesel] engine and micro-turbine -- use standard diesel fuel," UP said.
The remaining issues: Real-world performance and durability. UP hopes to learn whether the "Green Goat" technology can indeed stand up to harsh railroad operating conditions over the next year, before committing substantial dollars to purchase such units, company spokesman John Bromley told us. Green Goat uses a relatively small diesel engine or microturbine to recharge a group of lead-acid batteries that provide 2,000 horsepower, more than enough for typical railroad yard/switcher operations where many old, relatively "dirty" diesel-electric locomotives of 1,500 horsepower typically operate. Because of the avoidance of deep-cycle recharge with the system, the batteries should last 10 years, and the rather small diesel gen-set engine recharging the batteries would only need replacement once or twice over the 20-year standard life expectancy of switchers, RailPower President Gerard Koldyk told us.
Even with battery and engine replacement, the net cost to railroads would represent big savings over conventional switchers, along with big emissions reductions, Koldyk says.
UP will test the unit at a yard near Sacramento, Calif. California is North America's toughest diesel emissions regulatory area, where South Coast Air Quality Management District is pushing very costly natural gas locomotive technology.
Not only does the locomotive claim to cut nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions about 80-90% compared to conventional switcher locomotives, but also RailPower claims that at $600,000 capital cost, it's about half the price of a conventional switcher -- and it saves about 30% on fuel while running on ordinary diesel.
Besides capital and operating cost savings seen, "it also has no impact on our fueling infrastructure as both its two generator modalities -- conventional [diesel] engine and micro-turbine -- use standard diesel fuel," UP said.
The remaining issues: Real-world performance and durability. UP hopes to learn whether the "Green Goat" technology can indeed stand up to harsh railroad operating conditions over the next year, before committing substantial dollars to purchase such units, company spokesman John Bromley told us. Green Goat uses a relatively small diesel engine or microturbine to recharge a group of lead-acid batteries that provide 2,000 horsepower, more than enough for typical railroad yard/switcher operations where many old, relatively "dirty" diesel-electric locomotives of 1,500 horsepower typically operate. Because of the avoidance of deep-cycle recharge with the system, the batteries should last 10 years, and the rather small diesel gen-set engine recharging the batteries would only need replacement once or twice over the 20-year standard life expectancy of switchers, RailPower President Gerard Koldyk told us.
Even with battery and engine replacement, the net cost to railroads would represent big savings over conventional switchers, along with big emissions reductions, Koldyk says.
UP will test the unit at a yard near Sacramento, Calif. California is North America's toughest diesel emissions regulatory area, where South Coast Air Quality Management District is pushing very costly natural gas locomotive technology.
Power Modules feature NEBS-compliant design
ultracapacitor-based, 48 V backup power modules provide maintenance-free alternative to batteries for short-term bridge power in UPS systems. Modules stay fully charged and recharge in seconds in case there are multiple grid power interruptions. Rack-mount units are suited for telecommunications, industrial, and medical applications.
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POWERCACHE[R] Products Feature NEBS-Compliant Design and Construction, Provide Lower-Maintenance And Space-Saving Alternative to Batteries for Short-Term 'Bridge' Power
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it has introduced two POWERCACHE[R] ultracapacitor-based backup power modules that provide a space-saving, maintenance-free alternative to batteries for short-term "bridge" power in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems for telecommunications, industrial and medical applications.
Robert Tressler, Maxwell's vice president of sales and marketing, said that the new 48-volt rack-mount modules, rated at 1.6 and 2.3 kW, are designed and constructed to comply with Network Equipment Building System (NEBS) standards required for telecommunications installations.Mission-critical facilities, such as wireless telecommunications base stations, data centers, automated factories and hospitals rely on UPS systems to avoid downtime in the event of power interruptions," Tressler said. "The batteries that currently are used in most of these systems are large and heavy, require regular maintenance and replacement, and are difficult to monitor in terms of state-of-charge. For those reasons, many end-users are looking for more reliable, more compact, lower maintenance alternatives, which is where Maxwell's POWERCACHE products come in."
Tressler said that Maxwell has been collaborating for some time with UPS system integrators, fuel cell and other backup power generator manufacturers to integrate its ultracapacitor-based bridge power systems with long-term backup power sources.
"Fuel cells, diesel generators and micro-turbines all take from a few seconds to a minute to start up and reach their full output, so UPS systems in which they are the primary backup power source all require a complementary short-term source that is instantly available," Tressler explained. "Our POWERCACHE modules stay fully charged and recharge in seconds in case there are multiple grid power interruptions.
********************
POWERCACHE[R] Products Feature NEBS-Compliant Design and Construction, Provide Lower-Maintenance And Space-Saving Alternative to Batteries for Short-Term 'Bridge' Power
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it has introduced two POWERCACHE[R] ultracapacitor-based backup power modules that provide a space-saving, maintenance-free alternative to batteries for short-term "bridge" power in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems for telecommunications, industrial and medical applications.
Robert Tressler, Maxwell's vice president of sales and marketing, said that the new 48-volt rack-mount modules, rated at 1.6 and 2.3 kW, are designed and constructed to comply with Network Equipment Building System (NEBS) standards required for telecommunications installations.Mission-critical facilities, such as wireless telecommunications base stations, data centers, automated factories and hospitals rely on UPS systems to avoid downtime in the event of power interruptions," Tressler said. "The batteries that currently are used in most of these systems are large and heavy, require regular maintenance and replacement, and are difficult to monitor in terms of state-of-charge. For those reasons, many end-users are looking for more reliable, more compact, lower maintenance alternatives, which is where Maxwell's POWERCACHE products come in."
Tressler said that Maxwell has been collaborating for some time with UPS system integrators, fuel cell and other backup power generator manufacturers to integrate its ultracapacitor-based bridge power systems with long-term backup power sources.
"Fuel cells, diesel generators and micro-turbines all take from a few seconds to a minute to start up and reach their full output, so UPS systems in which they are the primary backup power source all require a complementary short-term source that is instantly available," Tressler explained. "Our POWERCACHE modules stay fully charged and recharge in seconds in case there are multiple grid power interruptions.
Turbulence times three: Coast Guard units respond to a trio of deadly storms that hit the Southeast coast
As Southerners stayed glued to radios and television sets, Hurricane Ivan slammed into Gulf Shores, Ala., Sept. 16 with devastating winds clocked at 130 mph hurling debris throughout the turbulent night and spawning swirling tornadoes and pounding surf.
For Florida residents, it was the third major storm in five weeks. With brute force, Hurricane Charley struck just north of Fort Myers, Fla., Aug. 13. Soon after, Hurricane Frances struck the East Coast Sept. 5. The two storms caused dozens of deaths and billions of dollars in damage.
It was the first time since reservists were fully integrated into the Coast Guard that the Southeast braced for a series of turbulent storms. As the storms churned toward the region, contingency plans were tested and response personnel worked long hours in preparation.
The storms posed a series of complex problems for captains of the port. While the Sunshine State has already received $178 million in hurricane aid and, as of press time, 353,716 Floridians have registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Florida Governor Jeb Bush expressed strong concerns about preserving the flow of commerce and the arrival of fuel to his state even while hopes for a productive citrus season dimmed. It's a series of concerns the Coast Guard is used to juggling. But it's the first time in recent memory Coast Guard advisors were located within the Florida Emergency Operations Center. Their performance received high marks.
"Floridians throughout the state owe a debt of gratitude to the Coast Guard," said Bush. "No one could have anticipated what hurricane season 2004 could have brought Florida, and the hard work of the Coast Guard helped ensure that we were prepared for the worst."
From Miami to Charleston, S.C., and from Port Canaveral, Fla., to New Orleans, consideration of keeping ports open to commerce had to be balanced carefully with safety concerns, said Cmdr. George Boyle, senior reserve and training officer at MSO Tampa. Boyle, who works for the Florida Department of Transportation as a civilian, has been on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. Originally joining the Coast Guard as an enlisted member on active duty, he has been a reservist since 1976. He recently returned from a week in the Florida Emergency Operations Center where he worked advising the secretary of the department of environmental protection during the onslaught of Hurricane Frances. Boyle had high praise for both Secretary Colleen Castille and the governor.
"The Governor has so many people tugging at him, but he and Secretary Castille are well-versed in port issues, and they're impressive in their understanding of what we do to maintain navigable ports," he said. "Everyone seemed to be aware of the vital role we play in keeping fuel coming into the state, which affects virtually everything from transportation to food and power," he said. "The governor had grave concerns about the shortage of gasoline and diesel fuel but understood safety issues thoroughly."
There was an interagency element that also impressed Boyle.
"It was good to see the lessons learned after 9/11 put into play. As agencies scrambled to share information, everything flowed smoothly," said Boyle.
The remnants of Ivan pummeled Gulf states--destroying homes, flooding neighborhoods and leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power. It has been categorized as the deadliest hurricane since Hurricane Floyd struck in 1999.
According to the 7th and 8th Districts, the integration of active duty and reserve members has ensured quicker response time and smooth management throughout an unusually hectic season. Nowhere was that more evident than in the aftermath of Ivan as teams from the Atlantic coast mobilized support.
Group St. Petersburg mobilized personnel after Hurricane Charley to check on auxiliarists and reservists located on the west coast of Florida. Having well-versed and well-trained teams helps response efforts run smoothly, said Lt. j.g. Brett Chianella, law enforcement officer at Group St. Petersburg.
Chianella heads a Coast Guard team comprised of active duty and reservists with a wide array of abilities, skills and knowledge. That team was quick to respond when Hurricane Charley smacked into an area north of Fort Myers, Fla., in early August.
"The whole area was devastated, and while Station Fort Myers suffered some damage, our fellow Coasties need time off to repair their own homes," he said. "It's very unfortunate, but it was also rewarding to be able to help out our fellow Coast Guardsmen, and I know they'd have done the same for us."
For Florida residents, it was the third major storm in five weeks. With brute force, Hurricane Charley struck just north of Fort Myers, Fla., Aug. 13. Soon after, Hurricane Frances struck the East Coast Sept. 5. The two storms caused dozens of deaths and billions of dollars in damage.
It was the first time since reservists were fully integrated into the Coast Guard that the Southeast braced for a series of turbulent storms. As the storms churned toward the region, contingency plans were tested and response personnel worked long hours in preparation.
The storms posed a series of complex problems for captains of the port. While the Sunshine State has already received $178 million in hurricane aid and, as of press time, 353,716 Floridians have registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Florida Governor Jeb Bush expressed strong concerns about preserving the flow of commerce and the arrival of fuel to his state even while hopes for a productive citrus season dimmed. It's a series of concerns the Coast Guard is used to juggling. But it's the first time in recent memory Coast Guard advisors were located within the Florida Emergency Operations Center. Their performance received high marks.
"Floridians throughout the state owe a debt of gratitude to the Coast Guard," said Bush. "No one could have anticipated what hurricane season 2004 could have brought Florida, and the hard work of the Coast Guard helped ensure that we were prepared for the worst."
From Miami to Charleston, S.C., and from Port Canaveral, Fla., to New Orleans, consideration of keeping ports open to commerce had to be balanced carefully with safety concerns, said Cmdr. George Boyle, senior reserve and training officer at MSO Tampa. Boyle, who works for the Florida Department of Transportation as a civilian, has been on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. Originally joining the Coast Guard as an enlisted member on active duty, he has been a reservist since 1976. He recently returned from a week in the Florida Emergency Operations Center where he worked advising the secretary of the department of environmental protection during the onslaught of Hurricane Frances. Boyle had high praise for both Secretary Colleen Castille and the governor.
"The Governor has so many people tugging at him, but he and Secretary Castille are well-versed in port issues, and they're impressive in their understanding of what we do to maintain navigable ports," he said. "Everyone seemed to be aware of the vital role we play in keeping fuel coming into the state, which affects virtually everything from transportation to food and power," he said. "The governor had grave concerns about the shortage of gasoline and diesel fuel but understood safety issues thoroughly."
There was an interagency element that also impressed Boyle.
"It was good to see the lessons learned after 9/11 put into play. As agencies scrambled to share information, everything flowed smoothly," said Boyle.
The remnants of Ivan pummeled Gulf states--destroying homes, flooding neighborhoods and leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power. It has been categorized as the deadliest hurricane since Hurricane Floyd struck in 1999.
According to the 7th and 8th Districts, the integration of active duty and reserve members has ensured quicker response time and smooth management throughout an unusually hectic season. Nowhere was that more evident than in the aftermath of Ivan as teams from the Atlantic coast mobilized support.
Group St. Petersburg mobilized personnel after Hurricane Charley to check on auxiliarists and reservists located on the west coast of Florida. Having well-versed and well-trained teams helps response efforts run smoothly, said Lt. j.g. Brett Chianella, law enforcement officer at Group St. Petersburg.
Chianella heads a Coast Guard team comprised of active duty and reservists with a wide array of abilities, skills and knowledge. That team was quick to respond when Hurricane Charley smacked into an area north of Fort Myers, Fla., in early August.
"The whole area was devastated, and while Station Fort Myers suffered some damage, our fellow Coasties need time off to repair their own homes," he said. "It's very unfortunate, but it was also rewarding to be able to help out our fellow Coast Guardsmen, and I know they'd have done the same for us."
Fuel 'em up and let 'em roll: BNSF's new main line locomotive fueling facility at Hauser Yard in Idaho dramatically improves train throughput
In a move toward increased service efficiency and better motive power utilization for its northern transcontinental corridor, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe has opened a main fine refueling facility at its Hauser Yard near Rathdrum, Idaho. Locomotives handling intermodal and other high-priority shipments now avoid the many hours of downtime involved with being serviced at conventional facilities in Seattle, Portland, or Spokane. Instead, trains pull into the Hauser facility, refuel, change crews, and depart in less than an hour. BNSF says Hauser was the best place to build the facility because there was already a freight yard there with ample room for expansion, and because the site is located along the so-called "Funnel" between Spokane, Wash., and Sandpoint, Idaho, where BNSF's traffic between the Pacific Northwest and the entire eastern half of the U.S. gets channeled onto a single corridor.
Refueling operations were phased in beginning Aug. 31, with full operation officially kicking off Sept. 1. Two run-through refueling main lines are currently in service at the 380-foot long platform, allowing trains to stop for servicing without fouling the corridor's existing double-track main line. A third refueling track handles light-engine consists brought in from the adjacent freight yard. That track, as well as a fourth refueling track, will eventually have its own main line approaches installed, doubling the facility's capacity. BNSF's goal is to have nearly half of the route's 60-plus daily trains refueled at Hauser. In addition to the main refueling shed, there's a 450-foot-long shed housing two spur tracks where diesel fuel is delivered by tank car, as well as a third track where wastewater collected from the facility's surface runoff is loaded into tank cars for shipment to an approved treatment facility.
Not only is the Hauser refueling facility a major boost to BNSF's Northwest operations, it's also a major achievement in engineering, public relations, and safety. After the project was announced in 1997, it drew steady fire from environmental groups and local citizens who feared the large-scale storage of diesel fuel over the region's main aquifer would threaten the sole source of drinking water for nearly half a million people. The facility's original design already surpassed local requirements for fuel containment and groundwater protection, but the final design went even further. Today, many of the people who were previously opposed to the project now embrace it as a model for others to follow. BNSF Assistant Vice President-Technical Research Development and Environmental Mark Stehly says, "This facility does set the standard for handling petroleum products."
Conceptual design, engineering, and construction for the $42 million project were performed by Hanson-Wilson, Inc. Specializing in major infrastructure for the rail and petroleum industries, H-W has built similar refueling facilities for BNSF at Belen, N. Mex., and Commerce, Calif. H-W and BNSF both say that Hauser is far more advanced. From the double-layered, 60-mil, high-density polyethylene membrane installed below ground to the double-walled pipes and double-bottomed storage tanks above ground, everything is designed to prevent fuel from reaching the aquifer. Five-foot-high concrete walls surrounding the tank farm can hold the maximum contents of all tanks if they were to fail, exceeding the regulatory requirements by approximately 300%. Interstitial space within the double-lined piping is pressurized with nitrogen at 20 psi; any change in pressure plus or minus 5 psi might indicate a leak and will automatically trigger all valves to close and activate a plant-wide alarm. In fact, valves throughout the facility are designed to "fail-safe" in their closed positions when locomotives aren't being fueled or any time there's a malfunction or electrical failure. The latter should not be a problem, since Hauser has a large diesel-driven generator that can power the entire facility.
Refueling operations were phased in beginning Aug. 31, with full operation officially kicking off Sept. 1. Two run-through refueling main lines are currently in service at the 380-foot long platform, allowing trains to stop for servicing without fouling the corridor's existing double-track main line. A third refueling track handles light-engine consists brought in from the adjacent freight yard. That track, as well as a fourth refueling track, will eventually have its own main line approaches installed, doubling the facility's capacity. BNSF's goal is to have nearly half of the route's 60-plus daily trains refueled at Hauser. In addition to the main refueling shed, there's a 450-foot-long shed housing two spur tracks where diesel fuel is delivered by tank car, as well as a third track where wastewater collected from the facility's surface runoff is loaded into tank cars for shipment to an approved treatment facility.
Not only is the Hauser refueling facility a major boost to BNSF's Northwest operations, it's also a major achievement in engineering, public relations, and safety. After the project was announced in 1997, it drew steady fire from environmental groups and local citizens who feared the large-scale storage of diesel fuel over the region's main aquifer would threaten the sole source of drinking water for nearly half a million people. The facility's original design already surpassed local requirements for fuel containment and groundwater protection, but the final design went even further. Today, many of the people who were previously opposed to the project now embrace it as a model for others to follow. BNSF Assistant Vice President-Technical Research Development and Environmental Mark Stehly says, "This facility does set the standard for handling petroleum products."
Conceptual design, engineering, and construction for the $42 million project were performed by Hanson-Wilson, Inc. Specializing in major infrastructure for the rail and petroleum industries, H-W has built similar refueling facilities for BNSF at Belen, N. Mex., and Commerce, Calif. H-W and BNSF both say that Hauser is far more advanced. From the double-layered, 60-mil, high-density polyethylene membrane installed below ground to the double-walled pipes and double-bottomed storage tanks above ground, everything is designed to prevent fuel from reaching the aquifer. Five-foot-high concrete walls surrounding the tank farm can hold the maximum contents of all tanks if they were to fail, exceeding the regulatory requirements by approximately 300%. Interstitial space within the double-lined piping is pressurized with nitrogen at 20 psi; any change in pressure plus or minus 5 psi might indicate a leak and will automatically trigger all valves to close and activate a plant-wide alarm. In fact, valves throughout the facility are designed to "fail-safe" in their closed positions when locomotives aren't being fueled or any time there's a malfunction or electrical failure. The latter should not be a problem, since Hauser has a large diesel-driven generator that can power the entire facility.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Pipe Dream' Becomes Reality as Sub Training Enters Information Age
The control room of the USS Virginia would astonish a submariner who retired only a few years ago. Commissioned in October, the Virginia is the first of a new class of attack submarines. For members of the crew, it is a step into the 21st century.
Oversized computer touch screens have replaced dials and switches at the various work stations, the yokes for the planesman and helmsman have been exchanged for joysticks and the periscope is gone, replaced by a television camera atop one of the masts and a few yards of fiberoptic cable.
Capt. Arnold O. Lotring, commander of the Submarine Learning Center in Groton, Conn., said such dramatic changes in the fleet mean the schools that prepare sailors have to transform as well. You cannot use an Industrial Age education system to prepare sailors for the 21st century, he said.My mission is to bring submarine training into the Information Age," Lotring said. He is constructing a model for education that includes more computer simulations and self-paced learning, and an ability to deliver "just-in-time" training to sailors who are getting ready to deploy, or already on deployment.
Lotring's mantra has become "right training, right time, right place."
Virginia and the USS Hyman G. Rickover, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine based in Norfolk, Va., will soon become the first submarines to deploy with the Integrated Learning Environment (ILE), a computer network that will be loaded with training software specific to the missions those submarines will conduct. The ILE will.deliver high-quality content to the learners, and instant feedback on their progress to on-board mentors or instructors.
"We never had the ability to do that before. It was a pipe dream two years ago, even 18 months ago, but now we're getting ready to put it on deploying submarines," Lotring said. "We want to be able to flow learning to the sailor when he wants it and where he needs it."
The advances in sub training are indicative of a major realignment of training functions within the Navy. All submariners once were trained under the auspices of the Commander, Naval Education and Training (CNET), but the Navy has created 14 learning centers to push control down closer to the fleet operators. Lotring now oversees six submarine schools, 1,400 instructors and 500 other staff, and an annual budget of more than $80 million. The creation of the Submarine Learning Center last year was the first step toward delivering a training system that is rapidly responsive to fleet needs.
With the Learning Center operational, Lotring's staff told him it would be more effective to modify software used in the big, expensive navigation simulators, which can accommodate only two students at a time, to run in a limited fashion on desktop computers, on a network that can be expanded with a few mouse clicks. Students now master basic skills before they get to the simulator, so the throughput has increased.
"This is going to put training decisions much closer to the instructor," Lotring said. "I can see the benefits and say, 'let's go invest in that,' much more quickly than if we had to go up through CNET."
Naval Submarine School, the hub of submarine training, has long used advanced technology to train its students. During the last couple years, for instance, it has constructed a networked submarine navigation trainer.
It started with VESUB, the Virtual Environment Submarine Shiphandling Trainer. Built by RDR of Centreville, Va., it is a virtual reality system in which an officer of the deck under instruction dons a helmet that feeds him a view of a harbor that he must safely navigate, outbound or inbound. An instructor monitors his progress on a large screen that shows what the pilot is seeing, and can change wind, currents, ship traffic patterns and other parameters to make the trip more challenging. That was followed by RDR's Submarine Piloting and Navigation System, a virtual reality system that re-creates a control room.
But unlike bulky trainers in the past that were dedicated to a specific class of submarine, the new off-theshelf systems in the trainers can be rapidly reconfigured, by changing a few cables or loading a new CD in an internal drive. The Submarine Multimission Team Trainer, or "Smitty" as it is known at Submarine School, is produced by Lockheed Martin's Maritime Sensors and Systems unit, and will take that one step further, by running the same tactical software in the combat control systems of different classes of submarines. Changing the trainer will require only a few minutes at a keyboard.
Oversized computer touch screens have replaced dials and switches at the various work stations, the yokes for the planesman and helmsman have been exchanged for joysticks and the periscope is gone, replaced by a television camera atop one of the masts and a few yards of fiberoptic cable.
Capt. Arnold O. Lotring, commander of the Submarine Learning Center in Groton, Conn., said such dramatic changes in the fleet mean the schools that prepare sailors have to transform as well. You cannot use an Industrial Age education system to prepare sailors for the 21st century, he said.My mission is to bring submarine training into the Information Age," Lotring said. He is constructing a model for education that includes more computer simulations and self-paced learning, and an ability to deliver "just-in-time" training to sailors who are getting ready to deploy, or already on deployment.
Lotring's mantra has become "right training, right time, right place."
Virginia and the USS Hyman G. Rickover, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine based in Norfolk, Va., will soon become the first submarines to deploy with the Integrated Learning Environment (ILE), a computer network that will be loaded with training software specific to the missions those submarines will conduct. The ILE will.deliver high-quality content to the learners, and instant feedback on their progress to on-board mentors or instructors.
"We never had the ability to do that before. It was a pipe dream two years ago, even 18 months ago, but now we're getting ready to put it on deploying submarines," Lotring said. "We want to be able to flow learning to the sailor when he wants it and where he needs it."
The advances in sub training are indicative of a major realignment of training functions within the Navy. All submariners once were trained under the auspices of the Commander, Naval Education and Training (CNET), but the Navy has created 14 learning centers to push control down closer to the fleet operators. Lotring now oversees six submarine schools, 1,400 instructors and 500 other staff, and an annual budget of more than $80 million. The creation of the Submarine Learning Center last year was the first step toward delivering a training system that is rapidly responsive to fleet needs.
With the Learning Center operational, Lotring's staff told him it would be more effective to modify software used in the big, expensive navigation simulators, which can accommodate only two students at a time, to run in a limited fashion on desktop computers, on a network that can be expanded with a few mouse clicks. Students now master basic skills before they get to the simulator, so the throughput has increased.
"This is going to put training decisions much closer to the instructor," Lotring said. "I can see the benefits and say, 'let's go invest in that,' much more quickly than if we had to go up through CNET."
Naval Submarine School, the hub of submarine training, has long used advanced technology to train its students. During the last couple years, for instance, it has constructed a networked submarine navigation trainer.
It started with VESUB, the Virtual Environment Submarine Shiphandling Trainer. Built by RDR of Centreville, Va., it is a virtual reality system in which an officer of the deck under instruction dons a helmet that feeds him a view of a harbor that he must safely navigate, outbound or inbound. An instructor monitors his progress on a large screen that shows what the pilot is seeing, and can change wind, currents, ship traffic patterns and other parameters to make the trip more challenging. That was followed by RDR's Submarine Piloting and Navigation System, a virtual reality system that re-creates a control room.
But unlike bulky trainers in the past that were dedicated to a specific class of submarine, the new off-theshelf systems in the trainers can be rapidly reconfigured, by changing a few cables or loading a new CD in an internal drive. The Submarine Multimission Team Trainer, or "Smitty" as it is known at Submarine School, is produced by Lockheed Martin's Maritime Sensors and Systems unit, and will take that one step further, by running the same tactical software in the combat control systems of different classes of submarines. Changing the trainer will require only a few minutes at a keyboard.
HALF MOON'S 'NAM Tour, The
The discovery of an old cruise book rekindles fond memories of a veteran Coast Guard cutter's Vietnam deployment
Since writing two earlier articles on AVP's - "Whatever Became of the Coast Guard's Casco-class Cutters" in May 2002 and "Whatever Became of Those AVPs?" in February 2003 - I have received numerous communications from fellow AVP sailors. Most recently, I was honored to receive a copy of the USCGC Half Moon's (WHEC-378) 1967 cruise book documenting the ship's deployment to Vietnam during 1967. It came from one of the ship's former crew members, David Lockwood, via his brother John Lockwood, also an AVP sailor on the USCGC Rockaway. What a wonderful time capsule!
In reading it, I was so impressed with its contents that I was inspired to write this article and share some of the story. An interview with the former Lt. Bill Barry, USCG, engineering officer on the Half Moon during 1967, provided me with some additional first-person insights into the Half Moon experience. Bill also happened to be my classmate at the US Coast Guard Academy, and is affectionately referred to as "Bos'n Bill" by the class of 1961.
The story starts in early 1967, when decisions were made to form a Coast Guard squadron to carry out a coastal surveillance mission in waters off the coast of South Vietnam. Although the Coast Guard had already started a building program to modernize its High Endurance Cutter fleet, the current work-horses of the time were still the venerable AVP class of cutters. The 311's, affectionately known as the "White Elephants" by many of their CG crews, had already served two lives of active service: First as sea plane tenders (AVPs) for the Navy during WWII, and next as weather ships (WAVPs) for the USCG from the late 1940s through the late 60s. The High Endurance Cutters WHEC (designation changed in 1966) were called upon to assume a third role during the Vietnam conflict where they would carry out the assignment of coastal surveillance/interdiction, in-shore gunfire support, and logistical support for the numerous smaller craft that were actively engaged in the theater of war.Historically the USS Half Moon (AVP-26), a Barnegat-class sea plane tender, was built by the Lake Washington Shipyard in Houghton, Washington. Her keel was laid down on 15 August 1941. Launching followed on 7 December 1942, and she was finally placed in commission on 15 June 1943 where she was deployed on various assignments throughout the Pacific during the war.
She was deactivated on 1 December 1945 and was again reactivated on 14 August 1948, placed on loan to the US Coast Guard and commissioned as USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) where she served in the North Atlantic as an Ocean Station Weather Ship for the next 20-plus years. On 1 May 1966 she was designated as a AVHEC High Endurance Cutter. She was returned to the US Navy on 15 July 1969 for decommissioning and ultimately sold to Italy for scrap on 18 June 1970.
Because of their relatively shallow draft (approximatly 13-ft) and their high-endurance diesel propulsion plant (25,000-miles without refueling at 10-knots) they were ideal platforms for the assignment in spite of their age (some were built in the late 1930s and most in the early 1940s).
The first hint of a new assignment for the Half Moon's crew came when she was ordered to have an air conditioning system installed onboard. This was a rare luxury for the crew, who at once suspected that a "free lunch" courtesy of the CG's Commandant was certainly not being served up. Something big was in the air and scuttlebutt was rampant.
By early March, orders were at last received to make preparation for deployment to the South China Sea off the coast of South Vietnam and become part of the newly-formed CG Squadron Three under the command of Capt. John E. Day, USCG. Four other cutters were assigned to the Squadron. They were the US Coast Guard Cutters Yakutat (WHEC-380), Gresham (WHEC-387), Barataria (WHEC-381) and the Bering Straits (WHEC-382).
Since writing two earlier articles on AVP's - "Whatever Became of the Coast Guard's Casco-class Cutters" in May 2002 and "Whatever Became of Those AVPs?" in February 2003 - I have received numerous communications from fellow AVP sailors. Most recently, I was honored to receive a copy of the USCGC Half Moon's (WHEC-378) 1967 cruise book documenting the ship's deployment to Vietnam during 1967. It came from one of the ship's former crew members, David Lockwood, via his brother John Lockwood, also an AVP sailor on the USCGC Rockaway. What a wonderful time capsule!
In reading it, I was so impressed with its contents that I was inspired to write this article and share some of the story. An interview with the former Lt. Bill Barry, USCG, engineering officer on the Half Moon during 1967, provided me with some additional first-person insights into the Half Moon experience. Bill also happened to be my classmate at the US Coast Guard Academy, and is affectionately referred to as "Bos'n Bill" by the class of 1961.
The story starts in early 1967, when decisions were made to form a Coast Guard squadron to carry out a coastal surveillance mission in waters off the coast of South Vietnam. Although the Coast Guard had already started a building program to modernize its High Endurance Cutter fleet, the current work-horses of the time were still the venerable AVP class of cutters. The 311's, affectionately known as the "White Elephants" by many of their CG crews, had already served two lives of active service: First as sea plane tenders (AVPs) for the Navy during WWII, and next as weather ships (WAVPs) for the USCG from the late 1940s through the late 60s. The High Endurance Cutters WHEC (designation changed in 1966) were called upon to assume a third role during the Vietnam conflict where they would carry out the assignment of coastal surveillance/interdiction, in-shore gunfire support, and logistical support for the numerous smaller craft that were actively engaged in the theater of war.Historically the USS Half Moon (AVP-26), a Barnegat-class sea plane tender, was built by the Lake Washington Shipyard in Houghton, Washington. Her keel was laid down on 15 August 1941. Launching followed on 7 December 1942, and she was finally placed in commission on 15 June 1943 where she was deployed on various assignments throughout the Pacific during the war.
She was deactivated on 1 December 1945 and was again reactivated on 14 August 1948, placed on loan to the US Coast Guard and commissioned as USCGC Half Moon (WAVP-378) where she served in the North Atlantic as an Ocean Station Weather Ship for the next 20-plus years. On 1 May 1966 she was designated as a AVHEC High Endurance Cutter. She was returned to the US Navy on 15 July 1969 for decommissioning and ultimately sold to Italy for scrap on 18 June 1970.
Because of their relatively shallow draft (approximatly 13-ft) and their high-endurance diesel propulsion plant (25,000-miles without refueling at 10-knots) they were ideal platforms for the assignment in spite of their age (some were built in the late 1930s and most in the early 1940s).
The first hint of a new assignment for the Half Moon's crew came when she was ordered to have an air conditioning system installed onboard. This was a rare luxury for the crew, who at once suspected that a "free lunch" courtesy of the CG's Commandant was certainly not being served up. Something big was in the air and scuttlebutt was rampant.
By early March, orders were at last received to make preparation for deployment to the South China Sea off the coast of South Vietnam and become part of the newly-formed CG Squadron Three under the command of Capt. John E. Day, USCG. Four other cutters were assigned to the Squadron. They were the US Coast Guard Cutters Yakutat (WHEC-380), Gresham (WHEC-387), Barataria (WHEC-381) and the Bering Straits (WHEC-382).
Trash or treasure: Argentines strike out on their own with new technology, from the stinky to the delicious
A noisy garbage truck reminds you to take out the trash. A foul smell is all the truck leaves behind. It's pretty much the same worldwide, although in Quilmes, Argentina, things do smell a little nicer.
Transportes Unidos de Quilmes, the waste-collection company in the city located on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, has equipped its fleet with technology from Argentina's Ecologic Motor, a producer of environmental-friendly motors and buses, for decontaminating and deodorizing rubbish as collectors toss it in. It does so by treating the waste with ozone, a gaseous form of oxygen that kills bacteria and odors 3,000 times faster than chlorine, leaving behind the smell of a fresh spring rain.
Nice-smelling trash? That's the Argentine way. Argentine inventions range from the ballpoint pen to the disposable syringe, urban bus service and the first system for making animated movies.
In terms of the number of inventors-to-population, Argentina ranks 14th in the world--the highest in Latin America--with 3,000, according to the Argentine Association of Inventors (AAI), an industry group. Despite a drop in patents, the economic crisis of the past few years has spurred invention to meet demand for lower-priced technology. In the 1990s, a strong domestic currency--it was pegged one-for-one with the U.S. dollar--made it cheaper to import than produce locally. Now with the peso 70% weaker, foreign technology is out of reach. Hence, there is a market for homegrown products, sold cheaper in dollar terms than imports because of low labor costs. Take Matriceria Estmar, a 33-year-old company that manufactures molds for car-body and engine components. This year, it began selling a machine that semi-automates the production of empanadas, a meat pie made by hand since colonial times.
The Empamec M2000, its top machine, uses a conveyor-belt system. As it rotates, one worker lays dough on a mold, and another adds a savory filling. The mold clamps shut, sealing the meat pie. A third operator takes it off. The machine cranks out 2,000 beef, chicken and other varieties of empanada an hour, nearly seven times more than the three people could do manually.
The machine sells for US$12,500, a sixth of the cost of an imported machine, says Esteban Porco, a partner in the company.
What's more, foreign machines don't work well for empanadas, he says. They are designed for jelly and other fillings, not chunks of beef and chicken, hard-boiled eggs and olives. Estmar's machine, too, can brand and code empanadas, doing away with a system of shapes and notches in the crust to identify fillings.
Estmar is supplying a growing industry. Over the past five years, empanada chains have sprung up around the country and now are venturing abroad. A main reason is a low-budget eating habit, a result of the economic crisis. Three of them, a filling lunch, cost $1.
In its first months, Estmar sold nine machines, including one to also El Gaucho Food in Miami. Inquiries have also come from Colombia. The invention now generates half its revenue. At the same time, diversification helps. "The volatility of the automobile industry makes it hard to plan business. The food industry is more stable," says Porco.
Transportes Unidos de Quilmes, the waste-collection company in the city located on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, has equipped its fleet with technology from Argentina's Ecologic Motor, a producer of environmental-friendly motors and buses, for decontaminating and deodorizing rubbish as collectors toss it in. It does so by treating the waste with ozone, a gaseous form of oxygen that kills bacteria and odors 3,000 times faster than chlorine, leaving behind the smell of a fresh spring rain.
Nice-smelling trash? That's the Argentine way. Argentine inventions range from the ballpoint pen to the disposable syringe, urban bus service and the first system for making animated movies.
In terms of the number of inventors-to-population, Argentina ranks 14th in the world--the highest in Latin America--with 3,000, according to the Argentine Association of Inventors (AAI), an industry group. Despite a drop in patents, the economic crisis of the past few years has spurred invention to meet demand for lower-priced technology. In the 1990s, a strong domestic currency--it was pegged one-for-one with the U.S. dollar--made it cheaper to import than produce locally. Now with the peso 70% weaker, foreign technology is out of reach. Hence, there is a market for homegrown products, sold cheaper in dollar terms than imports because of low labor costs. Take Matriceria Estmar, a 33-year-old company that manufactures molds for car-body and engine components. This year, it began selling a machine that semi-automates the production of empanadas, a meat pie made by hand since colonial times.
The Empamec M2000, its top machine, uses a conveyor-belt system. As it rotates, one worker lays dough on a mold, and another adds a savory filling. The mold clamps shut, sealing the meat pie. A third operator takes it off. The machine cranks out 2,000 beef, chicken and other varieties of empanada an hour, nearly seven times more than the three people could do manually.
The machine sells for US$12,500, a sixth of the cost of an imported machine, says Esteban Porco, a partner in the company.
What's more, foreign machines don't work well for empanadas, he says. They are designed for jelly and other fillings, not chunks of beef and chicken, hard-boiled eggs and olives. Estmar's machine, too, can brand and code empanadas, doing away with a system of shapes and notches in the crust to identify fillings.
Estmar is supplying a growing industry. Over the past five years, empanada chains have sprung up around the country and now are venturing abroad. A main reason is a low-budget eating habit, a result of the economic crisis. Three of them, a filling lunch, cost $1.
In its first months, Estmar sold nine machines, including one to also El Gaucho Food in Miami. Inquiries have also come from Colombia. The invention now generates half its revenue. At the same time, diversification helps. "The volatility of the automobile industry makes it hard to plan business. The food industry is more stable," says Porco.
GloBug lights it up for Multiquip
Multiquip Inc. is lighting up party, special event and construction sites with its new GloBug lighting systems, the newest addition to its 2005 product line. The new illumination balloons provide 360[degree] of glare-free illumination as a solo light unit or as part of a complete gen-set package, the company said.
In either configuration, the GloBug uses a single 1 kW metal halide lamp encased by a 45 in. balloon. According to the Carson, Calif. company, the lights can illuminate in excess of 150 ft. in a complete 360[degree] area, making it ideal for use during parties, road construction, parking lot lighting, maintenance, mining, disaster relief, landscaping, special events and ag applications.
The lights use 2.9 kW of 120 V power and can self-inflate their balloons in less than 20 seconds, Multiquip said. The balloon is made of a waterproof, glare-free material and is attached to a three-stage mast on the stand-alone unit which extends 13 ft. In the gen-set option, a four-stage mast is used. It extends 16.5 ft. using a manual winch. The solo unit uses gas shock absorbers for extension and a locking latch to lock in height.
When configured with the gen-set option, the GloBug light is attached to a rolling cart which supports the generator unit. Multiquip said the light can be fitted with most OEM generators that have an output of 2.9 kW or more. The light system is available with Multiquip's GA-6H gen-set, a portable gasoline unit powered by a 337 cc, single-cylinder Honda GX340 engine. The 11 hp engine drives a brushless Denyo generator end for 6 kW of peak power and 5 kW of continuous power. As a generator unit, the GloBug weighs in at 243 lb. including gen-set, rolling cart and pneumatic tires. The cart features an internal ballast and counterweights to lock the outriggers in place to prevent tipping. It also has a quick disconnect power cable, lifting hook, parking brake and safety winch.
The stand-alone GloBug weighs 139 lb. and is fitted with a caster wheel stand which is designed for easy transportability in areas with limited space. The stand has five outriggers to stabilize the unit and removable ballast box.
Multiquip offers both GloBug light systems with a series of balloon options induding a reflector balloon and a drum balloon with Velcro strips to adhere signage. Balloons can also be customized for special occasions and events.
In either configuration, the GloBug uses a single 1 kW metal halide lamp encased by a 45 in. balloon. According to the Carson, Calif. company, the lights can illuminate in excess of 150 ft. in a complete 360[degree] area, making it ideal for use during parties, road construction, parking lot lighting, maintenance, mining, disaster relief, landscaping, special events and ag applications.
The lights use 2.9 kW of 120 V power and can self-inflate their balloons in less than 20 seconds, Multiquip said. The balloon is made of a waterproof, glare-free material and is attached to a three-stage mast on the stand-alone unit which extends 13 ft. In the gen-set option, a four-stage mast is used. It extends 16.5 ft. using a manual winch. The solo unit uses gas shock absorbers for extension and a locking latch to lock in height.
When configured with the gen-set option, the GloBug light is attached to a rolling cart which supports the generator unit. Multiquip said the light can be fitted with most OEM generators that have an output of 2.9 kW or more. The light system is available with Multiquip's GA-6H gen-set, a portable gasoline unit powered by a 337 cc, single-cylinder Honda GX340 engine. The 11 hp engine drives a brushless Denyo generator end for 6 kW of peak power and 5 kW of continuous power. As a generator unit, the GloBug weighs in at 243 lb. including gen-set, rolling cart and pneumatic tires. The cart features an internal ballast and counterweights to lock the outriggers in place to prevent tipping. It also has a quick disconnect power cable, lifting hook, parking brake and safety winch.
The stand-alone GloBug weighs 139 lb. and is fitted with a caster wheel stand which is designed for easy transportability in areas with limited space. The stand has five outriggers to stabilize the unit and removable ballast box.
Multiquip offers both GloBug light systems with a series of balloon options induding a reflector balloon and a drum balloon with Velcro strips to adhere signage. Balloons can also be customized for special occasions and events.
New MTU power unit developed
A NEW environmentally-friendly power unit for power cars has been developed by MTU, Germany. The MTU Sports Stage 3A-PowerPack is a low-emission compact drive unit incorporating a 6H-1800 engine which has been upgraded to perform at up to 360kW.
The new unit, based on the original PowerPack unit developed two years ago with a 350kW 6H-1800 engine, will meet new European Union Stage 3A regulations on emissions which are due to be introduced in 2006. MTU hopes to begin trials of the unit in a Turbostar dmu next year.
Like its predecessor, the new modular unit offers a complete system for subfloor drive in power cars. It comprises the engine, transmission/generator, hydraulics, cooling system, oil and air filter system, exhaust system, and compressors, plus peripheral components for the drive and power supply.
The latest model is lighter in weight as well as more powerful. It has a six-cylinder horizontal motor with a 12.8-1itre cubic capacity. The engine is designed using four-valve technology and has a high-power injection system in which the pumps are equipped with solenoid valves. A two-cylinder brake air compressor and an enlarged oil pan with a capacity of more than 40 litres supplement the fittings.
MTU says the modular construction of the Stage 3A-PowerPack means that it can be customised to adapt to most standard vehicle types. A varied range of components and auxiliary units can be integrated into the robust common frame, including components for onboard power supply, climate control, and the oil and air filter system. All mechanical and electrical interfaces within the overall system are retained. The PowerPack can be supplied with a diesel-mechanical, diesel-hydraulic, or diesel-electric power system.
The new unit, based on the original PowerPack unit developed two years ago with a 350kW 6H-1800 engine, will meet new European Union Stage 3A regulations on emissions which are due to be introduced in 2006. MTU hopes to begin trials of the unit in a Turbostar dmu next year.
Like its predecessor, the new modular unit offers a complete system for subfloor drive in power cars. It comprises the engine, transmission/generator, hydraulics, cooling system, oil and air filter system, exhaust system, and compressors, plus peripheral components for the drive and power supply.
The latest model is lighter in weight as well as more powerful. It has a six-cylinder horizontal motor with a 12.8-1itre cubic capacity. The engine is designed using four-valve technology and has a high-power injection system in which the pumps are equipped with solenoid valves. A two-cylinder brake air compressor and an enlarged oil pan with a capacity of more than 40 litres supplement the fittings.
MTU says the modular construction of the Stage 3A-PowerPack means that it can be customised to adapt to most standard vehicle types. A varied range of components and auxiliary units can be integrated into the robust common frame, including components for onboard power supply, climate control, and the oil and air filter system. All mechanical and electrical interfaces within the overall system are retained. The PowerPack can be supplied with a diesel-mechanical, diesel-hydraulic, or diesel-electric power system.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Cat introduces low-energy fuel natural gas gen-sets
Caterpillar Inc. has introduced two versions of its Cat G3520C natural gas-fueled generator sets designed specifically for applications using low-energy fuels, such as landfill, digester and coal seam gas.
The generator sets include 20-cylinder, electronically controlled, leanburn natural gas engines coupled with two bearing synchronous generators.
The new gen-sets are available in a 60 Hz configuration operating at 1200 rpm and rated at 1.6 MW, with an ISO mechanical efficiency of 41.5% with water pumps and standard N[O.sub.x] emissions rated at 0.5 or 1.0 g/bhp-hr, Cat said.
Also available is a 50 Hz configuration operating at 1500 rpm and rated at 2.0 MW, with ISO mechanical efficiency of 40.6% with water pumps and standard N[O.sub.x] emissions rated at 250 or 500 mg/N[m.sup.3].
Both models have low-pressure fuel systems (0.5 to 5 psi/3.5 to 35 kPa) designed for efficient operation on low-energy fuels and eliminate the need for fuel compressors. The engines are specially designed to account for fuel variability and fuel impurities and thus operate without intensive fuel treatment systems. "These generator sets are designed to enable highly efficient and reliable operation on low-energy fuels, delivering electricity at extremely competitive cost per kWh, with significantly longer overhaul intervals and lower maintenance costs per kwh," said Michael A. Devine, gas product marketing manager for the Electric Power Group of Caterpillar Inc.
For applications in which fuel purity is a concern, a specially designed cooling system elevates jacket water temperature from the traditional 210[degrees]F to 230[degrees]F, helping to prevent condensation on engine components and the formation of acids in the presence of fuel-borne impurities, such as hydrogen sulfide and halogens.
The elevated jacket water temperature in combination with positive crankcase ventilation also limits acid development in the lube oil, further protecting components and helping to extend oil-change intervals. The low-pressure crankcase ventilation system ejects potentially acidic blow by gases and draws in fresh, filtered air.
To further safeguard against fuel-borne corrosive agents, many components in the engine have been designed to resist corrosion. Aftercooler cores are stainless steel, improving service life and performance in landfill applications, Devine said. He added that rear geartrain bushings have also been modified to improve service life. Valve and valve seat angles have been designed to control the formation of silicon deposits.
Other features of the new G3520C low-energy-fuel generator sets include cylinder-by-cylinder detonation sensing. Further, the SCADA-compatible ADEM III digital microprocessor control is designed for automatic regulation of ignition, engine governing and air/fuel ratio, resulting in what Cat said is optimum fuel economy and stringent N[O.sub.x] emissions control. A patent-pending air/fuel ratio control based on charge-air density, is designed to maintain N[O.sub.x] within tight tolerances under most ambient and load conditions.
The generator sets include 20-cylinder, electronically controlled, leanburn natural gas engines coupled with two bearing synchronous generators.
The new gen-sets are available in a 60 Hz configuration operating at 1200 rpm and rated at 1.6 MW, with an ISO mechanical efficiency of 41.5% with water pumps and standard N[O.sub.x] emissions rated at 0.5 or 1.0 g/bhp-hr, Cat said.
Also available is a 50 Hz configuration operating at 1500 rpm and rated at 2.0 MW, with ISO mechanical efficiency of 40.6% with water pumps and standard N[O.sub.x] emissions rated at 250 or 500 mg/N[m.sup.3].
Both models have low-pressure fuel systems (0.5 to 5 psi/3.5 to 35 kPa) designed for efficient operation on low-energy fuels and eliminate the need for fuel compressors. The engines are specially designed to account for fuel variability and fuel impurities and thus operate without intensive fuel treatment systems. "These generator sets are designed to enable highly efficient and reliable operation on low-energy fuels, delivering electricity at extremely competitive cost per kWh, with significantly longer overhaul intervals and lower maintenance costs per kwh," said Michael A. Devine, gas product marketing manager for the Electric Power Group of Caterpillar Inc.
For applications in which fuel purity is a concern, a specially designed cooling system elevates jacket water temperature from the traditional 210[degrees]F to 230[degrees]F, helping to prevent condensation on engine components and the formation of acids in the presence of fuel-borne impurities, such as hydrogen sulfide and halogens.
The elevated jacket water temperature in combination with positive crankcase ventilation also limits acid development in the lube oil, further protecting components and helping to extend oil-change intervals. The low-pressure crankcase ventilation system ejects potentially acidic blow by gases and draws in fresh, filtered air.
To further safeguard against fuel-borne corrosive agents, many components in the engine have been designed to resist corrosion. Aftercooler cores are stainless steel, improving service life and performance in landfill applications, Devine said. He added that rear geartrain bushings have also been modified to improve service life. Valve and valve seat angles have been designed to control the formation of silicon deposits.
Other features of the new G3520C low-energy-fuel generator sets include cylinder-by-cylinder detonation sensing. Further, the SCADA-compatible ADEM III digital microprocessor control is designed for automatic regulation of ignition, engine governing and air/fuel ratio, resulting in what Cat said is optimum fuel economy and stringent N[O.sub.x] emissions control. A patent-pending air/fuel ratio control based on charge-air density, is designed to maintain N[O.sub.x] within tight tolerances under most ambient and load conditions.
More quiet power: Terex expands Super Quiet gen-set line; 36 kW unit targets rental, construction applications
Terex Light Construction has expanded its Super Quiet generator set line with the introduction of a new model targeted toward rental and construction site applications. With a prime power output of 36 kW (45 kVa), the T45 gen-set helps fill out the lower half of the Super Quiet range that spans a total output of 16 to 325 kW (20 to 406 kVa).
The T45 gen-set is powered by a four-cylinder, turbocharged Tier 2 complaint Isuzu 4JGIT engine rated 66 hp at 1800 rpm. The engine package also includes a Denso radiator with an adjustable pitch Breeza fan, Woodward electronic governor system, Nelson muffler, Donaldson air cleaner, Racor fuel water separator and AmeriStart lead acid battery. The power unit is packaged by Engines Plus Inc., Springfield, Mo., which designs and assembles power units for Isuzu PowerTrain and its distributors.
The engine drives a brushless, four-pole Newage/Stamford synchronous single bearing generator with Class H insulation. The T45 generator can deliver both single- and three-phase power simultaneously. Three-phase service is available on the distribution side of the unit, while single-phase receptacles are offered on the control panel, all of which allow the operator to run both power sources at the same time. Three-phase power is available at 208, 220, 240, 416, 440 and 480 V, with 600 V output available as an option. Standard single-phase outputs are 120, 127, 139, 240, 254 and 277 V.
The control panel incorporates a series of VDO analog gauges that aid in monitoring both engine and generator status and functions. Engine gauges display water temperature, oil pressure, engine hours, fuel level and battery voltage. Power output gauges indicate volts, amps and frequency. A DynaGen E852 engine control module provides automatic shutdown in case of a fault or hazardous engine condition. Auto start/stop capability is standard on all Terex Super Quiet generators.
All of the Super Quiet generators come with a five-lug distribution board that has the ground connection in the distribution panel with the other connections. A recessed plug connector in the control panel allows for connection of a range of equipment needing external power sources, such as block heaters and battery chargers. A voltage adjust potentiometer switch, also accessible from the panel, allows selection of desired voltages. The switch is lockable to prevent damage by changing voltages while the unit is running.
The T45 generator has a 64 gal. fuel tank that provides a run 6me of 29 hours at 75% load, the company said. The fuel tank is incorporated into the base structure of the generator and the base also incorporates a containment system that will capture and hold 110% of all finds used--including engine oil and coolant--with no discharge to the environment.
To reduce noise emissions, the engine and generator sections, including the muffler, are completely enclosed within a sound-attenuated housing that incorporates an overlapping design in which the hood overlaps the side panels and the side panel overlaps the sides of the base. This design, Terex said, eliminates gaps that can allow noise to escape.
A new rear louver panel assembly is designed to provide single-direction airflow through the housing, which reduces average noise levels and also reduces corrosion hot spots, the company said. The T45 gen-set offers sound ratings at load of 65 dB(A) at 23 ft., Terex said.
The louvers are constructed of painted aluminum for long-lasting corrosion prevention and are overlapped to prevent rain from being pulled into the housing. The rear inside panel is covered with half-inch perforated wire mesh to keep out other unwanted debris.
Like other Terex trailer-mounted gen-sets, the T45 is built onto a heavy-duty DOT-approved trailer with a full light package, and bolt-on fenders. The heavy-gauge steal flame allows the generator to be set with the flame rails, giving the package a lower profile and providing easier towing.
"Everything is set up to give easy access for service," said John Gibbons, marketing manager for Terex Light Construction. "If you look at how the doors on this model are designed, it's almost like one door extending from one end to the other.
"Because of that, you have better access to the battery, we installed the Racor unit up higher and moved the connections over so you can put a container underneath when you want to drain it. We've got valves that let you drain the antifreeze and change it for the season and we've got a 1 in. ball valve for changing the oil.
"On the power side, everything is closed. On most competitive sets, you see a lot of exposed wires and if you open the unit up and run a pressure washer over it--something you know happens in the field--eventually, there are going to be problems. Everything on our units is precision enclosed. We've even got weep holes down on the bottom that let the water drain out in areas when spill containment is not an issue.
The T45 gen-set is powered by a four-cylinder, turbocharged Tier 2 complaint Isuzu 4JGIT engine rated 66 hp at 1800 rpm. The engine package also includes a Denso radiator with an adjustable pitch Breeza fan, Woodward electronic governor system, Nelson muffler, Donaldson air cleaner, Racor fuel water separator and AmeriStart lead acid battery. The power unit is packaged by Engines Plus Inc., Springfield, Mo., which designs and assembles power units for Isuzu PowerTrain and its distributors.
The engine drives a brushless, four-pole Newage/Stamford synchronous single bearing generator with Class H insulation. The T45 generator can deliver both single- and three-phase power simultaneously. Three-phase service is available on the distribution side of the unit, while single-phase receptacles are offered on the control panel, all of which allow the operator to run both power sources at the same time. Three-phase power is available at 208, 220, 240, 416, 440 and 480 V, with 600 V output available as an option. Standard single-phase outputs are 120, 127, 139, 240, 254 and 277 V.
The control panel incorporates a series of VDO analog gauges that aid in monitoring both engine and generator status and functions. Engine gauges display water temperature, oil pressure, engine hours, fuel level and battery voltage. Power output gauges indicate volts, amps and frequency. A DynaGen E852 engine control module provides automatic shutdown in case of a fault or hazardous engine condition. Auto start/stop capability is standard on all Terex Super Quiet generators.
All of the Super Quiet generators come with a five-lug distribution board that has the ground connection in the distribution panel with the other connections. A recessed plug connector in the control panel allows for connection of a range of equipment needing external power sources, such as block heaters and battery chargers. A voltage adjust potentiometer switch, also accessible from the panel, allows selection of desired voltages. The switch is lockable to prevent damage by changing voltages while the unit is running.
The T45 generator has a 64 gal. fuel tank that provides a run 6me of 29 hours at 75% load, the company said. The fuel tank is incorporated into the base structure of the generator and the base also incorporates a containment system that will capture and hold 110% of all finds used--including engine oil and coolant--with no discharge to the environment.
To reduce noise emissions, the engine and generator sections, including the muffler, are completely enclosed within a sound-attenuated housing that incorporates an overlapping design in which the hood overlaps the side panels and the side panel overlaps the sides of the base. This design, Terex said, eliminates gaps that can allow noise to escape.
A new rear louver panel assembly is designed to provide single-direction airflow through the housing, which reduces average noise levels and also reduces corrosion hot spots, the company said. The T45 gen-set offers sound ratings at load of 65 dB(A) at 23 ft., Terex said.
The louvers are constructed of painted aluminum for long-lasting corrosion prevention and are overlapped to prevent rain from being pulled into the housing. The rear inside panel is covered with half-inch perforated wire mesh to keep out other unwanted debris.
Like other Terex trailer-mounted gen-sets, the T45 is built onto a heavy-duty DOT-approved trailer with a full light package, and bolt-on fenders. The heavy-gauge steal flame allows the generator to be set with the flame rails, giving the package a lower profile and providing easier towing.
"Everything is set up to give easy access for service," said John Gibbons, marketing manager for Terex Light Construction. "If you look at how the doors on this model are designed, it's almost like one door extending from one end to the other.
"Because of that, you have better access to the battery, we installed the Racor unit up higher and moved the connections over so you can put a container underneath when you want to drain it. We've got valves that let you drain the antifreeze and change it for the season and we've got a 1 in. ball valve for changing the oil.
"On the power side, everything is closed. On most competitive sets, you see a lot of exposed wires and if you open the unit up and run a pressure washer over it--something you know happens in the field--eventually, there are going to be problems. Everything on our units is precision enclosed. We've even got weep holes down on the bottom that let the water drain out in areas when spill containment is not an issue.
Tapping into the midsized market
In a move aimed at strengthening its presence in the construction and utility equipment markets, Ingersoll-Rand Co. has introduced a flurry of products focused specifically toward reaching the midsized construction contractor. While this isn't a new market segment for Ingersoll-Rand, it does expect to tap into a larger portion of this $4.6 billion segment by significantly expanding this area of its product portfolio.
"To reach this midsized market, we intentionally designed our new product line to align with the size and capacity range typically used by this customer group in their applications," said Terry Dolan, vice president for sales and marketing for the Davidson, N.C.-based company.
Dolan said the company was looking to leverage what he called its three powerhouse brands--Ingersoll-Rand, Bobcat and Club Car--to really understand the midsized market it was going after. As part of this process, the company looked at what it was currently able to offer throughout its internal channels and what it needed to do to build its product portfolio up to meet the demands of the market.
Under the Ingersoll-Rand brand, the company introduced the WL-350 and WL-440 wheal loaders. The loaders are powered by 3.1 L, four-cylinder, direct injection 2011 Deutz diesel engines rated 60 and 73 hp, respectively. They feature a rear-mounted engine packaged with Bondioli & Pavesi Fira radiator, Mann+Hummel air cleaner and a two-speed Bosch Rexroth hydrostatic drive system. The drive is rear-mounted and powers ZF axles with limited slip differential and [+ or -] 12[degrees] of rear oscillation. The loaders have dynamic braking, 40[degrees] articulated steering through a Casappa gear pump steering system, Unideck dash gauges and a hydraulic quick coupler. Maximum dump height for the two machines is 8.3 and 8.6 ft. and standard bucket capacity is 1.2 and 1.4 cu.yd. The wheel loaders are manufactured in Langenburg, Germany, and sourced through Ingersoll-Rand's Mocksville, N.C. facility.
Also manufactured in Langenburg, are the new ZX-75 and ZX-125 hydraulic excavators. The zero tail swing excavators are powered by four-cylinder turbocharged 1012 and 2012 Deutz diesel engines rated 72 and 94 hp, respectively. The 3.1 and 4.0 L engines drive two independently powered hydraulic track drives, in both steel or rubber track configurations, through Bosch Rexroth pumps, valves and final drive motors. The motors are incorporated within a planetary reduction gearbox for added protection, Ingersoll-Rand said.
A Casappa swing motor provides the excavators' 360[degrees] rotational capability, while Schaeff-Terex cylinders power the boom and bucket functions, controlled by the operator through a Bosch Rexroth joystick. Maximum dig depth is 13.9 ft. and 15.3 ft. Operating weight is 16,538 and 27,563 lb., respectively.
Ingersoll-Rand also upgraded its BL-275, BL 370 and BL-570 backhoe loaders. The new B Series loaders, Ingersoll-Rand said, are ideal for application in utility installation, landscaping, rental, general construction and repair work thanks to being designed as a dedicated loader backhoe machine with a permanent backhoe rather than a bolt-on attachment. This creates a stronger and tougher machine, the company said. In addition, on the BL-275 model, the backhoe has a side-shift design that allows it to operate in confined areas, said Ingersoll-Rand.
All three backhoe loaders am equipped with Kubota liquid-cooled diesel engines rated 31.5, 46 and 56 hp at 2800 and 3000 rpm. The BL-275 is powered by a 1.12 L, three-cylinder D1105 engine; the BL-370 has a 2.2 L, four-cylinder V2203 diesel; and the BL-570 is powered by a 2.2 L, four-cylinder turbocharged V2003 engine. The engines are packaged with AKG radiators and Denso alternators.
The engines power Bosch Rexroth hydrostatic systems that provide four-wheel drive and all-wheel steering. Braking is dynamic and the machines are also equipped with Tuthill parking brakes. Two-way flow auxiliary hydraulics operate the loader and backhoe buckets. Dig depth for the machines ranges from 10.5 to 12 ft. and breakout force ranges from 4250 to 9297 lb.
Ingersoll-Rand manufactures the B series backhoe loaders at its facility in the Czech Republic.
The Ingersoll-Rand midsize machine line-up has been further boosted by the new VR-638 telescopic tool carrier. The tool carrier is available in three variations: a cost-effective rental model, a deluxe open canopy style and a fully loaded owner-operator version. In all configurations the VR-638 includes a side-mounted 4.4 L, four-cylinder Tier 2 Perkins 1104-44T turbocharged diesel engine rated 100 hp. Other components include Mann+ Hummel air cleaner, two-speed Sauer-Danfoss hydrostatic drive, Carraro axles and Titan tires.
"To reach this midsized market, we intentionally designed our new product line to align with the size and capacity range typically used by this customer group in their applications," said Terry Dolan, vice president for sales and marketing for the Davidson, N.C.-based company.
Dolan said the company was looking to leverage what he called its three powerhouse brands--Ingersoll-Rand, Bobcat and Club Car--to really understand the midsized market it was going after. As part of this process, the company looked at what it was currently able to offer throughout its internal channels and what it needed to do to build its product portfolio up to meet the demands of the market.
Under the Ingersoll-Rand brand, the company introduced the WL-350 and WL-440 wheal loaders. The loaders are powered by 3.1 L, four-cylinder, direct injection 2011 Deutz diesel engines rated 60 and 73 hp, respectively. They feature a rear-mounted engine packaged with Bondioli & Pavesi Fira radiator, Mann+Hummel air cleaner and a two-speed Bosch Rexroth hydrostatic drive system. The drive is rear-mounted and powers ZF axles with limited slip differential and [+ or -] 12[degrees] of rear oscillation. The loaders have dynamic braking, 40[degrees] articulated steering through a Casappa gear pump steering system, Unideck dash gauges and a hydraulic quick coupler. Maximum dump height for the two machines is 8.3 and 8.6 ft. and standard bucket capacity is 1.2 and 1.4 cu.yd. The wheel loaders are manufactured in Langenburg, Germany, and sourced through Ingersoll-Rand's Mocksville, N.C. facility.
Also manufactured in Langenburg, are the new ZX-75 and ZX-125 hydraulic excavators. The zero tail swing excavators are powered by four-cylinder turbocharged 1012 and 2012 Deutz diesel engines rated 72 and 94 hp, respectively. The 3.1 and 4.0 L engines drive two independently powered hydraulic track drives, in both steel or rubber track configurations, through Bosch Rexroth pumps, valves and final drive motors. The motors are incorporated within a planetary reduction gearbox for added protection, Ingersoll-Rand said.
A Casappa swing motor provides the excavators' 360[degrees] rotational capability, while Schaeff-Terex cylinders power the boom and bucket functions, controlled by the operator through a Bosch Rexroth joystick. Maximum dig depth is 13.9 ft. and 15.3 ft. Operating weight is 16,538 and 27,563 lb., respectively.
Ingersoll-Rand also upgraded its BL-275, BL 370 and BL-570 backhoe loaders. The new B Series loaders, Ingersoll-Rand said, are ideal for application in utility installation, landscaping, rental, general construction and repair work thanks to being designed as a dedicated loader backhoe machine with a permanent backhoe rather than a bolt-on attachment. This creates a stronger and tougher machine, the company said. In addition, on the BL-275 model, the backhoe has a side-shift design that allows it to operate in confined areas, said Ingersoll-Rand.
All three backhoe loaders am equipped with Kubota liquid-cooled diesel engines rated 31.5, 46 and 56 hp at 2800 and 3000 rpm. The BL-275 is powered by a 1.12 L, three-cylinder D1105 engine; the BL-370 has a 2.2 L, four-cylinder V2203 diesel; and the BL-570 is powered by a 2.2 L, four-cylinder turbocharged V2003 engine. The engines are packaged with AKG radiators and Denso alternators.
The engines power Bosch Rexroth hydrostatic systems that provide four-wheel drive and all-wheel steering. Braking is dynamic and the machines are also equipped with Tuthill parking brakes. Two-way flow auxiliary hydraulics operate the loader and backhoe buckets. Dig depth for the machines ranges from 10.5 to 12 ft. and breakout force ranges from 4250 to 9297 lb.
Ingersoll-Rand manufactures the B series backhoe loaders at its facility in the Czech Republic.
The Ingersoll-Rand midsize machine line-up has been further boosted by the new VR-638 telescopic tool carrier. The tool carrier is available in three variations: a cost-effective rental model, a deluxe open canopy style and a fully loaded owner-operator version. In all configurations the VR-638 includes a side-mounted 4.4 L, four-cylinder Tier 2 Perkins 1104-44T turbocharged diesel engine rated 100 hp. Other components include Mann+ Hummel air cleaner, two-speed Sauer-Danfoss hydrostatic drive, Carraro axles and Titan tires.
Basler gen-set controller adds protection, event recording
Basler Electric has introduced a new version of its DGC-500 integrated digital generator set controller. Launched in 2002, the DGC-500 has seen a continuous series of improvements since its introduction, including the addition of a SAE J1939 interface last year to meet the needs of the ever-changing gen-set market. The new controller is now in production and made its debut at the Power Gen Show.
Introduced in 2002, the DGC-500 controller is designed to provide integrated engine-generator set control, protection and metering in a single package, Basler said. The market for the DGC500 is primarily standby generator sets, with the system having been applied on sets from 10 kW to greater than 1 MW.
Further, the microprocessor-based technology is designed for exact measurement, set-point adjustment and timing functions, Basler said. Because of the low sensing burden in the DGC-500, neither dedicated potential transformers nor current transformers are required. Late last year, Basler added a higher performance microprocessor to the DGC-500 along with additional memory capabilities.
Now the DGC-500 has added a standard event log, with a real-time clock that retains a history of events in non-volatile memory. Up to 30 event types are retained and each record contains a time stamp (the time stamp is selectable for either time/date or engine run hours) and the number of occurrences for each event, said Larry Perez, marketing product line manager for Basler, Highland, Ill. The other new feature added to the DGC-500 is an optional multi-function generator protection package. "We have the ability to offer the customer more efficiency in that they don't have to mount and wire another protective device now, it's already integrated into the system," Perez said.
The new generator protection guards against generator overvoltage, undervoltage, underfrequency, overfrequency, overcurrent and phase imbalance. Further, Perez said, each generator protection function has an adjustable pickup and time delay setting. Sixteen inverse time curves enable the DGC-500 to offer overcurrent protection in a variety of applications.
"The generator overcurrent relay is a pretty sophisticated device. It has 16 time-current curves to select from, which is very much like our utility grade products in that you can very precisely coordinate that overcurrent element with the machine and loads downstream," Perez said.
"The event recording ties everything together," he added. "It ties the J1939, the engine protection capabilities, as well as the generator protection together into a single event recorder, which is unique. You usually have to go to at least two different places to find out what went on--this brings everything together."
In 2003, Basler added an optional, SAE J1939 interface that provides high-speed communication between the DGC-500 and the engine control unit on an electronically controlled engine. This interface provides access to oil pressure, coolant temperature, and engine speed data by reading these parameters directly from the ECU. When available, engine diagnostic data can also be accessed via the engine's diagnostic trouble codes.
Introduced in 2002, the DGC-500 controller is designed to provide integrated engine-generator set control, protection and metering in a single package, Basler said. The market for the DGC500 is primarily standby generator sets, with the system having been applied on sets from 10 kW to greater than 1 MW.
Further, the microprocessor-based technology is designed for exact measurement, set-point adjustment and timing functions, Basler said. Because of the low sensing burden in the DGC-500, neither dedicated potential transformers nor current transformers are required. Late last year, Basler added a higher performance microprocessor to the DGC-500 along with additional memory capabilities.
Now the DGC-500 has added a standard event log, with a real-time clock that retains a history of events in non-volatile memory. Up to 30 event types are retained and each record contains a time stamp (the time stamp is selectable for either time/date or engine run hours) and the number of occurrences for each event, said Larry Perez, marketing product line manager for Basler, Highland, Ill. The other new feature added to the DGC-500 is an optional multi-function generator protection package. "We have the ability to offer the customer more efficiency in that they don't have to mount and wire another protective device now, it's already integrated into the system," Perez said.
The new generator protection guards against generator overvoltage, undervoltage, underfrequency, overfrequency, overcurrent and phase imbalance. Further, Perez said, each generator protection function has an adjustable pickup and time delay setting. Sixteen inverse time curves enable the DGC-500 to offer overcurrent protection in a variety of applications.
"The generator overcurrent relay is a pretty sophisticated device. It has 16 time-current curves to select from, which is very much like our utility grade products in that you can very precisely coordinate that overcurrent element with the machine and loads downstream," Perez said.
"The event recording ties everything together," he added. "It ties the J1939, the engine protection capabilities, as well as the generator protection together into a single event recorder, which is unique. You usually have to go to at least two different places to find out what went on--this brings everything together."
In 2003, Basler added an optional, SAE J1939 interface that provides high-speed communication between the DGC-500 and the engine control unit on an electronically controlled engine. This interface provides access to oil pressure, coolant temperature, and engine speed data by reading these parameters directly from the ECU. When available, engine diagnostic data can also be accessed via the engine's diagnostic trouble codes.
Green trucking: the Tokyo commercial vehicle show is a showcase for future emission-reducing technologies
Tokyo -- The 38th Tokyo Motor Show, the final dedicated to commercial vehicles, produced few surprises and little in the way of breakthrough technology. Still Japanese truckmakers put more than 100 vehicles on display including an array of hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles.
Mitsubishi-Fuso Truck & Bus Corp.
Mitsubishi-Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., still reeling from a series of costly recalls, exhibited a hybrid Canter truck that complies with Japan's new diesel emission standards that go into effect this year (2005). The truck, a parallel hybrid with an "idle-stop" system, is powered by a 3.0L turbocharged diesel engine and 35kW motor built into the transmission which draws power from a 300-volt manganese-lithium battery. The combined effect: a 30 percent increase in fuel economy.
The truck's "4M42T" engine is equipped with common-rail injection and exhaust gas recirculation systems which, linked to a continuously regenerating diesel particulate filter, substantially reduce emissions of N[O.sub.x] and particulates.
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. supplies the Canter's "idle-stop" system; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi Ltd., its compact motor and secondary battery; and Exedy Corp. (the former Daikin Manufacturing Co.), the truck's electronically controlled automatic transmission (called INOMAT-II).
Although no decision has yet been made on price, management indicated that it would probably list the model for roughly the same price as Hino Motors' hybrid Dutro, thus around [yen] 42 million ($40,300). The company plans to introduce the model in early 2006 with expected sales of 100 units per month during the first year on the market. Initially, the model will be available only in Japan although management is studying the feasibility of eventually selling it in the U.S. and Australia. No time frame was offered.
Other Mitsubishi-Fuso models on display included a "high-roof" dump truck based on the company's Super Great model and a concept tractor that features a crushable front safety bumper, all-wheel disc and anti-lock brakes, single-rear tires, LED headlamps, a pedestrian monitoring system and color rearview mirrors. The model's aerodynamic design, with a drag coefficient of 0.43 cd, contributes to a 10 percent savings in fuel consumption.
Hino Motors Ltd.
Hino Motors Ltd., Japan's top producer of heavy-duty trucks, displayed a hybrid version of the medium-duty Hino 165 (sold in the U.S. through Hino Motor Sales USA Inc.) and a special show model of the light-duty Dutro Hybrid that features a crane for elevated work. The Dutro Hybrid, a parallel type which went on sale in November 2003, runs off a 4.0L diesel engine and electric motor. A Hino executive projects yearly sales of 5,000 units in five years' time.
Other Hino "hybrids" on display included a concept van named the Global, a Ranger truck--and a pair of buses--the Blue Ribbon and a S'Elega R. The current S'Elega R, a custom bus, is equipped with a lead-acid battery. Researchers confirmed that the next generation will employ a more powerful lithium-ion unit. Through 2004, Hino had sold only 60 units in large part due to its [yen] 48 million ($460,000) price tag.
Hino also displayed three advanced safety vehicles including a long-haul concept truck a city truck and the Profia tractor (which was displayed at the 11th ITS World Congress in Nagoya one month earlier).
Isuzu Motors Ltd.
Isuzu Motors Ltd. displayed more than half a dozen vehicles including a series of low-emission Elf trucks. Among these a diesel hybrid powered by a 4.8L "4HLI" engine and electric motor-generator and a unit modified to run on dimethyl ether, a natural gas derivative that contains no particulates.
Isuzu, still owned 12 percent by General Motors Corp., also displayed a series of low-emission trucks and powertrains including a 4-cylinder diesel engine and 6-cylinder diesel engine that comply with Japan's new diesel emission regulations scheduled to go into effect in 2005 along with diesel particulate defuser.
For medium- and heavy-duty trucks like the Isuzu Forward or Hino Profia, which weigh in excess of 3,700 kg (8,140 pounds) those standards are 0.027 gram per km for particulate matter, 2.0 grams per km for N[O.sub.x], 2.22 grams per km for carbon monoxide; and 0.17 gram per km for hydrocarbons.
Nissan Diesel Motor Co.
Nissan Diesel Motor Co. displayed a new heavy-duty, the Quon, that features the company's "FLENDS" fuel injection system. FLENDS (standing for Final Low Emission New Diesel System) has adopted a series of ultra-high pressure injectors for the company's 13L, 6-cylinder "GE-13" engine with an exhaust gas aftertreatment system that uses urea solution.
Mitsubishi-Fuso Truck & Bus Corp.
Mitsubishi-Fuso Truck & Bus Corp., still reeling from a series of costly recalls, exhibited a hybrid Canter truck that complies with Japan's new diesel emission standards that go into effect this year (2005). The truck, a parallel hybrid with an "idle-stop" system, is powered by a 3.0L turbocharged diesel engine and 35kW motor built into the transmission which draws power from a 300-volt manganese-lithium battery. The combined effect: a 30 percent increase in fuel economy.
The truck's "4M42T" engine is equipped with common-rail injection and exhaust gas recirculation systems which, linked to a continuously regenerating diesel particulate filter, substantially reduce emissions of N[O.sub.x] and particulates.
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. supplies the Canter's "idle-stop" system; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi Ltd., its compact motor and secondary battery; and Exedy Corp. (the former Daikin Manufacturing Co.), the truck's electronically controlled automatic transmission (called INOMAT-II).
Although no decision has yet been made on price, management indicated that it would probably list the model for roughly the same price as Hino Motors' hybrid Dutro, thus around [yen] 42 million ($40,300). The company plans to introduce the model in early 2006 with expected sales of 100 units per month during the first year on the market. Initially, the model will be available only in Japan although management is studying the feasibility of eventually selling it in the U.S. and Australia. No time frame was offered.
Other Mitsubishi-Fuso models on display included a "high-roof" dump truck based on the company's Super Great model and a concept tractor that features a crushable front safety bumper, all-wheel disc and anti-lock brakes, single-rear tires, LED headlamps, a pedestrian monitoring system and color rearview mirrors. The model's aerodynamic design, with a drag coefficient of 0.43 cd, contributes to a 10 percent savings in fuel consumption.
Hino Motors Ltd.
Hino Motors Ltd., Japan's top producer of heavy-duty trucks, displayed a hybrid version of the medium-duty Hino 165 (sold in the U.S. through Hino Motor Sales USA Inc.) and a special show model of the light-duty Dutro Hybrid that features a crane for elevated work. The Dutro Hybrid, a parallel type which went on sale in November 2003, runs off a 4.0L diesel engine and electric motor. A Hino executive projects yearly sales of 5,000 units in five years' time.
Other Hino "hybrids" on display included a concept van named the Global, a Ranger truck--and a pair of buses--the Blue Ribbon and a S'Elega R. The current S'Elega R, a custom bus, is equipped with a lead-acid battery. Researchers confirmed that the next generation will employ a more powerful lithium-ion unit. Through 2004, Hino had sold only 60 units in large part due to its [yen] 48 million ($460,000) price tag.
Hino also displayed three advanced safety vehicles including a long-haul concept truck a city truck and the Profia tractor (which was displayed at the 11th ITS World Congress in Nagoya one month earlier).
Isuzu Motors Ltd.
Isuzu Motors Ltd. displayed more than half a dozen vehicles including a series of low-emission Elf trucks. Among these a diesel hybrid powered by a 4.8L "4HLI" engine and electric motor-generator and a unit modified to run on dimethyl ether, a natural gas derivative that contains no particulates.
Isuzu, still owned 12 percent by General Motors Corp., also displayed a series of low-emission trucks and powertrains including a 4-cylinder diesel engine and 6-cylinder diesel engine that comply with Japan's new diesel emission regulations scheduled to go into effect in 2005 along with diesel particulate defuser.
For medium- and heavy-duty trucks like the Isuzu Forward or Hino Profia, which weigh in excess of 3,700 kg (8,140 pounds) those standards are 0.027 gram per km for particulate matter, 2.0 grams per km for N[O.sub.x], 2.22 grams per km for carbon monoxide; and 0.17 gram per km for hydrocarbons.
Nissan Diesel Motor Co.
Nissan Diesel Motor Co. displayed a new heavy-duty, the Quon, that features the company's "FLENDS" fuel injection system. FLENDS (standing for Final Low Emission New Diesel System) has adopted a series of ultra-high pressure injectors for the company's 13L, 6-cylinder "GE-13" engine with an exhaust gas aftertreatment system that uses urea solution.
EGSA 2005 buyer's guide: guide to member products, rentals & services
How to use this Buyers' Guide: Listed here are the EGSA Member Companies that Sell, Rent and/or Service the products in each category, based on information supplied by the Electrical Generating Systems Association. Manufacturer members (MF) are likely to offer products and services nationally or internationally. Distributor/Dealer members (DD) and Manufacturers' Representatives members (MR) are likely to offer the products and services on a more regional basis. For full contact information on the companies listed, please refer to the Membership Directories that follow this section. The Manufacturer (MF) Directory starts on page 76. The Distributor/Dealer (DD) Directory starts on page 89. The Manufacturers' Representatives (MR) Directory starts on page 108, and The Associate (Ax) Directory starts on page 112.
New digital generator set controller
Basler Electric, Highland, Ill., has developed a generator set control system designed to allow any generator set manufacturer to get into the age of digital communications easily and economically. The model DGC-2000 controller is a microprocessor-based digital gen-set controller that provides all of the engine cranking, engine protection and generator set metering capabilities of a conventional engine controller, while allowing user access to a wide range of information.
The DGC-2000 controller comes complete with Windows-based PC communications software, where monitoring and start/stop control of the gen-set can be accomplished via a rear-mounted RS232 communications port. By adding a modem, the gen-set can be accessed from virtually anywhere in the world - simply bring up the DGC-2000 software on a PC and the software will dial the appropriate phone number. With the proper password, an operator can start/stop the gen-set and monitor the status of up to 30 gen-set operating points and 19 alarm/pre-alarm functions.
The controller's software is designed to be easy to use and provides accurate real-time information of the gen-set under control, according to the company, with screens provided to allow for setting a total of 61 parameters. A highly adjustable unit, the DGC-2000 controller also allows for file transfer capability so if multiple machines have the same settings, they can be saved to a file and then downloaded to each DGC-2000 controller in a matter of seconds. This capability, the company said, offers an accurate method for setting up similar generator sets, allowing the input of specific machine information such as serial numbers and job site information.
Additionally, the RS232 communications port can also be converted through readily available converters to RS485, thus facilitating communications with up to 247 DGC-2000 units at distances of up to 4000 ft. through a single communications loop. This permits a local communications network on those facilities where multiple distributed gen-sets are used. The communications network allows for one master PC to individually control up to 247 generator units.
Basler Electric has incorporated a Modbus communications protocol that is widely used in the industry. This is an open protocol that can be adapted to any Modbus application. The company provides a complete listing of the Modbus registers to allow for total access to all information provided by the DGC-2000 controller. An open protocol like Modbus allows for the most flexibility possible and prevents the end-user from being limited from future expansion, the company noted.
The DGC-2000 controller replaces all of the functions normally found in a conventional top-mount metering and control package, according to the company, providing for all the metering, engine protection and engine cranking controls normally required on gen-set applications. It has adjustable tripping thresholds for 19 alarms and pre-alarms, along with 13 output relays for engine control and shutdown functions. It has contact inputs for air box status, emergency stop, automatic transfer switch, battery charger failure and low coolant level. It has inputs for senders for oil pressure, coolant temperature and fuel level. It also accepts three phases of generator voltage and current and a charging alternator input as a back-up speed signal source in case of a magnetic pick-up loss. The unit also monitors the bus voltage and frequency for paralleled generator applications.
If the gen-set needs to be operated locally, the DGC-2000 controller is equally suitable for local gen-set control. It features an easy-to-read front panel that has all the user-friendly functionality and clearly displayed information needed for complete operation of the gen-set, Basler said. The front panel has a back-lit LCD display that has eight gen-set parameters permanently displayed and also has the ability to scroll through 30 total parameters. Front panel LED indication includes Unit Not In Auto, Gen-Set Supplying Load, Run, Off and Auto modes. There are also front panel push buttons for phase toggle, alarm reset, alarm silence, run, off, auto, and display navigation. The DGC-2000 controller also has a standard alarm horn rated at 80 db at 2 ft.
The DGC-2000 controller comes complete with Windows-based PC communications software, where monitoring and start/stop control of the gen-set can be accomplished via a rear-mounted RS232 communications port. By adding a modem, the gen-set can be accessed from virtually anywhere in the world - simply bring up the DGC-2000 software on a PC and the software will dial the appropriate phone number. With the proper password, an operator can start/stop the gen-set and monitor the status of up to 30 gen-set operating points and 19 alarm/pre-alarm functions.
The controller's software is designed to be easy to use and provides accurate real-time information of the gen-set under control, according to the company, with screens provided to allow for setting a total of 61 parameters. A highly adjustable unit, the DGC-2000 controller also allows for file transfer capability so if multiple machines have the same settings, they can be saved to a file and then downloaded to each DGC-2000 controller in a matter of seconds. This capability, the company said, offers an accurate method for setting up similar generator sets, allowing the input of specific machine information such as serial numbers and job site information.
Additionally, the RS232 communications port can also be converted through readily available converters to RS485, thus facilitating communications with up to 247 DGC-2000 units at distances of up to 4000 ft. through a single communications loop. This permits a local communications network on those facilities where multiple distributed gen-sets are used. The communications network allows for one master PC to individually control up to 247 generator units.
Basler Electric has incorporated a Modbus communications protocol that is widely used in the industry. This is an open protocol that can be adapted to any Modbus application. The company provides a complete listing of the Modbus registers to allow for total access to all information provided by the DGC-2000 controller. An open protocol like Modbus allows for the most flexibility possible and prevents the end-user from being limited from future expansion, the company noted.
The DGC-2000 controller replaces all of the functions normally found in a conventional top-mount metering and control package, according to the company, providing for all the metering, engine protection and engine cranking controls normally required on gen-set applications. It has adjustable tripping thresholds for 19 alarms and pre-alarms, along with 13 output relays for engine control and shutdown functions. It has contact inputs for air box status, emergency stop, automatic transfer switch, battery charger failure and low coolant level. It has inputs for senders for oil pressure, coolant temperature and fuel level. It also accepts three phases of generator voltage and current and a charging alternator input as a back-up speed signal source in case of a magnetic pick-up loss. The unit also monitors the bus voltage and frequency for paralleled generator applications.
If the gen-set needs to be operated locally, the DGC-2000 controller is equally suitable for local gen-set control. It features an easy-to-read front panel that has all the user-friendly functionality and clearly displayed information needed for complete operation of the gen-set, Basler said. The front panel has a back-lit LCD display that has eight gen-set parameters permanently displayed and also has the ability to scroll through 30 total parameters. Front panel LED indication includes Unit Not In Auto, Gen-Set Supplying Load, Run, Off and Auto modes. There are also front panel push buttons for phase toggle, alarm reset, alarm silence, run, off, auto, and display navigation. The DGC-2000 controller also has a standard alarm horn rated at 80 db at 2 ft.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Life cycle assessment: Toyota's comprehensive analysis of vehicle C[O.sub.2] emissions over the life of the vehicle reveals some surprizes
For Toyota Motor Corp., the future is "hybrids." Dr. Hiroyuki Watanabe, one of the forces behind the launch of the Prius seven years ago, declares that hybrid technology "is the core technology not only for future gasoline and diesel engines, but for fuel cells as well."
At a recent technology briefing in Tokyo, Watanabe, who heads Toyota's environment division, noted that the automaker has taken a multidirectional approach to developing the ultimate "eco" car which includes, in addition to hybrid technology, clean fuels and lightweight, recyclable materials.
He explained that hybrid vehicles engage the gasoline engine when driving efficiency is good and disengage it when efficiency is poor, running off the battery and electric motor. "When efficiency improves, excess energy is stored as electricity in the battery and used when there is an energy shortfall," he says.
The Toyota executive then noted that driving efficiency tends to tm poor when accelerating at slow speeds. "There is a 20 percent reduction in C[O.sub.2] emissions (and estimated 30-35 percent increase in fuel economy) when speed rises from 12 mph to 20 mph," according to Watanabe.
Against this backdrop, he warns that there are two major environmental issues facing the world's automakers. The first, to make cleaner exhaust, will largely be resolved in industrialized countries by 2010, says Watanabe. "The remaining challenge will be to spread these technologies throughout the developing world."
The second issue, curbing C[O.sub.2] emissions, is more problematic, he says, and should be addressed through tighter regulations and a coordinated global effort. Watanabe warns that failure to take action will only exacerbate the problem as the world's car pool is expected to grow to more than 1.1 billion vehicles by the middle of the century, up 50 percent from an estimated 750 million in 2000, in line with global population trends.
Citing Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change statistics, the Toyota executive noted that if current trends continue, C[O.sub.2] density could reach 1,000 ppm in 2100, up from an estimated 370 ppm in 2000. He additionally warned that known petroleum reserves are likely to be depleted by 2050.
To address the C[O.sub.2] problem, Toyota several years ago began a comprehensive analysis of C[O.sub.2] emissions throughout the life of a car from material and parts production to maintenance and disposal. This analysis, called "Life Cycle Assessment," has been applied to most new Toyota models since 2001: in total, 26 vehicles including those powered by conventional gasoline and diesel engines, hybrid units and fuel cells (see Table 1).
Not surprisingly, given the automaker's focus on hybrid technology, the gas-electric hybrid Prius registered the lowest score of 67, compared to 100 for pure gasoline vehicles like the Corolla, with the fuel ceil-powered FCHV failing in between at 80.
In the case of gasoline vehicles, the biggest generator of C[O.sub.2] is driving, accounting for 72 percent of emissions through the life of a car. This compares to 54 percent for hydrogen production in the case of the FCHV. Thus, looking only at C[O.sub.2] emissions from fuel production, hydrogen for the FCHV accounts for a 43 percent share compared to 8 percent for gasoline and diesel fuel (see Table 2).
"In order for fuel cells to come into the mainstream," explains Watanabe, "we must overcome more challenges--namely, the further improvement of hydrogen production efficiency, and material and component manufacturing for the fuel cell system."
At a recent technology briefing in Tokyo, Watanabe, who heads Toyota's environment division, noted that the automaker has taken a multidirectional approach to developing the ultimate "eco" car which includes, in addition to hybrid technology, clean fuels and lightweight, recyclable materials.
He explained that hybrid vehicles engage the gasoline engine when driving efficiency is good and disengage it when efficiency is poor, running off the battery and electric motor. "When efficiency improves, excess energy is stored as electricity in the battery and used when there is an energy shortfall," he says.
The Toyota executive then noted that driving efficiency tends to tm poor when accelerating at slow speeds. "There is a 20 percent reduction in C[O.sub.2] emissions (and estimated 30-35 percent increase in fuel economy) when speed rises from 12 mph to 20 mph," according to Watanabe.
Against this backdrop, he warns that there are two major environmental issues facing the world's automakers. The first, to make cleaner exhaust, will largely be resolved in industrialized countries by 2010, says Watanabe. "The remaining challenge will be to spread these technologies throughout the developing world."
The second issue, curbing C[O.sub.2] emissions, is more problematic, he says, and should be addressed through tighter regulations and a coordinated global effort. Watanabe warns that failure to take action will only exacerbate the problem as the world's car pool is expected to grow to more than 1.1 billion vehicles by the middle of the century, up 50 percent from an estimated 750 million in 2000, in line with global population trends.
Citing Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change statistics, the Toyota executive noted that if current trends continue, C[O.sub.2] density could reach 1,000 ppm in 2100, up from an estimated 370 ppm in 2000. He additionally warned that known petroleum reserves are likely to be depleted by 2050.
To address the C[O.sub.2] problem, Toyota several years ago began a comprehensive analysis of C[O.sub.2] emissions throughout the life of a car from material and parts production to maintenance and disposal. This analysis, called "Life Cycle Assessment," has been applied to most new Toyota models since 2001: in total, 26 vehicles including those powered by conventional gasoline and diesel engines, hybrid units and fuel cells (see Table 1).
Not surprisingly, given the automaker's focus on hybrid technology, the gas-electric hybrid Prius registered the lowest score of 67, compared to 100 for pure gasoline vehicles like the Corolla, with the fuel ceil-powered FCHV failing in between at 80.
In the case of gasoline vehicles, the biggest generator of C[O.sub.2] is driving, accounting for 72 percent of emissions through the life of a car. This compares to 54 percent for hydrogen production in the case of the FCHV. Thus, looking only at C[O.sub.2] emissions from fuel production, hydrogen for the FCHV accounts for a 43 percent share compared to 8 percent for gasoline and diesel fuel (see Table 2).
"In order for fuel cells to come into the mainstream," explains Watanabe, "we must overcome more challenges--namely, the further improvement of hydrogen production efficiency, and material and component manufacturing for the fuel cell system."
AOL LLC launches Music Now Web Services developer site
The AOL Music Now Web Services developer site has been launched by Internet company AOL LLC, providing tools for web developers, bloggers and music fans.
The new site, which can be found at http://developer.aolmusicnow.com, allows users to add custom feeds or artist, chart, album, playlist and other music information from AOL Music Now, to other sites. It can be added to their own web site, blog, e-mail, social networking pages or the new AIM Pages service, currently offered as a beta profile.
AOL said the site offers instructions and documentation that is easy to follow and uses standard RSS feeds. It allows users to subscribe to AOL Music Now data feeds through the My AOL compliant RSS Feed reader or website, in order to create and publish updated music features within applications and sites.
AOL Music Now LLC, an indirect but wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, provides a web-based music subscription service which was purchased in November from Circuit City, enabling visitors to purchase or subscribe to over 2m music tracks.
The new site, which can be found at http://developer.aolmusicnow.com, allows users to add custom feeds or artist, chart, album, playlist and other music information from AOL Music Now, to other sites. It can be added to their own web site, blog, e-mail, social networking pages or the new AIM Pages service, currently offered as a beta profile.
AOL said the site offers instructions and documentation that is easy to follow and uses standard RSS feeds. It allows users to subscribe to AOL Music Now data feeds through the My AOL compliant RSS Feed reader or website, in order to create and publish updated music features within applications and sites.
AOL Music Now LLC, an indirect but wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, provides a web-based music subscription service which was purchased in November from Circuit City, enabling visitors to purchase or subscribe to over 2m music tracks.
Spirent Releases Rash of New Networking Tools
Spirent Communications earlier this week unleashed a flood of new and enhanced testing tools designed to work in concert to test protocols and networking equipment implemented at the edge of the network.
The Rockville, Md., wholly owned unit of Spirent plc introduced 10 new or enhanced testing tools for three of its performance analysis platforms that are intended to speed the development and deployment of next-generation networks.
"We created a series of new products we're launching together because they have to be tested together. With new voice-over-IP protocols being implemented, new migrations from IP (Version) 4 to IP V 6, and higher scalability of (Spirent testing tools) at the edge of the network, we need to test these together as systems because they have to work together as a system," said Mark Fishburn, vice president of technical strategy at Spirent Communications, in Calabasas, Calif.
Across its range of testing tools, Spirent added more automation, set-up wizards and scripting tools to streamline performance testing. The unit, best known for its SmartBits communications equipment testing chassis, announced a new release of its Avalanche software for the chassis that adds the ability to test for distributed denial-of-service (DoS) attacks inline with multi-protocol traffic. Version 5.2 of the software also improves streaming media performance, supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and adds VLAN Tagging and IP Fragmentation support.
Among its IP telephony enhancements, Spirent released version 2.0 of its Abacus 5000 test system to allow service provider labs to verify performance, functions and voice quality for carrier-grade soft switches and media gateways. It also enhanced the ability of its high-end Abacus2 voice and video test system to text fax-over-IP applications.
A new version of its Router Performance Tester simplifies the evaluation of Layer 2 and Layer 3 Multi-Protocol Lable Switching VPN implementations. It also adds a Web software update utility, an enhanced test scheduler for batch testing and an online Web portal that features sample configuration files.
Also among its new software products is the Spirent SmartBits Automation tool that allows test engineers to develop tests over multiple protocols, including ATM, IP Multicast, MPLS and IP V 6. It includes a Script Automation Interface, which allows non-programmers to automate testing. Version 7.70 of the Spirent SmartWindow software for SmartBits Test System provides a testing environment for SmartBits Ethernet, Fibre Channel, Packet over SONET, Frame Relay and ATM network interfaces at up to 10 Gigabits per second line rates. Release 3.0 of the SmartBits SmartFlow analyzer for policy-based network devices allows the simulation of complex network traffic patterns for IP V 4, IP V 6, VLAN and Multicast traffic.
The Rockville, Md., wholly owned unit of Spirent plc introduced 10 new or enhanced testing tools for three of its performance analysis platforms that are intended to speed the development and deployment of next-generation networks.
"We created a series of new products we're launching together because they have to be tested together. With new voice-over-IP protocols being implemented, new migrations from IP (Version) 4 to IP V 6, and higher scalability of (Spirent testing tools) at the edge of the network, we need to test these together as systems because they have to work together as a system," said Mark Fishburn, vice president of technical strategy at Spirent Communications, in Calabasas, Calif.
Across its range of testing tools, Spirent added more automation, set-up wizards and scripting tools to streamline performance testing. The unit, best known for its SmartBits communications equipment testing chassis, announced a new release of its Avalanche software for the chassis that adds the ability to test for distributed denial-of-service (DoS) attacks inline with multi-protocol traffic. Version 5.2 of the software also improves streaming media performance, supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and adds VLAN Tagging and IP Fragmentation support.
Among its IP telephony enhancements, Spirent released version 2.0 of its Abacus 5000 test system to allow service provider labs to verify performance, functions and voice quality for carrier-grade soft switches and media gateways. It also enhanced the ability of its high-end Abacus2 voice and video test system to text fax-over-IP applications.
A new version of its Router Performance Tester simplifies the evaluation of Layer 2 and Layer 3 Multi-Protocol Lable Switching VPN implementations. It also adds a Web software update utility, an enhanced test scheduler for batch testing and an online Web portal that features sample configuration files.
Also among its new software products is the Spirent SmartBits Automation tool that allows test engineers to develop tests over multiple protocols, including ATM, IP Multicast, MPLS and IP V 6. It includes a Script Automation Interface, which allows non-programmers to automate testing. Version 7.70 of the Spirent SmartWindow software for SmartBits Test System provides a testing environment for SmartBits Ethernet, Fibre Channel, Packet over SONET, Frame Relay and ATM network interfaces at up to 10 Gigabits per second line rates. Release 3.0 of the SmartBits SmartFlow analyzer for policy-based network devices allows the simulation of complex network traffic patterns for IP V 4, IP V 6, VLAN and Multicast traffic.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Electronic control for new Honda 15 HP engine: iGX features integrated drive-by-wire control for the "super premium" gasoline engine market
In a move that ups the ante in the premium small gasoline power market, Honda has introduced the iGX, a single-cylinder, electronically controlled 15 hp overhead cam (OHC) engine.
In an emissions-driven world, with electronics a key technology in meeting future standards, the launch of an electronically controlled engine like the iGX continues the expansion of electronics into smaller output engines.
The iGX engines have an integrated electronic control unit (ECU) that Honda said will allow for complete drive-by-wire remote control capability, as well as controlling key aspects of engine operation.
The iGX engines are entering the North American market about now, with production units available in September or October, said Dave Haack manager, engine sales American Honda Motor Co. Inc., Alpharetta, Ga.
The iGX 440, the first of an eventual line of engines, is rated 15 hp at 3600 rpm and has a bore and stroke of 88 mm x 72.1 mm for a displacement of 438 cc. The engine has a dry weight of 86 lb. The lunch of the iGX also continues the development of what might be called the "super premium" market for small gasoline engines. At the same time, this brings a level of electronic control to the smaller engine market that is more typically found in larger output engines, including diesels. It also continues the steady progression toward more intelligent equipment built around electronic engines and powertrains.
The iGX (the "i" for intelligent) is a completely new engine design, with brand new electronics, both specifically developed for industrial engines and equipment, said Mike Rudolph manager, engine product planning and application engineering.
While there are GX series engines in Honda's current line, Rudolph said the company did not simply apply electronic control technology to an existing engine and re-badge it. Nor did Honda take an automotive engine control unit and bolt it on an industrial engine. The iGX is truly an engine/ electronics package. A non-electronic version of this engine is not available.
The design of the iGX features a V-type valve layout and spark plug-center combustion chamber that results in a reported 15% improvement in fuel economy. Emissions levels are significantly lower than required by EPA Phase 2 and California Air Resources Board (CARB) Tier 2 standards, Honda said.
Ease of use is improved because of the electronics, which eliminate the need for manual manipulation of the choke and throttle, an especially useful feature in rental applications, Honda said.
The iGX has a butterfly carburetor and digital CDI ignition system as well as full auto choke, a new automatic shut-off fuel valve, oil-immersed timing belt, silent muffler and long-life air filter. There is also a choice of a low effort recoil starter with automatic decompression, or an automotive-type starter motor and multifunction oil alert.
Operation of the auto choke is based on battery usage and provides reliable starting with no additional operation needed before starting the engine, Honda said. When the ignition switch is turned on, the engine control unit monitors the engine temperature and selects the best choke position for starting. Honda said this optimal choke opening prevents unstable engine speed during warm-up.
Also interesting is the twin diaphragm automatic fuel valve, which Rudolph said does not need to be operated to start or stop the engine. "Because of this, the iGX can be placed in remote operating environments and the user only has to check the oil and fuel," he said.
The auto choke and auto fuel valve are seen as key features for the generator set and welder markets especially.
The "magic" of course is in the electronics. The iGX has an integrated electronic control unit with Honda's self-tuning regulator (STR) governor system that controls starting, throttle, ignition timing and diagnostics. The STR system operates independently of the battery, being self-powered by the engine via a power coil.
The engine control unit looks at both throttle movement and engine speed, assumes the character of the total system and drives the throttle to adjust engine speed, regulating engine speed "almost perfectly in any condition or application," Rudolph said.
He added that the electronics of the iGX enables drive-by-wire remote operation of the engine, while engine speed can be programmed and varied based on the specific load and speed requirements of equipment.
In an emissions-driven world, with electronics a key technology in meeting future standards, the launch of an electronically controlled engine like the iGX continues the expansion of electronics into smaller output engines.
The iGX engines have an integrated electronic control unit (ECU) that Honda said will allow for complete drive-by-wire remote control capability, as well as controlling key aspects of engine operation.
The iGX engines are entering the North American market about now, with production units available in September or October, said Dave Haack manager, engine sales American Honda Motor Co. Inc., Alpharetta, Ga.
The iGX 440, the first of an eventual line of engines, is rated 15 hp at 3600 rpm and has a bore and stroke of 88 mm x 72.1 mm for a displacement of 438 cc. The engine has a dry weight of 86 lb. The lunch of the iGX also continues the development of what might be called the "super premium" market for small gasoline engines. At the same time, this brings a level of electronic control to the smaller engine market that is more typically found in larger output engines, including diesels. It also continues the steady progression toward more intelligent equipment built around electronic engines and powertrains.
The iGX (the "i" for intelligent) is a completely new engine design, with brand new electronics, both specifically developed for industrial engines and equipment, said Mike Rudolph manager, engine product planning and application engineering.
While there are GX series engines in Honda's current line, Rudolph said the company did not simply apply electronic control technology to an existing engine and re-badge it. Nor did Honda take an automotive engine control unit and bolt it on an industrial engine. The iGX is truly an engine/ electronics package. A non-electronic version of this engine is not available.
The design of the iGX features a V-type valve layout and spark plug-center combustion chamber that results in a reported 15% improvement in fuel economy. Emissions levels are significantly lower than required by EPA Phase 2 and California Air Resources Board (CARB) Tier 2 standards, Honda said.
Ease of use is improved because of the electronics, which eliminate the need for manual manipulation of the choke and throttle, an especially useful feature in rental applications, Honda said.
The iGX has a butterfly carburetor and digital CDI ignition system as well as full auto choke, a new automatic shut-off fuel valve, oil-immersed timing belt, silent muffler and long-life air filter. There is also a choice of a low effort recoil starter with automatic decompression, or an automotive-type starter motor and multifunction oil alert.
Operation of the auto choke is based on battery usage and provides reliable starting with no additional operation needed before starting the engine, Honda said. When the ignition switch is turned on, the engine control unit monitors the engine temperature and selects the best choke position for starting. Honda said this optimal choke opening prevents unstable engine speed during warm-up.
Also interesting is the twin diaphragm automatic fuel valve, which Rudolph said does not need to be operated to start or stop the engine. "Because of this, the iGX can be placed in remote operating environments and the user only has to check the oil and fuel," he said.
The auto choke and auto fuel valve are seen as key features for the generator set and welder markets especially.
The "magic" of course is in the electronics. The iGX has an integrated electronic control unit with Honda's self-tuning regulator (STR) governor system that controls starting, throttle, ignition timing and diagnostics. The STR system operates independently of the battery, being self-powered by the engine via a power coil.
The engine control unit looks at both throttle movement and engine speed, assumes the character of the total system and drives the throttle to adjust engine speed, regulating engine speed "almost perfectly in any condition or application," Rudolph said.
He added that the electronics of the iGX enables drive-by-wire remote operation of the engine, while engine speed can be programmed and varied based on the specific load and speed requirements of equipment.
Daewoo Launches K-1 Diesel Engine
Six-cylinder, 12 L diesel targeted at worldwide applications; dedicated new plant has initial capacity of 20,000 engines
A new Daewoo engine plant in Kunsan, Korea, will begin production in September of 2000. It will be dedicated to the machining and assembly of a single engine family, the new Daewoo K1 diesel. This is a six-cylinder, in-line, overhead cam, unit-injected, 12.7 L diesel from the Engine & Materials Division of Daewoo Heavy Industries. It appears to be world class, certainly the best yet from Korean diesel engine builders.
Daewoo's engine group first started producing marine engines back in 1958 and formed license and technical exchanges with MAN and Isuzu going back to 1975. In 1986, the group produced the first diesel completely designed in Korea. This was the "Storm" series engine and Diesel Progress first reported on this engine in 1987 after a visit to the group's design and manufacturing center in Incheon.
During a visit to the Incheon facility early this summer, Diesel Progress was filled in on the new K-1 diesel engine and plans for the new manufacturing and assembly plant in Kunsan. It is an ambitious plan and one that counts heavily upon engine export for its success. The new manufacturing facility at Kunsan will have initial production capacity of 20,000 engines per year, but the target production for the year 2000 is only 15,000 units. Currently the Engine & Materials Division has capacity for 86,600 engines per year at Incheon and these engines, by actual count, have 648 applications.
So the addition of the Kunsan factory in 2000 will be a significant development, augmenting production capacity by more than 30 percent. The new factory is 455,021 sq.ft. on a 145 acre site. The new factory will have four machining lines, one each for the block, bed plate, cylinder head and crankshaft. These lines will be approximately 95 percent automated. There will be two separate assembly lines, a long block and a short block line and these will be approximately 30 percent automated.
Daewoo will be strongly targeting the U.S. and European marine, industrial and generator set markets with the new K-1 diesel. It is not being emission certified for on-highway use at this point, but the basic profile and performance characteristics would suit the application. The K-1 engine does meets Euro-III standards and applicable U.S. EPA and CARB on- and off-road standards.
Four years in development, the K-1 is a very modem diesel engine platform. Enthusiastically benchmarked on Detroit Diesel's series 60 and other similar diesels, the turbocharged and inter-cooled K-1 has a bore and stroke of 134 x 151 mm, per cylinder displacement of 2.13 L and total displacement of 12.77 L. The top power rating is 440 hp at 1800 to 2000 rpm, with peak torque of 1425 lb.ft. at 1100 to 500 rpm. Dry weight is given at 2315 lb.
This is a high power density engine, with initial ratings from 320 to 440 hp, with a 500 hp rating expected by 2001. Basic characteristics include four valves per cylinder with a single overhead cam actuating the valves and electronically controlled unit injectors, centrally located in each cylinder. Peak cylinder pressure is either 1956 psi and 2753 psi is achievable with slight modification. Fuel injection pressure is in the range of 28,900 psi.
The engine is completely controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that is fuel cooled and engine mounted. It monitors all engine parameters and signals potential problems before they occur with a complete failure analysis and diagnostics package. The ECU instantly optimizes performance for operating conditions. Fuel economy is given at 190 g/kW.hr, very competitive.
Let's look at some design basics. The new K-1 diesel features a block and bed plate design. The boss of each cylinder bolt is directly connected via a cast-in rib to the boss of each bearing cap. The monoblock cylinder head bolts to the block with a hexagonal bolt pattern. Adjacent cylinder pairs each share two common bolts so there are 26 head bolts in total.
The symmetrical cast iron block structure features a corrugated geometry in the area of the crankshaft side-wall, in addition to horizontal and vertical stiffening ribs. The bed plate is of the same cast iron, also with the corrugated geometry and stiffening ribs. The alloy of the bed plate can be easily upgraded for higher peak cylinder pressure. The bed plate design also aids in reducing vibration, the company said.
Monoblock heads feature a stiff top and bottom deck with ribs over the balcony and ribs between bolt holes. Cooling jets for the injection nozzle area are cast into the block and fuel passages for supplying the unit injectors are machined internal to the heads.
A new Daewoo engine plant in Kunsan, Korea, will begin production in September of 2000. It will be dedicated to the machining and assembly of a single engine family, the new Daewoo K1 diesel. This is a six-cylinder, in-line, overhead cam, unit-injected, 12.7 L diesel from the Engine & Materials Division of Daewoo Heavy Industries. It appears to be world class, certainly the best yet from Korean diesel engine builders.
Daewoo's engine group first started producing marine engines back in 1958 and formed license and technical exchanges with MAN and Isuzu going back to 1975. In 1986, the group produced the first diesel completely designed in Korea. This was the "Storm" series engine and Diesel Progress first reported on this engine in 1987 after a visit to the group's design and manufacturing center in Incheon.
During a visit to the Incheon facility early this summer, Diesel Progress was filled in on the new K-1 diesel engine and plans for the new manufacturing and assembly plant in Kunsan. It is an ambitious plan and one that counts heavily upon engine export for its success. The new manufacturing facility at Kunsan will have initial production capacity of 20,000 engines per year, but the target production for the year 2000 is only 15,000 units. Currently the Engine & Materials Division has capacity for 86,600 engines per year at Incheon and these engines, by actual count, have 648 applications.
So the addition of the Kunsan factory in 2000 will be a significant development, augmenting production capacity by more than 30 percent. The new factory is 455,021 sq.ft. on a 145 acre site. The new factory will have four machining lines, one each for the block, bed plate, cylinder head and crankshaft. These lines will be approximately 95 percent automated. There will be two separate assembly lines, a long block and a short block line and these will be approximately 30 percent automated.
Daewoo will be strongly targeting the U.S. and European marine, industrial and generator set markets with the new K-1 diesel. It is not being emission certified for on-highway use at this point, but the basic profile and performance characteristics would suit the application. The K-1 engine does meets Euro-III standards and applicable U.S. EPA and CARB on- and off-road standards.
Four years in development, the K-1 is a very modem diesel engine platform. Enthusiastically benchmarked on Detroit Diesel's series 60 and other similar diesels, the turbocharged and inter-cooled K-1 has a bore and stroke of 134 x 151 mm, per cylinder displacement of 2.13 L and total displacement of 12.77 L. The top power rating is 440 hp at 1800 to 2000 rpm, with peak torque of 1425 lb.ft. at 1100 to 500 rpm. Dry weight is given at 2315 lb.
This is a high power density engine, with initial ratings from 320 to 440 hp, with a 500 hp rating expected by 2001. Basic characteristics include four valves per cylinder with a single overhead cam actuating the valves and electronically controlled unit injectors, centrally located in each cylinder. Peak cylinder pressure is either 1956 psi and 2753 psi is achievable with slight modification. Fuel injection pressure is in the range of 28,900 psi.
The engine is completely controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that is fuel cooled and engine mounted. It monitors all engine parameters and signals potential problems before they occur with a complete failure analysis and diagnostics package. The ECU instantly optimizes performance for operating conditions. Fuel economy is given at 190 g/kW.hr, very competitive.
Let's look at some design basics. The new K-1 diesel features a block and bed plate design. The boss of each cylinder bolt is directly connected via a cast-in rib to the boss of each bearing cap. The monoblock cylinder head bolts to the block with a hexagonal bolt pattern. Adjacent cylinder pairs each share two common bolts so there are 26 head bolts in total.
The symmetrical cast iron block structure features a corrugated geometry in the area of the crankshaft side-wall, in addition to horizontal and vertical stiffening ribs. The bed plate is of the same cast iron, also with the corrugated geometry and stiffening ribs. The alloy of the bed plate can be easily upgraded for higher peak cylinder pressure. The bed plate design also aids in reducing vibration, the company said.
Monoblock heads feature a stiff top and bottom deck with ribs over the balcony and ribs between bolt holes. Cooling jets for the injection nozzle area are cast into the block and fuel passages for supplying the unit injectors are machined internal to the heads.
Electro-motive division sold
A long period of industry speculation came to an end recently when General Motors Corp. announced that it had reached a definitive agreement to sell its Electro-Motive Division (EMD) to the investor-led group of Greenbriar Equity Group LLC and Berkshire Partners LLC. The proposed sale is contingent on completing negotiations with the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) and the subsequent ratification by its members. Terms of the transaction, which was expected to close in the first quarter of this year, will not be disclosed.
The sale agreement covers substantially all of the Electro-Motive businesses, including North American and international locomotives; power, marine and industrial products; the spare parts and parts rebuild business; and all of Electro-Motive's locomotive maintenance contracts worldwide. The LaGrange, Ill., and London, Ontario, Canada, manufacturing facilities are also included in the agreement. At the time of this writing, there were no plans announced for any changes to the company or its structure.
"Greenbriar and Berkshire Partners have a long-term commitment to creating value in the railroad industry that extends back to the 1980s," stated Reginald Jones, a managing partner of Greenbriar Equity Group. "Electro-Motive has outstanding products, employees and a truly global franchise, and we believe the company's prospects are bright."GM is pleased to have Greenbriar and Berkshire Partners acquiring the company," said William Happel, GM vice president and general manager of Electro-Motive. "These groups have a long-established reputation for excellence as rail industry investors and financiers. As an independent company with access to the resources of the new owners, Electro-Motive will be well positioned to continue to service its customers and grow the business."
Electro-Motive diesels have hauled freight and passengers, powered ships and generated electricity around the globe. The company is one of the largest builders of diesel-electric locomotives for all commercial railroad applications including intercity passenger, commuter, freight, switching, industrial and mining. The company also offers locomotive services including maintenance, management, leasing and training.
In the North American market, the company offers its SD70M-2 and SD70ACe freight locomotives. For the international markets, the company offers products such as its GT46MAC, JT42CWR and JT42HW-HS locomotives for use in applications such as heavy-haul freight and passenger trains. The company is operating and has certification for its JT42CWR Series 66 locomotive in the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark and Poland, and is targeting Czech Republic, Italy and France for certification. The company also offers its GP20D switcher locomotive.
Along with its new, more powerful, four-stroke, 16-cylinder H-Engine, the company has introduced other innovations to the rail traction market. These include the EMD automatic engine start/stop system designed to conserve fuel and reduce emissions, its functionality integrated railroad electronics (FIRE System) which is an advanced system designed for locomotive management, its radial truck body for drive wheels, and also its IntelliTrain remote monitoring and diagnostics system to give railroads live data concerning the status of their locomotives.
In addition to rail traction, GM EMD provides diesel engines for marine propulsion and generator set applications, offshore and land-based oil well drilling rigs, and stationary power generation worldwide. The line of engines includes the two-stroke, 45[degrees] Vee, 645 and 710 series diesel, as well as the new four-stroke, 45[degrees] Vee, H Series diesel engine.
The 645 is available in 8-, 12- and 16-cylinder versions with a Roots blower and in 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-cylinder turbocharged versions. The 710 Series is available in turbocharged versions of 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-cylinders. The H Series is available in a turbocharged 16-cylinder version. The EMD engine range covers outputs of 800 to 6000 hp.
The company's headquarters, engineering facilities and parts-manufacturing operations are in LaGrange. Final assembly is conducted at the plant in London from which products are exported to customers around the world.
The sale agreement covers substantially all of the Electro-Motive businesses, including North American and international locomotives; power, marine and industrial products; the spare parts and parts rebuild business; and all of Electro-Motive's locomotive maintenance contracts worldwide. The LaGrange, Ill., and London, Ontario, Canada, manufacturing facilities are also included in the agreement. At the time of this writing, there were no plans announced for any changes to the company or its structure.
"Greenbriar and Berkshire Partners have a long-term commitment to creating value in the railroad industry that extends back to the 1980s," stated Reginald Jones, a managing partner of Greenbriar Equity Group. "Electro-Motive has outstanding products, employees and a truly global franchise, and we believe the company's prospects are bright."GM is pleased to have Greenbriar and Berkshire Partners acquiring the company," said William Happel, GM vice president and general manager of Electro-Motive. "These groups have a long-established reputation for excellence as rail industry investors and financiers. As an independent company with access to the resources of the new owners, Electro-Motive will be well positioned to continue to service its customers and grow the business."
Electro-Motive diesels have hauled freight and passengers, powered ships and generated electricity around the globe. The company is one of the largest builders of diesel-electric locomotives for all commercial railroad applications including intercity passenger, commuter, freight, switching, industrial and mining. The company also offers locomotive services including maintenance, management, leasing and training.
In the North American market, the company offers its SD70M-2 and SD70ACe freight locomotives. For the international markets, the company offers products such as its GT46MAC, JT42CWR and JT42HW-HS locomotives for use in applications such as heavy-haul freight and passenger trains. The company is operating and has certification for its JT42CWR Series 66 locomotive in the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark and Poland, and is targeting Czech Republic, Italy and France for certification. The company also offers its GP20D switcher locomotive.
Along with its new, more powerful, four-stroke, 16-cylinder H-Engine, the company has introduced other innovations to the rail traction market. These include the EMD automatic engine start/stop system designed to conserve fuel and reduce emissions, its functionality integrated railroad electronics (FIRE System) which is an advanced system designed for locomotive management, its radial truck body for drive wheels, and also its IntelliTrain remote monitoring and diagnostics system to give railroads live data concerning the status of their locomotives.
In addition to rail traction, GM EMD provides diesel engines for marine propulsion and generator set applications, offshore and land-based oil well drilling rigs, and stationary power generation worldwide. The line of engines includes the two-stroke, 45[degrees] Vee, 645 and 710 series diesel, as well as the new four-stroke, 45[degrees] Vee, H Series diesel engine.
The 645 is available in 8-, 12- and 16-cylinder versions with a Roots blower and in 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-cylinder turbocharged versions. The 710 Series is available in turbocharged versions of 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-cylinders. The H Series is available in a turbocharged 16-cylinder version. The EMD engine range covers outputs of 800 to 6000 hp.
The company's headquarters, engineering facilities and parts-manufacturing operations are in LaGrange. Final assembly is conducted at the plant in London from which products are exported to customers around the world.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
LuK: an abundance of transmission options
onsidering that one in every four cars that rolls off assembly lines around the world is fitted with one of its clutches, very little is known about LuK, part of the Schaeffler Group, Germany's largest family owned business. However, this subsidiary has a portfolio of interesting products that include the dual mass flywheel, the twin clutch gearbox, the belt-driven starter generator and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Additionally, it is the worldwide leader in tractor clutches. Transmission technology has developed into an innovative driving force in the automotive industry with both autoshift and twin-clutch gearboxes providing alternatives to conventional automated transmissions. For LuK, these gearbox variants comprise its XSG family that embraces Electronic Clutch Management (ECM), which dispenses with the clutch pedal, the Auto Shift Gearbox (ASG), where the actual gear shifting is automated, and the Uninterrupted Shift Gearbox (USG), where a partial filling of the torque interruption during a gearshift is achieved with an additional clutch. It also includes the Parallel Shift Gearbox (PSG), which belongs to the twin-clutch gearbox group, and the Electrical Shift Gearbox (ESG), in which a starter-generator is coupled in parallel to one of the two input shafts. It is the twin-clutch PSG that excites Dr. Peter Gutzmer, LuK president and CEO, who had spent 17 years with Porsche working in various positions in engine and vehicle development. Known as DSG--Direct Shift Gearbox--in Volkswagen-Audi parlance, it combines the advantages of a conventional six-speed manual-shift gearbox with the qualities possessed by a modern automatic transmission. The driver enjoys immense agility and driving pleasure with smooth, dynamic acceleration without any interruption to the power flow. The technical basis of the DSG, developed in the VW-Audi case by BorgWarner, is a double clutch. It consists of two wet plate-type clutches with hydraulically regulated contact pressure. One of the two clutches engages the odd-numbered and the other the even-numbered gears. This principle enables gearshifts to be made without interrupting the power flow and keeps the shift times extremely short. While the first clutch is transmitting the power, the second clutch is ready to engage the next gear, which is pre-selected. When the driver makes the gearshift, the first clutch is released and the second engages, so that the gear shift takes place in a fraction of a second. The driver can operate the DSG manually or allow changes to take place automatically. In the automatic mode there is a choice between the well-balanced, comfortable standard shift settings and a program with greater sports emphasis. Manual shifts are made either at the gear lever or at shift paddles behind the steering wheel. "I believe very strongly that within the next five years we will see this kind of transmission being more widely offered, especially in Europe," says Gutzmer. "It has several advantages with the fuel economy being for me more or less the hidden one. It has greater agility and driving comfort at the same time and this is what you really can tell. The customer also feels like a Formula One driver!"
Building on the PSG concept is ESG, in which a starter-generator is linked to one of the gearbox shafts. Advantages include functions such as start/stop, energy recuperation by regenerative braking and electric powered driving, all with a compact design. Furthermore, with the combustion engine switched off, the air conditioning system can be operated using the electric motor. The ESG can result in reduced fuel consumption over 20% compared to a manual gearbox. "Looking to the future we see hybrid solutions," says Gutzmer. "To reduce fuel consumption and emissions even further, the combustion engine will only be used when needed. We will see start/stop, and electrically supported driving, but the applications might be different in different parts of the world."
An important part of the argument in favor of the automation of manual transmissions is the improvement in fuel consumption, says Gutzmer. If the manual transmission is taken as a basis, automatic transmissions suffer from greater fuel consumption at the same shift point selection due to hydraulic power loss. Automatic transmissions and automated gearboxes can use the choice of more favorable operating points in the engine map for shift point selection to their advantage, resulting in reduced fuel consumption in legally defined cycles. Moreover, this reduction in fuel consumption through automatic shift point selection is also realized in practice, since the average driver using a manual transmission generally avoids driving at economic low engine speeds.
While the single clutch automated manual transmission has come in for some criticism for its lack of finesse and smoothness, Gutzmer believes that it still has a future. But he thinks they are only likely to come under threat once the economies of scale are applied to the double-clutch gearboxes and their prices start to fall. "I expect the double-clutch gearbox has the potential to come down the model range by 2010 to 2012. It is in the 1.6- to 3.0-liter segment where we feel the dual clutch approach is very appropriate."
Building on the PSG concept is ESG, in which a starter-generator is linked to one of the gearbox shafts. Advantages include functions such as start/stop, energy recuperation by regenerative braking and electric powered driving, all with a compact design. Furthermore, with the combustion engine switched off, the air conditioning system can be operated using the electric motor. The ESG can result in reduced fuel consumption over 20% compared to a manual gearbox. "Looking to the future we see hybrid solutions," says Gutzmer. "To reduce fuel consumption and emissions even further, the combustion engine will only be used when needed. We will see start/stop, and electrically supported driving, but the applications might be different in different parts of the world."
An important part of the argument in favor of the automation of manual transmissions is the improvement in fuel consumption, says Gutzmer. If the manual transmission is taken as a basis, automatic transmissions suffer from greater fuel consumption at the same shift point selection due to hydraulic power loss. Automatic transmissions and automated gearboxes can use the choice of more favorable operating points in the engine map for shift point selection to their advantage, resulting in reduced fuel consumption in legally defined cycles. Moreover, this reduction in fuel consumption through automatic shift point selection is also realized in practice, since the average driver using a manual transmission generally avoids driving at economic low engine speeds.
While the single clutch automated manual transmission has come in for some criticism for its lack of finesse and smoothness, Gutzmer believes that it still has a future. But he thinks they are only likely to come under threat once the economies of scale are applied to the double-clutch gearboxes and their prices start to fall. "I expect the double-clutch gearbox has the potential to come down the model range by 2010 to 2012. It is in the 1.6- to 3.0-liter segment where we feel the dual clutch approach is very appropriate."
Penske talks about DDC - Roger Penske on Detroit Diesel Corp - interview
The transportation business is a matter of calculated passion for Roger S. Penske. Well beyond needing the money, it is the competition that drives the auto racer turn& entrepreneur. Racing analogies litter conversation about his business empire like tires at a pit stop, He paused, briefly, from his efforts at Detroit Diesel Corp. to talk with Ward's Auto World.
Q - What In particular attracted you to Detroit Diesel?
A - It was a business opportunity. I typically have taken businesses, which were not highly fine-tuned, and been able to add our expertise in team-management style to bring them to a solid and profitable market position.
I was contacted by an investment banker who had the job of either selling off or breaking up Detroit Diesel. I guess if I hadn't gotten the call, I wouldn't have been knocking on the door. But when I did get the call, I realized here was a business I had been involved with for 15 years as a distributor. I knew the product, I knew the problem, I knew the people.
So, with that in hand, I took a look at what the structure of a deal could be. Typically, I have always wanted to have good partners. I've learned that two people can pull on the rope harder than one. When this opportunity came about and I was able to look at potentially having GM (General Motors Corp.) as a partner. Q - What's your assessment after about a year?
A - This is the greatest. We've got a 3-million-sq.-ft. (278,700-sq.-m) plant and everybody's pulling in the same direction . I look at the numbers coming in every day on our new Series 60 engine and we're on a market share climb that's hard to believe. And that creates different problems.
We're making some reat progress. Everybody's having fun. We're very positive. Not that it has been easy.
Q - Does It signal a change in direction for Penske Corp.?
A - I don't think I'm concerned about what types of businesses, whether it's manufacturing or not. I think that expense controls, sales capability, technology are important. There are good people out there and, I think, the better you are as a communicator, the more apt you are to attract those kind of people.
Q - Isn't manufacturing new for your organization?
A - It's certainly a different atmosphere, but I've been in the manufacturing business. We manufactured stainlesssteel aluminum tank trailers in a company we hadat one time. We manufactured large turbine generator sets.
We manufacture race cars. Somebody said to me 'what the hell is a race car compared to building a diesel engine?' Look, I know where the product goes, I know what's required from the duty cycle and to meet the customer requirements.
When you look at American industry during the last 10 years, if you're not capable of changing your course, you're probably going to be out of business.
Q - Does that mean other Penske manufacturing efforts?
A - I'll look at anything that would be in a transportation-related business. Components or things like that where I understand the customer base. Where am I going to go with the product? Then I back up to find out what it's going to take to provide that product.
I think if we can prove we can run this type of business, we can look at other things. Penske Transportation, the truck leasing business, these are all interrelated as far as transportation.
Q - Could that Include assembling niche cars?
Obviously, there's an opportunity for niche cars, but seeing the capability of both the foreign and domestic manufacturers, I don't think you'll see me in that business.
Q - At what point does your organization get so large you can't manage it In your traditional hands-on manner?
A - What you have to do is develop the right kind of people and the right kind of controls. It's no different than the CEO of a large corporation managing his business. You learn how to do that.
I want to understand what's going on in the organization. I'll be walking through the plants, or looking at the suspension setup or looking at dyno sheets for my whole life. The day I stay out of the factories, I should get out of the business.
Q - What In particular attracted you to Detroit Diesel?
A - It was a business opportunity. I typically have taken businesses, which were not highly fine-tuned, and been able to add our expertise in team-management style to bring them to a solid and profitable market position.
I was contacted by an investment banker who had the job of either selling off or breaking up Detroit Diesel. I guess if I hadn't gotten the call, I wouldn't have been knocking on the door. But when I did get the call, I realized here was a business I had been involved with for 15 years as a distributor. I knew the product, I knew the problem, I knew the people.
So, with that in hand, I took a look at what the structure of a deal could be. Typically, I have always wanted to have good partners. I've learned that two people can pull on the rope harder than one. When this opportunity came about and I was able to look at potentially having GM (General Motors Corp.) as a partner. Q - What's your assessment after about a year?
A - This is the greatest. We've got a 3-million-sq.-ft. (278,700-sq.-m) plant and everybody's pulling in the same direction . I look at the numbers coming in every day on our new Series 60 engine and we're on a market share climb that's hard to believe. And that creates different problems.
We're making some reat progress. Everybody's having fun. We're very positive. Not that it has been easy.
Q - Does It signal a change in direction for Penske Corp.?
A - I don't think I'm concerned about what types of businesses, whether it's manufacturing or not. I think that expense controls, sales capability, technology are important. There are good people out there and, I think, the better you are as a communicator, the more apt you are to attract those kind of people.
Q - Isn't manufacturing new for your organization?
A - It's certainly a different atmosphere, but I've been in the manufacturing business. We manufactured stainlesssteel aluminum tank trailers in a company we hadat one time. We manufactured large turbine generator sets.
We manufacture race cars. Somebody said to me 'what the hell is a race car compared to building a diesel engine?' Look, I know where the product goes, I know what's required from the duty cycle and to meet the customer requirements.
When you look at American industry during the last 10 years, if you're not capable of changing your course, you're probably going to be out of business.
Q - Does that mean other Penske manufacturing efforts?
A - I'll look at anything that would be in a transportation-related business. Components or things like that where I understand the customer base. Where am I going to go with the product? Then I back up to find out what it's going to take to provide that product.
I think if we can prove we can run this type of business, we can look at other things. Penske Transportation, the truck leasing business, these are all interrelated as far as transportation.
Q - Could that Include assembling niche cars?
Obviously, there's an opportunity for niche cars, but seeing the capability of both the foreign and domestic manufacturers, I don't think you'll see me in that business.
Q - At what point does your organization get so large you can't manage it In your traditional hands-on manner?
A - What you have to do is develop the right kind of people and the right kind of controls. It's no different than the CEO of a large corporation managing his business. You learn how to do that.
I want to understand what's going on in the organization. I'll be walking through the plants, or looking at the suspension setup or looking at dyno sheets for my whole life. The day I stay out of the factories, I should get out of the business.
Load sharing modules added to deep sea range
Deep Sea Electronics Inc. (DSE) has added its first UL-listed load sharing modules to its ever-expanding line of generator set and engine controls. "The launch of the 5510 and 5520 modules gives DSE complete integrated load share systems for all types of power generation applications," said Paul Apsey, vice president/ technical sales manager for the Rockford, Ill.-based subsidiary of Deep Sea Electronics Plc, based in the U.K. The U.S. operation has recently moved into new and larger operations in Rockford.
DSE's 5510 is a multiple gen-set control with full load sharing capability, while the 5520 is a single set control that allows paralleling with the utility. DSE's P810 software has also been expanded to allow easy programming of the load sharing modules.
The 5510 is equipped with synchronizing and load sharing capabilities including auto synch control, volts, frequency matching with built-in synchroscope, and closing onto dead Bus. These units also feature VAP, control, peak shaving, NFPA 110 level 1 compliance and single phase paralleling. Apsey said the 5510 has direct and flexible outputs from the module to allow connections to commonly used governors and automatic voltage regulators.
DSE's 5510 is a multiple gen-set control with full load sharing capability, while the 5520 is a single set control that allows paralleling with the utility. DSE's P810 software has also been expanded to allow easy programming of the load sharing modules.
The 5510 is equipped with synchronizing and load sharing capabilities including auto synch control, volts, frequency matching with built-in synchroscope, and closing onto dead Bus. These units also feature VAP, control, peak shaving, NFPA 110 level 1 compliance and single phase paralleling. Apsey said the 5510 has direct and flexible outputs from the module to allow connections to commonly used governors and automatic voltage regulators.
Diesel maker on the rebound; with GM as a 'central banker,' DDA goes on the offensive - Detroit Diesel Allison Div
Diesel maker on the rebound
The order--"No more deviations allowed!' --will go out sometime this year at Detroit Diesel Allison Div. of General Motors Corp. "And we'll make it stick, too,' promises DDA General Manager Ludvik F. Koci.
It will mean, the GM vice president declares, that DDA has "ended forever the sinful waste . . . in having to pay all those engineers and others to redesign something they've already designed.'
That's what has happened in U.S. industry, he continues. "People are often paid twice--the second time to decide what deviation limits will be allowed so that the part keeps moving through the pipeline.'
DDA, he says, has reduced the deviation process drastically and "will entirely eliminate it this year and be doing things right the first time from then on.'
For Mr. Koci (pronounced Ko-see), that will mark a major milestone toward his announced goal of making DDA "one of the top diesel engine producers' in an industry where a dozen or so globe-spanning diesel makers--with combined capacity far above demand--struggle dog-eat-dog to stay, or get, profitable. In that context, he says, DDA--with the "stability of GM as a central banker' behind it--has stirred its competitors in recent months with:
Products: The microprocessor-controlled DDEC (Detroit Diesel Electronic Control) system went into production last September and gave DDA, Mr. Koci claims, a 1-year jump on other big-truck diesel makers. Coming early next year is a new engine, the Series 60, and a new family of transmissions. DDA also is re-entering the diesel/electric generator-set business after 15 years.
A joint venture: Almost overnight, DDA beefs its engine line by adding 13 Deere & Co. 50-hp to 250-hp diesels for on-and off-highway and marine use. Talks proceed with Deere, meanwhile, about going beyond a marketing agreement to merge most engine operations of both into a separate company (see sidebar).
Cost cutting: DDA consolidates engine production by moving parts-machining and 8.2L medium-duty diesel output a dozen miles to its Detroit works from Romulus, MI.
The total program, says Mr. Koci, shoves DDA far ahead of the "go-go' late 1970s when "demand was high and the emphasis was on getting out enough product to meet it. In hindsight, our quality wasn't up then to what the market demands today.'
But "there's a cost of quality--and you've got to pay it,' he adds. "You can't pay too much, though, or your prices are blown too high. So you must keep the cost of quality down.'
DDA's quality cost is "57% of what it was in 1979,' he adds, partly through a 50% drop in warranty claims on heavy-duty engines and a 30% cut in transmission claims.
Scrap costs--for material wasted in engine-making because it can't be used again --are down from $200 per engine in '79 to $125 today, he says. "That's helped us save about $2 million a year on heavy-duty diesels alone.'
This is not to say, Mr. Koci stresses, "that we don't still have quality problems. We do, but fewer all the time.'
And company-union people conflicts are rare today, he adds, compared to back in the mid-1970s "when we had an open house and the (United Auto Workers) union leaders stood outside and told people not to go in.' For the '85 open house, he recalls, "the union took the lead in setting up the program, and everybody--wives, friends, neighbors--attended, about 40,000 all together.'
But that "kind of change just doesn't happen. It takes constant attention from union and company people.'
There's particular enthusiasm at DDA over the Quality Action Program (QAP), a program launched in 1982 from a union-leadership idea that operates through 4-person teams of two company and two union members. "They can shut the line, or whatever, as long as they agree,' Mr. Koci relates. "They only buck it up if they can't agree. And about half the calls they get now are from salaried people.'
The trouble-shooting team concept "isn't foolproof, of course,' the DDA boss says. "Some regard it as a usurpation of authority, but it's a long step ahead of where we were.'
Another idea, having hourly employes handle plant tours--"of which there weren't all that many in the past'--has worked so well that "our only problem now is sorting out the requests.'
And Mr. Koci himself is booked solid for his monthly meetings with 30 hourly and salaried workers, sessions that rotate among DDA plants in Detroit, Moraine, OH, and Indianapolis and Muncie, IN.
The Series 60 engine, being field-tested now and due for customer sale in early '87, will be a "great product,' he asserts, "mainly because of the way we've involved people in development and production.'
The order--"No more deviations allowed!' --will go out sometime this year at Detroit Diesel Allison Div. of General Motors Corp. "And we'll make it stick, too,' promises DDA General Manager Ludvik F. Koci.
It will mean, the GM vice president declares, that DDA has "ended forever the sinful waste . . . in having to pay all those engineers and others to redesign something they've already designed.'
That's what has happened in U.S. industry, he continues. "People are often paid twice--the second time to decide what deviation limits will be allowed so that the part keeps moving through the pipeline.'
DDA, he says, has reduced the deviation process drastically and "will entirely eliminate it this year and be doing things right the first time from then on.'
For Mr. Koci (pronounced Ko-see), that will mark a major milestone toward his announced goal of making DDA "one of the top diesel engine producers' in an industry where a dozen or so globe-spanning diesel makers--with combined capacity far above demand--struggle dog-eat-dog to stay, or get, profitable. In that context, he says, DDA--with the "stability of GM as a central banker' behind it--has stirred its competitors in recent months with:
Products: The microprocessor-controlled DDEC (Detroit Diesel Electronic Control) system went into production last September and gave DDA, Mr. Koci claims, a 1-year jump on other big-truck diesel makers. Coming early next year is a new engine, the Series 60, and a new family of transmissions. DDA also is re-entering the diesel/electric generator-set business after 15 years.
A joint venture: Almost overnight, DDA beefs its engine line by adding 13 Deere & Co. 50-hp to 250-hp diesels for on-and off-highway and marine use. Talks proceed with Deere, meanwhile, about going beyond a marketing agreement to merge most engine operations of both into a separate company (see sidebar).
Cost cutting: DDA consolidates engine production by moving parts-machining and 8.2L medium-duty diesel output a dozen miles to its Detroit works from Romulus, MI.
The total program, says Mr. Koci, shoves DDA far ahead of the "go-go' late 1970s when "demand was high and the emphasis was on getting out enough product to meet it. In hindsight, our quality wasn't up then to what the market demands today.'
But "there's a cost of quality--and you've got to pay it,' he adds. "You can't pay too much, though, or your prices are blown too high. So you must keep the cost of quality down.'
DDA's quality cost is "57% of what it was in 1979,' he adds, partly through a 50% drop in warranty claims on heavy-duty engines and a 30% cut in transmission claims.
Scrap costs--for material wasted in engine-making because it can't be used again --are down from $200 per engine in '79 to $125 today, he says. "That's helped us save about $2 million a year on heavy-duty diesels alone.'
This is not to say, Mr. Koci stresses, "that we don't still have quality problems. We do, but fewer all the time.'
And company-union people conflicts are rare today, he adds, compared to back in the mid-1970s "when we had an open house and the (United Auto Workers) union leaders stood outside and told people not to go in.' For the '85 open house, he recalls, "the union took the lead in setting up the program, and everybody--wives, friends, neighbors--attended, about 40,000 all together.'
But that "kind of change just doesn't happen. It takes constant attention from union and company people.'
There's particular enthusiasm at DDA over the Quality Action Program (QAP), a program launched in 1982 from a union-leadership idea that operates through 4-person teams of two company and two union members. "They can shut the line, or whatever, as long as they agree,' Mr. Koci relates. "They only buck it up if they can't agree. And about half the calls they get now are from salaried people.'
The trouble-shooting team concept "isn't foolproof, of course,' the DDA boss says. "Some regard it as a usurpation of authority, but it's a long step ahead of where we were.'
Another idea, having hourly employes handle plant tours--"of which there weren't all that many in the past'--has worked so well that "our only problem now is sorting out the requests.'
And Mr. Koci himself is booked solid for his monthly meetings with 30 hourly and salaried workers, sessions that rotate among DDA plants in Detroit, Moraine, OH, and Indianapolis and Muncie, IN.
The Series 60 engine, being field-tested now and due for customer sale in early '87, will be a "great product,' he asserts, "mainly because of the way we've involved people in development and production.'
Twin diesels to power "green" switching locomotive
When it comes to locomotives, the Union Pacific Railroad fleet is considered by many to be the "greenest" in the U.S. railroad industry. In the past five years, 35% of Union Pacific's locomotive fleet has been certified under EPA Tier Zero standards (44% less than the average NOx emission rate of locomotives manufactured prior to the implementation of EPA regulations in 2000) or Tier 1 standards (56% less than the average N[O.sub.x] emission rate of locomotives manufactured prior to the implementation of the EPA rules). Additionally, its 3000 to 4400 hp diesel locomotives that pull heavy-tonnage freight trains over long distances between cities emit only one-third as much N[O.sub.x] compared to over-the-road diesel trucks when measured in emissions per-gross-ton-mile. This can be attributed largely to the greater efficiency of steel wheels on steel rails.
In the future, UP's medium- to heavy-duty switching locomotives used in and around rail yards could also produce less emissions as well as consume less fuel. For instance, UP recently ordered a prototype low emissions switch (LES) locomotive being developed by the National Railway Equipment Co., Dixmoor, Ill. The prototype switcher is based on a system architecture proposed by Newage AVK SEG, the electrical machine unit of Cummins Inc. and NRE Electronics, and uses Cummins QSK19 engines developed for construction equipment. The two Cummins inline six-cylinder diesel engines, each with 19 L displacement, will replace the single 1500 hp EMD 12-cylinder 645-series (12-645E) naturally aspirated diesel engine now used in the MP 1500 DC switching locomotive. The locomotive being converted was originally delivered to the former-Southern Pacific Railroad in December 1974.
The two engines each produce a total output of 700 hp, giving the converted switcher locomotive a 1400 hp rating. The engines each produce a massive 1970 lb.ft. peak torque. Peak power for this configuration will be available at 1800 rpm compared to an industry standard 2100 rpm. This results in higher fuel efficiency and reduced noise, the company said. No special modifications from the standard QSK19-C were made for this application.
Like any conventional diesel-electric locomotive, each engine powers a rail specification Newage HC5 generator specifically engineered for this application. These generators power the electric traction motors driving each set of wheels. The converted locomotive will retain its EMD D77 direct current traction motors.
This new switching locomotive is expected to reduce N[O.sub.x] by 70% and particulate matter by approximately 45% from EPA Locomotive Tier 2 levels. Based on the Association of American Railroads (AAR) duty cycle for switching locomotives, it is estimated that as much as a 15% reduction in fuel consumption can be achieved. The LES will offer other advantages with respect to durability and long-term operating costs. The engine will go 30,000 hours between overhaul with an estimated 10-year-plus engine life, according to AAR standards for medium-duty cycle engines. The plug-and-play design for all major components means reduced maintenance downtime.
The LES incorporates advanced electrical equipment, including an ac to dc traction horsepower motor controller/ dc chopper to individually control the amount of power supplied to each traction motor for enhanced adhesion between wheels and track. A low-voltage power supply (LVPS) featuring a 480 Vac to 72 Vdc rectifier/transformer provides up to 10 kW of 72 Vdc electrical power for heating, headlights, ditch lights, and auxiliary lighting, all MU (multiple unit) trail-dine propulsion and operating controls functions and for charging the locomotive's battery.
An auxiliary drive power supply ADPS featuring a 690 Vac to 480 Vac transformer is installed on units equipped with a 690 Vac alternator in order to achieve higher track speeds. This ADPS provides 70 kVA of 480 Vac power for the new air compressor drive and traction motor drive motors plus auxiliary cab accessory power. The NRE Electronics-Microprocessor System (NFORCE) manages and controls all propulsion functions, engine/generator set stop/start functions, alarm and fault logging, operator interface functions and red-time diagnostic monitoring.
Union Pacific and National Railway Equipment are also considering the 12 V over-the-road truck lighting for certain federally mandated lighting requirements onboard the locomotive, such as walkway lights.
Also added is a new Wabco CDC three-cylinder, air-cooled, constant speed (1100 rpm) air compressor driven by a three-phase, 480 Vac electric motor for air braking. The unit features new drilled connecting rods, full flow oil filters and an environmental control kit that prevents crankcase gases from escaping into the atmosphere. There is also a new constant speed traction (2700 rpm) motor blower driven by a three-phase electric motor.
In the future, UP's medium- to heavy-duty switching locomotives used in and around rail yards could also produce less emissions as well as consume less fuel. For instance, UP recently ordered a prototype low emissions switch (LES) locomotive being developed by the National Railway Equipment Co., Dixmoor, Ill. The prototype switcher is based on a system architecture proposed by Newage AVK SEG, the electrical machine unit of Cummins Inc. and NRE Electronics, and uses Cummins QSK19 engines developed for construction equipment. The two Cummins inline six-cylinder diesel engines, each with 19 L displacement, will replace the single 1500 hp EMD 12-cylinder 645-series (12-645E) naturally aspirated diesel engine now used in the MP 1500 DC switching locomotive. The locomotive being converted was originally delivered to the former-Southern Pacific Railroad in December 1974.
The two engines each produce a total output of 700 hp, giving the converted switcher locomotive a 1400 hp rating. The engines each produce a massive 1970 lb.ft. peak torque. Peak power for this configuration will be available at 1800 rpm compared to an industry standard 2100 rpm. This results in higher fuel efficiency and reduced noise, the company said. No special modifications from the standard QSK19-C were made for this application.
Like any conventional diesel-electric locomotive, each engine powers a rail specification Newage HC5 generator specifically engineered for this application. These generators power the electric traction motors driving each set of wheels. The converted locomotive will retain its EMD D77 direct current traction motors.
This new switching locomotive is expected to reduce N[O.sub.x] by 70% and particulate matter by approximately 45% from EPA Locomotive Tier 2 levels. Based on the Association of American Railroads (AAR) duty cycle for switching locomotives, it is estimated that as much as a 15% reduction in fuel consumption can be achieved. The LES will offer other advantages with respect to durability and long-term operating costs. The engine will go 30,000 hours between overhaul with an estimated 10-year-plus engine life, according to AAR standards for medium-duty cycle engines. The plug-and-play design for all major components means reduced maintenance downtime.
The LES incorporates advanced electrical equipment, including an ac to dc traction horsepower motor controller/ dc chopper to individually control the amount of power supplied to each traction motor for enhanced adhesion between wheels and track. A low-voltage power supply (LVPS) featuring a 480 Vac to 72 Vdc rectifier/transformer provides up to 10 kW of 72 Vdc electrical power for heating, headlights, ditch lights, and auxiliary lighting, all MU (multiple unit) trail-dine propulsion and operating controls functions and for charging the locomotive's battery.
An auxiliary drive power supply ADPS featuring a 690 Vac to 480 Vac transformer is installed on units equipped with a 690 Vac alternator in order to achieve higher track speeds. This ADPS provides 70 kVA of 480 Vac power for the new air compressor drive and traction motor drive motors plus auxiliary cab accessory power. The NRE Electronics-Microprocessor System (NFORCE) manages and controls all propulsion functions, engine/generator set stop/start functions, alarm and fault logging, operator interface functions and red-time diagnostic monitoring.
Union Pacific and National Railway Equipment are also considering the 12 V over-the-road truck lighting for certain federally mandated lighting requirements onboard the locomotive, such as walkway lights.
Also added is a new Wabco CDC three-cylinder, air-cooled, constant speed (1100 rpm) air compressor driven by a three-phase, 480 Vac electric motor for air braking. The unit features new drilled connecting rods, full flow oil filters and an environmental control kit that prevents crankcase gases from escaping into the atmosphere. There is also a new constant speed traction (2700 rpm) motor blower driven by a three-phase electric motor.
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