Caterpillar’s MorElectric
Caterpillar is developing electrically driven accessories that – literally with the flip of a toggle switch – will enable drivers to rest quietly and comfortably in their cabs while saving thousands of dollars in diesel fuel each year. The company figures its new idle management system for on-highway trucks can improve fuel economy by up to 8%.
Added bonuses include improved engine accessories reliability and durability, appeasing truckstop neighbors and less wear and tear on the environment.
Called Cat MorElectric, the technology electrically drives various engine accessories to improve fuel economy (with on-road fuel savings of up to 2%, according to Caterpillar) and be the enabler to reduce the long-standing habit of idling.
First off, the 7.3 kW Caterpillar MorElectric generator replaces the standard alternator altogether, providing three times the electrical power capacity and twice the fuel efficiency.
The next part of the MorElectric equation is the HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) module.
Anticipated to be installed under the tractor passenger seat, the HVAC will bring together all the heating and A/C components into one easy to service module.
The hermetically sealed system features a compressor, condenser, evaporator, fan assemblies and other A/C components.
That frees up a lot of space in the engine compartment.
Gone, for instance, is the A/C compressor, along with compressor belts and pulleys. And there’s no longer the need for a condenser in front of the radiator.
And by combining all the HVAC elements into one solid package, the problem of leaking refrigerant through the hoses is eliminated because these are replaced by rigid tubing.
Caterpillar’s new auxiliary power unit (APU) provides electric power to both the truck’s electrical system and HVAC. This 0.5-liter, two-cylinder engine was designed to complement the MorElectric system, allowing the driver to turn off the main engine when stopped for the night and use the much more fuel-efficient APU (or genset).
The APU consumes only 0.2 gallons of fuel per hour, compared with the nearly one gallon per hour sucked up by an idling truck engine.
The 407-pound APU was designed by Caterpillar with two speeds in order to deliver the required amount of power when needed. Unlike fixed-speed generator sets, the Cat Electronics’ APU will run at 1,800 rpms the majority of the time, like when the driver is sleeping, and at 2,800 rpms during temperature extremes, to automatically provide all the creature comforts in the cab. That means all the heating, cooling and electric power – including battery charging – without idling the main engine.
The MorElectric Shore Power Package provides electric power much like an RV at a campground.
Trucks with the MorElectric system can be equipped with an optional shorepower package, which includes all the hardware needed to power the truck’s “hotel loads.” It’s all part of a program called Truck Stop Electrification (TSE), where state and federal government agencies are working to install shorepower plug-in parking spaces along interstate corridors.
The MorElectric system can mean a fuel savings of 2% on the road, and another 6% from reduced idling, according to Caterpillar. That’s a total tank savings of up to 8% for a typical long-haul Class 8 truck.
The MorElectric system is still undergoing field tests, with several trucks operating regular routes with the system installed. The system is targeted for commercial introduction in the second quarter of 2006.
Emissions Authority continued...
