free piston engine power electronics for hybrid electric vehicle … · 2020-03-09 · sam...

Free Piston Engine power electronics

for hybrid electric vehicle power generation

Sam Cockerill CEO, Libertine FPE Limited

2

intelliGEN development engine platform, 20kWe IGN20-MVP1

Platform architectureIGN60 HVA-SOP example

5CONFIDENTIALMarch 2020

Power electronics - FPC

• Opposed free piston engine platform

• Modular construction, shared auxiliaries

(e-boost, EAT, FP-ECU)

• 2-stroke, uniflow scavenged

• GDI, HCCI-capable

• Multi-fuel capable

Conventional fuels (Gasoline/Diesel)

Alcohol fuels & blends (Ethanol, methanol)

Other alternative fuels (e.g. LPG)

Other synthetic ‘e-fuels’

6

Fuel

Tank30

kWe

30

kWe

Fuel

Tank

Fuel

EAT & silencer

Po

wer

EC

U

E-tu

rbo

6kW

h

6kW

h

6kW

h

6kW

h

6kW

h

CONFIDENTIALMarch 2020


Why Free Piston?

7

Linear electrical machines generate power

directly from combustion as gas expands

Coils MagnetsCombustionBounce

chamber



8

10

12

14

16

18

20

0 10 20 30 40 50

Compression ratio

Operating point target

Cold transient mode

Active combustion stability modePoint [1]

0 kWe

OFF, READY TO START

Point [2]

~10 kWe

LOW NOISE /

VIBRATION

Point [3]

~15 kWe

PEAK EFFICIENCY

(LTC e.g. HCCI)

Point [4]

~20kWe

PEAK POWER

CONFIDENTIAL

Series hybrid REx requires

fewer operating points

March 2020


FPEs permit real-time

compression ratio control +

Better efficiency, emissions

& fuel flexibility REx

Why now?

9

✓ Low fuel consumption

✓ Low vibration

✓ Compact package

✓ Low emissions

✓ Low maintenance

✓ Low cost powertrain

✓ Fuel-flexible

Benefits

• Real time compression ratio

• Advanced combustion methods (e.g. HCCI)

• Fast start-up (<200ms)

• Modular construction

• No mechanical drivetrain

• Oil-free bearing and sealing

Enablers Features

• Auto electrification

• Materials technologies

• Control technologies

• Design & analysis tools

• Power electronics (SiC, GaN)



Technology boundaries



FP-ECU EAT

AUX BOX

BCU

PCU / traction bus

PARTNER

TECHNOLOGY

SCOPE

Housing,cooling & inter-faces

Embedded controls

Combustion systems

Smart piston

LEM

LEM

Embedded Power elec

Bearing system

PLATFORM

TECHNOLOGY

SCOPE

Embedded controls

Embedded Power elec

E-turbo

FPE power electronics - Current



• 2x / 4x conventional 3-phase servo-drives

• 30Arms continuous, 90Arms instantaneous

• 600V DC bus

FPE power electronics – Opportunities



Performance Economics

• Sensorless position data

• Thermal integration with LEM

housing cooling

• Construction/integration

(e.g. Bare die assemblies)

• Diagnostics & predictive

maintenance data

• Sensorless velocity data

• Individual coil control

higher force density

lower copper losses

• Reduction of AC/DC losses

2020-2030 transition is challenging for OEMS


Power electronics - FPC15

2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Sales volume

Battery EVs

Conventional

Source: Grand View Research,

MarketsandMarkets, OEM discussions

Parallel hybrids

Series hybrids

2020-2030

transition

ICE

Battery

Could power electronics innovations

make parallel hybrids redundant?



ICE

Battery

ICE

Battery

Conventional Parallel hybrids Battery EV Series hybrids

Could power electronics innovations

make parallel hybrids redundant?



..or will the efficiency advantage of mechanical transmission endure?

ICE ICE

Battery Battery

ICE

Battery

Conventional Parallel hybrids Battery EV Series hybrids



..or will the efficiency advantage of mechanical transmission endure?

Thank you

free piston engine power electronics for hybrid electric vehicle … · 2020-03-09 · sam...

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