COVER STORY: ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS
REGULATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS
Eaton’s 48V DC/DC converter ensures components operating on lower voltages will be able to perform alongside those operating at higher voltages.
Drive New Electronics System Architecture
E AT
ON
A transition to 48V systems is taking place to better meet efficiency and emissions reduction targets as well as increased power demands in heavy-duty equipment. by Sara Jensen
A
s new emissions regulations are put into place and electrification of components and systems increases, higher voltages will be required. Because of this, many manufacturers are already moving toward the use of 48V system architectures. Regulations are the biggest driver for the move to 48V systems, says Ben Karrer, Manager, Technology Development, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “There are a lot of solutions for reducing CO2, but electrification of some of the accessories on vehicles and 48V mild hybridization of the powertrain are some of the ways 48V technology helps with CO2 reduction,” he explains. Electrification and mild hybridization can help to create more fuel-efficient systems which Karrer says is a key method for reducing emissions. In addition, electric power can help ensure better system performance. To meet increasingly stringent nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions targets,
16
active heating of the aftertreatment system is one of the methods utilized. Actively heating the system ensures it gets hot as fast as possible for effective stripping of NOx out of the exhaust. Typically, it can take time for the aftertreatment system to get up to the appropriate temperature but use of 48V power to electrically heat the aftertreatment enables active heating to quickly bring the temperature up and maintain it during operation to assure emissions compliance. Brad Bisaillon, Director of North American Sales, Industrial Market at American Battery Solutions (ABS), agrees that efficiency improvements are among the drivers for the move to 48V systems. He explains that some electrical components such as the alternator work more efficiently at a higher voltage. For components like batteries, there is the potential for longer run times and easier charging with higher voltages. In on-highway applications, he says there are a lot of 12/24V dual voltage
OEM Off-Highway | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
systems being utilized to help achieve these efficiency gains while in off-highway equipment voltages are even higher, from 350 up to 800V particularly when moving to full electrification.
Increased power demand necessitates higher voltages According to Dave Schulenberg, Director of Product Management at Briggs & Stratton, increasing voltage to 48V allows for more power at the same or lower current levels. He says 48V is the highest nominal voltage that can be used without exceeding the 60V threshold which defines a high-voltage system. These high-voltage systems typically require additional insulation to protect users from being shocked, adding more design time and cost. “Forty-eight volt is a great sweet spot for many applications because it can deliver enough power to drive many applications while remaining
