08/03/2019 Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) – components (Continental) – x-engineer.

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Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle

(MHEV) – components
(Continental)
In this article we are going to explain the electrical and mechanical
parameters of the main components of a mild hybrid electric vehicle
(MHEV). This article is focused on the 48V MHEV components
supplied by Continental.

To recall the different types of hybrid electric vehicles and what

makes a mild hybrid electric vehicle, read the following articles:

Understanding micro, mild, full and plug-in hybrid electric

vehicles
Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) – introduction
Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) – architectures

A 48V mild hybrid electric vehicle systems is made up only by a few

core components:

electric machine
ACDC inverter
DCDC converter
battery

Adding more electrical components, on the 48V electrical network,

allows for further improvements in terms of fuel efficiency and
vehicle driveability. Depending on the vehicle application, these
components can be electrified and plugged in the 48V network:

engine oil pump

engine vacuum pump
transmission oil pump
engine water pump
A/C compressor
intake air compressor
engine coolant heaters

Higher battery voltage and energy capacity gives the opportunity for
improved technologies for the exhaust gases after-treatment
systems. One example is:

Electrically Heated Catalyst EMICAT® from Continental

Electric machine and inverter

Currently, the most common mild hybrid topology is the  P0
architecture, in which the electric machine is integrated in the  Front
End Accessory Drive (FEAD).  In this case, the electric machine is
replacing the alternator in terms of role and packaging.

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Image: 48V belt starter generator

Credit: Continental

The belt-integrated starter generator (BiSG or e-machine) can an

asynchronous or synchronous electric machine, which has two main
functions:

provide torque to the powertrain in motor mode

produce electricity in generator mode

As example, a BiSG can provide 4-6 kW of nominal power and around

14-16 kW of peak power. The output torque can be around 60 Nm
which can reach up to 160 Nm at the crankshaft when amplified by
the belt pulley ratio.

Image: 48V belt starter generator – exploded view

Credit: Continental

1. pulley
2. housing
3. rotor
4. stator
5. integrated inverter

Most of the 48V starter generators are 3-phase alternating current

(AC) electric machines with an integrated inverter. The inverter has
two roles:

convert the direct current (DC) supplied by the the battery in AC,
to power the electric machine when it’s in motor mode

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convert the AC generated by the electric machine (in generator

mode) to DC, which can be stored in the battery

The general electrical and mechanical parameters of a  48V belt

starter-generator with integrated inverter are summarized below:

the inverter and electric machine are integrated in the same

housing (therefore there are no external cables between inverter
and e-machine)
output torque: 60 Nm (up to 160 Nm at crankshaft)
mechanical peak power (available for around 2 s): 14-16 kW
mechanical continuous power: 4-6 kW
maximum speed (continuous): 20000 rpm
water cooled
the rotor can be claw-pole type for synchronous e-machines
or copper/aluminium type for asynchronous/induction e-
machines

For comparison, in case of a  P1 mild hybrid architecture, the e-

machines need to be flat, in order to be positioned between the
internal combustion engine and transmission. For these applications,
in order to have a high torque output, the e-machines need to
have high power density. Therefore permanent magnet synchronous
e-machines are used instead of induction asynchronous e-machines.

Transmission-mounted electric machines, or  P2 mild hybrid

architectures, can be integrated into the transmission’s case or
mounted aside, belt-driven.

The belt-driven design proposed by Continental is very compact and

facilitates integration in the limited space between the internal
combustion engine and transmission. The main benefit of this
configuration is that the engine can be decoupled from the electric
machine, which improves the recuperation of electrical energy (no
engine losses involved). Also, if engine-off coasting/sailing is
implemented, the electric machine can provide a limited amount of
torque and also recuperate electrical energy during braking.

Image: 48V P2 hybrid module Image: 48V belt drive system

Credit: Continental Credit: Continental

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1. 48V electric machine
2. decoupling tensioner
3. drivetrain pulley
4. belt
5. A/C compressor

If the cooling of the P2 e-machines is done through the transmission

oil, the rotor type must be brushless, either permanent magnet or
induction. In case of packaging constraints (limited space), a
permanent magnet machine (higher torque density) is preferred
instead of a induction machine.

DCDC converter
A 48V mild hybrid electric vehicle has two electric networks: a low
voltage (12 V) network and a high voltage (48 V) network. Electrical
energy can be produced only by the 48V e-machine, therefore we
need a DCDC converter to transfer energy from the 48V system to the
12V system.

Image: 48V DCDC converter

Credit: Continental

A DCDC converter can be operated in buck-mode (step down), when

converts from high voltage to low voltage (48 V to 12 V) or  boost-
mode (step up), when converting from low voltage to high voltage (12
V to 48 V). In MHEV applications, most of the time, the DCDC is
operated in buck mode but they are capable of performing both
modes.

The parameters of a typical DCDC converter, used for automotive

applications, are summarized below:

continuous power in buck-mode: up to 3 kW

continuous current: 215 A (buck-mode), 58 A (boost-mode)
efficiency: higher than 95 %
input voltage (buck-mode): 24 – 54 V
output voltage (buck-mode): 6 – 16 V

Electric compressor (e-Compressor)

Turbocharged engines have a so called “turbo lag”, which is basically
a delay in vehicle acceleration from the moment the driver tipped-in
on the accelerator pedal. This happens because of the inertia of the
intake/exhaust gases and the compressor’s rotor.

A 48V network gives the opportunity to use electrical compressors

which have faster response time than conventional turbochargers.

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Continental manufacturers an electrically driven radial compressor

for automotive applications, suitable for 48V mild hybrid
architectures.

Image: 48V e-Compressor

Credit: Continental

The e-Compressor is improving the overall torque transient response

of the engine and the  low-end torque characteristic, which enables
further downsizing of the engine for a mild hybrid application.

The main characteristics of the 48V e-Compressor supplied by

Continental are summarized below:

electric motor: permanent-magnet synchronous

supply voltage: 48 V
peak shaft power: 5 kW
maximum speed: 70000 rpm
response time t90: less than 0.25 s (t90 represents the time to
reach 90% of the target speed)
water-cooled
integrated electronics with CAN interface
high speed bearing system
application-specific compressor design (can be customized for
different engine specifications)

Electrically Heated Catalyst EMICAT®

Internal combustion engines require after-treatment systems to be
able to meet exhaust gas emissions standards (Euro 6, SULEV,
etc.). Catalytic converters are widely used in the ICE after-treatment
systems. One of the disadvantage of the catalytic converter is that
they need to reach a high temperature to be able to operate
efficiently.

On a three-way catalytic converter, used for spark ignited (gasoline)

engines, the light-off temperature (the value from which they start to
operate) is around 300 °C. The most efficient conversion rate is
obtained at the nominal temperature, which is between 400 – 800 °C.

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In order to reduce as much as possible the amount of emissions, the

catalyst should reach as fast as possible the light-off temperature.
Hybrid vehicles make this situation worse because engine stop
situations occur more frequently during stop & start or coasting with
the engine off.

Image: EMICAT® Image: EMICAT® and catalyst

Credit: Continental Credit: Continental

The  Electrically Heated Catalyst EMICAT® supplied by Continental

solves this problem by heating up the catalytic converter in a very
short time. This technology allows repeated and prolonged engine-off
phases, reducing in the same time the amount of harmful emissions
(by reaching the catalyst light-off temperature in a shorter time). It
can be integrated in  gasoline and diesel passenger cars after-
treatment systems as well as heavy-duty applications including a high
effective support catalyst.

The main characteristics of the EMICAT® systems are:

operation voltage: 12 V or 24 V or 48 V
power rating for 12 V: 0.3 – 3.6 kW
power rating for 24 V: 1 – 4 kW
power rating for 48 V: 2 – 4 kW
diameter (depending on vehicle application): 50 – 342 mm

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