A proposal for electric power plant for future ICE powered vehicles

There is growing realization that the present electrical power plant in vehicles is nearing the limits of its capability. Vehicle electrical charging system capability has continually increased to meet the demands of higher electrical and electronic content to the extent that alternators for high line vehicles are now rated to well over 100 Amps. This paper proposes a dual voltage electrical system having a novel electrical generator that is capable of simultaneously and independently charging two storage batteries. The battery and electrical system are discussed in some detail, including a battery performance model used for simulation. Today all electrical functions and passenger amenities operate from a single 12 V Pb-acid battery. A cost function is developed that can be used to guide the migration of electrical loads from 12 V to a higher (or lower) voltage. Simulation results are presented for the dual battery system including response to a load dump transient event.