SatCon Technology Corporation, a developer and manufacturer of power electronics and motors for the alternative energy markets, announced that it has been awarded a contract with the U.S. Army to develop an Integrated Starter/Generator (ISG) for hybrid powertrain military vehicles.
SatCon's Applied Technology Division is developing dc/dc converters (pulse power and battery chargers), starter generators, auxiliary power units, and main generators for hybrid electric vehicles for Army advanced technology vehicles.
This award expands SatCon's portfolio of vehicle power technologies with the development of an integrated starter/generator based on advanced permanent magnet machinery design concepts. This work is a direct follow-on from machinery research conducted at MIT for the automotive sector, and a previous SatCon Small Business Innovation Research program project supporting the Department of Energy's FreedomCAR traction motor development program.
SatCon will leverage its Partnership for the Next Generation Vehicles (PNGV) development work and Advanced Integrated Power Module (AIPM) technology to provide the mating drive for the ISG. This machine technology has direct applicability to military and civilian hybrid electric vehicle applications as an ISG and/or traction motor, and represents an advancement compared to the Toyota Prius electric machine technology. The objectives for a motor-drive system based on this technology includes: constant power speed range (CPSR), rugged design, high power density, and affordable manufacturing capability.
"This new SatCon program further solidifies our push into the hybrid electric vehicle sector as we continue to advance the technology in pursuit of high-reliability mobility solutions," said Millard Firebaugh, SatCon's president and chief operating officer.
SatCon Technology Corporation is a developer and manufacturer of electronics and motors for the alternative energy, hybrid-electric vehicle, grid support, high-reliability electronics and advanced power technology markets.
