Turbo range extenders - recuperative micro gas turbines as an alternative concept of energy conversion in plug-in hybrid vehicles

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Turbo range extenders - recuperative micro gas turbines as an alternative concept of energy conversion in plug-in hybrid vehicles

Berg, Heinz-Peter / Reichel, Yves / Neumann, Martin / Antoshkiv, Oleksiy

This paper presents an alternative energy conversion concept for extending the range of plug-in hybrid vehicles. The concept is a micro gas turbine generator unit that increases efficiency by up to 32 % via internal heat exchange. This provides a range extender with minimal untreated emissions and, due to the principle, fuel flexibility - making it a possible alternative to combustion engine variants. After illustrating the structure and operating principle of micro gas turbines, the paper discusses the thermodynamic relationships between heat recuperation, compressor pressure ratio and turbine inlet temperature. In addition to other technical aspects, such as the design of the heat exchanger, combustion chamber and compressor and turbine impeller, it also details the economic possibilities of the system, known as the Turbo Range Extender (TRE). Then, as part of a powertrain simulation on a PHEV with TRE, the paper presents an estimate of energy consumption and the untreated emissions that arise in the driving cycle, comparing them to measurements from stationary tests.