Hybrid Drive System

Develop and test your EV propulsion systems with simulated resistance using UNICO’s Hybrid Drive System

This highly engineered Hybrid dynamometer drive is the result of close collaboration with clients to meet the specific requirements for HEV propulsion testing. Its unique design allows the drive to operate any AC motor without the need for a current-loop setup required by conventional drives. Fixed and dynamic inertias are easily simulated using internal models or external commands, enabling you to match test requirements across a wide range of Hybrid designs. Designed for ultra-quiet operation, it is perfect for noise, vibration, and harshness testing. The full four-quadrant operation gives you the flexibility to limit or block operations in any quadrant, allowing you to control power in both motoring and regenerating modes. 

Testing Applications

Hybrid Dynamometer Drives to test powertrain components under dynamic switching loads from electric to engine power. Accurate and repeatable test runs, torque pulse simulation, torque response under 1 ms.

Precision Control and Flexibility

Unico’s Hybrid Dynamometer Drives uses a modular design inverter for full regeneration to the three-phase power grid. A proprietary digital current regulator and a state-of-the-art controller allows you to operate any AC dynamometer motor (Asynchronous Induction, Synchronous Permanent Magnet, and IPM – Internal Permanent Magnet) without the current-loop setup required by conventional drives. And IGBTs with a switching frequency up to 30kHz, gives you the performance to run high speed dynamometer motors to match high speed requirements of the E-Motor under test.

Incredible speed and torque response with acceleration rates up to 300,000 rpm per second so you can confidently test with realistic load resistance for aggressive launch control modes, motoring, hill climb, and a variety of throttle applications. Ultra-quiet operation mode using built-in dual current regulators is ideal for NVH testing in both anechoic and hemianechoic test cells.

Preprogrammed

The drive features full automatic tuning capabilities that can be operated from either a remote terminal or the drive’s built-in keypad. After entering the motor nameplate data, the auto-tuning algorithm automatically identifies the additional parameters for operating the attached motor and configures itself for operation.

Unico’s dynamometer drive provides internal inertia simulation. The inertia simulator can simulate both fixed and dynamic inertias using either internal inertia models or an external real-time command from another controller.

User Programmable

The torque control loop can be closed internal to the drive without requiring any additional hardware to the system. The drive can also close the torque loop on an external torque transducer while using the internal torque estimator feedback at the same time. This provides the accuracy of the torque transducer while gaining the responsiveness of the torque estimator.

The drive has full four-quadrant operation with the ability to limit or block operation in any of the quadrants. This allows operation to be matched to the application. Additionally, the drive can limit the power in both motoring and regenerating modes.

The drive incorporates internal quadrant limiting that can be set for either full or partial blocking, depending upon the application.

High Speed Link

Supports most industry standard communication protocol, making it versatile to work with any available automation system platform. A high-speed communications interface is optionally available to accept commands from existing customer controllers that are used to generate test profiles. Wired and fiber-optic options are available. Supported protocols include:

  • CANopen
  • CC-Link
  • ControlNet
  • DeviceNet
  • Ethernet
  • EtherCAT (async)
  • Interbus
  • LonWorks
  • Modbus Plus
  • Profibus DPV1
  • Profibus Master
  • EtherCat (sync)

Safety and Protection

Built-in safety and control interlocks are hardwired, opto-isolated, and software configurable to protect your investment and team. And with cabinet enclosure cooling options of air-cooled, water-cooled, and air-conditioned, this system will keep up with your testing and development program.

General Specifications

Power 30kW to 1100kW
Motor Voltage 230 VRMS, 460 VRMS, 520 VRMS, 690 VRMS
Full Four Quandrant Standard
Max Dyno Speed 30,000 RPM
Fundamental Frequency 1500Hz
Encoder Type Resolver, Quadrature, SinCos
Internal Data Logging 250kHz or higher
AC Input 480Vac, 3Ph, 60/60Hz (other voltages available on request)
Ambient Up to 40°C, max 1000m above sea level, 95% RH non-condensing
Enclosure NEMA 1 (other options available upon request)
Cooling Air cooled (water cooled or airconditioned cabinets upon request)
Cabinet Paint RAL 7035 Rough Semi-glass Poly Powder finish
Certification Compliance UL (other certifications available)
Control Local and remote
Built in remote interface Analog as well as RS-422, RS-485, two ports (other interface and protocol, see options below)
Safety and control interlocks Hardwired, opto-isolated, software configurable

Options

Isolation transformer Various sizes as required
Insulation monitoring Available
Remote voltage sensing Available
Additional analog and digital input, output Technical discussion required
Cabinet paint finish Customer specific
Protection class NEMA 12
External communication interface CANopen, CC-Link, ControlNet, DeviceNet, Ethernet, EtherCAT (async), Interbus, LonWorks, Modbus Plus, Profibus DPV1, Profibus Master, EtherCat (sync)