Automotive & motorsport ENTERING THE UNFORGIVEABLE
The UK’s electric vehicle (EV) market is on the rise and, although their benefits for everyday motorists are well-documented, these vehicles have lots of untapped potential in ATEX and potentially dangerous environments. Here Steve Hughes, managing director of EV power specialist REO UK, explains how EVs will find their place in extreme environments and how manufacturers can prepare them for these applications.
A
lthough EV technology is evolving all the time, placing these vehicles in harsh, unforgiving environments would traditionally seem counterintuitive. High temperatures can affect the
functioning of chargers and reduce the lifetime of vehicles, while environmental conditions, like dust and debris, can have a negative impact on the power electronics of batteries and chargers. Nevertheless, we are now seeing a shift in mindset. The UK Government has set a target of phasing out the production of all diesel cars by the year 2030 and, as designs and components become more sophisticated, it is reasonable to expect EVs to eventually replace ICE vehicles in hazardous environments as well as the domestic market.
A GROWING DEMAND
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 23,480 passenger plug-in cars were registered in the UK in January 2022, 90 per cent more than the year before. Furthermore, close to a third of new cars are electrified, if we include nearly 13,500 non-chargeable hybrids. As the domestic EV market has grown, it is inevitable that we will see more EVs being used in harsh and hazardous environments as we reduce our reliance on traditional ICE vehicles. Recently, there has been a rise in the number of electrified and battery-powered explosion-proof vehicles. Unlike ICE counterparts, these avoid ignition risks in the surrounding atmosphere, reducing the likelihood of explosions. Therefore, there is now a growing gap in the market for explosion-proof trucks and vehicles in ATEX environments like oil and gas processing plants, mining facilities and chemical plants. Like ICE vehicles, EVs can be used for maintenance, logistics, first aid, surveillance and firefighting purposes. They will mainly use AC motors with high torque and gradual power distribution, preventing the risk of sliding or poor grip on sandy, snowy and icy terrains. These vehicles also have specific safety features covering electrical components like the batteries and connectors as well as non-electric parts that could generate high temperatures or sparks, such as the brakes.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COOLING Every electric car battery needs a cooling system, they operate optimally at certain temperatures and are designed to only withstand certain temperature fluctuations. Generally, lithium-ion batteries operate best between 20-40°C, so operating outside this range requires an appropriate cooling system to
16
facilitate heat dissipation. Generally, most electric vehicles use a cooling loop containing an ethylene glycol coolant, which is circulated through the batteries via an electric pump. As demand for EVs grows in ATEX and other extreme environments, design engineers and vehicle manufacturers can expand their applications by incorporating liquid cooling systems from the beginning. When relying on air cooling and fans, vehicles are at risk of dust and other debris entering through the vents and causing damage. Every vehicle is designed for a bit of wear and tear, but if EVs are being driven in extreme conditions on a regular basis the lifespan of the car could reduce significantly. On the other hand, transferring heat from the engine components using liquids such as water can provide effective heat dissipation without potentially harmful particles entering the system. Meanwhile, an internal thermal switch can be used to execute a safe and controlled shutdown of the system if the coolant runs out or the cooling system fails.
BRAKING RESISTORS
As EVs are more widely used in unforgiving environments, another area of importance is braking resistors, which protect the electric motors from voltage rises in the DC link. No resistor is the same, and heavy vehicles and trucks need high wattage braking power and effective heat dissipation to maintain driver safety when they brake sharply. Installing water-cooled braking resistors is a vital step before bringing these vehicles into more arduous settings, whether these are processing plants or oil and gas facilities. To help meet this demand, we recently began supplying the BWD 158 standard range, which is rated for continuous power of up to 5,000 W. It has a high overload capacity - up to 33 kW - and a low surface temperature, which can be lower than the ambient temperature in certain environments. Therefore, this new product lends itself to operation in ATEX environments, where a high possibility of explosion necessitates low surface temperatures. As EVs overtake traditional ICE vehicles, their role in ATEX and other potentially hazardous environments will only increase. Preparing these vehicles for challenging surroundings like processing plants means starting at the design phase and specifying a liquid cooling system to shield the battery and other electrical components from the effects of extreme heat and debris. Integrating water- cooled braking resistors can also help ensure driver safety is the most difficult of terrains.
REO UK
www.reo.co.uk February 2023 Instrumentation Monthly
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82
