ISE Standardizing Energy Storage Systems Controls Interface to Allow Easier Use By Other Manufacturers
10 November 2009
| ISE’s Ultra-E 500 ultracapacitor system is capable of up to 1,000,000 charge cycles, lasting significantly longer than conventional alternatives. Click to enlarge. |
ISE Corporation, which has been developing and incorporating its energy storage systems into its own heavy-duty drive systems since 1999, is now standardizing its controls interface to allow other manufacturers more easily to integrate ISE energy storage technologies into their own applications.
In June, ISE and Maxwell Technologies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining formation of a strategic alliance to develop and market high-voltage energy storage systems for fuel-efficient, low-emission, hybrid buses and trucks. (Earlier post.)
ISE’s energy storage technologies have been primarily developed in the transit industry, a market application that provides an excellent platform enabling innovation through government subsidies that support the design of systems that can meet stringent standards in high duty cycle, rugged environments.
ISE’s investment into the continued development of its ultracapacitor systems has resulted in a large energy storage knowledge base, and enabled the company to widen its product set to include lithium-ion storage systems.
Recent sales of ISE’s lithium power systems to Ashok-Leyland and Tata Motors in India are proving that our technologies are capable of addressing the latest challenges in energy storage in a viable, competitive way that meets the high volume demands of these manufacturers.
—Rob Del Core, ISE’s Director of Business Development Energy Storage Systems
ISE’s power-dense lithium-ion energy storage product expands its line of energy storage product offerings to meet a variety of power and energy requirements for a range of duty cycles.
One design benefit of ISE’s latest energy storage offering is its environmentally sealed (IP67) and liquid-cooled format, which provides added integrity and allows vehicle integrators to mount the system anywhere, including underneath the bus or truck. ISE’s modular cassette design is light weight and scalable, which simplifies and reduces manufacturing and maintenance costs. The modular architecture also makes upgrading easier as cell technology advances.
ISE Corporation designs, manufactures, and supports electric and hybrid-electric drive systems and high value components optimized for high duty cycles. ISE specializes in series hybrid-electric and all-electric/zero emission technologies, and offers energy management solutions and system components. Over the past 10 years, ISE’s installed base of more than 230 hybrid systems has accumulated more than 11 million operational fleet miles.
Hope that somebody will set up standards for modular automotive battery packs. Small, plug-in, 5 Kwh modules could be ideal for small and medium size PHEVs and BEVs. E-vehicles could be designed to accept 2 to 6+ standardized plug-in battery modules.
Many could start with a basic 2 module e-car and add more modules latter as batteries cost come down.
Also, as batteries performance increase, a 10 Kwh modules could be plugged in the same slot as an older 5 Kwh unit to effectively double the e-range potential without redesigning the vehicle.
Posted by: HarveyD | 13 November 2009 at 09:44 AM