GRK 1856:  Integrated Energy Supply Modules for On-Road Electromobility

• Subject Area: Fluid Mechanics, Technical Thermodynamics and Thermal Energy Engineering
• Term: from 2013 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 210731724

The challenge to drastically reduce worldwide greenhouse gas emissions despite growing energy demand requires decisive changes in energy supply, conversion and storage technologies. For the transport sector the electrification of the drivetrain combined with increasing electrical power generation from renewable sources is a promising approach to decrease the dependency on shortening crude oil and gas resources. However, the energy density of mobile electrical energy storage systems is still less than appropriate at present. This demanding topic is addressed by the Research Training Group at RWTH Aachen University. The programme explores the physical foundations of electro-chemical energy storage systems and its combination with novel fuel-operated range extender units. Fuel-operated range extenders allow a reasonable dimensioning of the electrical energy storage system size and support the thermal conditioning of the energy storage system and the passenger compartment. For the first time, this programme gathers scientists from the different research areas of electrical energy storage, power electronics, combustion engines, electric motors, heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, and control engineering. The research activities comprise experimental, simulative and theoretical work. Special-interest lecture series and custom qualifications sessions enable the participants to improve their knowledge in their individual research fields as well as to collect additional trans-disciplinary expertise. The recently established Center for Mobile Propulsion (CMP) offers ideal prerequisites to the participants of the programme in order to perform their experimental and theoretical research work. It provides real-time interconnected laboratories for the investigation of batteries, electro-mechanical and chemical-mechanical energy converters, and complete hybrid power trains.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen
• Participating Institution: Universität Duisburg-Essen
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Stefan Pischinger
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr.-Ing. Dirk Abel; Professor Dr.-Ing. Rik W. De Doncker; Professor Dr.-Ing. Lutz Eckstein; Professor Dr.-Ing. Kay Hameyer; Professorin Dr. Angelika Heinzel; Professor Dr.-Ing. Reinhold Kneer; Professor Dr.-Ing. Heinz Pitsch; Professor Dr. Dirk Uwe Sauer; Professor Dr. Ulrich Simon