Rolls-royce showcases mtu hybrid powerpack at railtex exhibition

From 12 to 14 May 2015, Rolls-Royce will be showcasing its MTU Hybrid PowerPack at the Railtex Exhibition in Birmingham, England, at booth A85. The combined diesel-electric drive brings a fuel saving of up to 25 percent compared to a conventional state-of-the-art diesel drive and in terms of noise emissions is significantly quieter. MTU is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems within the Land & Sea division of Rolls-Royce.

In early 2015, extensive trials were carried out using the Hybrid PowerPack in a VT 642 regional railcar operated by Deutsche Bahn on the Staudenbahn railway line near the city of Augsburg in Bavaria. “These tests confirmed what we had already verified in theory in computer simulations and on the test stand,” said Dr Ingo Wintruff, Vice President Propulsion & Power Generation and Head of Rail, Mining, Oil&Gas Business at MTU. “Achieving a fuel saving of a good 15 percent in this repowered vehicle is an outstanding result. A saving of up to 25 percent is possible—compared to current EU Stage IIIB-compliant diesel drives. Considering that fuel consumption accounts for around 90 percent of the total costs of a rail drive system, the potential savings as compared with conventional diesel drives are very apparent.” Noise emissions from the vehicle during travel were also reduced by 5 decibels—a clearly noticeable reduction. During standstill—at a station, for example—the railcar is a full 21 decibels quieter because the auxiliary consumers can be supplied from the batteries and the diesel engine can be shut down.

The MTU Hybrid PowerPack is able to convert surplus braking energy into electrical energy via a generator. This electrical energy is then stored in lithium-ion batteries from where it can be tapped when needed for pulling away on start-up, for accelerating, or for supplying the train’s electrical consumers. This particular configuration of the MTU Hybrid PowerPack utilizes a Type 6H 1800 R75 diesel engine producing 315 kW and an electrical unit supplying up to 400 kW. In addition, the system incorporates SCR exhaust aftertreatment technology with a urea tank to ensure compliance with EU Stage IIIB emissions regulations that have been in place since 2012.

MTU Hybrid PowerPacks facilitate bimodal or—in conjunction with overhead power lines—even trimodal drive solutions. On a two-coach diesel railcar, for example, the diesel unit can be fitted in one coach whilst a battery is located in the other. The electric power for the drive motors is generated either via the diesel engine or the batteries or by both in combination.

About MTU Friedrichshafen

MTU is a brand of Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG. MTU high-speed engines and propulsion systems provide power for marine, rail, power generation, oil and gas, agriculture, mining, construction and industrial, and defense applications. The portfolio is comprised of diesel engines with up to 10,000 kilowatts (kW) power output, gas engines up to 2,530 kW and gas turbines up to 35,320 kW. MTU also offers customized electronic monitoring and control systems for its engines and propulsion systems.