Green Wheel Loader - Operating Strategy of an Energy Efficient Hybrid Drive Train

Today's mobile machines still offer vast potentials regarding energy efficiency, which can be exploited by increasing the efficiency of drive train subsystems and optimising their interaction. Within the research project “TEAM”, the most promising drive train technology currently available is incorporated into a wheel loader in order to demonstrate the fuel savings possible through highly efficient subsystems and adapted operating strategies. This contribution gives an overview over the machine's drive train structure and explains the developed operating strategy in detail. Fuel saving estimations obtained by system simulation are shown. Furthermore, the intended use of the parallel hybrid and its impact on machine efficiency and functionality is discussed.