DE102012015961A1 - Device for driving a machine with transient power requirement - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drive device for a machine with a highly unsteady power requirement, such as in particular for a motor vehicle. In the vehicle according to the invention, a high-performance energy store, in particular a flywheel arrangement, is used for the provision of dynamic travel performance, which can be charged by a very gently loaded battery and, if necessary, by an internal combustion engine and by recuperative braking energy. If necessary, the battery can be charged by external network energy or the internal combustion engine, which can also provide power to cover the energy losses at a constant top speed of the vehicle. The dimensioning of the components according to the invention results in a highly efficient, long-distance hybrid vehicle with a large emission-free range and low specific energy requirements with good dynamic driving performance. Furthermore, advantageous configurations using equivalent components and a display device advantageous for the drive device are disclosed.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for driving a machine with unsteady power requirements, such as in particular a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, an electrical energy storage and associated drives.

Vehicles with internal combustion engines are characterized by the fact that the energy supply can be replenished in the form of an oxidizable chemical energy carrier within a short time and thus with only short interruptions operation of the vehicle over long distances and long periods is possible. However, internal combustion engines as sole vehicle drives have a low efficiency, which results to a large extent from the fact that the internal combustion engine of a vehicle and in particular of a road vehicle must be designed for a much greater than the average power required during normal operation. The internal combustion engine is therefore operated predominantly in the lower part load range and thus in an area with high specific consumption and low efficiency. The use of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines is subject to increasingly stringent requirements, particularly in urban areas.

Electric machines can be operated both as an electric motor and as a generator. Thus they can be used both to drive a vehicle as well as allow a recuperative braking of the vehicle. Electric machines have an advantageous for the drive of vehicles speed-torque characteristic with good efficiency and in particular a high possible torque in the lower speed range and a large speed range with relatively constant torque or power. During operation, no harmful exhaust emissions occur locally and the operation is quiet.

However, the power supply of an electric motor for vehicle drive causes considerable problems. Associated traction batteries have relatively high costs with a relatively high weight per storable amount of energy and only a limited life. The aging of the traction battery is significantly dependent on the relative to the capacity and stored capacity and the relative charge of the battery, expressed as a percentage of the maximum storable energy content - also known as "State of charge" (SOC) dependent. The charging or discharging power is generally expressed as the quotient of the nominal capacity in amp hours and the current flowing in amperes and referred to as the specific charging power or charging current "C". As the specific charging current C increases, the aging of the battery and its power dissipation and thus its heating also generally increase. Currently, the usable SOC range of traction batteries is limited to approximately 50-60% of the nominal capacity to achieve a long life. The high electrical power required for the drive cause high specific discharge currents and the fast and large load changes occurring during driving also have an adverse effect on the aging of the battery. Due to high loading and unloading resulting heat loss and the relatively low operating temperature range of conventional traction batteries require a complex temperature control.

Vehicles with exclusive electric drive, also called electric vehicles, in practice usually have only a relatively short range, according to which the traction battery present in the vehicle must either be charged by an external power supply or replaced by a supercharged traction battery. Charging the traction battery at charging stations requires undesirably long drive interruptions, with charging with high charging power in addition to high demands on the charging infrastructure in turn poses problems with respect to the temperature and aging of the batteries. Electric vehicles are thus used for long-distance trips, for example, for a trip of 1000 km or more, at most limited, resulting in significant acceptance problems.

Although electric vehicles drive emissions locally, they only shift the emission of pollutants in the current electricity mix to power plants. Although their efficiency is higher than the average efficiency of internal combustion engines in automobiles, due to the losses due to transport, multiple conversion and storage results in a total specific pollutant emissions, which is comparable to that of motor vehicles with internal combustion engine.

It is known to use a fuel cell instead of a traction battery for supplying power to the electric machine. However, this is also expensive and relatively vulnerable. In addition, it allows a synthesis of fuel by introduced electrical Rekuperationsenergie only in special embodiments.

Finally, the possibilities for recuperation in electric vehicles have so far been limited by the design of the electric machine and the electric drive train, which are economically reasonable designed only for the maximum drive power. If the deceleration power is above the maximum drive power during a sharp braking, only a part of the braking power be recuperated, which is also often additionally limited by the operating condition of the traction battery, in particular their state of charge and temperature.

The drive of vehicles with flywheel motors, with a suitable design, allows almost unlimited performance, which can be both delivered and stored. In addition, the energy content of a flywheel can be almost completely used for driving. Problems related to aging of the flywheel and a working temperature range are low. Past safety issues have also been largely addressed by new materials and manufacturing processes.

Flywheels, however, have the decisive disadvantage of a low energy content in terms of mass, volume and cost. The capacity of the flywheel can not be so large due to the required installation space and the disadvantageous for road vehicles centrifugal forces that can be achieved with a conventional motor vehicle with combustion engine comparable ranges.

Hybrid drives have been developed to combine the specific advantages of these drive types and, if possible, to reduce their specific disadvantages. Currently the most widely used hybrid concept is a combination of an internal combustion engine with one or more electric motors and a traction battery. However, if a locally emission-free drive with a range sufficient for operation in so-called "zero-emission zones" is to be made possible, the electric drive train should be designed to be comparable to a pure electric vehicle, whereby the above-mentioned problems of pure electric vehicles largely remain. Only the problem of not sufficient for long distance driving range deleted by the additional provision of an internal combustion engine.

Already mass-produced hybrid vehicles usually have only sufficient for a small range of a few kilometers battery capacity, the operation of the use of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor is combined. This has the advantage that both the performance of the internal combustion engine and the electric drive train can be designed lower than in a vehicle with only one drive and in particular, the capacity of the traction battery can be relatively low, but this is heavily used. In phases with low power requirements, either only one of the two drive types can be used. Nevertheless, the internal combustion engine drivetrain must be relatively large dimensions and operation in larger zero-emission zones is not meaningful. In order to enable recuperation in hybrid vehicles, associated electric drive motors are usually realized as electric machines.

Some drive concepts have already been proposed which combine a flywheel, an electric drive machine, a traction battery and an internal combustion engine in a vehicle drive.

From the German utility model DE 20 2007 015 050 U1 a hybrid motor vehicle with a flywheel assembly is known, which also has an internal combustion engine and an electric motor with an on-board battery. In this case, all three drives via a chain converter or an automatic transmission to a central drive shaft of the vehicle can be coupled. The presented there hybrid motor vehicle is characterized by the fact that at least two flywheels are present, which rotate opposite to each other with the same number of revolutions. According to an embodiment mentioned there, the drive train for a total vehicle weight of 2000 kg can be designed so that the flywheels can be brought to a speed of 9,600 or 12,000 revolutions per minute and then have sufficient energy content to the vehicle once from 0 to approx To accelerate 70 km / h. The electric motor with a power of 10-12 kW should be sufficiently dimensioned to compensate for the rolling resistance on level terrain, while the dynamics is covered by the flywheels. The electric motor should be powered by the on-board battery. Since the weight of the on-board battery would be too large in design for longer trips without an internal combustion engine, it is provided that the internal combustion engine can be coupled with the electric motor as needed to recharge the battery and to achieve higher speeds than 70 km / h. The power of the internal combustion engine can be limited to approx. 30 kW.

This in DE 20 2007 015 050 U1 The proposed vehicle is therefore not able to cover longer distances locally without emissions and has unacceptably low driving performance in emission-free operation.

From the German patent application DE 1 812 480 A1 For example, a drive system for vehicles is known which is intended to reduce air pollution and / or improve vehicle performance. For this purpose, an internal combustion engine is provided whose performance is designed only for maintaining the maximum traffic speed of the vehicle according to the weight and the type of vehicle. According to a local embodiment is for a "conventional sedan" designated, fully loaded motor vehicle with 2200 kg total weight of a diesel engine with 2 liters of displacement and 59 hp corresponding 43.4 KW provided, which should allow a constant speed on a flat road of 135 km / h. In phases of lower power requirements, work of the internal combustion engine can be cached in 12 flywheels, each with 44.3 kg mass via a switchable mechanical connection and returned to the drive train as needed. In addition, there is a small electric machine with 4.9 horsepower according to 3.6 kW provided in the embodiment, which can accelerate the flywheels and is fed from a commercial battery that can be charged by the engine via an alternator.

The local vehicle drive system does not have a traction battery capable of moving the vehicle over a significant distance without local emissions. The electric machine is so small that it is not possible to sufficiently recharge the flywheel from the battery. In addition, a total flywheel mass of over 500 kg distributed on 12 flywheels for use in a car seems impractical and the connection of the flywheels via a gearless slip clutch to the engine little energy efficient.

The German patent application DE 197 18 480 A1 discloses a hybrid drive for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and at least one electric motor that can be used as a motor / generator, in which the acceleration power is provided via a vehicle electrical system by a flywheel-fed electric machine. The internal combustion engine is provided to recharge a battery or to maintain a minimum speed of the flywheel and to overcome the rolling and air resistance of the vehicle. In one embodiment there for a rail vehicle with a total weight of 30 tons flywheel storage with 2.5 kWh of usable energy and a power of 350 kW and two batteries of 25 kWh of usable energy are intended to cover a locally emission-free route of about 30 km , As combustion engine is a diesel engine with 140 kW and electric drive motors are 4 electric machines, each with about 200 kW peak power provided.

A sizing proposal for significantly lighter vehicles is not made there. A linear scaling to a vehicle with a total weight of 1000 kg would result in a usable energy content of the flywheel of only 0.083 kWh and only 11.6 kW of power and a usable battery capacity of only 1.66 kWh.

Although different hybrid drives with the involvement of flywheels, internal combustion engines, electric motors, batteries and fuel cells are known, there is a lack of advantageous dimensioning and tuning of the above components, which allows achieving the objectives specified in the task.

In order to enable a consistent terminology and a simple understanding of the invention in the following, a few key terms are first defined:

A machine with unsteady power requirement is a machine or an aggregate, the power output in normal, normal operation subject to strong fluctuations of at least a factor of 3 in the short-term time output power, in particular a wheel-driven road vehicle.

The term hybrid vehicle initially and above all refers to a wheel-driven road vehicle with a combination of at least two different engine drives. However, the term should not be limited to wheeled vehicles or road vehicles in the context of this document, so that, for example, chain and screw driven vehicles are included as well as land vehicles that are moved off paved roads and water and air vehicles. Next, the term should not be limited by the purpose of the vehicle nor by its typical size, so z. B. also toy or model vehicles, driverless transport systems, and self-propelled machines are completely covered. For the sake of clarity, the following always refers to a hybrid road vehicle, without it being intended to restrict the type of machine or vehicle.

The term drive means includes not only a drivable wheel (drive wheel) of a vehicle but also equivalent elements such as chains, screws or propellers. The term also includes a plurality of drivable wheels or their equivalents provided for propelling a vehicle or for propelling other devices.

A chemical-mechanical energy converter converts chemical energy into mechanical energy or work. These include, for example, an internal combustion engine as well as the combination of a fuel cell and an electric machine and the like.

Under an internal combustion engine is generally understood a motor with internal combustion, in particular in the manner of a with gas or liquid fuel such as diesel or gasoline powered piston engine. In the context of this document, the term "internal combustion engine" shall further include all engines in which a chemical energy source "generates" mechanical energy through oxidation. Thus, in addition to Wankel engines and multi-fuel engines, for example, free-piston engines and turbine engines are also included.

The optimum operating range of the internal combustion engine relates to a power range in which the internal combustion engine can be operated under consideration of boundary conditions in the region of maximum efficiency. The size of the optimum working range can be determined, for example, by specifying an acceptable additional consumption per delivered power, which may be, for example, a maximum of + 10%, but preferably not more than + 5%. The boundary conditions to be considered relate primarily to the wear and emissions of the internal combustion engine, such as the temperatures of the engine, engine oil and cooling water and the temperature and the degree of loading of catalysts and / or particulate filters and the fuel quality, but can also continue to greet such as take the air pressure into account. The optimal working range can also be determined by including the efficiencies of ancillaries and / or defined in relation to the overall vehicle. So it may be energetically useful, for example, at low operating temperature of the engine or high heating energy demand of the battery and / or the vehicle interior, temporarily targeted to set a lower mechanical efficiency of the engine when the use of waste heat generated by the engine with respect to the entire vehicle energetically effective as alternative types of heat generation are.

A fuel cell is understood to be a device in which electrical energy is obtained directly from a chemical energy source, ie without conversion into mechanical energy or work. Most fuel cells work with hydrogen gas and atmospheric oxygen and are to be understood in the context of this document in combination with an electric motor locally as emissionless drives or as mentioned above as the equivalent of an internal combustion engine. However, if the hydrogen is initially carried on board the vehicle from a carbonaceous energy source, in particular methane or gasoline with the emission of CO2, the system of reformer, fuel cell and electric motor can be operated as a chemical-mechanical energy converter Some fuel cells allow a reversal of the process or are coupled with systems that allow recovery of a chemical energy carrier by using electrical energy. Such a reversible transformation represents a functional equivalent to a battery. The term reversible fuel cell also includes a combination of a non-reversible fuel cell and a device for generating a chemical energy source from electrical energy.

A Hochleitungsenergiespeicher is an energy storage, which allows in relation to conventional electrochemical energy storage such as lithium-ion cells with respect to the energy capacity very high loading and unloading performance with low aging and preferably has only a small amount of heat dissipated power loss and moreover, it preferably has a large usable fraction of the nominal capacity in comparison with conventional electrochemical energy stores. These are primarily mechanical energy storage and especially flywheels but can also certain capacitor batteries that have the appropriate properties, in particular certain double-layer capacitors such as so-called super or ultracaps.

A mechanical energy store may in particular be a flywheel arrangement, a mechanical spring store, a pneumatic or hydro-pneumatic pressure store or the like.

A flywheel assembly, which may include one or more flywheels, can receive and deliver energy by means of a rotating mass. The energy content of the flywheel (or more flywheels) is given as a percentage of the maximum storable, actually usable energy of the flywheel and called State of charge (SOC).

An electrical energy store is in particular an electric flywheel, an electrical capacitor, a battery, a reversibly operating fuel cell system or the like.

An electric flywheel is usually a functional combination of a flywheel and an electric machine, wherein the electric machine physically form part of the flywheel and may preferably be integrated into the housing of the flywheel. In particular, an electrical capacitor can also be designed as a capacitive high-performance memory based on double-layer capacitors, such as so-called supercaps or ultracaps, with corresponding control electronics. Such super or ultracaps are comparable with an electric flywheel insofar as both components are similar Maximum energy content in the context of the proposed drive concept due to the relevant characteristics (low aging and heating at high input and output stored power with good efficiency, almost fully usable nominal capacity, large working temperature range, self-discharge behavior) can be exchanged against each other.

In the context of this document, the term of the battery includes a memory for electrical energy based on a reversible electrochemical conversion and moreover also equivalent effective storage for electrical energy, in particular based on electrical or magnetic fields. For electrochemical batteries, it should be noted that the usable charge range is usually only about 50% of the nominal capacity of the battery, since the battery is to be kept in a charge range of about 40-90% of the maximum possible charge amount to reduce aging.

Unless otherwise indicated, the following is the reference to what is known as the state of charge (SOC), usable energy content of a battery not to the nominal capacity of the battery, but on the actually usable in practice capacity of an unaltered battery under normal operating conditions. A nominal battery capacity of z. B. 15 kWh therefore corresponds to an assumed usable charge range of 50% of a usable actual capacity of 7.5 kWh. An SOC of 33% therefore corresponds to a removable energy of 2.5 kW. In special operating conditions, the usable portion of the nominal battery capacity can be temporarily extended, which is why in these cases, a SOC of less than 0% or over 100% is basically possible, for example, to reach the destination or a workshop in case of failure of the internal combustion engine powertrain (so-called limb home), or to allow increased driving performance despite very high driving performance requirements (kick down) despite reaching the discharge limit of the battery.

• – eine ausgezeichnete Energieeffizienz aufweist,
• – hohe dynamische Fahrleistungen bereitstellen kann,
• – sich für den lokal emissionslosen Betrieb in größeren Zero-Emissions-Zonen eignet,
• – sich für den Langstreckenbetrieb mit unterbrechungsfreier Fahrt von zumindest einigen hundert Kilometern eignet,
• – eine geringe und relativ langzyklische Belastung der Batterie durch geringe spezifische Be- und Entladeströme erlaubt, sowie
• – eine hohe Ausfallsicherheit gegen sogenannte Liegenbleiber bietet.

The object of the invention is to present a drive device for driving machines with unsteady power requirements, such as in particular of motor vehicles, wherein a thus driven machine

• - has excellent energy efficiency,
• - can provide high dynamic performance,
• - is suitable for locally emission-free operation in larger zero emission zones,
• - is suitable for long-distance operation with uninterrupted travel of at least several hundred kilometers,
• - A low and relatively long-cycle load on the battery by low specific loading and unloading allowed, as well
• - Offers a high level of reliability against so-called Lying.

This object is achieved by a drive device according to claim 1 or by a vehicle with a corresponding drive device. By the last independent claim, a display device is also presented, which is for the use of the drive device according to the invention of great advantage. By the dependent claims advantageous developments are put under protection.

The drive device according to the invention according to claim 1 is used to drive a machine with unsteady power requirements, such as from a motor vehicle. Here, first, a first chemical-mechanical energy converter, for example, and preferably as a piston internal combustion engine, but z. B. may also be configured as a turbine engine or engine of any other type for generating mechanical work from a chemical energy source, and / or contain a first fuel cell, which may possibly work reversibly or by assigning a reformer can form a reversibly operable fuel cell system component. Furthermore, a first electrical energy store is included, which may preferably be designed as an electrochemical, reversible battery, in particular lithium-ion-based or as a similarly acting, reversible electrical storage and / or contain a second fuel cell or a second fuel cell system component.

Next is provided as a central component for the invention, a high-performance energy storage, as defined above, characterized in that it can store and deliver compared to currently known electrochemical energy storage based on the maximum energy content very high performance with low aging and good efficiency. In addition, the high-performance energy storage preferably allows the use of a very large SOC range with low aging in comparison to known lithium-ion based electrochemical batteries. In specific embodiments, this high-performance energy storage device preferably consists of a mechanical energy store and in particular a flywheel arrangement. Alternatively or additionally, a spring accumulator, a pneumatic or hydro-pneumatic accumulator or the like may be included for this mechanical energy storage. The mechanical energy storage is associated with a second electric machine, which is preferably designed for the intended performance of the mechanical energy storage and advantageous as Electric machine of an electric flywheel may be formed. When using a flywheel assembly, exactly one or alternatively a plurality of flywheels may be provided, which are preferably formed evenly and in half in opposite directions in this case to extinguish dynamic driving influences of the flywheels by centrifugal forces. In addition, however, other embodiments, in particular on the basis of the aforementioned criteria fulfilling high-performance capacitors, in particular double-layer capacitors and especially so-called super or ultracaps and hybrid capacitors are possible here,

Since these high-performance energy storage devices are very expensive per energy storage capacity compared to conventional electrochemical energy storage devices, their use as the first electrical energy storage device, for example instead of a lithium-ion battery, is not economically feasible and, in the case of a design as a mechanical energy storage device, would also result in considerable problems in terms of weight, increase space required and in the case of a flywheel module, if necessary, in relation to large, for the driving dynamics disadvantageous centrifugal forces.

Finally, the drive device according to the invention comprises at least one drive means, in particular one or more drive wheels and the drive device according to the invention is designed and their aforementioned components are arranged so that they - if present in a specific embodiment - the drive or the drive means can mechanically and / or electrically drive ,

To achieve the object has been found that it is particularly advantageous if the high-performance energy storage can deliver a power for driving the machine, which is higher by a factor of 1.5 to 8 than the sum of the benefits of the first chemical-mechanical Energy converter in the consumption-optimal operating range and / or the first fuel cell. It has also been found that a factor within the range of 2 to 6 is particularly good and an optimum around the value 4, whereby values within a range of 3 to 5 are also very well suited. It goes without saying that under the performance of the first fuel cell here their design maximum or maximum continuous power is to be understood taking into account usual conditions such as aging, as a dimensioning based on an arbitrarily adjustable partial power or only briefly realizable overload power would make no sense.

The above-mentioned dimensioning is therefore particularly advantageous because, given a maximum overall output of the machine or of the motor vehicle considered as designed, it allows an advantageously small dimensioning of the chemical-mechanical energy converter or the first fuel cell, at the same time as high overall power, without the first electrical energy storage undesirable large or unwanted heavy load. This will be detailed below with particular reference to the second embodiment.

In the following, the present invention and its advantages are explained in more detail. It is described in many places so that instead of general terms, such as "chemical-mechanical converter" and "high-performance energy storage" concrete versions are called, such as "internal combustion engine" or "flywheel module" or "flywheel assembly". It should be noted that this is for convenience of description only and is not intended to be a limitation on the invention.

The advantageous dimensioning according to the invention enables an extremely low-consumption and low-emission drive for machines with highly transient power requirements and in particular for motor vehicles, since it enables the provision of a high drive power with small dimensions of the internal combustion engine without significant problems in relation to that for the flywheel Module required space and raise its costs and at the same time the driving dynamics influences of the flywheel module by centrifugal forces are still sufficiently low.

Since the overall performance of the engine or motor vehicle is an essential design criterion, it can be considered as largely given for a particular engine or motor vehicle. Thus, the inventive dimensioning of the performance of the flywheel assembly and the internal combustion engine or their equivalent configurations to the fact that the engine (rounded) only for 11.1-40%, preferably 14.3-33.3%, particularly preferably 16.7-25 % and most preferably about 20% of the total output of flywheel module and internal combustion engine is to be interpreted in the consumption-optimal range. This division of the performance of the main drive sources is suitable to make the internal combustion engine so small that it can be operated completely or at least predominantly in a consumption-optimal operating range or in the case of a fuel cell in terms of their high performance-related costs economically meaningful design at an acceptable total cost is made possible in the first place.

In a known use of an electrochemical battery for storing excess power of the internal combustion engine and as The main drive source of the vehicle would result in significant problems in terms of large discharge and discharge currents, which either require the provision of a very large battery with corresponding disadvantages in terms of required space, weight and cost or a very high load on the battery by high specific loading and unloading C and thus would cause significant problems in terms of their temperature and aging.

If the power of the flywheel assembly chosen smaller in relation to the performance of the engine, its power would be so large that the operation in the consumption-optimal operating range in many phases of operation, especially in city traffic would be possible only by disadvantageously high charging currents in the battery. Unless the battery were made very large and therefore undesirably heavy and expensive, the internal combustion engine (or fuel cell, etc.) could only be operated for short periods due to the limited capacity of the battery and the flywheel assembly. Thus, the proportion of the operating time of the internal combustion engine and an associated emission control system in an insufficient temperature range undesirably high, or the internal combustion engine would have to be operated in terms of consumption and exhaust emissions very disadvantageous partial load range. In addition, the internal combustion engine (or a fuel cell, etc.) in comparison to a dimensioning according to the invention would be characterized by an unfavorably large weight and a disadvantageously large space requirement and unnecessarily high costs.

If the performance of the flywheel assembly chosen to be greater in relation to the performance of the engine, the internal combustion engine in many situations could not make a sufficient contribution to the drive of the vehicle, such as on long-distance highway driving or recharging the battery in a design for a meaningful overall drive power since its performance would be required completely for the drive of the vehicle even at moderate driving requirements. To prevent this, and the internal combustion engine (or a fuel cell, etc.) nevertheless dimensioned sufficiently large to allow sufficient performance and recharging the battery even when the battery is discharged, the flywheel assembly would have to be sized so that it the operation of the vehicle no or almost no benefits. Such dimensioning would therefore represent a cost unnecessary in terms of cost and space requirements.

If the high-performance energy storage contains a mechanical energy storage, in particular in the form of a flywheel assembly, a particularly powerful and durable high-performance energy storage can be realized with very high efficiency and very large usable SOC range, which is also highly independent of temperature and characterized by low heat loss during operation and It is also based on a well-engineered, field-proven technology.

It is particularly advantageous if at least one fast-rotating, wound flywheel is used which more preferably runs in an extensive vacuum or a reduced-pressure atmosphere and / or in a light gas, since wound flywheels have considerable safety advantages in the event of a failure compared to other embodiments a high design speed has a very significant influence on the mass and volume of the flywheel and thus facilitates the integration in confined space conditions or makes sense only. Under a high-speed flywheel here flywheels are to be understood with a maximum of at least 20,000, preferably at least 35,000 revolutions per minute. An arrangement of the flywheel or wheels in a partial vacuum or a reduced-pressure atmosphere and / or a light gas reduces the friction and thus the energy losses of the flywheel or the flywheel considerably.

If this mechanical energy storage or this flywheel arrangement - whereby a division into several flywheels is possible as described - is mechanically coupled to a second electric machine or electric machines, may be on a mechanical transmission of power to or from the flywheel module entirely or optionally partially dispensed with and thus the structural complexity can be reduced and in particular easily transferred energy between the battery and the flywheel or flywheel module.

Alternatively and just as preferably, the high-performance energy store may be a memory based on capacitors, in particular double-layer capacitors and particularly preferably supercapacitors or hybrid capacitors. These three groups of capacitors are also collectively referred to as electrochemical double layer capacitors. Double-layer capacitors are capacitors whose very high specific capacitance, in comparison to electrolytic capacitors, is based at least largely on the physical phenomenon of the Helmholtz double layers. The particularly high specific capacities of supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or super or ultracaps in short, use to a greater extent the effects of an electrochemical compared to conventional double-layer capacitors or Faraday pseudocapacity. Hybrid capacitors, for example lithium-ion capacitors, also have asymmetrical, ie differently constructed electrodes.

Common to the electrochemical double-layer capacitors is that they have a significantly longer life compared to lithium-ion battery cells, both in years and, especially, in number of charge and discharge cycles, and also have superior power density, thus combining them with large possible capacities per capacitor as a high performance energy storage in the sense of this document are particularly well suited. The use of super or hybrid capacitors is preferred due to their higher energy density compared to double layer capacitors, with hybrid capacitors having the highest power densities, which is advantageous in terms of required space and weight. In contrast, supercapacitors have advantages in terms of efficiency, which is particularly advantageous in terms of an energy-efficient drive device due to the high and frequent loading and unloading the high-performance energy storage.

Compared to flywheels, capacitors have the advantage that no rotating masses and therefore no driving dynamics effects by centrifugal forces occur, which accounts for flywheels provided electric machine, or can be replaced by power electronics and their self-discharge is lower in the preferred electrochemical double-layer capacitors. However, compared to flywheels, they are currently even more expensive compared to flywheels and require an interconnection of a large number of individual capacitors for the energy contents and outputs required here, and thus an elaborate control and monitoring electronics.

It has further been shown that it is particularly advantageous if the chemical mechanical energy converter is mechanically coupled to a first electric machine, because this allows a conversion of the mechanical energy into electrical energy, which is considerably easier on different energy consumers, in particular the drive wheels Battery and the flywheel module is to be transferred, whereby the structural complexity can be significantly reduced.

If the drive means or the drive wheels or is mechanically connected to at least one third electric machine or, the structural complexity for the transmission of mechanical power can also be reduced, and especially if required, electric power from or into the battery without further, especially for it to be provided to the conversion units to and from the drive wheels. The combination of drive means, mechanical connection and third electric machine can also be realized in particular in the form of wheel hub motors, which make advantageous use of the available space in the rim anyway and greatly simplify the power transmission, especially in steered wheels and thus also reduce the structural complexity.

Furthermore, if the first electrical energy store or the battery is electrically connected to the first and / or the second electric machine of the internal combustion engine module or the flywheel module, then the first electrical energy store or the battery absorb electrical energy from there and there can give off, results in a particularly flexible system with many opportunities for the management and storage of power, also in comparison to mechanical line transmissions greatly reduced structural complexity.

Further advantages result if the first fuel cell and / or the second fuel cell are designed as reversible fuel cells which, together with an associated fuel tank, form a first and / or second fuel cell module functioning as an electrical energy store. This forms a functional equivalent to a battery and thus makes it possible, if necessary, to omit the electrochemical battery, and if necessary by refueling of the fuel tank, an energy reserve can be absorbed very quickly. If the second fuel cell is formed reversible and designed for a requested battery power corresponding performance, the battery can therefore be omitted or made smaller. If the first fuel cell is formed reversible, it can not only replace the internal combustion engine and associated with this first electric machine with a correspondingly powerful design, but also take over the function of the battery in whole or in part. However, fuel cells are still far inferior to internal combustion engines and also to electrochemical batteries in terms of specific cost and durability, as well as the need for careful environmental control, which makes these options attractive primarily for future advanced fuel cells.

In addition, it is particularly advantageous if the internal combustion engine (or a fuel cell, etc.) in the consumption-optimal operating range (or maximum or optimal continuous power) are designed to deliver in total a power that is the sum of the power consumption more usual Operation of active auxiliary consumers and the power requirement for maintaining a constant driving speed of the motor vehicle in the plane at a desired maximum maximum speed corresponds, preferably in the range between 90 km / h and 150 km / h, more preferably between 110 km / h and 140 km / h and am most preferably at about 120 km / h to 130 km / h.

By this design, the motor vehicle is able, regardless of the state of charge of the battery wide, covered only by the capacity of a fuel tank limited distances with a desired high speed. This allows long holiday trips on highways, without having to interrupt the journey to charge the battery or their replacement for a charged battery and to rely on an appropriate infrastructure. In addition, it has been found that such a design in conjunction with the above-described dimensioning of the performance of the flywheel assembly and the internal combustion engine (or a fuel cell, etc.) on the one hand can provide a desirably high total drive power of the motor vehicle and also sufficient for highway driving under field conditions Recharging of the battery and / or the flywheel assembly by the internal combustion engine (or fuel cell, etc.) allows to keep the flywheel under normal conditions always in a sufficient state of charge in order to provide the desired, high maximum drive power safely available.

The choice of the maximum continuous speed can be made dependent on the design or assumed use of the motor vehicle and permissible or in practice possible maximum speeds on highways. For example, if the vehicle is designed for city traffic and designed for occasional use on motorways, the maximum permissible speed can be set lower than for a vehicle that has just been designed for long-distance driving on motorways. However, dimensioning to a maximum steady-state speed of less than about 90 km / h would already lead to a collapse of the available drive power on longer inclines and is therefore not preferred for motor vehicles with universal usability.

A motor vehicle for countries with a general maximum speed of z. B. 100 km / h can be useful to this maximum maximum speed, possibly with a surcharge of z. B. 10% are designed. Even a motor vehicle, which is designed for long-distance driving on German motorways without general speed limit, can be meaningfully set to a maximum speed of 130 km / h, for very sporty vehicles up to 150 km / h, as higher speeds for limited distances through from the battery taken and preferably stored in the flywheel arrangement achievements are possible and even higher average speed over long distances because of distance-based maximum speeds and real traffic conditions does not seem realistic. Only vehicles designed for high-speed racing or vehicles that are designed for regular trailer operation can make an even higher design-determining permanent maximum speed sensible in individual cases.

If the high-performance energy storage or the flywheel assembly can store a maximum usable amount of energy sufficient to bring the machine or the motor vehicle without recuperation at least twice, preferably at least three times, and more preferably between 3.5 and 5 times from standstill to the maximum continuous speed To accelerate, resulting in terms of space, cost and motor vehicles with flywheel arrangement with respect to influences on the driving dynamics by centrifugal forces particularly advantageous dimensioning, since the flywheel assembly is dimensioned so large that on the one hand always such a significant amount of energy from the flywheel assembly for the Drive can be provided that their actual limitation can not be perceived by a driver under normal operating conditions and at the same time the SOC of the flywheel assembly can always be chosen so that (as far as technically possible), the entire kineti cal energy of the vehicle in the high-performance energy storage or the flywheel assembly can be recuperated. The exact dimensioning in turn can be meaningfully made dependent on the assumed real operating conditions of the motor vehicle. Thus, a design for a higher continuous maximum speed requires a relatively large design of the capacity of the flywheel assembly. If, on the other hand, it can be assumed that the vehicle will normally be driven with relatively low acceleration and deceleration powers, the capacity of the flywheel arrangement can be selected to be lower than in the case of a vehicle designed for a sporty driving style.

If the battery is designed to be loaded during normal operation of the machine with powers of not more than 2 C, preferably not more than 1.5 C and particularly preferably not more than 1 C, wherein the loading and unloading is very uniform compared to the power requirement of the machine, Can the aging of the battery and the necessary effort for their Temperature control be kept very low. In addition, it is possible to use a larger range of the nominal battery capacity in relation to more heavily loaded batteries without disadvantages with respect to the aging behavior. This advantageous dimensioning is made possible in that the battery is used in the presented drive concept primarily to compensate for the energy losses of the flywheel resulting in operation, which not only low loading and unloading, but also in relation to the temporal performance profile of a motor vehicle in City and overland operation allows very long loading and unloading cycles.

If the usable capacity of the battery is such that it is at least a factor of 4, preferably by a factor of 8 and more preferably at least by a factor of 10 greater than the usable capacity of the flywheel assembly, on the one hand desired long, locally emission-free ranges can be achieved and on the other hand, the sufficient recharging of energy from the battery in the flywheel assembly can be ensured even in sporty driving or under difficult environmental conditions without undesirable increase the specific load of the battery or operate the internal combustion engine or the first fuel cell.

If the machine has an external charging port, can be exchanged via the electrical energy between on the one hand at least one of the internal electrical energy storage and a machine external power network on the other hand, it is possible to use the machine or the motor vehicle as a plug-in hybrid vehicle and on request in the Practice also according to a plug-in electric vehicle. In this case, the internal combustion engine or the first fuel cell can be maintained mainly for extreme power requirements and very long journeys without external recharging of the battery or, if such operating conditions do not have to be reckoned with, extended at times. Further, the vehicle can, if necessary, with the help of a suitably designed control also feed energy and in particular control energy in the power grid or operate external consumers.

If a charge control device for charging at least one of the electrical energy storage, preferably the battery and the flywheel device, is provided whose continuous power is such that it can deliver a maximum charging current for the battery in the amount of at least 1 C, preferably of about 1.5 C. , resulting in network charges advantageously short, possible charging times of - starting from a usable capacity of about 50% of the nominal battery capacity - about 20 to 30 minutes. This design further allows the operation of the motor vehicle operation of the charge control device for loading and unloading of the battery in a range with good efficiency.

If the electrical lines for transmitting electrical power to and from the battery (or the second fuel cell) and to the first electric machine (or the first fuel cell) and the high-performance energy storage or its electric machine, with the exception of the line of and to the external charging port and preferably from and to at least one and more preferably all of the mechanically coupled to the drive means electric machines are designed for safe voltages, voltage converters are attributed to the respective components and are assigned locally, the hitherto necessary in electric and hybrid vehicles overhead To protect persons from electric shocks are significantly reduced, since only spatially narrow areas have a dangerous voltage.

This reduces, especially when these electrical lines are subjected to DC voltage, the required effort for an electromagnetic shield considerably. Since the battery does not need to be completely disconnected from the vehicle network for safety reasons when it is designed for contact-safe voltage when the vehicle is parked, this design also allows maintaining a desired speed of the flywheel assembly when the vehicle is parked. A separate low-voltage electrical system battery for operating components that should be able to be supplied even when the vehicle is turned off, can thus advantageously be dispensed with. It goes without saying that not all of the electrical lines mentioned must be present and other electrical lines can be provided if necessary. However, the drive concept presented above makes it possible to limit the power flows between the first electric machine and / or the first fuel cell, the battery and / or the second fuel cell, and the high-performance energy storage and preferably at least partially the drive electric machines to powers of less than 30 kW, Although at a voltage of 100 volts or 120 volts DC high, but still reasonable continuous currents of up to 300 amps conditional. The required cable cross-sections and line losses are not negligible, but justified by the advantages mentioned.

If the motor vehicle has at least two axles with drive means, such as in particular drive wheels, which can be driven by the third electric machines (here also called drive electric motors) and produced Recuperation energy are braked, it is advantageous to design these drive electrical machines particularly. It is particularly favorable if the sum of the powers of the drive electronics of the front axle and that of the rear axle has a ratio of between 80:20 and 60:40, preferably approximately 70:30. This results in a particularly advantageous for recuperation at high braking delays distribution of drive power to the axles of the motor vehicle and a preferred arrangement of the high-performance energy storage or the flywheel assembly and mechanically coupled with her second electric machine in the front of an advantageously short length of the particularly highly loaded electrical Lines between the second electric machine and the drive electric machines of the front axle. In particular, in the case of an above-described design of the electrical lines between the second electric machine and the drive electric machine to a contact-safe voltage, for example, 100 volts DC, the weight of the lines and the electrical losses can also be advantageously limited.

In this case, the sum of the powers of the drive electric machines should advantageously be further dimensioned such that they can absorb and deliver at least over a period of 10 seconds, preferably over a period of 20 seconds and particularly preferably indefinitely, an electrical power which is at least the maximum power of the High-performance energy storage and the second electric machine corresponds. However, it is of further advantage if the sum of the powers of the drive electric machines is significantly higher than the maximum power of the second electric machine, namely at least the value of the maximum electric power of the internal combustion engine - together with the first electric machine - and possibly existing first fuel cell is generated. It is also a particular advantage if the power sum of the drive electric machines is even higher, namely about the value of that power that corresponds to the discharge current of the battery at 1 C.

The sum of the powers of the drive electric machines should be able to be applied by them for at least 10 seconds, preferably at least 20 seconds and particularly preferably indefinitely. By this design, even with a relatively weak interpretation of the (continuous) performance of the drive electric motors, a drive power can be provided which is comparable to the drive power of today's motor vehicles. An interpretation of the drive electric motors to a power that in sum not even short term, for example for overtaking maneuvers at least the maximum power of the second electric machine of the flywheel assembly would mean an inappropriate oversizing the performance of this second electric machine or the high-performance energy storage. For this short-term peak performance, a period of 10 seconds is considered to be the shortest acceptable period of time, with at least 20 seconds being thought to be reasonable in order to avoid overloading of components or an unforeseen loss of power to the driver. However, it is particularly preferred that at least this power of the second electric machine can be recorded and delivered indefinitely in time from the sum of the drive electric machines. Since the internal combustion engine drive train according to the drive concept presented here is switched on at high speeds especially in long-distance driving, it is further preferred if the power that can be absorbed by the drive electric machines is greater than this power at least by the maximum electric power of the internal combustion engine drive train so additional power reserves can be provided for driving situations with particularly high power requirements at low cost. Finally, it makes sense to increase this maximum power of the sum of the drive electric machines again by the electrical power corresponding to the discharge current of the battery at 1 C, as this power can be removed from the battery without burdening them excessively.

The drive device according to the invention also makes it possible to realize a power generator in a simple manner in an associated vehicle. For the internal combustion engine and the first electric machine and / or the first fuel cell module are structurally installed to a corresponding module. This can be designed and arranged so that it can be removed within a short time without expertise from the vehicle. The vehicle is correspondingly lighter and it is a space free, which can be used in various ways, such as luggage or storage space. It is also possible in the presence of appropriate mechanical and electrical means to install an additional battery or a fuel cell and so the locally emission-free range of the vehicle z. B. for operation in very large zero-emission zones continue to increase. Finally, such a removable module also allows a secondary use of the components contained therein, such as a stationary power generator, which can provide, for example, when required control energy for an electrical supply network.

It has also been found that for the use of the drive device according to the invention a specially matched Signal device makes sense, which has a significant impact on the reliability and solves a technical problem, which results for the first time from the presented drive concept.

Precisely because a user will seldom encounter the performance limits of the system in normal operation, he will assume constant availability of the maximum drive power. Since, however, high speeds may occur, especially in the case of strong accelerations, the energy content of the high-performance energy store or flywheel module is insufficient to provide this maximum power or work, and it can, without an easily and intuitively perceptible signal by the user, provide the short-term possible performance. or work to dangerous situations by a user unforeseen loss of power come.

According to the invention, first of all the maximum speed of the vehicle is determined which can be achieved with the aid of the energy currently stored in the high-energy energy store or the flywheel module and their deliverable powers and can be maintained for a predetermined distance. In this case, its performance can also be taken into account, preferably when the internal combustion engine is running or can be started. Different parameters can be taken into account, such as the nature of the landscape (gradient, slope, pavement, etc.), vehicle load (number of occupants, their weight, luggage, roof luggage, etc.), weather conditions (temperature, wind, etc .) and / or the like.

The signal device according to the invention signals are supplied, which are a measure of the above-mentioned maximum speed. Depending on this speed corresponding optical and / or acoustic signals are output.

It has been found that a corresponding optical display is particularly well suited. This has suitable optical means, such as a circle segment, a pointer, a beam or the like. These can be realized mechanically, as LCD, as LED or in any other suitable way. In order to make the display as intuitively understandable and easily perceived as possible for the user, it is particularly favorable to present the power reserves available in the short term in the form of a representation in the speedometer or spatially adjacent thereto and information about the currently achievable and for a predetermined distance to give a maintainable top speed.

Preferably, the signal device according to the invention is further transmitted a signal on the currently driven speed or the position of a speedometer speed display and activated at least the optical signal from a position corresponding to this speed or speedometer position. As a result, on the one hand recognition of the current driving speed by the driver is further facilitated and on the other hand also improves the recognition of the available power reserves to achieve the said maximum speed.

Further features and advantages of the present invention are described below with reference to preferred embodiments. Showing:

1 A first embodiment of the drive device according to the invention with reference to a block diagram,

2 A second, more concrete embodiment of the drive device according to the invention with reference to a block diagram,

3 FIG. 2 a block diagram to illustrate various operating phases and modes of the drive device, in particular with regard to the second embodiment, FIG.

4 an illustration of a display device for the drive device.

1 shows a symbolic block diagram for a first embodiment with the essential components of a drive device according to the invention. This first embodiment relates to a drive train, preferably for a hybrid vehicle, not shown here, in particular road vehicle, and serves in particular to represent the range of possible characteristics.

For reasons of clarity, the presentation of components and active compounds that are not central to understanding has been dispensed with. Thus, it goes without saying that the various components can be controlled and / or regulated and / or monitored by one or more control units, not shown. Likewise, conventional devices for transmission and conversion of mechanical and electrical energy such as gears, shafts, clutches, DC and inverter and other conventional components and ancillaries such as fuel pumps, air conditioners, comfort systems and the like are not shown, since the expert without their own inventive performance according to the respective requirements. It should also be noted that in other embodiments, not all components shown here must be included. Besides, it is possible that at least some of these components are integrated with other designs. To simplify the description, individual components are combined into modules in the following. It is understood that in other embodiments, the components combined in the modules can also be realized individually or in other combinations with each other.

This in 1 embodiment shown has an internal combustion engine module 10 in which an internal combustion engine 14 , an associated first tank 20 and a first fuel line 18 are included. A first fuel cell module 11 contains a first fuel cell 16 that has a second fuel line 22 with a second tank 24 connected is. In these tanks 20 . 24 In normal operation, a chemical energy carrier is contained, which is usually liquid or gaseous and is also referred to below as fuel.

A second fuel cell module 12 contains a second fuel cell 28 that has a third fuel line 30 with a third tank 32 is connected, can be filled in the appropriate fuel. In the preferred embodiment, the second fuel cell is 28 less powerful than the first fuel cell 16 ,

Furthermore, there is a battery 34 present, via a first electrical line 36 with an external charging port 38 connected is.

There is also a flywheel module 13 provided in which a second electric machine 40 and a flywheel assembly 42 are included. The flywheel module 13 can also be designed as an electric flywheel, wherein the flywheel assembly 42 and the second electric machine 40 integrated with each other. The flywheel assembly 42 preferably consists of exactly one flywheel or an even number of flywheels (not shown separately here), which are in opposite directions in pairs, whereby centrifugal forces cancel each other as far as possible. The one or more flywheels are preferably formed as a wound, arranged in a reduced-pressure environment high-speed flywheels with a maximum number of revolutions of at least 20,000, preferably at least 35,000 revolutions per minute.

Furthermore, in 1 symbolically a third electric machine 44 - Also referred to below as the drive electric machine - and drive wheels 46 shown. The drive electric machine 44 may also include a plurality of electric machines, for example, on different axes of the vehicle or on individual drive wheels 46 act, for example in the form of also called wheel hub motors wheel hub electric machines. The electric machines 26 . 40 . 44 are each designed such that they can be operated both as an electric motor and as a generator. The number of drive wheels 46 depends on the type of vehicle used. Thus, although drive wheels are usually referred to in this description, a plurality of drive wheels or even only one of them may be provided. In a typical passenger car whose number is 2 or 4 ,

The internal combustion engine 14 is via a first mechanical drive 48 with the first electric machine 26 and a second mechanical drive 50 with the drive wheels 46 connected, the second mechanical drive 50 Equivalent to the first mechanical drive 48 connected or integrated with this or on the shaft of the first electric machine 26 can attack. These two drives 48 . 50 allow it, that mechanical energy from the internal combustion engine 14 to the components 26 respectively. 46 can be delivered. On the other hand, these components can provide mechanical power to the internal combustion engine 14 transferred, in particular to start this and / or the internal combustion engine 14 to drag and thus use as an engine brake, which is preferred due to the associated energy losses only in a few exceptional cases, for example, in very long downhill, if no further charge the flywheel assembly 42 and the battery 34 more is possible or desired.

The flywheel assembly 42 is via a third mechanical drive 52 with the second electric machine 40 and a fourth mechanical drive 54 with the drive wheels 46 connected, the fourth mechanical drive 54 Equivalent to the third mechanical drive 52 connected or integrated with this or on the shaft of the second electric machine 40 can attack. A fifth mechanical drive 56 exists between the third electric machine 44 and the drive wheels 46 , These three drives 52 . 54 . 56 allow mechanical energy bi-directional between the flywheel assembly 42 and the second electric machine 40 , between the flywheel assembly 42 and the drive wheels 46 or between the third electric machine 44 and the drive wheels 46 transferred to.

The first fuel cell 16 is via a second electrical line 57 with the third electric machine 44 , via a third electrical line 58 with the first electric machine 26 and a fourth electrical line 60 with the second electric machine 40 connected. Electrical energy can be via the fourth electrical line 60 and another, fifth electrical line 64 between the first electric machine 40 and the battery 34 and also between the first electric machine 26 and the battery 34 or vice versa, for which equivalent also a separate, sixth electrical line 72 can be provided. The second electric machine 40 is also via a seventh electrical line 62 with the second fuel cell 28 and an eighth electrical line 66 with the third electric machine 44 connected. About the between the first electric machine 26 and the battery 34 arranged electrical line 72 can the battery 34 through the first electric machine 26 be charged and the first electric machine 26 can be used to start the internal combustion engine 14 operate. About the electrical wires 72 and 64 is also a transfer of electrical energy between the first electric machine 26 and the second electric machine 40 possible, for which equivalent also a in 2 shown, separate twelfth electrical line 84 can be provided. The drive electric machine 44 is still on a ninth electrical line 68 with the first electric machine 26 and over a tenth electrical line 70 with the battery 34 connected, which also has an eleventh electrical line 74 with the second fuel cell 28 connected is.

The existing mechanical drives 48 . 50 . 52 . 54 . 56 can be designed in different ways. For example, they can be designed to be continuous and / or provided with electromagnetic or other couplings. The only point here is that both the input and output variables are mechanical. Therefore, for example, hydraulic and pneumatic transmission devices with the use of appropriate converters and other conventional auxiliary equipment are possible and should be included, since they represent mechanical active connections in the context of this document.

To the realization of in 1 the powertrain illustrated should be noted.

The internal combustion engine 14 can drive the wheels 46 over the mechanical drive 50 provide drive energy with the interposition of conventional, not shown, powertrain components and / or the first electric machine 26 over the mechanical drive 48 driving generatively. It is also for certain operating conditions, in particular for starting the internal combustion engine 14 and / or for its rapid acceleration to a desired speed also possible mechanical energy from the first electric machine 26 over the first mechanical drive 48 or, if desired, the drive wheels 46 over the second mechanical drive 50 to the internal combustion engine 14 to lead.

Finally, with appropriate design mechanical energy from the drive wheels 46 over the second and first mechanical drive 50 . 48 to the first electric machine 26 be directed, the internal combustion engine 14 preferably can be decoupled via a clutch, not shown, or a freewheel or alternatively can run to realize an engine brake. As a result, an additional recuperation power by the first electric machine 26 with or without simultaneous engine braking effect of the internal combustion engine 14 be achieved. As mentioned, it is also possible as an equivalent embodiment, the second mechanical drive 50 with the shaft of the first electric machine 26 to couple, thereby, possibly with the interposition of a switchable coupling, not shown, with the first mechanical drive 48 one of the function of the mechanical coupling shown 50 equivalent embodiment results. Next, the first electric machine 26 be designed so that they have a speed ratio between the mechanical drive 48 and the modified mechanical drive as described above 50 can make what the first electric machine 26 at the same time can take over the function of a change gear and possibly a switchable clutch. These equivalent embodiments are for reasons of clarity in FIG 1 not shown.

Next it is possible that the internal combustion engine 14 via a mechanical coupling, not shown, the flywheel 42 drive and / or that the flywheel 42 by this mechanical coupling the internal combustion engine 14 drive and in particular can start.

If in place of the internal combustion engine 14 - or in addition to this - a first or high-performance fuel cell 16 is provided, this can be done with the help of the second tank 24 stored fuel generate electrical energy. Of course it is also possible, both the first fuel cell 16 as well as the internal combustion engine 14 providing the services of both sources of supply 14 . 16 can be divided as desired, but in total should be able to provide at least the power required for a maximum steady-state speed.

The electrical power of the first electric machine 26 and / or the first fuel cell 16 Optionally for driving the drive wheels 46 Be used by the electrical energy through the electrical wires 68 and or 57 to the drive electric machine 44 is transmitted. A mechanical operative connection between the internal combustion engine 14 and the drive wheels 46 is not required in this case, but may be provided additionally.

Currently not required for the drive of the vehicle energy of the internal combustion engine powertrain 10 can preferably be used to flywheel 42 if necessary via a mechanical coupling, not shown, and / or via the mechanical coupling 48 , the first electric machine 26 and the electrical wires 72 . 64 or the electrical lines 60 . 64 as well as the second electric machine 40 and the mechanical coupling 52 to accelerate and / or the battery 34 to load.

Is at least one of the possible two fuel cells 16 . 28 designed as a reversible fuel cell or is provided as an equivalent embodiment of an additional synthesis device, can electrical energy from one or more of the electric machines 26 . 44 . 40 alternatively used in whole or in part for the synthesis of fuel and the fuel in an associated tank 24 . 32 get saved. Basically, it should be noted that the three tanks 20 . 24 . 32 from a practical point of view may also be partially or totally combined, as far as the type of fuel permits.

The battery 34 the flywheel-based powertrain 12 can preferably via the external charging port 38 be rechargeable. This may preferably also be designed for the flywheel assembly 42 over the second electric machine 40 to charge or a regenerative fuel cell 28 . 16 or to supply a synthesis device with energy for the synthesis of fuel and / or be designed as needed, optionally also to deliver energy to an external consumer or an external power grid. The second fuel cell 28 can in addition to the battery 34 be provided (as in 1 shown) or alternatively.

The second fuel cell 28 is preferably less powerful than the first fuel cell 16 because in the event that they are in place of the battery 34 is provided, essentially the performance of the battery 34 to the second electric machine 40 for driving the flywheel assembly 42 replaced. This performance can, as will be explained in more detail below, be significantly smaller than the power of the internal combustion engine 14 in the optimal working area or the internal combustion engine 14 replacing the first fuel cell 16 ,

The sum of the design relevant maximum power of the battery 34 and the second fuel cell 28 is essentially constant and measured by the expected maximum, on the second electric machine 40 in the flywheel assembly 42 according to the design, the net recharging capacity of the flywheel arrangement to be fed in on average over time 42 , possibly plus the expected power consumption of other electrical consumers, such as electric heaters, lighting, air conditioning, comfort systems and controls (not shown). The second electric machine 40 However, if necessary and preferably also be designed much more powerful, the mechanical power transmission via the mechanical drive 54 between the flywheel assembly 42 and the drive wheels 46 partially or preferably completely by a mechanical coupling 52 between the flywheel assembly 42 and the second electric machine 40 and an electrical coupling 66 between this and the one with the drive wheels 46 coupled drive electric machine 44 to replace.

Although the flywheel assembly 42 and the second electric machine 40 Here functionally represented as two components, both components can 42 . 40 preferably be integrated in a structural unit. This offers advantages in terms of space and weight in a preferred, running in a substantial vacuum flywheel also benefits in terms of a waiver of a shaft seal and a reduction in the losses of the second electric machine 40 , which in this case can also be arranged in a substantial vacuum.

Main function of the battery 34 and / or the second fuel cell 28 is the delivery of electrical energy to the second electric machine 40 to the flywheel - or more - the flywheel assembly 42 to bring in a desired speed range or to hold there. The flywheel assembly 42 serves as an essential energy source or energy storage for the dynamic drive of the vehicle. If desired or required, that can be done by the second electric machine 40 However, electrical energy generated can also be used for other purposes, in particular for charging the battery 34 and / or for producing fuel in a reversible fuel cell 28 . 16 , for starting the internal combustion engine 14 over the first electric machine 26 or an electric starter motor, not shown, or a starter-generator electric machine, not shown, or for the operation of other consumers or to deliver electrical energy to an external power grid via the external charging port 38 ,

Next, the internal combustion engine 14 over the first electric machine 26 and / or may be the first fuel cell 16 electrical energy to charge the battery 34 and / or the second electric machine 40 for charging the flywheel assembly 42 and / or for the reversible operation of at least the second fuel cell 28 and / or possibly the first fuel cell 16 produce. Finally, a moment may also be from the drive wheels 46 removed and via the drive electric machine 44 and / or the first electric machine 26 be converted into electrical energy and, alternatively or in addition to a mechanical drive 54 the flywheel assembly 42 through the drive wheels 46 , also to drive the flywheel assembly 42 over the second electric machine 40 , for charging the battery 34 and / or for the reversible operation of at least one of the fuel cells 28 . 16 be used.

The different electric machines 26 . 40 . 44 can also be combined or split between several electric machines and do not necessarily have to be physically independent machines, as far as alternative configurations can fulfill the listed functions.

The basis of the 1 illustrated, diverse possible interpretations and links of the components of the drive train make it clear that it is the proposed drive concept is less about a specific constructive or physical connection of components, but a concept, the developers a variety of different specific designs and thus a comprehensive Optimization in relation to desired drive concepts and boundary conditions allowed.

These boundary conditions include, in particular, the respective costs of the components used in the specific individual case, their requirement for installation space, their weight and, last but not least, freely selectable parameters such as, for example, the decision for or against the use of fuel cells. Accordingly, the advantages of the invention do not result from the selection of the type of components or their concrete link, but only from the relative design of the components in terms of the services and the usable storable energy contents.

1 and the above description thus serve essentially to clarify the respective equivalence ranges, so that in the following exemplary embodiments in each case can be turned to a specific embodiment, without always having to mention these equivalence areas, whereby the understanding is much easier.

2 shows a block diagram for a second embodiment. This is a simplified or more concrete embodiment of the drive concept compared to the embodiment described above. Same or functionally similar components are with the in 1 used reference numerals and these will be discussed only insofar as it is necessary for the understanding of the present invention.

In the embodiment of 2 were the fuel cells 16 . 28 and the associated tanks 24 . 32 omitted. There is also an additional electrical line 84 between the two electric machines 26 and 40 shown.

The flywheel assembly 42 and with this over the third mechanical drive 52 coupled second electric machine 40 are preferably designed as a flywheel with integrated electric machine, and are - unlike in 1 - in the following as electric flywheel 43 designated. Through the integration of flywheel assembly 42 and second electric machine 40 The space can be used more efficiently and avoided problems with respect to a shaft passage to the running in a substantial vacuum flywheel and the losses of the electric machine 40 be greatly reduced by turbulences.

The internal combustion engine 14 is with the first electric machine 26 through the bidirectional mechanical coupling 48 structurally to a generator 15 summarized, the optional to avoid conversion losses via a preferably bidirectional mechanical coupling 82 with the drive wheel 46 may be connected, wherein a switchable clutch, not shown, and a not shown gear can proceed with stepless or stepped-interchangeable translation. Preferably, the functions of the clutch and the transmission by a suitable embodiment of the first electric machine 26 be taken over. As already noted, the mechanical coupling can 82 also between drive wheel 46 and internal combustion engine 14 take place when an additional clutch or a freewheel and an additional gear are provided, according to the mechanical coupling 50 of the 1 , It is also possible to use the rotor of the first electric machine 26 on a continuous mechanical coupling, consisting of the mechanical couplings 48 and 82 to arrange.

The drive electric machine 44 is preferred here as in the drive wheels 46 integrated electric machine formed and the combination of drive wheel 46 and drive electric machine 44 as well as their mechanical coupling 56 can as a hub motor 45 be designed. It should be noted that it is also possible to have a drive wheel 46 to provide that solely by the mechanical coupling 82 respectively. 50 and / or exclusively by the drive electric machine 44 is driven. As already mentioned, in a vehicle are usually more of the drive wheels 46 intended. This applies equally to the Number of wheel hub motors 45 and the electric machines contained therein 44 even though below the elements 44 . 45 and 46 Usually called only in the singular.

For ease of understanding was mentally assume a built in 2000 in series Audi A2 1.2 TDI, which in a Cd coefficient of 0.25 and a curb weight of 855 kg by an exhaust turbo-charged diesel engine with 1,191 ^cm3 displacement with a maximum power powered by 45 kW. The vehicle can accommodate 4 people and a luggage capacity of up to 350 liters. In operation, it has a standard consumption of 3 liters per 100 km and a CO ₂ emission of 81-86 g / km. The top speed is 168 km / h, with an Eco mode is provided, in which the engine power is throttled to a maximum of about 31.5 kW and the maximum speed is limited to 160 km / h, which is safely achieved with this power.

The drive concept according to the invention provides that the generator set 15 in an optimal working range of the internal combustion engine 14 can deliver a power which, in addition to the average power consumption of conventionally operated in the vehicle consumers corresponds to the sum of the driving resistances at a desired, determined by the design design, maximum continuous speed of the vehicle. Specifically, the performance of the internal combustion engine 14 be sized here so that the vehicle is powered solely by the power of the generator 15 Under normal operating and environmental conditions in the plane maintain a maximum speed of, for example, 130 km / h and at the same time can operate conventional ancillaries.

It turns out that here is an internal combustion engine 14 with 25 kW in the optimum operating range. The electric power of the generator 15 can be as needed via the electrical line 68 to the wheel hub motor 45 and / or over the electrical wires 72 . 84 to the battery 34 and / or to the electric machine 40 the electric flywheel 43 be delivered. The electrical lines are each designed bi-directional.

The first electric machine 26 may also be preferred as a starter motor for the internal combustion engine 14 serve, the internal combustion engine 14 However, when the vehicle is moving, it can also be provided by providing the optional mechanical coupling 82 by closing the switchable coupling, not shown, by removing a moment from the drive wheel 46 to be started.

Unless the optional mechanical coupling 82 between the generator 15 and the drive wheel 46 is provided, the first electric machine 26 be designed for a lower power of for example 15 kW or less or be replaced by a conventional starter motor or starter generator to reduce installation space, weight and component costs. In this case, the internal combustion engine is preferred 14 to operate only or at least predominantly when the vehicle is moving, if at least predominantly a power to the drive wheel 46 can be given, which is the difference between the power of the internal combustion engine 14 and the power of the first electric machine 26 or the starter generator corresponds. Due to the low extra cost of a design of the first electric machine 26 on the performance of the internal combustion engine 14 Although this is not preferred, it should be included according to the invention.

The term "optimal work area" includes that the power output of the internal combustion engine 14 to z. B. 20% is variable. The concrete performance range is determined by the accepted percentage degradation of the efficiency, which may be as described above up to 10%, but preferably should not exceed 5% or only in exceptional cases.

Not required for driving the vehicle power of the engine 14 that is not from the electric machine 26 or the starter-generator can be recorded, with rotating drive wheel 46 over the mechanical drive 82 to the drive wheel 46 and from this by the drive electric machine 44 the wheel hub motor 45 taken off again and to load the electric flywheel 43 and / or the battery 34 be used. At standstill or very low rotational speed of the drive wheel 46 is to weigh whether the internal combustion engine 14 be temporarily stopped or temporarily throttled in the performance and thus exceptionally briefly operated outside the optimal work area. Alternatively or additionally, such an operating phase can preferably be used for setting special operating states, for example by heating the internal combustion engine 26 to accelerate to a desired operating temperature, useful heat for temperature control of a passenger compartment and / or the battery 34 to produce or perform a regeneration of catalysts or particulate filters.

It is further provided that the capacity of the flywheel assembly 42 0.75 kWh and that of the flywheel assembly 42 or the electric flywheel 43 deliverable and recordable power is about 100 kW. Would the in 1 shown, fourth mechanical drive 54 supplemented, could be the design of the second electric machine 40 be reduced to a power that corresponds at least to the time-averaged net power requirements in urban and rural road traffic and is assumed here with a maximum of 10 kW. Roughly predictable may be a weight of the electric flywheel 43 of about 35 kg at a volume of about 25 dm ^{3 are} assumed.

The battery 34 has a usable capacity of 7.5 kWh in this example, assuming a useable SOC range of 50% of a nominal capacity of the battery 34 of 15 kWh, which is a nominal capacitance-related, usable SOC range of z. B. 40% to 90% is based. Based on mature lithium-ion battery cells, the battery 34 be accepted with about 130 kg at about 60 dm ³ space.

In the preferred embodiments, there are two or four wheel hub motors 45 with a total electrical design power of 140 KW included, to achieve optimal recuperation either only the wheels of the front axle are electrically driven or in a preferred embodiment as a four-wheel drive, the power approximately in the ratio 70:30 between the drive wheels 46 the front axle and the rear axle is split, resulting in a performance of the two front wheel hub motors 45 each about 50 kW and the two rear wheel hub motors 45 each gives about 20 kW. This allows operation of the wheel hub motors and their control electronics in a range of good efficiency even with low drive and recuperation services. Of course it is also possible, the wheels of an axle by a common electric machine 44 drive.

Opposite the mental starting vehicle can be estimated from a weight of the additional components of 130 kg for the battery 34 and 35 kg for the electric flywheel 43 be assumed. Added to this is the weight of the wheel hub motors 45 and the necessary control equipment, electrical power connections and other small components, which is estimated at a total of about 150 kg.

This additional weight of about 315 kg total weight savings are due to a much smaller internal combustion engine 14 and prefers the omission of the transmission, the shiftable friction clutch and the mechanical drive train 82 to the drive wheels 46 across from. Next, the on-board battery can be interpreted significantly smaller or omitted altogether and a smaller fuel tank and a smaller exhaust system can be used, which reduces the extra weight compared to the initial idea vehicle Audi A2 1.2 TDI to about 200 kg.

• – 5-türiger Minivan für 4 oder 5 Personen mit ca. 1050 kg Gewicht
• – Verbrennungsmotorischer Antriebsstrang in Form eines Stromaggregats 15 mit einem Diesel-Verbrennungsmotor 14 mit 25 KW Leistung im optimalen Arbeitsbereich und einem zugeordneten Kraftstofftank für beispielsweise 10 Liter Kraftstoff sowie einer ersten Elektromaschine 26 mit ebenfalls ca. 25 kW Leistung
• – Schwungradbasierter Antriebsstrang mit einem Elektroschwungrad 43 mit 0,75 kWh nutzbarer Kapazität der Schwungradanordnung 42 und 100 kW maximaler Leistung der integrierten Elektromaschine 40, einer Batterie 34 mit 7,5 kWh nutzbarer Kapazität und einem externen Ladeport 38
• – Vier Radnabenmotoren 45, wobei die auf die Antriebsräder 46 der Vorderachse wirkenden Elektromaschinen 44 eine Leistung von jeweils 50 kW und die auf die Antriebsräder 46 der Hinterachse wirkenden Elektromaschinen 44 eine Leistung von jeweils 20 kW aufweisen.

In summary, the example vehicle is characterized by the following properties:

• - 5-door minivan for 4 or 5 people with about 1050 kg weight
• - Internal combustion engine driveline in the form of a generator 15 with a diesel internal combustion engine 14 with 25 KW power in the optimal working range and an associated fuel tank for example, 10 liters of fuel and a first electric machine 26 also with about 25 kW power
• - Flywheel-based powertrain with an electric flywheel 43 with 0.75 kWh of usable flywheel assembly capacity 42 and 100 kW maximum power of the integrated electric machine 40 , a battery 34 with 7.5 kWh of usable capacity and an external charging port 38
• - Four wheel hub motors 45 , being on the drive wheels 46 the front axle acting electric machines 44 a power of 50 kW each and on the drive wheels 46 the rear axle acting electric machines 44 each having a power of 20 kW.

It should be noted that the power specification of the first electric machine 26 is a continuous power while the power specifications of the other electric machines 40 and 44 if space, weight and cost to be reduced, can also relate to excellence that can be applied over periods that arise from the requirement profiles of the specific vehicle but should be at least about 10 seconds, preferably at least 20 seconds. The continuous power can be selected as needed up to about 50% lower, resulting in a continuous power of the electric machine 40 the electric flywheel 43 of at least 50 kW and a total output of the wheel hub motors 45 from a minimum of about 70 kW.

• – eine Dauerhöchstgeschwindigkeit von 130 km/h unter ausschließlicher Nutzung des Verbrennungsmotors 14 aufweist,
• – Bei ausreichendem SOC der Batterie 34 eine erweiterte Dauerhöchstgeschwindigkeit von ca. 170 km/h aufweist,
• – eine maximale dynamische Antriebsleistung von 140 KW aufweist, wobei das Stromaggregat 15 ca. 25 kW und das Elektroschwungrad 43 ca. 100 kW Leistung bereitstellen können und die zu 140 KW fehlenden 15 KW bei Bedarf aus der Batterie 34 entnommen werden können,
• – bei voll geladener Batterie 34 und einem angenommenen durchschnittlichen Leistungsbedarf unter Berücksichtigung weitgehend vollständiger Rekuperation von 7,5 kW eine lokal emissionsfreie Fahrzeit von ca. einer Stunde aufweist,
• – die Batterie 34 aufgrund der im Normalbetrieb lediglich zur Nachladung der Schwungradanordnung 42 bzw. des Elektroschwungrades 43 benötigten Leistung von ca. 5 bis 10 kW sehr schonend und mit zeitlich weitgehend konstantem Strom entladen werden kann, was deren Lebensdauer erheblich verlängert, Temperierungsprobleme weitgehend vermeidet und ggf. eine Erweiterung des nutzbaren SOC-Bereiches ermöglicht,
• – durch die hohe maximale Rekuperationsleistung von 140 kW durch die Radnamenmotoren 45 in nahezu allen Betriebszuständen eine weitgehend vollständige Rekuperation ermöglicht,
• – eine weitgehend freie Platzierung und Anordnung des Stromaggregates 15, der Batterie 34 und des Elektroschwungrades 43 im Fahrzeug erlaubt,
• – bei geeigneter Auslegung auf große Teile des bisher notwendigen Aufwandes für eine herkömmliche Bremsanlage verzichten kann.

This inventive dimensioning of the components creates a vehicle which

• - a maximum continuous speed of 130 km / h with the exclusive use of the internal combustion engine 14 having,
• - With sufficient SOC of the battery 34 has an extended maximum permissible speed of approx. 170 km / h,
• - Has a maximum dynamic drive power of 140 KW, the generator 15 about 25 kW and the electric flywheel 43 can provide about 100 kW of power and the 140 KW missing 15 KW if needed from the battery 34 can be taken
• - with fully charged battery 34 and assuming an average power requirement, taking into account largely complete recuperation of 7.5 kW, a locally emission-free travel time of approximately one hour,
• - the battery 34 due to the normal operation only for recharging the flywheel assembly 42 or the electric flywheel 43 Required power of about 5 to 10 kW can be discharged very gently and with temporally largely constant current, which significantly prolongs their life, largely avoids Temperierungsprobleme and possibly allows an extension of the usable SOC range,
• - due to the high maximum recuperation power of 140 kW through the wheel name motors 45 Allows almost complete recuperation in almost all operating states
• - A largely free placement and arrangement of the generator 15 , the battery 34 and the electric flywheel 43 allowed in the vehicle,
• - Can dispense with a suitable design to large parts of the hitherto necessary effort for a conventional brake system.

This performance is mainly due to the fact that power and maximum energy content of the electric flywheel 43 be sized so that in almost all operating conditions of its full power of 100 kW for the drive is available or from the drive in the electric flywheel 43 can be recuperated while the battery 34 essentially only for recharging the electric flywheel 43 to compensate for unavoidable energy losses due to air resistance and friction and possibly for the operation of ancillaries is used and the internal combustion engine 14 is dimensioned so that it is on long trips or largely discharged battery 14 has sufficient power to compensate for these losses at a desired maximum steady-state speed, and recharge the battery at lower powers required to drive the vehicle 34 and the electric flywheel 43 allows.

Only by the relative design of the components to each other a vehicle is possible, which with excellent dynamic performance for shorter, of the usable capacity and the SOC of the battery 34 100 km) as flywheel electric vehicle locally emission-free operable and at the same time also for long-distance journeys without restrictions is suitable. Of course, the usable capacity of the battery 34 be selected larger or smaller if required, if a larger locally emission-free range is to be realized or a lower is considered sufficient. At a reduction of the battery 34 However, it should be noted that this should be interpreted as large that the positive effects of a low specific loading and unloading capacity C are maintained and preferably largely below 2 C, preferably below 1.5 C and particularly preferably in normal operation (according to NEDC Driving cycle with switched off internal combustion engine) below 1 C lie.

Hereinafter, with reference to 3 together with 2 Essential operating conditions and modes of operation of the example vehicle and their essential advantages explained that result from the advantageous dimensioning of the components.

3 shows a flowchart showing the essential steps for the cold start of the vehicle, the warm start and normal operation of the vehicle in the flywheel mode, extended maximum maximum speed, in range-outboard and in boost mode, the essential logical steps for reasons of Clarity without possibly necessary or meaningful intermediate steps are shown, which will supplement the expert if necessary according to the specific design of the vehicle and its design criteria.

The flowchart proceeds from a cold start of the stationary vehicle with the internal combustion engine switched off in step S1 14 and a very low SOC of the electric flywheel 43 out. Subsequently, in step S2, it is determined whether the state of the battery 34 is sufficient so that it can deliver a power P1, which is greater than a minimum power Pmin1. This is necessary to the internal combustion engine 14 by means of the first electric machine 26 through directly from the battery 34 to start the withdrawn power. For this purpose, the operating state of the battery is determined by means of various parameters, in particular, the SOC of the battery 34 , their temperature or their SOH. Furthermore, the aging of the battery is also preferred 34 considered. Pmin1 can be a fixed power, even under unfavorable conditions for a safe start of the engine 14 is sufficient. If necessary, however, Pmin1 can also be determined taking into account parameters such as the outside temperature, the engine oil temperature, or historical power values determined for the start of the internal combustion engine.

If the battery condition is not sufficient (P1 <Pmin1), the electric flywheel will first 43 in step S3 with a low power from the battery 34 to one for the subsequent starting of the internal combustion engine 14 accelerates sufficient SOCmin1 and then in step S4 of internal combustion engine 14 with the electric flywheel 43 removed energy through the first electric machine 26 started. The from the battery 34 in the electric flywheel 43 transmitted power can in turn be chosen in dependence on the aforementioned parameters of the battery so that it is at least not permanently damaged. The performance can be a very aged, partially defective, almost completely discharged or very cold battery 34 be very low and in extreme cases only a few 10 watts. Because this power in the electric flywheel 43 collected after a few seconds and at the latest after a few minutes in the electric flywheel 43 a sufficient amount of energy available to safely start the engine with the required high power can. The vehicle is ready to go. Thus, now stands the performance of the internal combustion engine 14 available, which is 25 kW in the preferred embodiment.

Energy not required to drive the vehicle is used in step S5 to drive the flywheel 43 continue to accelerate and / or the battery 34 to charge and / or to heat as long as they have not yet reached their optimum SOCs or operating temperature or until the operation of the internal combustion engine is terminated by a command of the driver or a device of the vehicle.

If the query in S2 indicates that the battery condition is sufficient to provide the required power (P1 ≥ Pmin1), it is first checked in step S6 whether there is an explicit request for operation of the vehicle in the engine-powered mode or if the battery 34 has an SOC, SOH or a battery temperature that does not allow or does not appear desirable to start the vehicle in a flywheel mode.

If so (Yes in step S6), it goes to step S7 and the internal combustion engine 14 with out of the battery 34 removed power by the first electric machine 26 started and the vehicle is in the above-described, ready to drive state of step S5.

Normally the SOC is the battery 34 however, their state of health (SOH) and temperature are sufficient to provide sufficient discharge power and amount of energy to start the vehicle in flywheel mode. If there is no explicit requirement for operation of the vehicle in the combustion engine mode in step S6, the query of step S6 in normal operation of the vehicle is therefore usually answered with "no" and there is a jump to step S8.

If this is the case, it is decided in step S9 whether the out of the battery 34 power P is at least equal to Pmin2 (P ≥ Pmin2), where Pmin1 <Pmin2 and Pmin2 a possible discharging power of the battery 34 which enables direct drive of the vehicle by energy removed from the battery, as described below in steps S12 and S13.

Is that out of the battery 34 Removable power P less than Pmin2, for example, 20 kW, in step S10 first the electric flywheel 43 by means of the battery 34 discharged energy to a sufficient for the start of driving SOCmin2 charged. This can happen with a sufficiently charged battery 34 be the case at very low battery temperature at which the removal power of the battery 34 initially limited to a few kW to keep their aging low. With use of the battery 34 and possibly additional heating increases their performance in a short time. A maximum initial power for driving the vehicle of less than z. B. 20 kW should be avoided for reasons of road safety and would also give the driver an unpleasant driving experience.

The SOCmin2 of the electric flywheel 43 can be fixed or preferably based on the battery 34 removable power and an estimate of the increase of this power based on further battery parameters, in particular SOC, SOH and battery temperature can be set variably. In very cold battery 34 or one of the battery for other reasons for the vehicle drive removable power of z. B. maximum of only 5 kW, the achieved before driving SOC of the electric flywheel 43 For example, be considerably higher than one from the battery 34 Removable power of 10 KW, since the recharging capacity of the battery 34 in the electric flywheel 43 in the first few minutes of the journey in the former case, with high probability, will not be sufficient to compensate for the energy losses of the vehicle. Of course, more complex calculations of the SOCmin2 of the electric flywheel are 43 including z. B. an accepted aging of the battery 34 , the outside temperature and a possible heating power to heat the battery 34 , a battery model, a prediction of the route profile to be traveled and other influencing factors conceivable and useful.

With reaching the SOCmin2 of the electric flywheel 43 At the end of step S10, step S11 is proceeded to, in which the vehicle is ready to run in flywheel mode. In this condition, the total achievable by the electric flywheel power of 100 KW, possibly minus the Power requirements of ancillaries, available for driving the vehicle.

It should be noted that the up to the readiness of the vehicle for charging the electric flywheel 43 required time span can be shortened from the perspective of the driver by the beginning of the charging of the electric flywheel 43 For example, already at a release of the vehicle doors, possibly via a special button, or when approaching the driver's door with a transponder or by a time code is initiated. To increase the satisfaction of the users, it makes sense to provide them with information about the remaining time until the vehicle is ready to drive, for example in the form of a countdown of an optical display, for example a car. B. by a bar graph, so that they can make a qualified decision whether they want to wait for the readiness for travel in flywheel mode or prefer immediate driving readiness by a manual request of the internal combustion engine mode, resulting in a not shown in the figure change to step S7 or S3 would lead.

If it is decided in step S9 that the removal of a high discharge power of at least Pmin2 (preferably at least, for example, 20 kW) from the battery for driving the vehicle is possible and an internal combustion engine mode has not been explicitly selected, step S12 is entered. In this case may be due to charging the electric flywheel 43 be waived on a SOC of SOCmin2 and the associated waiting time. The battery 34 can here in step S12 sufficient for the start of the trip or acceptable performance for the drive of the wheel hub motors 45 of about 20 kW directly in this example. The vehicle is thus immediately ready for use, albeit initially only with a low maximum power, that of the battery 34 deliverable power, less the power of the ancillaries corresponds.

Once for the drive of the vehicle a lower than that from the battery 34 is obtained in consideration of SOC, SOH and battery temperature maximum extractable power, in step S13, depending on the state of the battery 34 , in particular their SOC, SOH and temperature, either increases the SOC of the flywheel and / or reduces the withdrawal power from the battery to minimize its aging.

It should be noted that the battery 34 can be charged with a higher discharge current than 1 C for a short period of time when performing the step S13 and possibly and to a lesser extent when performing the step S14 explained below.

Starting from a nominal battery capacity of 15 kWh of the example vehicle, a maximum discharge capacity of the battery of 1.5 C can be released for a short time at suitable battery states, in particular battery temperature and SOH, for example. Since the vehicle is at the beginning, this also allows for initially completely discharged electric flywheel 43 an immediate provision of a driving performance that is not perceived as restricted from the driver's point of view for out-of-the-way driving or driving out of a parking lot and is also acceptable for city traffic acceleration for a few seconds. The electric flywheel 43 would z. B. after 15 seconds Ausparkvorgang at a battery power of 1.5 C corresponding to about 22 kW and at an average in this time to charge the electric flywheel 43 available power of 18 kW have an energy content of about 0.075 kWh, which would be mathematically sufficient to accelerate the vehicle with a power of 100 kW alone from the electric flywheel to a speed of about 75 km / h, in addition to the battery 34 an output of up to 22 kW is available. Even taking into account conversion losses and due to low speeds not useful usable flywheel charge below z. Thus, for example, 5% SOC, it is unlikely that a driver will be in the first few seconds of a cold start with stationary flywheel assembly 42 but sufficiently powerful battery ever noticed limited vehicle performance. However, this increased discharging current of the battery at the start of the vehicle is required only when the flywheel SOC is initially very low, and forms a period of usually less than 30 seconds negligible relative to the total operating time of the vehicle special case.

In summary, it is clear from the described steps S1 to S13 that the vehicle is also in the initially discharged state of the electric flywheel 43 always be started immediately. Is the possible power output of the battery 34 so small that they do not even have the internal combustion engine 14 over the electric machine 26 can start directly, is first the electric flywheel 43 loaded so far that with its help a safe start of the internal combustion engine 14 can be done (steps S2-S5). It is sufficient for the direct start of the internal combustion engine 14 , this is started directly according to the steps S6, S7 and S5, unless the possible power output is sufficient for a start of the vehicle in the flywheel-based drive mode or explicitly by the driver or a device of the vehicle, the internal combustion engine drive mode was requested. Suffices the possible power output of the battery 34 to the vehicle in the flywheel-based drive mode in Operation and is set by the driver or a device of the vehicle no commissioning in internal combustion engine operating mode, is sufficient for sufficient performance of the battery 34 according to steps S12 to S13, the driving power of the vehicle in the first seconds directly from the battery 34 removed and the electric flywheel 43 with available, not for the propulsion of the vehicle and the operation of ancillaries required performance accelerated. If the battery power does not suffice for this purpose, according to steps S10 to S11, the electric flywheel first becomes 43 charged to a safe start of the journey sufficient SOC.

As long as the electric flywheel 43 is not yet accelerated to its desired or optimal SOC, the desired performance in normal operation, however, can not be fully provided. Therefore, in order to establish the full operational readiness, the electric flywheel is then in step S14 43 accelerated to an optimal SOC (SOCopt), for which while the generator is running 15 the current power not required for the drive of the vehicle and the ancillaries of the generator 15 and taking into account their performance alternatively or if necessary, in addition to the battery 34 be used. With the generator off 15 the energy is taken out of the battery taking into account their SOC, SOH and the battery temperature alone 34 taken. If this is not possible or sensible, because z. B. the SOC of the battery is low, the engine is started analogously to step S7. In both cases, the electric flywheel is additionally accelerated during recuperative braking of the vehicle.

Should the driver so desire, he can increase the available total power, and if a device of the vehicle does not explicitly specify the flywheel-based drive mode, the internal combustion engine at any time 14 Start according to step S7. The internal combustion engine drive mode can also be started automatically by a device for specifying the drive mode, for example, if the demand for energy for driving the vehicle and the operation of ancillary units exceeds a limit or the SOC of the battery 34 falls below a threshold.

The device for specifying the drive mode can be based, for example, on an evaluation of the current location of the vehicle and its stay in a zone in which the operation in internal combustion engine mode is not permitted, but also take into account other influencing variables, in particular the state data of the various units of the vehicle but may also include other parameters. For example, the internal combustion engine 14 be started automatically if due to very cold exterior and / or interior temperatures, it can be assumed that a significant performance for the operation of heaters is called immediately after or after departure, if it can be concluded that due to known from a navigation system data immediately after Ride should be driven on a significant slope or if it is known from data of the navigation system that the vehicle will enter in a short time with high probability in a zero-emission zone and the charging of the battery 34 is rated as insufficient. Conversely, the device for specifying the drive mode, for example, specify the flywheel-based drive mode, if from z. B. data from a navigation device can be concluded that the operation of the internal combustion engine is not permitted or desired.

Because the electric flywheel 43 with a suitable design, in particular a storage in a substantial vacuum or a reduced pressure hydrogen or helium atmosphere, loses relatively little energy to the environment, it can by default by a control device, not shown, at usual parking times of the vehicle from a few hours to a few days a speed of rotation suitable for immediate operation of the vehicle in the flywheel-based drive mode. With mains charging via the external charging port 38 can the electric flywheel 43 parallel or alternatively to a charging of the battery 34 accelerated to a desired speed and / or kept in a desired speed range. The cold start described in steps S1 to S13 therefore represents a special case in the operation of the vehicle, which rarely occurs in practice, depending on the design of the control, for example, after returning from a holiday.

At a warm start is the SOC of the electric flywheel 43 for an immediate start of the journey sufficiently high, which is the situation described in S11. If the combustion engine driving mode is explicitly specified by the driver or the device for specifying the drive mode, the internal combustion engine can be started in accordance with the steps described in S4 or S7. Subsequently, the SOC of the electric flywheel 43 as described in step S14, to an optimum SOC, or at least a minimum SOC sufficient for full ride-ready, accelerates.

At the end of step 14 the vehicle is completely ready to drive. This means in particular that the SOC of the electric flywheel 43 is sufficiently high to operate under normal operating conditions to not cause driver perceivable performance limitations of the vehicle. In step S15, it is determined whether the internal combustion engine 14 or the generator 15 is in operation. If this is the case, the generated and not required by ancillaries electrical energy is used in step S16 primarily for the drive of the vehicle in order to minimize the conversion losses. Excess power is used to power the flywheel 43 and / or the battery 34 to load, choosing which component 43 . 34 which part of the available power is to be loaded primarily depends on their SOCs and their deviation from an optimal SOC and can additionally be made dependent on the already mentioned plurality of battery parameters.

In step S17, it is determined whether the operating time of the power generator has reached a desired time and simultaneously the electric flywheel 43 and the battery 34 have at least a sufficient or preferably optimal SOC, and it is checked whether a command for non-operation or shutdown of the internal combustion engine 14 is present by the driver or by the means for specifying the drive mode. The operation of the internal combustion engine 14 over a certain minimum period of time is preferred in order to keep the proportionate operation with cold engine and exhaust system low. If these two queries are answered with no (N), there is a return to step S16, otherwise the internal combustion engine becomes 14 in step 18 is switched off and there is a return to step S14.

With the internal combustion engine switched off 14 (No in step S15), it is first checked in step S19 whether the SOC of the battery 34 a recharge by the internal combustion engine 14 of the generator 15 required or desirable and at the same time the operation of the internal combustion engine 14 is allowed. If this is the case (Yes in step S19), in step S20 the internal combustion engine becomes analogous to the procedure described in step S7 14 started and then jumped to step S16.

Whether charging the battery 34 and possibly the electric flywheel 43 required or desirable, in addition to the SOC and SOH of the battery 34 also from the current or expected future performance of the wheel hub motors 45 be made dependent. If, for example, it is foreseeable that the vehicle will soon be driving on a long and considerable gradient, the start of the internal combustion engine may be required 14 up to a lower SOC of the battery 34 to be postponed, because shortly with a recuperative charge of the battery 34 is to be expected. If, on the other hand, driving on a long and steep slope is to be expected, trailer operation will be detected, if a zero-emissions zone is expected to drive soon, or if the driver's driving style results in an increased average energy demand, the limit for triggering the recharge may be exceeded battery 34 through the generator 15 corresponding to a higher SOC of the battery 34 be moved. Of course, a variety of other factors, in particular a forecast of an imminent grid charge and the energy required until then and other state variables of the vehicle can be taken into account.

In step 21 It checks whether the power requirement of the vehicle taking into account the performance of ancillaries without an internal combustion engine 14 can be fulfilled, which is the case in the example of the vehicle usually with power requirements for the drive of the vehicle of less than 115-100 kW. If this is not the case, and is the operation of the internal combustion engine 14 allowed, also becomes step 20 jumped and the internal combustion engine 14 started.

Of course, it is also possible to increase the reaction speed of the step S21 independently of the passage of the steps S15 and S19 when the internal combustion engine is switched off 14 to perform at a high frequency. Likewise, the other steps mentioned can be sensibly varied or reversed in the order as long as the described effects of the control / regulation on the vehicle components are identical or comparable. In this case, the process presented is a specific design that should not restrict the scope of protection.

Summarized by the steps S14 to S21 of the internal combustion engine 14 started, if not prevented by the driver or the device for specifying the drive mode and either the SOC of the battery 34 should be raised or the without internal combustion engine 14 available power for driving the vehicle and the operation of the ancillaries is not sufficient. It is ensured that the operating time of the internal combustion engine 14 sufficient to operate this and the exhaust system largely predominantly in a suitable temperature range.

It should be noted that it is in the recharging of the electric flywheel 43 through the battery 34 as well as the charge of the battery 34 and the electric flywheel 43 is an analytical consideration. In operating phases in which the vehicle with the help of the electric flywheel 43 is accelerated, reduces the Nachladeleistung the battery 34 for example, the discharge of the electric flywheel 43 , something here as well should be considered as a recharge. In practice, the most advantageous energy paths depend, in addition to the specific design of the drive system, for example, on the actual and desired load levels of the electric flywheel 43 and the battery 34 , the efficiencies of the individual components and the power required for the drive of the vehicle and the operation of ancillary units, the desired charging levels as described above in turn can be made dependent on a variety of other parameters.

Not in the 3 Included are emergency operating modes, which will be discussed briefly below.

In case of a defect in the area of the generator 15 or the internal combustion engine drive train 10 the vehicle remains fully fit for driving, as long as the battery 34 sufficient SOC and sufficient power to the electric flywheel 43 in a sufficient SOC range. In this case, the range of the vehicle can be adjusted if necessary by releasing an additional SOC range of the battery 34 be increased significantly, especially if the discharge of the battery 34 in the electric flywheel 43 to a low value of z. B. 0.5 C, or 0.3 C is limited. Even with a defect in the area of the electric flywheel 43 or the flywheel-based powertrain the vehicle remains fully operational with limited performance. Also in the case of a nearly discharged or defective battery 34 the vehicle can be started provided the battery 34 can provide at least a low power. As preferred, the wheel hub motors 45 are available multiple times and can be operated independently of each other, the vehicle has a very high reliability against staying on.

In the following, some advantages that can be achieved by the dimensioning of the components according to the invention and / or the operating sequences described above will be described.

First, the charging and discharging of the battery 34 at least almost completely kept in a range below 1 C, allowing the temperature of the battery 34 relieved and reduced the necessary effort. The permissible charging and discharging current can be made dependent on the battery data to a large extent without serious effects on the driving performance and the battery 34 so that they are treated very gently, especially with regard to their aging.

Second, in flywheel-based mode, depending on the allowable discharge power of the battery 34 and the power requirement of secondary consumers a drive power of 85 to about 115 kW are provided, with a permitted discharge current of the battery 34 from more than 1 C also more.

Third, if desired by starting the internal combustion engine 14 the maximum drive power can be increased by a further approx. 25 kW, whereby a maximum drive power of up to 140 kW can be provided.

Fourth, with a sufficient battery SOC, until its drop to a predetermined minimum, an increased steady state maximum speed is possible by reducing the power of the generator 15 by a maximum of the possible discharge power of the battery 34 is increased for driving the vehicle and the operation of ancillaries. At the beginning of fully charged battery 34 and assuming a maximum discharge current of 1 C corresponding to 15 kW, the total power thus increases from approximately 25 kW to approximately 40 kW for a travel time of approximately 30 minutes, which corresponds to an extended maximum maximum speed of approximately 170 km / h. The electric flywheel allows 43 continue to provide a much higher drive power in the short term.

Regarding the charge level of the battery 34 and the electric flywheel 43 When driving, the following interpretations are preferred, which are approximate, which may be modified depending on a variety of parameters:
At a SOC of the battery 34 below about 20% will recharge the battery 34 through the generator 15 if its operation is permitted and unless soon enough with a charge of the battery 34 is expected by a network charge and / or a long downhill stretch. Of course, a charge of the battery 34 also be triggered manually or automatically at a higher SOC, for example, to prepare the vehicle for a ride with increased average power requirements such as driving above the maximum speed or driving a longer slope, to allow a long range in flywheel mode or if a high payload or a Deterioration of the Cw value, for example, by a roof rack or a trailer is present. Further, as already mentioned, if necessary, an additional SOC range of the battery 34 from Z. B. up to 15% of the nominal battery capacity corresponding to 30% SOC be released to avoid a power loss of the vehicle. Will the power generator 15 for other reasons, For example, started by a manual request of the driver or to provide a retrieved additional drive power, preferably also takes place at a higher SOC of the battery 34 a charge thereof, to a beneficial long duration of operation of the internal combustion engine 14 and a correspondingly small proportion of operating time with a cold internal combustion engine 14 or cold exhaust system to cause.

Will the generator 15 started, the battery is 34 preferably charged to at least 90%, preferably to near 100% SOC, provided the operation of the power generator 15 and is not expected to incur a significant recuperative charge or mains charge, which results in a lower SOC of the battery 34 makes sense at the end of the loading phase. For a normal recharge of the battery 34 with the help of the generator 15 the battery will be at the assumed power of the generator 15 of 25 kW and an assumed average power requirement for the drive of the vehicle and the operation of ancillary units of about 10 kW with about 15 kW charged, resulting in an advantageous long operating time of the power generator of about 24 minutes and a charging current of the battery of 1 C corresponds. If the power required to drive the vehicle and ancillaries drops below 10 kW, it may be possible with the electric flywheel 43 a part of the electric charging power is stored in this and / or the power of the internal combustion engine 14 or the generator 15 If necessary, as already mentioned, temporarily reduced by up to 20%, corresponding to 5 kW, to the charging current of the battery 34 if possible to limit to 1 C, and / or temporarily increased charging current of preferably maximum up to 1.5 C are allowed.

The target SOC of the electric flywheel 43 should always be at least sufficient in normal driving to accelerate the vehicle from a standstill to the maximum speed, but at least 100 km / h, which in the embodiment of an amount of energy of about 0.12 to 0.2 kWh and thus a degree of loading of about 16% to 27% SOC equals.

It is advantageous if the minimum desired SOC of the electric flywheel 43 In addition, always chosen so that the vehicle based on its current speed with the help of the electric flywheel 43 by a fixed predetermined or situation-dependent differential speed of, for example, 40 km / h, but can be accelerated to a maximum maximum speed of the vehicle. This allows a fast acceleration in all operating conditions and gives the driver the impression of always possible maximum driving performance. At a technically possible maximum speed of the vehicle of 200 km / h would be at a speed of 160 km / h thus an amount of energy of at least 0.185 kWh, corresponding to 25% SOC flywheel assembly 42 reproach. Preferably, however, the SOC of the electric flywheel 43 also be sufficient for maintaining the achieved speed over a fixed or dynamically predetermined distance or period of time, which will be explained in more detail below with reference to the display concept. In the design relevant case of a driving speed of 160 km / h, the minimum target SOC of the electric flywheel 43 therefore roughly 40% SOC.

The maximum target SOC of the electric flywheel 43 should always be so small that the entire kinetic energy of the vehicle in the flywheel 42 is recuperable. In the design example, the kinetic energy of the vehicle at a travel speed of 130 km / h or 180 km / h is roughly 0.20 kWh or 0.38 kWh, which is a maximum target SOC of the flywheel 42 of about 73% and 49% SOC, respectively. For the design-relevant case of a driving speed of 160 km / h at a possible maximum speed of 200 km / h, a free SOC of approx. 44%, corresponding to an energy amount of approx. 0.33 kWh, would have to be provided, whereby the setpoint SOC range of the flywheel assembly 42 between 40% and 46%. At lower and higher speeds, the target SOC range expands. It can be seen that the dimensioning of the capacity of the electric flywheel with respect to the example vehicle and a design to a technically possible maximum speed of 200 km / h is an optimum.

The desired optimum SOC may preferably be in the range of 60% to 100% of the span between the minimum and maximum target SOC of the flywheel 43 lie. The for the recharge of the electric flywheel 43 from the battery 34 The power drawn can preferably be chosen as a function of the difference between the optimum and actual SOC and / or the speed at which the SOC moves away from the optimum SOC. Here is the total load of the battery 34 essentially limited to a discharge current of 1 C, here corresponding to 15 kW, which can be exceeded in exceptional cases, if necessary, however, if the state of the battery allows this. With less reloading of the electric flywheel 43 The charging power can be advantageously lowered, reducing the battery 34 is burdened with only about 0.3 to 0.7 C over long operating phases.

The proposed dimensioning of the drive components further enables an advantageous design of the electrical components for demand-based conversion of electrical energy and thus high efficiency of these components. With a design of the charging electronics of the battery to a maximum of 1.5 C and the power electronics of the electric flywheel to 100 kW, these components can be operated predominantly in a power range between 15 and 80% and thus in a range of good efficiency. To further reduce conversion losses, it is preferably also possible to divide these services into a plurality of components which can be operated in parallel, with a division into 2 or 3 subcomponents being preferably divided into ratios of 30:70 and 15:30:55, respectively.

By dividing the power of the wheel hub motors 45 of a maximum of 140 kW in the ratio of about 70:30 between the front and rear axle is not only a largely complete recuperative braking possible even with strong delays from high speeds, but it can also be preferred at low drive and braking power hub motors 45 the rear axle driven or operated as a generator and so the efficiency can be increased. If a further optimization of the efficiencies is desired, it is still possible, the performance of the rear wheel hub motors 45 From here each 20 kW each split into two parallel Hubnabenmotorenen- with, for example, 5 kW and 15 kW, which also very low drive power, as they often occur in a mere maintenance of driving speed in city and highway traffic, can be produced with optimal efficiency.

Next allows the preferred limitation of the charging and discharging the battery 34 to 1.5 C, a design of the charging electronics to a continuous power of about 22 kW, which at a mains charge of the battery 34 can be discharged from a protected with 32 amps three-phase power outlet in 3 · 230 V network, which allows fast charging of a fully discharged battery in just over 20 minutes. On a conventional "household three-phase socket" protected with 16 amperes, the charging time would be at a maximum of 11 kW in twice the time and with an advantageously small charging current of about 0.73 C. On a conventional, protected with 16 amp 230 volt household socket charging power of 3.6 kW is possible, which corresponds to an even acceptable charging time of just over 2 hours at a charging current of less than 0.25 C.

In contrast to conventional hybrid vehicles, the typical charging and discharging currents of the battery 34 in the normal driving mode of the vehicle preferably 5 kW to 10 kW and preferably at most 20 kW, corresponding to 1/3 to a maximum of 4/3 C, whereby the charge controller can always work in a range of good energy efficiency. Should an extreme power requirement in the short term, a higher discharge of z. B. 30 kW may be desired, this peak power usually way for a few seconds by a designed to 22 kW charging electronics are taken.

One by the advantageous dimensioning of the battery 34 , allowed limiting the charging and discharging power on - with the exception of short-term power peaks - 22 kW allows further interpretation of the battery voltage at or just below 100 or 120 volts. This allows a berührspannungssicherere design of the battery 34 , so that when the vehicle is not completely disconnected from the electrical system, which in turn requires the use of the battery 34 also allows for the supply of low-voltage consumers of the 12-volt electrical system, whereby a separate low-voltage electrical system battery can be advantageously eliminated. Further it becomes possible without special safety devices, the battery 34 even when the vehicle is parked to maintain an optimal for this state SOCs of the electric flywheel 43 to use or at high SOC of the electric flywheel 43 after switching off the vehicle part of the energy of the flywheel 43 in the battery 34 to charge and the losses of the electric flywheel 43 minimize it when the vehicle is parked. At the same time the necessary effort to ensure the electrical safety against personal injury decreases considerably.

Further, if necessary, the electrical lines 64 . 66 . 68 . 72 and 84 be designed for a safe to touch DC voltage, as here except for the electrical lines 66 to the wheel hub motors 45 the front axle can also be transmitted power of up to 25 kW. The wheel hub motors 45 Although the front axle with up to 50 kW have a higher maximum power, but here are in an arrangement of the electric flywheel 43 In the area of the front axle, the necessary cable lengths are very low. It is thus possible, non-contact safe voltages in the drive power system of the vehicle when needed largely or completely on the individual electric machines 26 . 40 . 44 associated control devices and the charging electronics of the battery 34 provided these facilities are in close proximity to the relevant electrical machines 26 . 40 . 44 or the battery 34 to be ordered. This also allows a substantial reduction of the necessary effort to prevent personal injury.

The temperature of the battery 34 is a problem in hybrid vehicles often because Lithium ion cells can be operated in a fairly narrow optimal temperature window of mostly about 15-25 ° C with optimum efficiency and minimal aging. Temperatures above approx. 60 ° C and below approx. 0 ° C should be avoided during operation, as they lead to rapid aging and / or too low deliverable performances. In operation is a heating of the battery 34 can not be avoided by the internal resistance and the resulting power loss. The power loss, however, depends strongly on the flowing current. Due to the relatively low and uniform charging and discharging the temperature of the battery designed 34 Therefore, in a design according to the invention of the drive comparatively little critical, which allows a considerable reduction of the necessary effort. Therefore, it can be used here on Peltier elements that can be used either for cooling and heating of the battery.

Another advantage results from the dimensioning and distribution of the performance of the wheel hub motors 45 , Thus, the front wheels can be independently accelerated or decelerated with each 50 kW and the rear wheels independently of each other with 20 kW each. The potential deceleration of a wheel-driven motor vehicle is physically limited to approximately 0.8 G due to the static friction coefficient between rubber and dry asphalt. With a heavy braking with 0.6 g and a total vehicle weight of 1200 kg can be braked completely recuperative up to a speed of about 70 km / h. Are the wheel hub motors 45 designed for a continuous load of 50 or 20 kW and a short-term peak performance of 150%, the vehicle can with a total weight of 1200 kg alone by the wheel hub motors 45 From a speed of about 107 km / h with 0.6 G and from a speed of 80 km / h with 0.8 G are delayed, provided that the generated electrical energy of about 210 kW can be dissipated in the top. This is, for example, by loading the rear wheel hub motors 45 by a torque opposite to the direction of rotation with simultaneous maximum charge of the flywheel and the battery possible.

However, with a maximum vehicle top speed of 160, 180 or 200 km / h, the maximum braking power exceeds the performance of the wheel hub motors 45 why can not be dispensed with another brake. The good control capability of the wheel hub motors 45 applied torques allows, however, to integrate the functions of an antilock braking system, an electronic stability program, a slip control and other dynamic driving assistance systems in the control of the drive train and the other brake relatively low power, easy and low overall braking performance over the life and thus light, small and to train cost-effectively. Optionally, can be completely dispensed with an additional brake for the rear wheels. The further brake is preferably a conventional friction brake, in particular a small-sized disc brake, which can also be used to decelerate the vehicle from very low speeds to a stop and as a parking brake.

The proposed drive concept is characterized by a very high degree of design freedom, since the essential components are power generator 15 , Electric flywheel 43 and battery 34 can be placed almost anywhere in the vehicle.

According to a development of the drive concept can be provided that the generator 15 if necessary with or without the tank 20 and not shown components, in particular the control of the generator 15 and its exhaust system, is designed as a module, which is preferably removed as a whole from the vehicle. In this way, if desired, the weight of the vehicle can be reduced by the weight of said components, as long as the battery capacity for the planned journeys is considered sufficient.

The freed by the removal of the generator module space can be made available, for example, by providing a corresponding insert as a further luggage space or it can be installed if required, another battery to increase the local emission-free range.

A developed generator module can, if necessary, by installation in a stand-alone module that includes not removed from the vehicle components such as a control device, a fuel tank and / or an exhaust system, operated as a mobile power generator. If this mobile generator set can be controlled by a network operator, it can be used, for example, to cover power peaks or to provide control energy. Especially with vehicles that are used at least during the week, mostly for the trip to work and other relatively short distances, the generator set 15 be supplied to such a meaningful secondary use. Of course, it makes sense for this purpose, the power pack module and possibly a built-in battery module in such a way that it can be installed and removed by the user without special knowledge in a short time and possibly installed in a stand-alone module, for which it is preferred as an encapsulated unit with Quick connections for fresh air, exhaust gas, fuel, electrical energy and control signals is formed.

If the vehicle is using the external charging port 38 connected to an external power grid and the network operator can, if necessary, in particular to compensate for short-term power peaks request a feed of electrical power from the vehicle into the power grid, up to about 22 KW through the generator 15 and / or the battery 34 to be provided. If the charge control is designed accordingly, it is also involving the battery 34 , the electric flywheel 43 and / or the generator 15 the short-term provision of higher benefits possible.

It has been shown that the described drive concept can be advantageously supplemented by a display concept which will be described in more detail below.

The proposed drive concept gives a driver the impression that the vehicle at any time on a drive power of at least about 115 KW, when operating the generator 15 even has over 140 kW of power. However, situations are conceivable in which the electric flywheel 43 , which provides about 100 kW most of the maximum power, while driving is discharged so far that it can no longer deliver drive power, whereby the maximum providable drive power for the driver unforeseen and strong to a maximum of about 35 kW-45 kW can lose weight. Because the electric flywheel 43 can deliver substantially full power to almost complete discharge, a surprising for the driver power sink into dangerous situations, for example, during an overtaking process.

To mitigate the collapse of the drive power, it makes sense, the power transfer with substantial discharge of the electric flywheel 43 by an increasing limitation of the electric flywheel 43 deliverable power to make less abrupt, with a request for maximum power, for example, by a kickdown of the accelerator pedal, if necessary, can be exempted from this. Furthermore, it makes sense, the short-term possible discharge power of the battery 34 if possible on z. B. 30 kW, corresponding to 2 C increase, if the current battery parameters and the design of the battery electronics allow this. This increase in the discharge power of the battery 34 may be preferred already at a SOC of the electric flywheel 43 from Z. For example, use 20% to delay a performance dip and avoid it altogether if possible.

However, drives the vehicle over a longer distance at a speed; which is well above the maximum continuous speed or is for other reasons, for example, in a long-haul driving or pulling a trailer over a longer period, a power for driving the vehicle and the operation of the ancillary units retrieved, which is above the power of the generator 15 from here 25 kW plus the maximum discharge power of the battery assumed here with a maximum of 15 kW 34 is, the electric flywheel 43 continuously discharged. If the driver is not informed about this by easily understandable and directly perceptible information, dangerous situations may arise in particular during overtaking, which must be avoided at all costs. There is therefore a need for a simple and clear indication of the charging level of the electric flywheel 43 in the form of a display of current and expected near-term performance.

From the prior art, a variety of proposals for displaying an available energy content in electric and hybrid vehicles are known, but which relate to the energy content of a traction battery, either as a percentage of the maximum absolute or usable SOCs, as the absolute value of a the battery retrievable amount of electrical energy or as expected to be covered with this amount of energy route. The aim of these displays is information about the energy content of the battery and thus. Improved planning of network charges and protection against so-called Luggages by discharged traction batteries.

The display concept presented here, on the other hand, aims at informing the driver that allows him to assess the performance or work that can be called up for the vehicle drive in the shortest possible and intuitive manner in order to avoid a sudden and unforeseen, temporary collapse of the available drive power ,

Without such an indication, there could be situations in which a driver, relying on the usual available maximum drive power of the vehicle of e.g. B. 140 KW attaches, for example, to an overtaking maneuver, which, however, can only be performed safely when the drive power not for the driver unforeseen on the performance of the generator 15 and the one out of the battery 34 Removable, available for the drive power of about 40 kW-45 KW breaks down in this example together.

A preferred display concept is described below with reference to 4 explained.

In 4 is a speed display unit 100 shown, which is also referred to below as a tachometer. This is next to a speedometer needle 110 also an additional high-speed indicator 130 provided on which the achievable by the vehicle at a given time and for a sustained for a predetermined minimum distance maximum speed can be displayed. The maximum speed indicator 130 may consist of an additional pointer of a tachometer designed as a round instrument or a bar instrument 100 or a comparable display in the form of a segment-wise or continuously optically changeable strip or circular or circular ring segment.

The display element 130 in normal operation provides a clearly visible area 150 which is a lower limit 120 (here about 125 km / h) and an upper limit 140 (here about 175 km / h) has. The lower limit 120 corresponds to the current speed of the vehicle, according to the tachometer gauge, and the upper limit 140 is determined by the short-term achievable and maintainable for a given route maximum speed, in the following also short-term maximum speed 140 called.

This predetermined route can be fixed in the simplest case and be for example 500 m. Preferably, however, it may also be variable as a function of the current speed and / or the achievable maximum speed. Instead of the specified route, an equivalent period of time can be given, over which the short-term maximum speed can be maintained.

For this purpose, at least the determined or assumed mass of the vehicle, the current driving speed and the current usable energy content of the electric flywheel 43 determined. With the help of information on the amount of energy required under normal conditions at different speeds to accelerate to a higher speed and to maintain this higher speed over the given distance at a constant speed required amount of energy, the short-term maximum speed 140 determined and displayed.

The exact nature of the determination can be easily determined by the skilled person in the presence of said input data in different ways, in the simplest case, a previously created multi-dimensional map can be used. Alternatively, it is also possible to perform an arithmetic calculation, possibly with the desired relationship between expenditure and accuracy taking into account simplifications.

• – Berücksichtigung der möglichen Leistungsabgabe der Batterie 34, wobei vorteilhaft beispielsweise der SOC, SOH und Temperatur der Batterie 34 und ggf. der Bedarf an nicht für den Antrieb verwendeter elektrischer Leistung für z. B. Innenraumklimatisierung, Heizungen und weitere Verbraucher berücksichtigt werden können.
• – Genauere Ermittlung der tatsächlichen Masse des Fahrzeugs, beispielsweise durch Beladungssensoren, aus fahrdynamischen Daten, etc.
• – Genauere Ermittlung der für die Beschleunigung auf die kurzfristige Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 benötigten Energie und der zur Aufrechterhaltung dieser Geschwindigkeit über die vorgegebenen Strecke notwendigen Energie durch Berücksichtigung von ermittelten, übermittelten, abgeschätzten oder angenommenen Werten für den Luftwiderstand, wobei beispielsweise das Vorhandensein von Dachkoffern, Dachgepäckträgern oder Anhängern berücksichtigt werden kann, durch Berücksichtigung der Windrichtung und -Geschwindigkeit, der Berücksichtigung von relevanten Eigenschaften der derzeitigen und/oder voraus liegenden Fahrstrecke und insbesondere deren Steigung, die beispielsweise aus einem Navigationssystem bekannt sein können.
• – Variable Vorgabe der festgelegten Fahrstrecke, über die die kurzfristige Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 aufrecht erhalten werden kann.
• – Variable Vorgabe eines Sicherheitspuffers, beispielsweise über eine feste oder variable, rechnerische Verringerung der zu Grunde gelegten, im Schwungrad 42 verfügbaren Energiemenge, durch eine Verringerung der ermittelten kurzfristigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 um einen festen oder variablen, absoluten oder prozentualen Wert, und/oder durch entsprechende Sicherheits-Faktoren bei der Ermittlung der in die Ermittlung eingehenden Parameter.
• – Berücksichtigung der Möglichkeit, zurzeit nicht für den Fahrzeugantrieb genutzte Energie zur Verfügung zu stellen, indem beispielsweise nicht zwingend erforderliche, leistungsstarke Verbraucher, insbesondere Heiz- und Klimatisierungseinrichtungen vorübergehend abgeschaltet werden.

Starting from the basic variant presented above, a large number of modifications and developments are possible for improving the accuracy, the most important of which are to be represented below:
Modifications or extensions to increase the accuracy:

• - Consideration of the possible power output of the battery 34 , wherein, for example, advantageously the SOC, SOH and temperature of the battery 34 and possibly the need for not used for the drive electrical power for z. As interior air conditioning, heaters and other consumers can be considered.
• - More accurate determination of the actual mass of the vehicle, for example by load sensors, from driving dynamics data, etc.
• - More precise determination of the acceleration to the short-term maximum speed 140 energy required and the energy required to maintain that speed over the given distance by taking into account detected, transmitted, estimated or assumed values for air resistance, taking into account, for example, the presence of roof boxes, roof racks or trailers, taking into account the wind direction and speed , the consideration of relevant characteristics of the current and / or preceding route and in particular their slope, which may be known for example from a navigation system.
• - Variable specification of the specified route over which the short-term maximum speed 140 can be maintained.
• - Variable specification of a safety buffer, for example, via a fixed or variable, computational reduction of the underlying, in the flywheel 42 amount of energy available, by reducing the short-term 140 by a fixed or variable, absolute or percentage value, and / or by appropriate safety factors in determining the parameters involved in the determination.
• - taking into account the possibility of not providing energy currently used for vehicle propulsion, for example by temporarily switching off non-essential, high-performance consumers, in particular heating and air conditioning equipment.

• – Grundsätzlich ist es sinnvoll, die mögliche maximale Anzeige der kurzfristigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 auf die durch das Fahrzeug durch konstruktive Festlegung absolut erreichbare Höchstgeschwindigkeit zu begrenzen.
• – Weiter ist es sinnvoll, die Wahrnehmbarkeit bzw. Auffälligkeit der Anzeige der kurzfristigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 veränderbar zu gestalten, indem beispielsweise bei einer Differenz zwischen der derzeitigen Fahrgeschwindigkeit und der kurzfristigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit unterhalb eines ersten Grenzwertes die Helligkeit, die Farbe oder der Kontrast der Anzeige erhöht wird und/oder der Fahrer durch optische, akustische und/oder haptische Signale darauf aufmerksam gemacht wird, dass er sich einem Grenzbereich nähert, in dem ein plötzliches Absinken der Antriebsleistung eintreten könnte. Selbstverständlich können auch mehrere Grenzwerte mit abgestuften Graden der Wahrnehmbarkeit oder der Dringlichkeit von Warnsignalen definiert werden und diese Grenzwerte fest vorgegeben oder in Abhängigkeit weiterer Größen variabel vorgegeben werden.
• – Die Anzeige der kurzfristigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 könnte bei Überschreitung eines festen oder variablen Grenzwertes der Differenz zwischen derzeitiger Fahrgeschwindigkeit und der kurzfristigen Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 abgeschaltet werden, da sie für den Fahrer in diesem Fall nur einen geringen Informationswert für sein Fahrverhalten besitzt. Beispielsweise könnte die Anzeige der kurzfristig erreichbaren Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 erst dann aktiviert werden, wenn diese weniger als 50 km/h über der derzeitigen Fahrgeschwindigkeit liegt. Sobald die Differenz zwischen derzeitiger Fahrgeschwindigkeit 120 und kurzfristig erreichbarer Höchstgeschwindigkeit 140 weniger als 40 km/h beträgt, könnte die Anzeige von z. B. grün auf z. B. gelb, bei Unterschreitung einer Differenz von 30 km/h auf rot wechseln und bei Unterschreitung einer Differenz von 20 km/h zusätzlich blinken und/oder eine akustische Warnung ausgegeben werden. Eine Hysteresefunktion ist zur Vermeidung einer schnellen und wiederholten Umschaltung der Anzeige sinnvoll.

Modifications and enhancements to improve the presentation of the short-term maximum speed 140 :

• - Basically, it makes sense the maximum possible indication of the short-term maximum speed 140 to limit to the maximum achievable by the vehicle by constructive determination maximum speed.
• - It also makes sense, the visibility or conspicuousness of the display of the short-term maximum speed 140 For example, at a difference between the current vehicle speed and the short-term maximum speed below a first limit value, the brightness, the color or the contrast of the display is increased and / or the driver is alerted by optical, acoustic and / or haptic signals is approaching a boundary where a sudden drop in drive power could occur. It goes without saying that a plurality of limit values can also be defined with graded degrees of perceptibility or the urgency of warning signals and these limit values can be fixed or specified variably as a function of further variables.
• - The display of the short-term maximum speed 140 could exceed a fixed or variable limit of the difference between the current driving speed and the short-term maximum speed 140 be switched off because it has only a small information value for the driver in this case for the driver. For example, the display of the short-term achievable maximum speed 140 activated only if it is less than 50 km / h above the current driving speed. Once the difference between current driving speed 120 and short-term maximum speed 140 less than 40 km / h, the display of z. B. green on z. B. yellow, when falling below a difference of 30 km / h to red and fall falls below a difference of 20 km / h additionally flashing and / or an audible warning. A hysteresis function is useful to avoid a quick and repeated switching of the display.

Finally, of course, a personalization of the display is possible, in which the type of display, the heights of the limits and possibly other parameters either by a service technician, by the driver, an evaluation of the driving behavior of the driver or by choosing between certain preferences, such as " economically "or" athletically "can be selected or changed set or specified.

4 shows the speedometer 100 with one within the scale of the speedometer 100 arranged maximum speed indicator 130 to display the short-term maximum speed 140 , The possible display area of the display element 130 can - as shown here - only begin at a position of the tachometer scale, where in practice an occurrence of a power dip by a discharged electric flywheel is considered possible under normal conditions, here from a driving speed of 90 km / h. The possible display area of the display element 130 can advantageously be limited to the constructively specified, absolute maximum speed, here about 199 km / h.

The speedometer 100 is shown in simplified form and can, of course, as usual, other displays, indicator lights, etc. include and be designed as a physical instrument or as a representation of an instrument on a display and have a shape deviating from a circular shape. The display element 130 can be as shown inside the speedometer 100 , but also be provided spatially adjacent to this.

In the example shown here, the current driving speed of the vehicle is 125 km / h, what here by the Tachonadel 110 is shown. Instead of the speedometer needle 110 Of course, other suitable means may be used. Accordingly, the visible to the driver or visually highlighted area of the display element begins 130 at one of the illustrated position of the tachometer needle 110 corresponding position and extends to a position 140 , which corresponds to the short-term maximum speed, but preferably at most the maximum speed limit of the vehicle.

The display element 130 can be completely switched off or visually inconspicuous to increase the clarity when passing through the display element 130 Speed range to be represented exceeds a possibly dependent on the driving speed limit. So it may make sense the ad 130 to turn off when the short-term maximum speed to be displayed 140 more than z. B. 50 km / h above the current driving speed, since in this case, a sudden acceleration to the energy and performance limits of the vehicle is unlikely and activation of the display element 130 In any case, done in such a timely manner that no security-relevant effects are to be feared. Of course, it is also up to the driver to decide whether the display element should be permanently active while driving. Further, it may be possible for the driver, the relevant limit values z. B. via a screen menu set itself, the selection can be advantageously limited by the manufacturer so that the intended warning function is sufficiently maintained.

In 4 also not shown is an increase in the visibility of the active area 150 of the display element 130 depending on the through the display element 130 displayed acceleration reserve, ie the difference between the current driving speed and the short-term maximum speed, for example, by different colors, brightness, contrast and / or additional visual, acoustic and / or haptic signals.

Finally, it should be mentioned that the display element 130 Of course, can be realized in different ways and, for example, based on a number of circular instruments in circular instruments arranged LEDs or other bulbs or on mechanical and movable panels. At one anyway for the representation of the tachometer 100 used, graphical display or inside or outside the tachometer 100 adjacently arranged and suitable graphic display is the representation of the display element 130 preferred as part of this graphical display.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Engine module

11

First fuel cell module

12

Second fuel cell module

13

High performance energy storage, flywheel module

14

first chemical-mechanical energy converter, combustion engine

15

generator

16

First fuel cell

18

First fuel line

20

First tank

22

Second fuel line

24

Second tank

26

First electric machine

28

Second fuel cell

30

Third fuel line

32

Third tank

34

first electrical energy storage, battery

36

First electrical line

38

charging port

40

Second electric machine

42

flywheel assembly

43

High performance energy storage, electric flywheel

44

Third electric machine / drive electric machine

45

hub motor

46

Drive means, drive wheel / drive wheels

48

First mechanical drive

50

Second mechanical drive

52

Third mechanical drive

54

Fourth mechanical drive

56

Fifth mechanical drive

57

Second electrical line

58

Third electrical line

60

Fourth electrical line

62

Seventh electrical line

64

Fifth electrical line

66

Eighth electrical line

68

Ninth electrical line

70

Tenth electrical line

72

Sixth electrical line

74

Eleventh electrical line

82

Sixth mechanical drive

84

Twelfth electrical line

100

Speed display unit / Tachometer

110

Tachonadel

120

Lower limit of 150

130

Speed Limit display element

140

Upper limit of 150 or short-term maximum speed

150

Active display area of 130

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 202007015050 U1 [0014, 0015]
• DE 1812480 A1 [0016]
• DE 19718480 A1 [0018]

Claims (14)

Drive device for driving machines with transient power requirements, in particular of motor vehicles, with a first chemical mechanical energy converter ( 14 ) and / or a first fuel cell ( 16 ), a first electrical energy store ( 34 ) and / or a second fuel cell ( 28 ), a high performance energy storage ( 13 respectively. 43 ) and a drive means ( 46 ), wherein - the aforementioned components ( 14 and or 16 ; 34 and or 28 ; 13 respectively. 43 ) are designed and arranged such that they drive the drive means ( 46 ) can drive mechanically and / or electrically, characterized in that - the high-performance energy storage ( 13 respectively. 43 ) can deliver a power for the drive of the machine, which is higher by a factor of 1.5 to 8, preferably 2 to 6, more preferably 3 to 5 and most preferably by about a factor of 4 than the sum of the benefits of the first chemical-mechanical energy converter ( 14 ) in the consumption-optimal operating range and / or the first fuel cell ( 16 ). Drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that the high-performance energy store ( 13 respectively. 43 ) a mechanical energy store, in particular in the form of a flywheel assembly ( 42 ), which preferably comprises at least one high-speed, wound flywheel, which more preferably runs in a partial vacuum and / or in an atmosphere of a light gas and this mechanical energy store with a second electric machine ( 40 ) is mechanically coupled. Drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that the high-performance energy store ( 13 respectively. 43 ) is a memory based on capacitors, in particular double-layer capacitors and particularly preferably supercapacitors or hybrid capacitors. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the chemical mechanical energy converter ( 14 ) mechanically with a first electric machine ( 26 ), - the drive means ( 46 ) mechanically with at least one third electric machine ( 44 ), - the first electrical energy store ( 34 ) with the first and / or the second electric machine ( 26 ; 40 ) is electrically connected, so that the first electrical energy storage ( 34 ) from there electrical energy and can deliver there. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first fuel cell ( 16 ) and / or the second fuel cell ( 28 ) are formed as reversible fuel cells, which together with an associated fuel tank ( 24 respectively. 32 ) acting as an electrical energy storage first and / or second fuel cell module ( 11 respectively. 12 ) form. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first chemical mechanical energy converter ( 14 ) in the consumption-optimal operating range and / or the optionally present first fuel cell ( 16 ) are designed so as to deliver in total a power that corresponds to the sum of the power requirements of conventional auxiliary active in operation and the power requirement to maintain a constant driving speed of the motor vehicle in the plane at a desired maximum maximum speed, preferably in the range between 90 km / h and 150 km / h, more preferably between 110 km / h and 140 km / h and most preferably at about 120 km / h to 130 km / h. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the high-performance energy store ( 13 ; 43 ) can store a maximum usable amount of energy sufficient to accelerate the machine or the motor vehicle without recuperation at least two times, preferably at least three times and more preferably between 3.5 and 5 times from standstill to the maximum steady state speed. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first electrical energy store ( 34 ) is designed so as to be loaded during normal operation of the machine with powers of a maximum of 2 C, preferably at most 1.5 C and more preferably at most 1 C, wherein the loading and unloading is very uniform compared to the power requirement of the machine. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the usable capacity of the first electrical energy store ( 34 ) is dimensioned such that it is at least a factor of 4, preferably by a factor of 8 and particularly preferably by a factor of 10 greater than the usable capacity of the high-performance energy storage device ( 13 ; 43 ). Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the machine has a loading port ( 38 ), via the electrical energy between an external power grid and at least one of the existing electrical Energy storage ( 11 . 12 . 13 respectively. 43 . 34 ) and wherein a charge control device for charging at least one of the aforementioned electrical energy storage ( 11 . 12 . 13 respectively. 43 . 34 ), preferably the first electrical energy store ( 34 ) and high-performance energy storage ( 13 respectively. 43 ), whose continuous power is dimensioned so that it has a maximum charging current for the first electrical energy storage ( 34 ) in the amount of at least 1 C, preferably from about 1.5 C can deliver. Drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that electrical lines ( 57 ; 58 ; 60 ; 62 ; 64 ; 68 ; 70 ; 72 ; 74 ; 84 and preferred 66 ), if present, for the transmission of electrical power between the first electrical energy storage ( 34 ) and / or the second fuel cell ( 28 ) and the first electric machine ( 26 ) and / or the first fuel cell ( 16 ) and the high-performance energy storage ( 13 respectively. 43 ) or its electric machine ( 40 ) as well as the third electric machine ( 44 ), which are designed for contact-safe voltages, voltage converters the respective components ( 16 ; 26 ; 28 ; 34 ; 40 ; 44 ) and assigned locally. Motor vehicle with a drive device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle has at least two axles with drive means ( 46 ), each of at least one of the third electric machines ( 44 ) and can be braked with generation of recuperation energy and wherein the sum of the powers of the third electric machines ( 44 ) of the front axle and the rear axle has a ratio between 80:20 and 60:40, preferably about 70:30, and the sum of the powers of the third electric machines ( 44 ) is dimensioned such that they can receive and deliver at least over a period of 10 seconds, preferably over a period of 20 seconds and particularly preferably indefinitely, an electrical power which is at least the maximum electrical power of the high-performance energy storage device ( 13 respectively. 43 ) or possibly contained therein second electric machine ( 40 ) and preferably at least that of the first chemical-mechanical energy converter ( 14 ) and / or the first fuel cell ( 16 ) is greater than this power and particularly preferably again by a power is greater, the sum of the discharge current of the first electrical energy storage ( 34 ) at 1 C and / or the maximum electric power of the second fuel cell 28 equivalent. Motor vehicle according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the first chemical mechanical energy converter ( 14 ) and the first electric machine ( 26 ) and / or the first fuel cell module ( 11 ) structurally together as a power generator module ( 15 ) are designed so that this can be easily removed from the vehicle. Signal device for a drive device or a motor vehicle according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - an evaluation unit is provided which, due to predetermined parameters, a value for an achievable maximum speed that can be maintained for a predetermined distance ( 140 ) of the engine or motor vehicle, and that - means ( 130 ), by means of which the value for the said maximum speed ( 140 ) can be displayed visually and / or acoustically.

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