Anti-Idling function in Power Management Systems of military ground vehicles
Reducing operational CO2 emissions with an Anti-Idling function in Power Management Systems
Have you ever thought about how much fuel is consumed when military vehicles idle for long periods of time?
At Thales we have thought about this a lot. One of the main reasons for leaving the engine running is the lack of confidence in the availability of electricity. Crews run their engines at idle all the time to make sure the batteries are charged. This is a common practice considering that in military operations - especially during silent watch - the electrical systems are powered solely by the batteries.
The Thales Power Management System is designed to get the maximum power out of a vehicle, even on the most challenging missions. Our centralized monitoring and control of power generation, storage and distribution for military vehicles offered us the opportunity to go one step further. We decided to take on the difficult task of further reducing fuel consumption and wear and tear by introducing a new safe anti-idling feature into our power management systems.
Its benefits and savings could be significant. Pentagon officials have told the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee that it costs about $400 to transport a gallon of fuel in remote battlefields. In addition, our power management systems also protect people. Well over half of the US military's casualties in Afghanistan are due to improvised explosive devices, and many fuel shipments are exposed to just such threats.*
The Thales Power Management System performs its basic functions by managing your platform's power supply and determining which systems should be powered and which sources provide it. In addition, the new anti-idling feature safely shuts down the engine at times when it would otherwise be at a standstill, resulting in an overall resource- and cost-saving solution that pays for itself in just a few years of operation.
Key benefits:
- Savings in fuel, reduction in engine wear and thus reduction in maintenance intervals.
- Reduction of the acoustic and thermal profile of the vehicle by avoiding engine idling.
- Contribution to a sustainable future through reduced CO2 emissions.
Find out how Thales engineers can help you to save fuel and reduce your CO2 emissions.
Contact us: powersystems@thalesgroup.com or visit: https://www.thalesgroup.com/power-systems
*According to https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/63407-400gallon-gas-another-cost-of-war-in-afghanistan-