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Test Field Electric Drive

Two electromotors including inverters are used as the electric drive in the BALIS project to convert electric power, supplied by the fuel cell system or the battery system, to mechanical power. Since all components are ground-based, the mechanical power cannot be used as propulsion and therefore, the mechanical power is converted back to electricity and fed into the electric grid if possible. Otherwise, the electric power can be dissipated to the ambient by an ohmic load. The drive has to be compact and requires a high power density. Moreover, it has to be able to follow the dynamics of the fuel cell and battery system. The high voltages and currents make the isolation and contacting as well as the heat management challenging. In the test field precise instruments measure the electric power input as well as the mechanic power output and additionally temperatures and vibrations of the system.