The vehicle based electromechanical process and apparatus providing for the generation of electrical energy from many vehicles, and for its intermediate storage into a cluster of storage batteries that are onboard each vehicle and finally for multiple events for each vehicle of the transfer of the stored energy to the nation's electrical grid. It is the integrated utilization of three components: generation, storage and grid collection. The rationale is that in the U.S., billions of transportation miles are routinely logged each day by more than a quarter billion vehicles and trains, presenting the potential to produce large amounts of electricity, and with the production of electricity, many major related benefits, and some of them ecological. Simply stated, the energy that will be used anyway in the operation of vehicles, will also be used indirectly to create large quantities of electrical energy directed into the nation's electrical grid.

A motor vehicle electrical system which includes an electric machine, an active bridge rectifier, and at least one control device, the at least one control device being configured for converting an alternating voltage which is output by the electric machine at a number of phase connections into a direct voltage by controlling active switching elements of the bridge rectifier. An arrangement is provided configured for initiating a short circuit of at least two of the phase connections as soon as a signal characterizing the direct voltage exceeds an upper threshold value, and for deactivating the short circuit as soon as the signal characterizing the direct voltage subsequently falls below a lower threshold value. An evaluation device is provided configured for detecting a value of the direct voltage, for filtering the detected value, and for providing the filtered value as the signal characterizing the direct voltage.

A power unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a power module which is configured by a power conversion switching element, the power module having a first side having gate pins connected to a board, and a second side to which main busbars are connected; cooling modules which are disposed on both surfaces of the power module, respectively; capacitor modules which are disposed on outer surfaces of the cooling modules, respectively, and have capacitors that are electrically connected to the main busbars through connecting busbars, respectively; a coolant supply pipe which is connected to one end portion of each of the cooling modules to supply a coolant to the cooling module; and a coolant discharge pipe which is connected to another end portion of each of the cooling modules to discharge a coolant discharged from the cooling module.

Device for energy supply of a train set consisting of at least one hybrid- or diesel-electric locomotive. The device comprises at least one gas driven electric power generator, driven by at least one engine or fuel cell which in turn are driven by gas from the at least one container or hydrogen storage facility, wherein the at least one electric power generator is connected to the locomotive electrical power supply networks. The device is arranged for supplying the train set with electrical current supply and/or idle current for a locomotive provided with or without automatic idle stop.

An automotive battery system that includes a lead-acid battery electrically coupled to a first bus, in which the lead-acid battery supplies electrical power to a starter via the first bus to cold crank an internal combustion engine of a vehicle; a lithium-ion battery electrically coupled to a second bus, in which the lithium-ion battery captures and stores electrical energy generated by a regenerative braking system when the vehicle brakes and supplies electrical power to the second bus using the electrical energy captured from the regenerative braking system such that a first portion of the second electrical power is supplied to an electrical system; and a DC/DC converter electrically coupled between the first bus and the second bus, in which the DC/DC converter controls supply of a second portion of the second electrical power to charge the lead-acid battery.

A power system architecture for a vehicle includes a source management unit having at least a generator, a first stored energy component, and a second stored energy component. A high voltage DC bus connects a high voltage load to the source management unit. At least one low voltage DC bus connects at least one low voltage DC load to the source management unit. The source management unit includes a plurality of multi-functional power modules configured such that the source management unit includes a multi-level active rectifier connecting the generator to a multi-level DC bus, a first multi-level multi-function converter connecting the first stored energy component to the multi-level active rectifier, a second multi-level multi-function converter connecting the second stored energy component to a multi-level isolated DC bus, and an isolated multi-level DC-DC converter connecting the multi-level DC bus to the multi-level isolated DC bus.

A trolling motor assembly includes a base and an attached cradle. A transmission housing is coupled to the base by a pivot pin defining an axis about which the transmission housing pivots. A shaft is supported by the transmission housing and moves relative to the transmission housing in a direction which is parallel to a central axis of the shaft. The shaft is also rotatable with respect to the transmission housing about the central axis. A thrust motor is attached to and moves and rotates with the shaft. The assembly is movable from a deployed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned vertically, the transmission housing is locked in an upright position, and the thrust motor is below water, to a stowed position, in which the shaft central axis is aligned horizontally, the transmission housing is pivoted onto its side, and the thrust motor rests in the cradle.

A system for electrically coupling a first structure with a second structure in a vehicle is disclosed, and includes a control module receiving at least one of electrical power and data, a cable, and a reel. The cable has a variable length and is electrically coupled to the control module. The cable transmits at least one of electrical power and data from the first structure to the second structure. The reel is located at the first structure and defines an axis of rotation. The cable is windable around the reel, and the reel is rotatable about the axis of rotation to adjust the variable length of the cable. The variable length of the cable is a portion of the cable that extends between the first structure to the second structure that is not wound around the reel.

A method of heating a cabin of a motor vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine operatively connected to an exhaust system having a catalyst, and a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is provided. The method includes detecting a request to increase temperature inside the cabin, supplying fuel and air to the engine, and motoring the engine to pump the fuel and air into the exhaust system. The method also includes heating the catalyst to combust the fuel and air inside the catalyst such that a stream of post-combustion exhaust gas is generated. The method additionally includes channeling the generated stream of post-combustion exhaust gas to the HVAC system such that a temperature of a coolant circulated through the HVAC system is increased to heat the cabin. A system configured to perform the above method is also disclosed.

An electric power storage system for a vehicle includes: an electric power storage device; a converter configured to perform voltage conversion between the device and the motor; a DC/DC converter configured to step down an output voltage to an auxiliary machine or an auxiliary machine battery; a charger configured to charge the device with external electric power; and first and second relays disposed on first and second connection lines connecting the device to the converter, respectively. One end of the DC/DC converter is connected to the first connection line between the first relay and the converter and the other end is connected to the second connection line between the device and the second relay. The charger is disposed on a current path capable of charging the device with the external electric power when the first relay is in an ON state and the second relay is in an OFF state.