Raytheon UK prototypes power management system for PPG
Raytheon UK's Integrated Power Solutions (IPS) business unit has completed a prototype of the electrical power management system that will be the intelligence within its Portable Power Generator (PPG); where the PPG is set to be a fully man-portable unit for use by personnel in the field and also suitable for use as an auxiliary power unit (APU) within vehicles.
Developed in collaboration with key technology partners, Raytheon’s PPG will be able to burn, quietly and with a low thermal profile, a variety of fuels including diesel, kerosene and JP8 aviation (the last of which is smokeless) to generate a regulated 28V DC output. With the launch model provisionally rated at 3kW, the PPG can be used in the field to recharge equipment such as radios, SAT phones, GPS systems and night vision goggles. In-vehicle applications include providing power while on Silent Watch.
“Completion of the prototype power management system, currently being used to validate key functions of the PPG, marks a significant milestone in the development of what will be an extremely compact, lightweight and versatile power generator,” comments John Kennedy, head of Raytheon UK’s IPS business unit. “Moreover, in addition to having military applications, the PPG could be used in the civil sector, by the emergency services for example. It also has automotive applications and could be used in the leisure industry too.”
The unit’s power management system interfaces with a simple stop/start button, controls and monitors the fuel flow from the PPG’s two detachable tanks, manages an on-board battery (used not only to start the unit but also to provide short-duration boosts to the combustion-generated power) and drives an LCD that shows output voltage, output current and engine temperature. Production versions of the power management system will also have CAN bus, to allow for easy integration with a vehicle’s management systems.
“Our PPG is pushing the design envelope in terms of the electrical power that can be generated by such a compact and lightweight unit,” continues Kennedy. “Generators of an equivalent electrical power output are much larger and heavier than our solution for generating power in the field, and we’ve already received requests from one customer for PPG trials within a military vehicle.”
Following the announcement of a 2kW technical demonstrator PPG earlier in the year, Raytheon is now working on a 3kW proof-of-design model. It is anticipated that a 3kW unit will be able to meet the vast majority of known and envisaged field and vehicle applications.
Other power ratings, up to 5kW, are a possibility thanks to the modularity and scalability of the PPG’s electrical architecture. In addition, should the need arise, PPGs can be connected in parallel to provide more power.
Another milestone reached. Raytheon UK has prototyped the electrical power management system that will be the intelligence within its Portable Power Generator, a unit that can be carried in the field like a backpack and used to recharge battery-powered equipment. It can also be used within vehicles as an Auxiliary Power Unit.