Engineers from Dana recently spoke on the Development and Testing of a Hydraulic Hybrid Concept for Off-Highway Vehicles at the SAE 2013 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress (COMVEC) in Rosemont, Illinois. Lead Dana engineers provided details on the development of the Spicer PowerBoost system, a new line of integrated hydraulic-hybrid powertrain concepts for the off-highway market, first introduced at Bauma 2013 in Munich. Deployed through series or parallel hybrid configurations that fit into existing vehicle designs with minimal adaptation, Spicer PowerBoost technology supplements all types of transmission architectures.

The company states: Spicer PowerBoost technology captures kinetic energy otherwise wasted throughout the drivetrain and working hydraulics, and then uses this recuperated energy to help power the vehicle, which can reduce fuel consumption by 20 to 40% compared with conventional drivetrain concepts, depending on vocational application and duty cycle. Spicer PowerBoost technology can also reduce total ownership and operating costs by increasing productivity, reducing maintenance, and allowing for the use of a downsized engine.”

The development of Spicer PowerBoost technology is the result of a three-year program at Dana’s advanced technology centres in Belgium, Italy, and the US. Engineers have conducted extensive simulations and tests while equipping a demonstration vehicle with the system to determine feasibility, develop advanced features, and quantify benefits. Dana was also recently exhibiting at Bauma Africa in Johannesburg, where it showed the Spicer Model 133 axle for the first time, designed for LHDs with lifting capacities up to 3.5 t, scoops, and other medium-sized mining utility vehicles. Dana also presented Spicer Model 162/163 rigid planetary axles designed specifically for 10 to 14 t wheeled excavators.