Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), a wholly-owned company of Fortescue Metals Group, is participating at Bauma 2022, where it will showcase a wide range of electrification solutions to support the acceleration of the off-highway sector in its journey to decarbonisation.
Held in Munich from October 24-30, Bauma is the world’s leading trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment.
WAE will showcase its advanced battery and energy storage technology, which the company says has been specifically developed for the rugged use cases of mining and other off-highway applications.
Following its acquisition by Fortescue at the start of this year, WAE – a battery technology developer originally for the global motorsport and road car programmes – is becoming a supplier to the off-highway sector to support Fortescue in its transition to a global green renewables and resources company through the decarbonisation of its worldwide vehicle fleet.
Additionally, WAE says it is working on a world-first, zero emission ‘Infinity Train’; a regenerating battery electric iron-ore train project which will use gravitational energy to recharge its battery electric systems without any additional charging requirements for the return trip to reload.
In June 2022, Fortescue announced a partnership with Liebherr, who will be developing and supplying green mining haul trucks (using the T264) in which zero emission power system technologies – developed by Williams Advanced Engineering – will be integrated.
WAE’s technology line-up at Bauma 2022 will include the following off-highway specific innovations:
Off-Highway Battery Module
Featuring a scalable, modular design delivering sub-30 min pack charge times for maximum performance, WAE’s Off-Highway Battery Module boasts laser-welded cell-to-busbar technology for in-service reliability.
It also has a robust alloy frame, which improves durability and extends life in service, as well as optimised cell packaging for maximum energy density.
Battery Management Unit
WAE’s Battery Management Unit is designed for pack architectures of less than 800V. Its advanced state detection algorithms allow for more efficient energy usage, while the unit also reduces equipment downtime by enabling maximised fast charge rates.
Cell Management Unit
Enabling real-time telematics to maximise cell performance, WAE’s Cell Management Unit allows high-precision cell voltage and temperature monitoring.
Its flexi interconnects enables enhanced durability, while the system’s design also allows manufacturing complexity to be reduced for high-volume applications.
DC-DC Converter
WAE’s DC-DC Converter is a 600kW 1.5kV – 1kV step-down converter for high power loads. Its Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology delivers efficiency of 98.5 percent, while full power operation takes place at an ambient temperature of 50 degrees Celsius.
Vehicle Control Module
This processing platform unlocks vehicle performance advantages, featuring a versatile vehicle system controller. Specifically designed for decarbonised powertrains it has a flexible heterogenous MPSoC processor.
Graham Belgum, General Manager, Green Fleet, WAE said: “High-performance battery and electrification systems are at the core of what we do. Now that we are part of the Fortescue family, WAE is central to battery power systems and product capability, supporting the business as it transitions to a clean, green fleet.”