42V Belt Alternator Starter Helps Improve Fuel Economy And Lower Engine Emissions

TROY, Mich., Oct. 23, 2002; Delphi Corp.will debut its Energen 42V Belt Alternator Starter System in booth #401 at Convergence 2002, Oct. 21-23, at Cobo Center, in Detroit. The system replaces a conventional vehicle's existing starter and generator with a single, high- power belt driven motor/generator, providing an 8-10 percent fuel economy improvement in city traffic.

The system provides dual-voltage architecture of 42V/14V. In the generating mode, the belt-driven electric machine, along with the electronics box or eBox, which contains a power inverter and machine controller, produces electrical power at a nominal voltage of 42 volts and charges a 36-volt battery. A DC-DC converter is used to obtain 14 volts from 42 volts to charge the 12-volt battery and power the vehicle's conventional electrical accessories. In the motoring mode, the inverter takes 42 volts DC input and produces AC power for the electric machine to start the internal combustion engine.

"The Belt Alternator Starter System provides more than twice the output of today's generator in the same package, enabling a variety of new customer features," said R. Scott Bailey, director of engineering, Delphi Energy & Chassis Systems. "This adds to our Energen(TM) portfolio enabling a stop- start function for higher displacement engines."

The Belt Alternator Starter System provides several functions to improve fuel economy, and lower emissions. Primarily, this is accomplished through the stop-start function. The stop-start function shuts off the internal combustion engine operation during vehicle idle. As the driver depresses on the brake pedal and the vehicle comes to a stop, fuel is cut to the engine, thereby shutting it off. To restart the vehicle, the driver simply releases the brake pedal and steps back onto the accelerator.

As the accelerator pedal is depressed, the belt alternator starter system quickly cranks the engine to idle speed at which time the engine is fueled and ignition takes place. The electric machine will start the engine in approximately 250 milliseconds, avoiding any perceivable time delay by the driver, making it seem as if the engine was never turned off.

Other functions include: Regenerative braking; Torque smoothing; Power boost; and, High power 42V generation for electrically driven components. Additional benefits of the belt alternator starter system include: The capability to optimize and manage on-board energy generation. Higher power generation allows for the migration to electrical accessories enabling flexibility in component packaging for improved

vehicle styling.

Thermal cooling for the eBox is provided from the IC engine's existing coolant loop, thus eliminating the need for a separate low temperature coolant loop found on similar competing systems. Fast, quiet starts - five times faster than today's conventional starters. Passenger compartment noise reduction with engine-off at idle function. "Our experience in the management of high power thermal interfaces through the integration of electronics is one of the key benefits of this system," said Lester Wilkinson, director of engineering, Delphi Delco Electronics. "This provides significant cost savings for our customers."

The Belt Alternator Starter System is targeted for production in 2007. Delphi's Energen is a family of energy management systems that combines an electric motor/generator with the internal combustion engine to offer improved fuel economy and reduced emissions, while providing significantly increased electric power to support the advanced electrical and electronic features of 21st Century vehicles.

For additional information about Delphi Corp., visit www.delphi.com/media .