Ultracapacitors: helping trucks operate in extreme cold
Battery specialist Skeleton Technologies explains the low-temperature benefits of ultracapacitor technology in road transport
For many truck drivers, an automobile is not just a way to get from point A to point B. It is their work instrument and the tool upon which their livelihood depends: a way to make a living. For these drivers, extreme weather can have especially far-reaching consequences.
Weather poses an array of issues for trucks. Besides problems such as visibility or an icy hill creating traction problems, it also strongly affects performance, particularly in two main areas: startup and overall power. Diesel engines are difficult to start in cold climate conditions.
Almost everyone is familiar with cold-induced battery issues. Old or drained batteries are the leading cause for engine starting problems for trucks.
Low temperature is not always the cause of the problem, but often old batteries drain in temperatures far below freezing, which means they are unable to start the engine.
The cold weather slows down the chemical reactions that create the battery’s power and therefore there is less power available to get the truck’s engine running.
Lead-acid batteries suffer from sulphation and are not reliable, which is why frequent checks and replacements are needed to ensure the batteries will not fail.
Consequences are known: Costly downtime due to the failures when starting the truck and increased maintenance costs due to preventive battery replacement.
Therefore, the lead-acid engine starting batteries are considered one of the weakest spots in the truck. In the cold climates, the batteries need replacing, sometimes during the vehicle’s warranty period already, thus bringing a shorter maintenance cycle for the driver, not to mention the significant extra costs for the manufacturer who takes care of the replacements during warranty.
Ultracapacitors have an edge over batteries regardless of the battery technology used, and they are far more suitable to applications that require efficiency in temperatures that are less than optimal.
Skeleton Technologies’ SkelStart Engine Start Modules are expected to be lifetime components on the truck, meaning that the user would not have to worry about the engine starting module at all.
Over the course of its lifetime, the ultracapacitor module yields significant benefits against the currently used lead acid batteries.
It delivers 2x faster cold cranking time and much higher cranking power than a battery and ensures starting even when batteries are dead.
The ultracapacitor module also improves the sustainability performance of the truck as it does not contain harmful chemicals or toxic metals and does not require any maintenance.
The ultracapacitor module is also considerably lighter and smaller than a lead acid battery, thus enabling it to be installed in tight places while helping with the fuel efficiency thanks to reduced weight.
As batteries and ultracapacitors are complementary technologies, several batteries are still needed on the truck to keep the auxiliary appliances running during breaks and idling, while the light ultracapacitor module is needed for starting the truck engine and getting on the road.
Twice fewer batteries are needed, and their lifetime is increased three times. SkelStart is able to function at temperatures as low as -40°C.
It can start any truck engine and, in the process, prolong lifetime for the truck’s batteries. Starting the engine is the most demanding task for batteries, but after the SkelStart ESM is installed, the batteries only must power lights, air conditioning, the lift gate, and hotel loads.
Ultracapacitors have been used in heavy transportation for many years. But the trend is that trucks around the world are increasingly replacing lead acid batteries with ultracapacitor technology that is more reliable, guarantees starting in very cold weather and prolongs the engine starting system’s service life.
