LFP battery solution for freight locomotives
Introducing an innovative battery solution for freight locomotives based on LFP chemistry.
Forsee Power specialises in sustainable and secure battery systems for commercial vehicles, light electric vehicles (LEVs) and rolling stocks. At the recent Innotrans trade show in Berlin, the company shared its market data and outlook for battery electric propulsion in Europe, an area that is showing promising potential for sustainable transportation.
“In Europe, we have averaged only 57% of the rail tracks electrified by catenaries which, considering the CO2 emission targets we have in Europe, proposes very significant potential for battery electric trains in the future,” says Phillipp Mack, global sales and marketing director for railway applications at Forsee Power. “If you look in terms of the market for energy requirement and install base, by far the trade locomotive market momentum will lead this due to its high energy demand.”
LFP FOR FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVES
Typically, locomotives operate on a DC link voltage of 1500V, requiring a complex, costly and heavy converter due to batteries typically operating at 750V. To overcome this challenge, Forsee Power has developed the Zen LFP 1500V high-energy battery pack based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry.
The modular system is intended for service, freight transport or passenger transport locomotives, with its high energy storage capacity offering flexibility on portions of non-electrified tracks, without catenaries.
“LFP is much more cost efficient than traditional LTO chemistry largely used in battery electric quantum applications,” Mack explains. “The solution includes a fully integrated battery operating at 1500V, eliminating the need for complex and costly DC-DC converters.”
The Zen LFP 1500V battery pack offers high energy and power density, making it a cost-effective and efficient solution for freight locomotives. With a specific energy of 194 watt-hours per kilogram, energy density of 240 watt-hours per litre, and power density of 313 watts per kilogram, the battery pack is designed to meet the energy density requirements of freight locomotives by providing a flexible and scalable solution. The battery pack also meets all railway certifications for fire and safety, ensuring a low total cost of ownership for operators and providing a long lifespan of 6000 cycles.
“With the LFP technology, it is possible to design and build multi megawatt-hour systems for locomotive applications,” Mack adds. “We believe this is the solution for the future of electrification in long distance freight locomotive applications.”
Made up of 55kWh modules, the system can be used to create 330kWh 1500V branches (six modules in series) and multi-megawatt-hour systems. These battery systems can be recharged by catenaries via in-motion charging, a stationary charger, or through energy recovery during braking phases.
The company’s Zen LFP 1500V battery pack is designed to address the challenges of battery electric changeover in freight locomotives, offering a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional diesel trains. By integrating powerful and durable batteries such as this, trains can efficiently store and release electrical energy, optimising their energy performance and reducing emissions.