Applications in Defense & Security
Every deployment whether short term, medium term or long term needs a reliable energy infrastructure. Solutions from AXSOL can help the German Armed Forces, the police or other authorities with a security mission to set up energy infrastructure quickly, adapted to the climatic and regional conditions of the deployment and in an uncomplicated manner, to keep it running over the long term and to provide energy on a demand-oriented basis, both stationary and mobile.
Electricity is needed everywhere – reliably, flexibly, cost-effectively and, ideally, with low noise and emissions for both large and small machines. More and more units and militaries are recognizing the value of renewable energies and especially photovoltaics on the way to achieving this goal. This makes the power supply lower in emissions, but also more volatile. This conflicts with the high demands of safety-critical infrastructure. The remedy is storage solutions that can compensate for peaks and lulls in green generation. We show you how to build a more reliable, flexible and cost-efficient infrastructure with AXSOL’s large and small battery storage solutions – with your own renewable generators but also without them.
All our solutions…
… use lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries that are durable and safe to make your application as low-risk as possible.
… are chargeable from all power sources. These include power grid, photovoltaic, wind & hydroelectric systems, diesel generators and fuel cells.
… are suitable for self-sufficient island or mixed operation through expansion with generator sources.
An important prerequisite for the geographically and climatically independent supply security is the independence from the generator source. Due to this independence, regenerative generation sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen can be freely combined and used according to demand, and the energy system as a whole can be secured by diesel and emergency generators, depending on the local conditions.
Solutions for demanding military missions
Our ARVEY B2 is a mobile power supply device with power up to 2,300 W and 2,250 Wh battery capacity. It is designed to military standards and can be used in all scenarios that require power supply in harsh environments. This includes, for example, emergency forces, disaster relief, police or firefighters.
The system is built according to German technical requirements for power generating sets (VG 96968-1) and is equipped with insulation monitoring, RCD, MCB and more. In addition, the system is surrounded by a robust housing protected against strong jets of water and dust in damaging quantities (IP 54). Energy can be charged via generator, mains, photovoltaic or fuel cells, stored in a safe LiFePO4 battery and accessed via two 230 V AC sockets. A special feature of the B2 is the ability to hybridize diesel and emergency generators.
The key benefits:
- High safety in logistics and application (battery chemistry, shock and vibration resistance, EMP and EMC)
- User-friendliness: display shows important data in real time
- Flexibility: mobile power supply with all major interfaces and four operating modes
- Quick availability of electrical energy
- Sustainability through fuel and maintenance savings (CO2-neutral operation possible)
- High mobility: portable device and independence from operating equipment
- Quiet operation: intelligent fan control lowers existing emissions
| Output | AC Output | 2,300 W |
| Connectors | 2x 230 V AC sockets | |
| Battery | Capacity | 2,250 Wh |
| Technology | LiFePO4 | |
| Input | Generator, grid, photovoltaic, fuel cells | |
| Standards | Device | VG 96968-1, CE (LVD, EMC, RoHS) |
| Battery | CE, UN38.3, IEC62619, UL | |
| Housing | VG 95447 / AECTP Standards / MIL-STD-810 / MIL-STD-810 F / MIL-STD-285 | |
| Use Cases | Hybridization with SEA with built-in UPS function or stand-alone use possible |
EFFICIENCY GAINS THROUGH COMBINED OPERATION – ARVEY B2 AND SFC EFOY PRO 12000 FUEL CELL
A number of new benefits can be achieved by combining fuel cells with battery storage systems:
- High weight and emission reduction
- High autonomy and small footprint
- Failure safety due to additional fuel logistics
- Non-detectable – no noise, no heat
- Simple operation without extensive training
- Fully automatic charging of the battery storage without loss
- Sustainable and efficient
- Expanding battery capacity
- Increased peak load due to power electronics
ENERGY SUPPLY FOR THE MILITARY OF THE FUTURE
The USMC has seen a 700% increase in energy consumption in 3 years by 2019 and is projecting the same increase within the next 3 years (2019). The same is true for the U.S. Army’s future energy supply, where electricity demand per soldier has increased 20-fold and will continue to increase in the future due to new technologies (unmanned vehicles, communications standards, electrification).
The installed base of diesel generators can be aligned to meet the increasing power demand through hybridization and power augmentation using battery storage systems.
The ECS and ARVEY B2 offer themselves here as an integrated system solution for hybridization in military services. Joint operation enables synergy effects between mobile and stationary power supply. Thus, up to 80% of small diesel generators can be replaced by the ARVEY B2. Via the introduction of centralized battery storage for hybridization, additional benefits in the integration of renewables into the military energy infrastructure can be realized in the future. The cross-sectional introduction of renewable energy sources will only be possible through buffer storage to distribute the loads. For this purpose, the initially procured battery units can be used for hybridization to increase the share of renewables step by step.
INTEGRATED HYBRIDIZATION STORAGE – ECS AND ARVEY B2
Mobile battery storage systems need to be recharged repeatedly during use or deployment. As the number of mobile electricity-powered systems increases, so do the demands on the charging infrastructure. AXSOL Energy Container Solutions (ECS), in the function of a central storage unit, enables the use of clean electricity from renewable sources in the mobile systems.
The switch to renewable energy via central generation units (e.g. solar, wind) requires central battery storage to buffer the generated peak loads. The mobile-supplied electricity only has a negative CO2 benefit in the mobile battery units if they are charged via charging current from central charging stations. The emergency power for the supply is initially fed by fossil combustion engines, whose power is buffered and hybridized by central battery storage. Later, fuel cells will replace diesel generators to cover continuous loads.
Mobile units, such as the ARVEY B2 can be charged in the central charging stations (ECS) and perform two roles in them:
- Priority charging for the fastest possible operational readiness
- Short-term capacity expansion of the entire system (peak shifting)
Thus, the ARVEY B2 is used intelligently controlled as a mobile storage and as a modular extension of the total capacity, depending on the location and situation. The dual use of the ARVEY B2 is efficiently used by the system control of the ECS. The intelligent system control of the ECS decides along past load curves and e.g. deployment data how the integrated mobile units are used. The integration of the mobile units into the overall system distributes additional information about power consumption. The central ECSs become data hubs by vertically integrating data on power consumption. Intelligent evaluation of the data situation can optimize the installed power infrastructure during operation.
Semi- or full-stationary container solutions
Our Energy Container Solutions (ECS) are the powerhouses among our solutions. Freely configurable according to requirements, we integrate from 70 to 3000 kWh of battery storage in 10-, 20-, or 40-foot ISO containers.
To put this into perspective: with the largest storage capacity, a small camp with 150 men (10 kWh per day and man) could be supplied with electricity from the container alone for two days. The batteries can be charged with any conceivable energy source (electricity grid, photovoltaics, wind power, diesel generator, fuel cell, …). With an output power of over 2000 kW, which is also scalable, even large load carriers and camp structures can be reliably supplied with power.
Energy Container Solutions are particularly suitable for the following applications:
- Uninterruptible power supply / mains backup: Currently, the energy supply in safety-critical applications, buildings and operations is largely based on fossil fuels. These are quickly ready for use and can be easily adapted to the prevailing requirements. By using AXSOL Energy Container Solutions, the provision of electricity can be made more renewable and at the same time more secure. The combination of several on-site renewable generation sources directly supplies a large part of the applications. The supply can either be backed up by diesel generators or guaranteed by fuel cells and other continuous generators. In the event of grid fluctuations, the power supply is supported by drawing energy from the battery storage system, and in the event of a complete grid failure, the entire power supply is switched to battery operation within a maximum of 20 ms. This way, the function of your machines can be secured several times and a complete power failure can be avoided.
- Autonomous initial or permanent supply of an operation: An operation requires direct provision of power on site? No problem – charge the battery storage units in the depot beforehand and transport the container to the desired site to provide an initial supply for all relevant electronic equipment. If desired, a combination of battery storage, PV system & emergency generators can also be configured, with which operations in off-grid regions can also be permanently self-sufficiently supplied.
- Hybridisation of diesel generators for cost savings, noise & emission reduction: Although an energy supply exclusively via diesel generators is favourable in terms of acquisition costs, the variable costs of the fossil fuel add up to high amounts. We already know that by adding battery storage to the generator, its running costs can be reduced by around 30% on average. By hybridising power generation, the advantages of stand-alone power systems and power generation by existing or new diesel generators can be combined and enormous benefits in terms of efficiency, comfort, sustainability, cost reduction and safety can be achieved. Key benefits in initial concept tests and studies include: Up to 70 % fuel savings due to generator off times and energy input from renewable energy sources present in the system. Up to 80 % less maintenance on the generator due to an overall higher proportion of running times in the optimal power range. And last but not least, the service life of the generator is increased through off-times, peak shaving – i.e. buffering peaks in renewable energy generation and more frequent use of the generator’s optimal power range. By adding solar panels, we can save further costs, reduce emissions and minimise the noise generated for local residents and at night.
- EV charging: In the course of the mobility transition, more and more vehicles are being powered electrically. Charging stations for e-vehicles and other battery-powered devices are therefore becoming indispensable. What is good for the environment on the one hand, increases the demand for electricity on the other. If several vehicles are charging at the same time, power peaks can occur, which are smoothed out by the battery storage system of Energy Container Solutions. Combined with renewable energy generators, this can also further improve the eco-balance of the vehicles.
The CNHybrid combines our intelligent storage system with innovative, foldable 20-foot containers from cooperation partner CONTINEST. Thanks to the battery storage integrated in the floor (14.7/31.95/49.7 kWh possible) and the unique folding mechanism, the CNHybrid can be folded to a height of only 54 centimetres. Thus, instead of two non-folding containers, up to ten CNHybrid units can be transported to the site on a truck with trailer at the same time. This saves transport costs and the associated emissions. The CNHybrid is completely assembled and ready for use in less than 10 minutes with the help of a forklift truck. The regenerative energy is generated by a portable photovoltaic system.
The regenerative energy is generated by a portable photovoltaic power plant that can be unfolded to a length of approx. 6 metres in just a few steps and provides 2 or 4 kWp of green energy for the user. The cooperation product is ideal for mobile accommodations with energy needs.
The CNHybrid is particularly suitable for the following applications:
- Mobile accommodation or storage space: In its three different standard configurations, the CNHybrid represents a highly mobile solution for accommodation or storage space with integrated energy supply in any application. The largest configuration with 49.7 kWh of battery storage, for example, allows two laptops, a refrigerator, a drill and a demolition hammer to be used in continuous operation for more than 16 hours. The structural design of the containers also makes it possible to stack several units on top of each other and thus save space. Due to the quick deployment of the units, field hospitals, for example, can be set up according to the requirements and safely supplied with power due to the available capacity and possible output power of 10 kVa.
- Hybridisation diesel generators for cost saving, noise– & emission reduction: o.
- Uninterruptible power supply: see above.
Mobile battery storage solutions
Through the use of mobile energy,…
- the power supply of the troops in the field becomes more independent, faster and easier.
- 100% self-sufficiency of individual mobile solutions is achieved.
- And: mobile power extends the cycles of the other battery-powered equipment under the units’ equipment.
The concept of mobile energy in the form of mobile battery units for the ad-hoc provision of the required power is understood as an extension of the existing energy infrastructure of the Bundeswehr. In the field itself, the mobile units offer advantages such as high peak power in the field and the possibility of intermediate storage of mobile-produced renewable and fossil energy. In this way, smaller generator outputs from the sun, wind and existing fuel cells can be buffered and provided ad-hoc in large flows. Although the mobile storage units can be charged by conventional methods such as diesel or emergency generators, the full benefits in terms of efficiency gains and cost reduction are only realised when they are seen as part of a self-contained system.
Our ARVEY A1 is the adaptable lightweight among battery storage solutions. Hand-portable and extra robust thanks to its reinforced aluminium housing, it can be used flexibly and safely in most application scenarios – wherever power is needed. Thanks to its expandable battery storage, you have a capacity of 480 to 1,920 Wh at your disposal. This is enough, for example, to continuously power a standard drill for 40 minutes – per battery module. In combination with our foldable solar panel, for example, continuous satellite communication is already ensured in remote areas. A package of approx. 20 kg for 100% self-sufficiency.
The A1 is highly mobile, and also quiet and cost-saving. It is also rechargeable regardless of the type of generation source and ideally complements our container solutions. Charged overnight, it is available to your staff during the day and provides reliable power for tools and other terminal equipment.
