Revolutionary Cooling System Unveiled: Battery-Powered Hydraulic Power Station Employs Single Fan Heat Exchanger with EMP FiC-11 Fan and Concentric 200W Pump

Vigor Piling specialise in the production of hydraulic power units (HPUs) for both the construction and offshore industries. The Netherland-based company required a cooling system for the drivetrain of a new E-250 battery-powered hydraulic power station. Technical Services was asked to design the architecture of the cooling system having worked previously with Vigor Piling’s internal engineering division in the supply of pumps.

Summary of how we designed an effective cooling system

This was a collaborative project between the engineering teams at Vigor Piling and Technical Services beginning with an assessment of the requirements and evaluation of the data points right through to delivery of a successful cooling system.

Using data points supplied by Vigor Piling’s engineering team, Technical Services carried out thermal calculations and mapped out the architecture of the system. With access to leading brands, Technical Services tapped into their wide product portfolio providing Vigor Piling with a bespoke cooling system design, combining components from leading manufacturers with which they partner such as EMP and Concentric.

The final component selection for the Vigor cooling system features a single fan heat exchanger with an EMP FiC-11 fan and a Concentric 200w pump in addition to other components in the cooling loop.

The single fan heat exchanger is well-sized to manage the typical European ambient conditions that the HPU will be operating in. The fan and the pump are fully CAN controllable which allows Vigor Piling to dial into the control of their system in order to maximise efficiency.

The seal-less 200W pump is built to last, offering up to 40,000 hours of service and hitting the required operating range of the Vigor system. The fan can also be programmed to periodically be reversed to clear any debris from the heavy-duty bar and plate radiator.

As Vigor Piling opted to use an ultra-long-life coolant, the engineering team at Technical Services had to select the correct grade of silicone hose featuring a suitable lining, to ensure durability of the pipework over a period of several years.

Using Technical Services in-house comprehensive testing facilities, the cooling system was checked and approved for customer release.

The complete cooling system sub assembly including all components, pipework, expansion tank and electrical connectors was then supplied to Vigor Piling’s production facility in the Netherlands. Installation of the cooling system was carried out by Vigor Piling’s internal engineering team, supported by Technical Services.

Successful results

The cooling system has been successfully installed into the build of the drivetrain of the new E-250 battery-powered hydraulic power station. Temperature and pressure sensors have been placed around the custom-designed silicon and aluminium pipe work to monitor the performance and health of the cooling system during the testing phase of the HPU. The results of this data will be used by both parties to validate the original concepts, optimise, and tune the system for best performance with lowest parasitic loses.

This two-way flow of information between Vigor Piling and Technical Services will also enable continual improvements to be made to the cooling system and in turn the performance of the HPU. Vigor Piling engineering and production facility will control the production process and implement improvements for the E-250 battery-powered hydraulic power station for their customer base.

This project is an excellent example of Vigor Piling and Technical Services’ successful collaboration. The combination of data sharing, engineering support and the supply of world-class components in a bespoke package ready for assembly, and then optimisation of the system based on testing and real-world data proved to be a powerful combination. This is further supported by the production of components from Tier 1 manufacturers such as EMP and Concentric, resulting in a robust, scalable system.

Theo Mastenbroek, Vigor Piling commented:

“Vigor Piling is happy with the cooperation, technical support and transparency of information given by Technical Services. The products which have been provided demonstrate quality and durability. We will be using Technical Services for engineering support and products for future projects and have no hesitation in promoting them to other companies in Holland.”

Kevin Puszczewicz, Vice President, Sales and Customer Service, commented:

“Concentric is proud to support Technical Services in their collaborative efforts with Vigor Piling. The success of this project exemplifies the synergy between cutting-edge components, innovative design, and a commitment to customer satisfaction.  Together, we create solutions that drive efficiency and performance in a range of electrified applications.”