Parker Hannifin, a provider of motion and control technologies, introduced the latest version of its RunWise Advanced Series Hybrid Drive system for use with Class 8 refuse vehicles. Featuring a hydrostatic drive and brake energy recovery capabilities, RunWise is designed to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and brake wear, while improving vehicle performance and driver satisfaction.
Parker says RunWise replaces a refuse truck’s conventional drivetrain with a series hybrid drive system that marries the variable features of a hydrostatic drive, suitable for urban routes, with the efficient performance of a mechanical drive that performs best at highway speeds; coupling this hybrid drive system with brake energy recovery technology, which captures more than 70 percent of the vehicle’s braking energy, enables RunWise to reuse this stored energy to accelerate the truck while operating during collection routes.
Unveiled at last week’s Waste Expo 2009, RunWise – Modular Gen I – features a patent-pending cradle design for packaging mechanical, hydraulic and electrical components. Because the cradle houses all major hydraulic subsystems, it facilitates manufacturing, installation, testing and servicing, according to Parker; cradle design flexibility accommodates multiple-chassis configurations and simplifies OEM truck assembly with minimal electrical, driveshaft and cooling system hookups. If major service is required, the cradle can be removed and a new cradle reinstalled quickly, eliminating vehicle downtime, Parker says.
Parker says that in documented field trials on refuse trucks, RunWise performance benefits include:
Key components of RunWise include the engine, primary pump, secondary drive pump/ motors, accumulators and Parker’s proprietary Power Drive Unit (PDU). Parker says its Advanced Series system features two-speed hydrostatic drive (low speed 0-25 mph and high speed 26-45 mph) for urban driving combined with mechanical direct drive for efficient operation at highway speeds (45-50+ mph); all shifting occurs smoothly and automatically, and all speed modes accommodate brake energy recovery, allowing stored brake energy to be used to accelerate the vehicle in all modes of operation.
“Parker’s RunWise, with Advanced Series Hydraulic Hybrid technology, is taking refuse collection to new levels of smoothness, quiet operating conditions and improved driver productivity, while contributing to a better environment and improving the bottom line,” says Vance Zanardelli, manager of Parker’s energy recovery business.
For more information, go to www.parker.com.
