• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Improving Energy Efficiency of Military Heavy Construction Equipment

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110401-05
4/1/2011

By Darrell E. Waller, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Public Affairs

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Installation of an innovative hybrid hydraulic energy recovery system recently tested by the Navy starts April 1 by the Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC).

This installation will prepare both the Army and Navy for a second round of tests in June to determine the potential energy savings of the hybrid hydraulic energy recovery system that may be used by Amphibious and Expeditionary Forces worldwide.

The initial testing, which successfully concluded on March 10, involved a hydraulically driven backhoe excavator. Data collected in this phase will be used as a baseline to evaluate a new hybrid hydraulic energy recovery system. Navy and Army engineers believe test results will show a notable reduction in fuel consumption and lower overall operating costs.

"The testing completed and the testing that remains before us has one overarching goal: providing our warfighters with the best, most modern equipment available," said Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering Service Center (NAVFAC ESC) Commanding Officer, Capt. Paz B. Gomez.

"We are committed to achieving the SECNAV's and the Navy Task Force Energy-Expeditionary goals of reducing deployed fuel consumption and increasing fuel efficiency by 15 percent by the year 2020. We believe this technology moves us closer to those goals," said Gomez.

The project is the result of a request by TARDEC to use facilities at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Port Hueneme, which offers a consistent climate that is favorable to the testing. The effort was supported by elements from the NAVFAC ESC, First Naval Construction Division (1NCD), the 31st Seabee Readiness Group (SRG), and private industry.

The 31st SRG of the First Naval Construction Division (1NCD) contributed experienced equipment operators to support the tests and gain knowledge of the new hybrid hydraulic system and its future potential in reducing energy consumption of heavy construction equipment. 1NCD oversees about 16,000 Navy Seabees, who provide a wide range of military construction and humanitarian support worldwide.

The next phase of testing is scheduled for this summer and involves the employment of the new hybrid hydraulic energy recovery system, which will be used to replace the existing pumps and to replace the existing priority valves with digital valves to reduce the hydraulic power required to do the same work. Power requirements will be measured and compared to data from the baseline testing to determine overall hydraulic power reduction, fuel consumption reduction, and cost savings.

NAVFAC is the Systems Command that delivers and maintains quality, sustainable facilities, acquires and manages capabilities for the Navy's expeditionary combat forces, provides contingency engineering response, and enables energy security and environmental stewardship.