The Bashkir company "ETK" has developed a scheme for a hybrid power plant where the same medium performs the role of cooling, insulation, and even fire extinguishing. This approach can significantly reduce the weight of the electric power plant and simultaneously increase its survivability.
The main feature of the development is a single cooling circuit for all key components. It combines electric motors, a generator, batteries, a rectifier, and even the DC power grid. Moreover, the conductors themselves are proposed to be placed directly inside the cooling channels – without the usual insulation.
A special refrigerant acts as an insulator. The patent mentions supercritical carbon dioxide as an example. It simultaneously cools the equipment, prevents short circuits, and can act as a fire extinguishing agent in case of an accident.
The system is built around an internal combustion engine that drives a generator. The generator powers the electric motors and battery packs through a common DC network. At the same time, the refrigerant flows through the channels, cooling the power electronics and protecting them from overheating.
