Test Setup Design Experimentation And Model Based Control Of Hybrid Electric Powertrains Integrated With Low Tempereture Combustion Engines

TEST SETUP DESIGN, EXPERIMENTATION, AND MODEL-BASED CONTROL OF HYBRID ELECTRIC POWERTRAINS INTEGRATED WITH LOW TEMPERETURE COMBUSTION ENGINES

Abstract : Transportation sector accounts for 70% of the total U.S. petroleum use in 2014 [7]. Widespread use of petroleum-based fuels in conventional powertrains has led to high greenhouse gas emission (GHG). In this context, the automakers are required to decrease both GHG emission by reducing vehicular fuel consumption and use of alternative fuels. Powertrain electrification and use of fuel-efficient Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) provide a viable solution to reduce GHG and vehicular fuel consumption. Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) engines represent one of the state-of-the-art ICE technologies with the highest reported peak net indicated thermal efficiency as high as 53% [8]. However, LTC engines suffer from limited operating range and control complexity during ICE transients and mode switching. Integrating the LTC engines with Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) provides an opportunity for i) reducing HEV fuel consumption, and ii) removing unnecessary LTC transients; thus, reducing LTC control complexity. This MS report intends to investigate challenges and fuel economy potential for LTC-HEV powertrains. Three different types of Energy Management Control (EMC) strategies are developed and implemented for LTC-HEV powertrains. The EMC strategies encompass thermostatic Rule-Based Control (RBC), offline, and online optimization policies including Dynamic Programing (DP) and Model Predictive Control (MPC), respectively. This research, concentrates on (i) mild HEV architecture integrated with LTC engine to decrease the engine transitions by using e-motor torque assist along with using optimal EMC strategies, and (ii) integrating the LTC engines in series HEV and E-REV architectures which decouples the engine from the drivetrain and allow the ICE to operate fully in a dedicated LTC mode. To verify the outcome of this project, a powertrain test setup is built atMichigan Technological University. The expected outcome from this MS research will be advanced model-based powertrain control strategies to minimize LTC transients, evaluate fuel economy advantage versus conventional ICEs, and finally facilitate implementation of this promising fuel-efficient LTC-HEV powertrain.

Advances in Engine and Powertrain Research and Technology

The book covers a wide range of applied research compactly presented in one volume, and shows innovative engineering solutions for automotive, marine and aviation industries, as well as power generation. While targeting primarily the audience of professional scientists and engineers, the book can also be useful for graduate students, and also for all those who are relatively new to the area and are looking for a single source with a good overview of the state-of-the-art as well as an up-to-date information on theories, numerical methods, and their application in design, simulation, testing, and manufacturing. The readers will find here a rich mixture of approaches, software tools and case studies used to investigate and optimize diverse powertrains, their functional units and separate machine parts based on different physical phenomena, their mathematical representation, solution algorithms, and experimental validation.

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