INTELLIGENT ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN A TWO POWER-BUS VEHICLE SYSTEM

In this paper we present an intelligent power controller for a vehicle power system that employs multiple power sources. In particular we focus on a vehicle power system architecture that is used in vehicles such as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. These vehicles are designed to survive IED (Improvised Explosive Devices) attacks and ambushes. The power system has the following major components: a “clean” bus, a “dirty” bus, an engine, a hydraulic system and a switch between the clean and the dirty bus. We developed algorithms for intelligent energy management for this type of vehicle power system including DP (Dynamic Programming) optimization, DP online control and a machine learning technique that combines neural networks with DP to train an intelligent power controller. We present experiments conducted through modeling and simulation using a generic commercial software tool and a lab hardware setup.