Browse Topic: Hybrid electric vehicles
The calibration of automotive electronic control units is a critical and resource-intensive task in modern powertrain development. Optimizing parameters such as transmission shift schedules for minimum fuel consumption traditionally requires extensive prototype testing by expert calibrators. This process is costly, time-consuming, and subject to variability in environmental conditions and human judgment. In this paper, an artificial calibrator is introduced – a software agent that autonomously tunes transmission shift maps using reinforcement learning (RL) in a Software-in-the-Loop (SiL) simulation environment. The RL-based calibrator explores shift schedule parameters and learns from fuel consumption feedback, thereby achieving objective and reproducible optimizations within the controlled SiL environment. Applied to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) model of a Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV), the approach yielded significant fuel efficiency improvements. In a case study on
In the realm of electric and hybrid vehicles (EVs, HEVs), the intelligent thermal system control unit is essential for optimizing performance, safety, and efficiency. Unlike traditional internal combustion engines, EVs rely heavily on battery performance, which is significantly influenced by temperature. An intelligent thermal management system helps battery packs to operate within their optimal temperature range, enhancing energy efficiency, extending battery life, and maximizing driving range. Furthermore, it plays a crucial role in managing the thermal dynamics of power electronics and electric motors, preventing overheating, and ensuring reliable operation. As the demand for high-performance and efficient electric vehicles grows, the integration of advanced thermal control strategies becomes increasingly vital, paving the way for innovations in EV design and functionality. One of the key aspects of an intelligent thermal system control is their prediction capability. These
Zero emission vehicles are essential for achieving sustainable and clean transportation. Hybrid vehicles such as Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) use multiple energy sources like batteries and fuel cell stacks to offer extended driving range without emitting greenhouse gases. Optimal performance and extended life of the important components like the high voltage battery and fuel-cell stack go a long way in achieving cost benefits as well as environmental safety. For this, energy management in FCEVs, particularly thermal management, is crucial for maintaining the temperature of these components within their specified range. The fuel cell stack generates a significant amount of waste heat, which needs to be dissipated to maintain optimal performance and prevent degradation, whereas the battery system needs to be operated within an optimal temperature range for its better performance and longevity. Overheating of batteries can lead to reduced efficiency and potential safety hazards
This paper offers a state-of-the-art energy-management strategy specifically developed for FCHEV focusing on robustness under uncertain operations. Currently, energy management strategies try to optimize fuel economy and take into account the sluggish response of fuel cells (FCs); however, they mostly do so assuming all system variables are explicit and deterministic. In real-world operations, however, a variety of sources may cause the uncertainty in power generation, energy conversion, and demand interactions, e.g., the variation of environmental variables, estimated error, and approximation error of system model, etc., which accumulates and adversely impacts the vehicle performance. Disregarding these uncertainities can result in overestimation of operating costs, overall efficiency and overstepped performance limitations, and, in serious cases can cause catastrophic system breakdown. To mitigate these risks, the current work introduces a neural network-based energy management
The powertrain landscape of the future is sure to be a mix that includes clean diesel engines and other ICE options running alternative fuels. Zero-emissions technology such as battery-electric also will play a greater role in certain applications - despite the policy headwinds it currently faces in the U.S. “Eventually we have to decarbonize the heavy-duty industry,” Thomas Howell, segment lead for conventional powertrain, AVL in the U.S., told Truck & Off-Highway Engineering. A promising “best of both worlds” technology could be hybrid-electric. But as with BEVs, its impact will depend greatly on finding the right applications for it, Howell said. Read on for more of his thoughts on the hybridization of commercial vehicles.
Thermal or infrared signature management simulations of hybrid electric ground vehicles require modeling complex heat sources not present in traditional vehicles. Fast-running multi-physics simulations are necessary for efficiently and accurately capturing the contribution of these electrical drivetrain components to vehicle thermal signature. The infrared signature and heat transfer simulation tool, “Multi-Service Electro-optic Signature” (MuSES), is being updated to address these challenges by expanding its thermal-electrical simulation capabilities, provide a coupling interface to system zero- and one-dimensional modeling tools, and model three-dimensional air flow and its convection effects. These simulation capabilities are used to compare the infrared signatures of a tactical ground vehicle with a traditional powertrain to a hybrid electric version of the same vehicle and demonstrate a reduction in contrast while operating under electrically powered conditions of silent watch and
Traveling by a two-wheeler has a significant share of commute and non-commute trips, especially in developing and emerging countries. However, with the rising fuel prices and stringent environmental norms, feasibility of conventional two-wheelers needs to be contemplated. As a potential alternative, electric two-wheelers and hybrids/retrofitted are observed as credible travel mode shifts. Intuitively, hybrid or retrofitted are assumed to gain leveraged benefits of both conventional and electric two-wheelers. However, the intrusion of these two-wheelers will sprout out associated concerns, which need to be mitigated with the help of public (consumer) opinion. In this study, a survey of hybrid electric two-wheelers is conducted to examine people’s mindset and the necessity of hybrid electric two-wheelers in today’s market. The hybrid technology can be used on two-wheelers in two different ways: first, it can be retrofitted, and second, it can be fitted to a brand-new two-wheeler
While electric powertrains are driving 48V adoption, OEMs are realizing that xEV and ICE vehicles can benefit from a shift away from 12-volt architectures. In every corner of the automotive power engineering world, there are discussions and debates over the merits of 48V power networks vs. legacy 12V power networks. The dialogue started over 20 years ago, but now the tone is more serious. It's not a case of everything old is new again, but the result of a growing appetite for more electrical power in vehicles. Today's vehicles - and the coming generations - require more power for their ADAS and other safety systems, infotainment systems and overall passenger comfort systems. To satisfy the growing demand for low-voltage power, it is necessary to boost the capacity of the low-voltage power network by two or three times that of the late 20th century. Delivering power is more efficient at a higher voltage, and today, 48V is the consensus voltage for that higher level.
In today’s electric age, the definition of ‘high-performance’ is being rewritten, courtesy of electric sports cars, supercars, and hypercars pushing limits that were once thought impossible to reach. Even Formula 1, quite surprisingly to many, has embraced electrification by integrating hybrid electric systems at the pinnacle of motorsport. Every jaw-dropping 0 to 60 mph time or record-breaking lap is backed by a battery system engineered with precision. Increasingly that precision is driven by simulation technology.
GKN Aerospace Birmingham, UK Marianne.Mulder@Fokker.com
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