Title: Design optimisation of a hybrid electric vehicle cooling system considering performance and packaging

Authors: Kwang Jae Lee; Namwoo Kang; Michael Kokkolaras; Panos Y. Papalambros

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA ' The Cho Chun Shik Graduate School of Green Transportation, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 193 Munji-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, 817 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C3, Canada ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

Abstract: Optimal system design at the conceptual functional level, i.e., before the embodiment of the functions is determined in detail, focuses primarily on performance. Embodiment determines the geometry and position of subsystems and components, which must be packaged usually within strict spatial envelopes to achieve compactness or other external requirements such as styling. Packaging objectives and constraints may therefore compete with performance ones, leading to redesign and costly delays if these conflicts are not addressed early in the design process. This paper presents a design optimisation framework for coupled performance and packaging problems. Using the cooling system for a heavy duty tracked series hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV) as an example, we demonstrate the framework combining commercial CAD software with optimisation tools and including pipe routing which is a basic requirement in many mechanical systems.

Keywords: performance; packaging; pipe routing; layout optimisation; system design optimisation; hybrid electric vehicle; cooling system.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2021.120422

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2021 Vol.85 No.2/3/4, pp.154 - 177

Received: 05 May 2020
Accepted: 23 Feb 2021
Published online: 19 Jan 2022 *

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