Title: A classical control approach to the power management of an all-electric hybrid vehicle

Authors: James Marco, Nicholas D. Vaughan

Addresses: Department of Automotive Engineering, School of Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK. ' Department of Automotive Engineering, School of Engineering, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK

Abstract: Modern hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) often employ all-electric powertrains that use hybrid sources of power and energy; such as batteries, fuel cells and ultracapacitors. This article describes the design, simulation and experimental verification of a power management control system that manages a high voltage battery, a DC–DC boost converter and an ultracapacitor within a front-wheel drive HEV in which the motive power for the vehicle comes from two electrical machines. As part of this study, consideration is given to the complete control system design life-cycle including plant model development, algorithm design and software implementation on the target electronic control unit. Offline simulation and initial experimental results are presented showing the vehicle operating on a powertrain dynamometer as one means of demonstrating the ability of the ultracapacitor to limit the transient demands placed on the battery during periods of vehicle acceleration and regenerative braking.

Keywords: HEVs; hybrid electric vehicles; systems modelling; systems control; power electronics; ultracapacitor; power management; simulation; front wheel drive; powertrain dynamometer; high voltage battery; DC–DC boost converter.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVSMT.2009.029177

International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, 2009 Vol.4 No.1/2, pp.55 - 78

Received: 20 Mar 2009
Accepted: 19 Apr 2009
Published online: 08 Nov 2009 *

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