Optimization of Auxiliary Systems In hybrid heavy vehicleS - OASIS
Background
Auxiliary systems are generally defined as all sub-systems within a vehicle except for the drive-train systems. This research project is focused on electric auxiliary systems that performs closed-loop controlled mechanical work. Many of the auxiliary systems that traditionally have been driven by the combustion engine, via, for instance, gears, belts or chains are being replaced with electric systems. This development is primarily driven by new and improved functionality, but also by the transition to electric and hybrid electric drive trains.
Examples of electromechanical auxiliary systems include::
· Brake-By-Wire / Electro Mechanical Brakes (EMB)
· Steer-By-Wire and Electric Power Assisted Steering
· Shift and clutch by-wire
· Electric powered:
o Water pump
o Engine Cooling Fan
o Air Compressor
Mechatronics = Complex Systems
Mechatronic auxiliary systems are often very complex to design and optimize. Mainly because they span over several engineering disciplines: control engineering, software engineering, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. This project is based on a concept with mechatronic actuation modules, i.e. mechatronic systems integrated into one physical module.
The close coupling between the involved engineering domains makes it hard to design and optimize mechatronic modules. Optimizing each component or domain separately will not end up in the optimal system. So in order to reach a better result of the design process, it is necessary to design and optimize the system in one single process, treating the system as a whole.
Sub projects
Strategy for optimal reuse of brake energy using EMB
In the design process of brake systems for hybrid electric vehicles, two basic concern are (1) properly applying braking force on front and rear wheels to quickly reduce the vehicle speed, and meanwhile, maintaining the vehicle traveling direction stable and controllable through the steering wheel on various road conditions, and (2) recovering the braking energy as much as possible in order to improving the energy utilization efficiency, especially while driving with stop-go driving pattern in urban areas. In this part of project, the optimal strategies to recover the braking energy by using electro mechanical brake systems will be studied.
Conceptual design and optimization of EMS
Reducing fuel consumption and emissions are two of the main concerns in today’s transportation industries. Several ways have been proposed and already implemented on vehicles to deal with these issues. Hybrid power transmission is a great way to reduce fuel consumption up to 30 percent. But still there are some other energy consumer systems in the vehicles such as steering system which uses some of the energy that is produced by engine. Steering systems are usually hydraulic or pneumatic actuated. These systems consume even more portion of the energy in the heavy vehicles, and more specifically in the city buses which have a lot of steering actuation. In this part of project, implementation of non-pneumatic and non-hydraulic steering systems like steer-by-wire system on the heavy vehicles, particularly hybrid city buses will be studied.