Modeling and Control of Hybrid Vehicles

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Project number: 120-0361621-1896

Period: January 2007 - 2012

Summary: Hybrid vehicle drive has generally been accepted as an effective solution for improving vehicle energy consumption and reducing environmental pollution, which are two key issues in modern transportation. At the same time, it is necessary to meet the opposing expectations of vehicle users for good performance, comfort, safety, and driving range. Hybrid vehicles are powered by multiple types of power sources. Electric hybrids consist of an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor/generator (or an additional separate generator) and energy storage media such as chemical batteries and/or ultracapacitors. This allows for energy savings and reduced emissions by utilizing kinetic energy during braking, operating the ICE in a fuel-efficient range, and potentially reducing the size of the ICE, while maintaining good performance and the long range of conventionally powered vehicles.

An alternative to electric hybrids, which could offer greater energy efficiency, is hydraulic hybrids. Instead of an electric motor/generator and batteries, they use a hydraulic unit (motor/pump) and a hydropneumatic accumulator.

The key challenges of hybrid vehicles are:

• Finding the optimal combination of hybrid drive elements,
• Developing an appropriate energy management strategy for multiple power sources.

The main outcomes of the proposed project will be mathematical models of hybrid drives, which will serve as the foundation for high-quality analysis and synthesis of hybrid vehicle control, as well as methods for optimal control of hybrid vehicles. To experimentally verify the mathematical models and control methods, an experimental hybrid vehicle and a small experimental hydraulic drive will be constructed. Additionally, a comparative analysis of hydraulic and electric hybrid drives will be conducted, along with research into automotive mechatronic subsystems, with a focus on their applications in hybrid vehicles.

The proposed research aims to acquire expert knowledge to contribute to current global research in the field of hybrid vehicles, which is evidently the future of automotive technology. It is also crucial to disseminate knowledge about hybrid vehicles and automotive mechatronics to interested parties in the domestic environment (young researchers, students, scientists, experts). Furthermore, the project is expected to expand existing collaborations with the global automotive industry and provide support to domestic science and industry on related issues.