Modeling and Control of Hybrid Vehicles
Scientific project supported by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia (2007-2012)
Project number: 120-0361621-1896
Period: January 2007 - 2012
Summary: Hybrid vehicle drive has generally been accepted as an effective solution for the improvement of both vehicle power management, and the requirement on the reduction of emission gasses. These represent two most important issues in modern vehicles. It is also important to satisfy the opposing expectations of the driver with respect to good vehicle driving performance, comfort, safety, and vehicle fuel autonomy.
Hybrid vehicles usually utilize several different power sources. Typically, an internal combustion engine is combined with an electrical motor (with possible additional generator unit), and appropriate devices for energy storage such as chemical batteries and/or ultracapacitors. Thus, they are capable of facilitating considerable reduction in power consumption and lower emissions by means of high efficiency of ICE operation, vehicle kinetic energy storage during braking, and utilization of relatively small.
The principal problem of hybrid vehicle design is the optimal combination of hybrid drive elements, and the development of the power management strategy for several different power sources. Vehicle power management and control is rather complex and it equally depends on the vehicle itself, the driver, and the driving conditions.
An alternative to hybrid electric vehicle is a hybrid hydraulic vehicle. A hydraulic unit (motor/pump) is utilized with the so-called hydropneumatic accumulator unit for energy storage during vehicle braking. The implementation of hybrid hydraulic drives may be potentially valuable for a medium/large-scale vehicles which usually operate in stop-and-go regime (urban delivery vehicles, waste disposal vehicles, small trucks and vans, small busses and similar).
As the individual vehicle subsystems become increasingly integrated, their effect on the overall vehicle drive becomes more and more emphasized. For instance, the implementation of antilock braking system, traction control, or dynamic stability control system can be quite different in hybrid vehicles compared to standard vehicles. Furthermore, there is also a wide range of additional mechatronic systems in vehicles, such as active differentials, assisted launch systems, active suspension systems and other systems that may affect the overall vehicle performance. It is anticipated that these mechatronic systems may have significant influence on hybrid vehicle drive, so a whole new range of vehicle control system applications can be expected.
Based on the above elaboration, the major tasks of this project will be the estimation and control of hybrid electrical vehicles, the analysis of feasible hybrid vehicle performance, and the research of hybrid hydraulic vehicle control. In addition, a significant portion of this project will also be dedicated to analysis, modeling and control of vehicle mechatronic subsystems.