EVALUATION OF PLUG-IN PARALLEL HEV TOPOLOGIES USING OPTIMAL CONTROL METHODS AND VEHICLE DYNAMICS SIMULATION

Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrains with parallel topologies are among the frequently used layouts, because of their easy applicability on an existing conventional powertrain, by the addition of hybrid modules with mild, full, or a plug-in capability. This paper investigates three of such parallel HEV topologies: P2, P3, and P4; all in a plug-in variant, to find-out which one performs best. Apart from the topology consideration, one of the other common questions or challenges in HEV development is the ICE concept selection. To address it, the paper combines the three HEV topologies with three technologically different internal combustion engines, all with the same power outputs. Then, all the powertrain and ICE combinations are tested in homologation driving cycles and vehicle dynamics simulation test – different acceleration tests – giving a holistic methodology suitable for thorough HEV topology evaluation, identifying all possible hybridization benefits. To find the maximum CO2 potential, it is convenient to exclude the effect of the energy management control strategy on the CO2 result in a charge sustaining driving cycle; therefore, to use some optimal control method. For this task, the paper compares the Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy, that realizes a Pontryagin’s minimum principle against the Dynamic Programming optimal control method, which is based on Bellman’s principle of optimality. Both control methods are available as a part of GT-Suite 0D/1D/3D multi-physics CAE simulation software, that is used in our whole study.