Optimization-Based Power Management of Hybrid Power Systems with Applications in Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Wind Farms with Battery Storage

Modern hybrid electric vehicles and many stationary renewable power generation systems combine multiple power generating and energy storage devices to achieve an overall system-level efficiency and flexibility which is higher than their individual components. The power or energy management control, ``brain\u27 of these ``hybrid\u27 systems, determines adaptively and based on the power demand the power split between multiple subsystems and plays a critical role in overall system-level efficiency. This dissertation proposes that a receding horizon optimal control (aka Model Predictive Control) approach can be a natural and systematic framework for formulating this type of power management controls. More importantly the dissertation develops new results based on the classical theory of optimal control that allow solving the resulting optimal control problem in real-time, in spite of the complexities that arise due to several system nonlinearities and constraints. The dissertation focus is on two classes of hybrid systems: hybrid electric vehicles in the first part and wind farms with battery storage in the second part. The first part of the dissertation proposes and fully develops a real-time optimization-based power management strategy for hybrid electric vehicles. Current industry practice uses rule-based control techniques with ``else-then-if\u27 logic and look-up maps and tables in the power management of production hybrid vehicles. These algorithms are not guaranteed to result in the best possible fuel economy and there exists a gap between their performance and a minimum possible fuel economy benchmark. Furthermore, considerable time and effort are spent calibrating the control system in the vehicle development phase, and there is little flexibility in real-time handling of constraints and re-optimization of the system operation in the event of changing operating conditions and varying parameters. In addition, a proliferation of different powertrain configurations may result in the need for repeated control system redesign. To address these shortcomings, we formulate the power management problem as a nonlinear and constrained optimal control problem. Solution of this optimal control problem in real-time on chronometric- and memory- constrained automotive microcontrollers is quite challenging; this computational complexity is due to the highly nonlinear dynamics of the powertrain subsystems, mixed-integer switching modes of their operation, and time-varying and nonlinear hard constraints that system variables should satisfy. The main contribution of the first part of the dissertation is that it establishes methods for systematic and step-by step improvements in fuel economy while maintaining the algorithmic computational requirements in a real-time implementable framework. More specifically a linear time-varying model predictive control approach is employed first which uses sequential quadratic programming to find sub-optimal solutions to the power management problem. Next the objective function is further refined and broken into a short and a long horizon segments; the latter approximated as a function of the state using the connection between the Pontryagin minimum principle and Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. The power management problem is then solved using a nonlinear MPC framework with a dynamic programming solver and the fuel economy is further improved. Typical simplifying academic assumptions are minimal throughout this work, thanks to close collaboration with research scientists at Ford research labs and their stringent requirement that the proposed solutions be tested on high-fidelity production models. Simulation results on a high-fidelity model of a hybrid electric vehicle over multiple standard driving cycles reveal the potential for substantial fuel economy gains. To address the control calibration challenges, we also present a novel and fast calibration technique utilizing parallel computing techniques. The second part of this dissertation presents an optimization-based control strategy for the power management of a wind farm with battery storage. The strategy seeks to minimize the error between the power delivered by the wind farm with battery storage and the power demand from an operator. In addition, the strategy attempts to maximize battery life. The control strategy has two main stages. The first stage produces a family of control solutions that minimize the power error subject to the battery constraints over an optimization horizon. These solutions are parameterized by a given value for the state of charge at the end of the optimization horizon. The second stage screens the family of control solutions to select one attaining an optimal balance between power error and battery life. The battery life model used in this stage is a weighted Amp-hour (Ah) throughput model. The control strategy is modular, allowing for more sophisticated optimization models in the first stage, or more elaborate battery life models in the second stage. The strategy is implemented in real-time in the framework of Model Predictive Control (MPC)

Urban and extra-urban hybrid vehicles: a technological review

Pollution derived from transportation systems is a worldwide, timelier issue than ever. The abatement actions of harmful substances in the air are on the agenda and they are necessary today to safeguard our welfare and that of the planet. Environmental pollution in large cities is approximately 20% due to the transportation system. In addition, private traffic contributes greatly to city pollution. Further, “vehicle operating life” is most often exceeded and vehicle emissions do not comply with European antipollution standards. It becomes mandatory to find a solution that respects the environment and, realize an appropriate transportation service to the customers. New technologies related to hybrid –electric engines are making great strides in reducing emissions, and the funds allocated by public authorities should be addressed. In addition, the use (implementation) of new technologies is also convenient from an economic point of view. In fact, by implementing the use of hybrid vehicles, fuel consumption can be reduced. The different hybrid configurations presented refer to such a series architecture, developed by the researchers and Research and Development groups. Regarding energy flows, different strategy logic or vehicle management units have been illustrated. Various configurations and vehicles were studied by simulating different driving cycles, both European approval and homologation and customer ones (typically municipal and university). The simulations have provided guidance on the optimal proposed configuration and information on the component to be used

An investigation on the effect of driver style and driving events on energy demand of a PHEV

Environmental concerns, security of fuel supply and CO2 regulations are driving innovation in the automotive industry towards electric and hybrid electric vehicles. The fuel economy and emission performance of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) strongly depends on the energy management system (EMS). Prior knowledge of driving information could be used to enhance the performance of a HEV. However, how the necessary information can be obtained to use in EMS optimisation still remains a challenge. In this paper the effect of driver style and driving events like city and highway driving on plug in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) energy demand is studied. Using real world driving data from three drivers of very different driver style, a simulation has been exercised for a given route having city and highway driving. Driver style and driving events both affect vehicle energy demand. In both driving events considered, vehicle energy demand is different due to driver styles. The major part of city driving is reactive driving influenced by external factors and driver leading to variation in vehicle speed and hence energy demand. In free highway driving, the driver choice of cruise speed is the only factor affecting vehicle energy demand

Least costly energy management for series hybrid electric vehicles

Energy management of plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) has different challenges from non-plug-in HEVs, due to bigger batteries and grid recharging. Instead of tackling it to pursue energetic efficiency, an approach minimizing the driving cost incurred by the user - the combined costs of fuel, grid energy and battery degradation - is here proposed. A real-time approximation of the resulting optimal policy is then provided, as well as some analytic insight into its dependence on the system parameters. The advantages of the proposed formulation and the effectiveness of the real-time strategy are shown by means of a thorough simulation campaign

The novel application of optimization and charge blended energy management control for component downsizing within a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

The adoption of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) is widely seen as an interim solution for the decarbonization of the transport sector. Within a PHEV, determining the required energy storage capacity of the battery remains one of the primary concerns for vehicle manufacturers and system integrators. This fact is particularly pertinent since the battery constitutes the largest contributor to vehicle mass. Furthermore, the financial cost associated with the procurement, design and integration of battery systems is often cited as one of the main barriers to vehicle commercialization. The ability to integrate the optimization of the energy management control system with the sizing of key PHEV powertrain components presents a significant area of research. Contained within this paper is an optimization study in which a charge blended strategy is used to facilitate the downsizing of the electrical machine, the internal combustion engine and the high voltage battery. An improved Equivalent Consumption Method has been used to manage the optimal power split within the powertrain as the PHEV traverses a range of different drivecycles. For a target CO2 value and drivecycle, results show that this approach can yield significant downsizing opportunities, with cost reductions on the order of 2%–9% being realizable

Power Management of a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Based on Cycle Energy Estimation

2012 Workshop on Engine and Powertrain Control,Simulation and ModelingThe International Federation of Automatic ControlRueil-Malmaison, France, October 23-25, 2012Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) are being investigated in many research and development programs motivated by the urgent need for more fuel-efficient vehicles that produce fewer harmful emissions. There are many potential advantages of hybridization such as the improvement of transient power demand, the ability of regenerative braking and the opportunities for optimization of the vehicle efficiency. The coordination among the various power sources requires a high level of control in the vehicle. In order to solve the power management problem, the controller proposed in this work is divided into two levels: the upper one calculates the power that must be supplied by the engine at each moment taking into account the estimation of the energy that must be supplied by the powertrain until the end of the journey. The lower one manages the torque/speed set points for all the devices. Besides, the operation modes are changed according to some heuristic rules. Several simulation results are presented, showing that the proposed control strategy can provide good performance with low computational load