Modelling environment for holistic vehicle simulation

As the complexity of road vehicles increases with time, the importance of CAE tools to the product development cycle increases as well. A holistic vehicle simulation capability is necessary for front-loading component, subsystem, and controller design, for the early detection of component and subsystem design flaws, as well as for the model-based calibration of powertrain control modules. The current document explores the concept of holistic vehicle simulation by means of developing and testing a Simulink-based multidisciplinary modelling environment (MME), modular in nature and capable of connecting to subsystem models developed in different environments, thus supporting holistic vehicle simulation on a company-wide scale. The developed environment is tested via the integration of subsystem models built in different commercial software packages within the environment. The simulation results generated from equivalent vehicle models developed in three competing platforms are compared and the advantages and limitations of the different methods of model integration to the master holistic vehicle simulation are discussed

Holistic Thermal Energy Modelling for Full Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs)

Full hybrid electric vehicles are usually defined by their capability to drive in a fully electric mode, offering the advantage that they do not produce any emissions at the point of use. This is particularly important in built up areas, where localized emissions in the form of NOx and particulate matter may worsen health issues such as respiratory disease. However, high degrees of electrification also mean that waste heat from the internal combustion engine is often not available for heating the cabin and for maintaining the temperature of the powertrain and emissions control system. If not managed properly, this can result in increased fuel consumption, exhaust emissions, and reduced electric-only range at moderately high or low ambient temperatures negating many of the benefits of the electrification. This paper describes the development of a holistic, modular vehicle model designed for development of an integrated thermal energy management strategy. The developed model utilizes advanced simulation techniques, such as co-simulation, to incorporate a high-fidelity 1D thermo-fluid model, a multi-phase HVAC model, and a multi-zone cabin model within an existing longitudinal powertrain simulation environment. It is shown that the final model is useful of detailed analysis of thermal pathways including energy losses due to powertrain warm-up at various ambient temperatures and after periods of parked time. This enables identification of sources of energy loss and inefficiency over a wide range of environmental conditions. </div

Holistic simulation for integrated vehicle design

A holistic vehicle simulation capability is necessary for front-loading component, subsystem, and controller design, for the early detection of component and subsystem design flaws, as well as for the model-based calibration of powertrain control modules. The current document explores the concept of holistic vehicle simulation by means of reviewing the current trends automotive system design and available solutions in terms of model interfaces and neutral modelling environments. The review is followed by the presentation of a Simulink-based Multi- disciplinary Modelling Environment (MME) developed by the authors to accommodate simulation work across the vehicle development cycle

Modelling and Co-simulation of hybrid vehicles: A thermal management perspective

Thermal management plays a vital role in the modern vehicle design and delivery. It enables the thermal analysis and optimisation of energy distribution to improve performance, increase efficiency and reduce emissions. Due to the complexity of the overall vehicle system, it is necessary to use a combination of simulation tools. Therefore, the co-simulation is at the centre of the design and analysis of electric, hybrid vehicles. For a holistic vehicle simulation to be realized, the simulation environment must support many physical domains. In this paper, a wide variety of system designs for modelling vehicle thermal performance are reviewed, providing an overview of necessary considerations for developing a cost-effective tool to evaluate fuel consumption and emissions across dynamic drive-cycles and under a range of weather conditions. The virtual models reviewed in this paper provide tools for component-level, system-level and control design, analysis, and optimisation. This paper concerns the latest techniques for an overall vehicle model development and software integration of multi-domain subsystems from a thermal management view and discusses the challenges presented for future studies