A comparative study on the power characteristics and control strategies for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

A comparative study was performed on two types of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs): the GM Volt and the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. First, the powertrain models of the two vehicles were derived. Based on the dynamic models, a detailed component control algorithm was developed for each PHEV. Specifically, a control algorithm was proposed for motor generator 1 (MG1) and MG2 to achieve optimal engine operation. Additionally, an energy management strategy for selecting the operation mode was developed from the viewpoint of fuel economy, battery state of charge and vehicle velocity. Using the dynamic model of the control algorithm for each PHEV, simulations were performed, and the simulation results were verified by comparing them with those obtained using the Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit simulator for the plug-in Prius. Based on the simulation results, a comparative study was performed, and it was found that the role and capacity of MG1 and MG2 and the mode selection algorithm must be determined depending on the configuration of the PHEV.     

Experimental study on the characteristics of nano-particle emissions from a heavy-duty diesel engine using a urea-SCR system

Particulate matter in diesel engine exhaust, particularly nano-particles, can cause serious human health problems including diseases such as lung cancer. Because diesel nano-particle issues are of global concern, regulations on particulate matter emissions specify that not only the weight of particulate matter emitted but also the concentration of nanoparticles must be controlled. This study aimed to determine the effects on nano-particle and PM emissions from a diesel engine when applying a urea-SCR system for NO_x reduction. We found that PM weight increases by approximately 90% when urea is injected in ND-13 mode over the emission without urea injection. Additionally, PM weight increases as the NH₃/NO_x mole ratio is increased at 250 °C. In SEM scans of the collected PM, spherical particles were observed during urea injection, with sizes of approximately 200 nm to 1 μm. This study was designed to determine the conditions under which nano-particles and PM are formed in a urea-SCR system and to relate these conditions to particle size and shape via a quantitative analysis in ND-13 mode.     

Smooth motion control of the adaptive cruise control system by a virtual lead vehicle

The adaptive cruise control system maintains the appropriate distance to the lead vehicle when the lead vehicle exists and maintains the desired speed when no lead vehicle is detected. A virtual lead vehicle scheme is introduced to make the switching between the speed control algorithm and the distance control algorithm unnecessary and simplify the structure of the control system. The speed and the position of the virtual vehicle can be decided by the control system according to the current situation. Smoother responses are achieved by the virtual lead vehicle scheme compared to the conventional mode switching scheme. This method is also shown to provide a good reaction for when a lead vehicle cuts in or out. A linear quadratic controller with variable weights is suggested to control the virtual lead vehicle. This scheme shows improved performance in terms of passenger comfort and fuel efficiency of the host vehicle.     

Expanding transmission capacity of can systems using dual communication channels with kalman prediction

The controller area network (CAN) protocol is widely used for in-vehicle network (IVN) systems, and many automotive companies also use the CAN in chassis network systems. However, the increasing number of electronic control units (ECUs) dictated by the need for more intelligent and fuel-efficient functions requires an IVN system with a greater transmission capacity and less network delay. Automotive companies have tried several approaches such as segmenting CAN systems and developing time-triggered protocols. This paper presents a practical method for increasing the transmission capacity and reducing the network delay in CAN systems using dual communication channels with a traffic-balancing algorithm based on Kalman prediction to forecast the traffic on each channel and allocate frames to the one that is most appropriate. An experimental testbed using commercial microcontrollers with two or more CAN protocol controllers was used to demonstrate the feasibility of the Kalman traffic-balancing algorithm. Experimental results show that the traffic-balancing CAN system with Kalman prediction reduced the transmission delay of all priority messages compared to that of a simple method, such as a channel-switching CAN, without sacrificing the performance for high-priority messages.     

Development of control logic for hydraulic active roll control system

Developed in this research is a control logic for the ARC (Active Roll Control) system that uses rotary-type hydraulic stabilizer actuators at the front and rear axles. The hydraulic components of the system were modeled in detail using AMESim, and a driving logic for the hydraulic circuit was constructed based upon the model. The performance of the driving logic was evaluated on a test bench, and it demonstrated good pressure tracking capability. The control logic was then designed with the target of reducing the roll motion of the vehicle during cornering. The control logic consists of two parts: a feedforward controller that generates anti-roll moments in response to the centrifugal force, and a feedback controller that generates anti-roll moments in order to make the roll angle to follow its target value. The developed ARC logic was evaluated on a test vehicle under various driving conditions including a slowly accelerated circular motion and a sinusoidal steering. Through the test, the ARC system demonstrated successful reduction of the roll motion under all conditions, and any discomfort due to the control delay was not observed even at a fast steering maneuver.     

Cooling performance evaluation of height-downsized front end module for pedestrian protection

The front end module (FEM) needs enough space from hood to absorb the energy from any pedestrian collision. The FEM with downsized cooling module for pedestrian protection is important to reduce the severity of pedestrian injury. When a vehicle collision happens, the FEM with downsized cooling module is required to reduce the risk of injury to the upper legs of adults and the heads of children. In this study, the performance of cooling module to cool the engine was investigated under 25% height reduction. The heat dissipation and pressure drop characteristics have been experimentally studied with the variation of coolant flow rate, air inlet velocity and A/C operation (on/off) for the downsized cooling module. The results indicated that the cooling performance was about 94% level compared to that of the conventional cooling module. Therefore, we concluded that the cooling module had a good performance, and expected that the cooling module could meet the same cooling performance as conventional cooling module through optimization of components efficiency. This paper also deals with the development of FEM with downsized cooling module for the cooling performance level in vehicles. In the test of front end module??s heat dissipation performance, the prototype presented about 15% decrease under the conditions of all the vehicle speeds than that of conventional one.     

Potential economic benefits of using a weather ship routing system at Short Sea Shipping

This contribution investigates the economic benefits of using weather ship routing on Short Sea Shipping (SSS) activities. The investigation is supported with the development of a ship routing system based on pathfinding algorithm, the parametrization of the wave effect on navigation, and the use of high-resolution meteo-oceanographic predictions. The optimal ship routing analysis is investigated in a European SSS system: the link between Spanish and Italian ports. The results show the economic benefits using ship routing in SSS during energetic wave episodes. The rate of cost savings may reach 18% of the total costs under particular bad weather conditions in the navigation area. The work establishes the basis of further developments in optimal route applied in relatively short distances and its systematic use in the SSS maritime industry.     

遮阳棚对隧道进出口明暗适应的影响规律研究北大核心CSCD

为研究隧道进出口路段驾驶员明暗适应的特性及遮阳棚对明暗适应过程的影响规律,文章依托紫荆隧道(无遮阳棚)及巴朗山隧道(有遮阳棚)进行驾驶试验,以驾驶员瞳孔直径及其变化速率为研究参数,分析遮阳棚对隧道进出口路段明暗适应的缓冲效果。研究结果表明:暗适应过程90%以上发生在洞内段,明适应过程54.61%以上发生在洞内段;在隧道进口段暗适应过程中,通过遮阳棚时间为2 s时,最大瞳孔直径变化速率下降4.84%,通过遮阳棚时间为5 s时,最大瞳孔直径变化速率下降33.58%;在隧道出口段明适应过程中,通过遮阳棚时间为2 s时,最大瞳孔直径变化速率下降38.75%,通过遮阳棚的时间为5 s时,最大瞳孔直径变化速率下降49.97%。     

俄罗斯中部地区在国际运输走廊发展中的角色

许多理论研究以及实践结果表明,中部地区的地理位置可以在全球经济市场和一体化的运输体系中成为该地区的主要竞争优势,认识不足或忽视空间地域因素在经济发展中起到的作用,将导致在管理决策上作出错误的判断.本文研究乌拉尔联邦区作为俄罗斯联邦中部地区在国际运输走廊发展中的角色.     

Shifting urban freight deliveries to the off-peak hours: a review of theory and practice

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the literature on off-peak hour deliveries (OPHD). The review identifies different approaches and policy levers used in the past, such as the laissez-faire approach, a road pricing approach, an incentives approach, and a regulatory approach. The paper also identifies different delivery reception schemes discussed in the literature. The authors complement the theory with a synthesis of pilot tests and the analysis of a set of interviews with practitioners (from the public sector and other organisations) in charge of OPHD programmes. The results from this review show the potential benefits that these programmes could bring about, the challenges faced in the early stages – along with potential solutions – and the significant progress that has been made in this domain in the last decade. According to the review, the results from the pilot tests tend to be positive, suggesting the importance of these programmes to reach more efficient and sustainable transportation systems.