Utilizing 3D Aerial Terrain Maps for Improving Energy Management of Hybrid Vehicles

Principal Investigators
Ardalan Vahidi, Pierluigi Pisu, Georges Fadel (Clemson U.)

Industry
Xiaopeng Li (Intermap Technologies)

Student
Chen Zhang (Clemson U.)

The goal of this project is to devise methods that utilize upcoming terrain information in a predictive manner to improve energy management of hybrid vehicles and reduce the fuel usage, using 3D terrain maps that are obtained using Airborne IFSAR mapping technology. We will construct simulation models and power management strategies that can be re-used later and work closely with Intermap technologies to obtain realistic terrain information to validate our approach. The result will demonstrate the impact of telematics and knowledge of future terrain on energy management of hybrids. The approach can be extended to conventional heavy vehicles as well and help reduce their fuel usage.

A series of five tasks will be completed by the research team:

• Assemble a representative dynamic model of a parallel hybrid powertrain in the commercial package PSAT for simulation verification purpose and also compiling a reduced model for control design purpose.
• Develope a new logic-based power management strategy which is predictive in nature and takes into account future terrain data.
• Conduct a full array of simulations to evaluate the proposed power management methodology to quantify the impact of upcoming road information on vehicle and battery performance as well as fuel economy.
• Devise more advanced optimization-based power management strategy that can take advantage of upcoming road information and optimize fuel economy.
• Develop similar strategies for series and power-split hybrids, and determine if the results obtained applies to other types of hybrids.