Traction chain for a series hybrid vehicle

• US 7,096,098 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coception Et Developpement Michelin S.A.
• Original Assignee: Conception ET Developpement Michelin S.A. (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Linda, Jean-Louis, Auguet, Thierry, Varenne, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/732,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20040147363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/36, 701/99, 701/109, 701/110, 180 651- 658, 477/2, 477/3
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1433 using a model or simulation of the system
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/21 during a transition between engine operation modes or states
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

Traction chain for a series hybrid vehicle comprising an engine (10) which drives an alternator (11), an electric traction motor (21), a inverter which enables the electric traction motor to be operated at a torque set value CC_set, an accelerator available for use by the driver of the vehicle, an actuator (15) which acts on the engine, a controller (3) for the traction chain loaded with a model of the engine'"'"'s operation and loaded with a program which, from the position of the accelerator, allows a pair (R_th/set, PP_set) of set values to be obtained for the revolution speed R_th of the engine and for the position of the actuator (15), the said controller making it possible to control the position of the said actuator on the basis of the said set value PP_set for the position of the actuator and to calculate a torque set value CC_set for the electric traction motor or motors as a function of the deviation between the measured speed R_th and the set value R_th/set for the revolution speed of the engine.

Claims

1. Traction chain for a series hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine (10) which drives an alternator (11);

at least one electric traction motor (21) connected to the alternator by a rectifier (13), by an electric line (12) and a inverter (22), the inverter enabling the electric traction motor(s) to be operated at a torque set value CC_set, and the electric line enabling the transfer of electric traction power;

an accelerator (CA) available for use by the driver of the vehicle;

an actuator (15) that acts on the engine;

a controller (3) of the traction chain loaded with a model of the operation of the engine and loaded with a program which, from the position of the accelerator, makes it possible to obtain a pair (R_th/set, PP_set) of set values for the revolution speed R_th of the engine and for the position PP of the actuator (15), the said controller making it possible to;

control the position of the said actuator on the basis of the said set value PP_set for the position of the actuator,

with calculation iterations, at each calculation iteration, calculate a torque set value CC_set for the electric traction motor(s) as a function of the difference between the measured speed R_th and the set value R_th/set for the revolution speed of the engine in order to match said set value R_th/set.

2. Traction chain according to claim 1, in which said model comprises at least a first equation giving the speed R_th as a function of the engine power P_th available at the output shaft of the engine and at least a second equation giving the position PP of the actuator as a function of the speed R_th, and in which the said program enables the effective position of the actuator CA to be translated into an engine power set value P_th/set and then the engine power set value P_th/set to be translated into a speed set value R_th/set and then the speed set value to be translated into an actuator position set value PP_set.

3. Traction chain according to claim 1, in which the said model comprises at least a first equation giving the speed R_th as a function of the engine power P_th available at the output shaft of the engine and at least a second equation giving the position PP of the actuator as a function of the engine power P_th, and in which the said program enables the accelerator position to be translated into an engine power set value P_th/set and then the engine power set value P_th/set to be translated into a speed set value R_th/set and the engine power set value P_th/set to be translated into an actuator position set value PP_set.

4. Traction chain according to claims 2 or 3 in which the said first and second equations both represent an operational mode of the engine in which the specific fuel consumption is minimum.

5. Traction chain according to claims 2 or 3 in which the said first and second equations both represent an operational mode of the engine in which the pollutant emission is minimum.

6. Traction chain according to any of claims 1, 2 or 3, also comprising a device capable of absorbing electrical energy, connected to the said electric line via a braking control unit (14) and in which the said braking control unit is activated when the accelerator CA is below a predetermined threshold, so as to command the controller to send to the at least one electric motor a braking torque set value CC_set=CC_f.

7. Traction chain according to claim 4, also comprising a device capable of absorbing electrical energy, connected to the said electric line via a braking control unit (14) and in which the said braking control unit is activated when the accelerator CA is below a predetermined threshold, so as to command the controller to send to the at least one electric motor a braking torque set value CC_set=CC_f.

8. Traction chain according to claim 5, also comprising a device capable of absorbing electrical energy, connected to the said electric line via a braking control unit (14) and in which the said braking control unit is activated when the accelerator CA is below a predetermined threshold, so as to command the controller to send to the at least one electric motor a braking torque set value CC_set=CC_f.

9. Traction chain according to claim 6, in which the said predetermined threshold of the accelerator control CA is proportional to the speed of the vehicle.

10. Traction chain according to claim 1, in which the said program enables the determination of a dynamic minimum speed threshold R_th/set/min for the speed set value such that the voltage delivered by the alternator (11) and the rectifier (13) to the electric line (12) is greater than or equal to the minimum supply voltage of the electric traction motor(s) (21), the said dynamic minimum threshold taking account of the speed of the vehicle, the torque set value CC_set and the engine power set value P_th/set.

11. Traction chain according to claim 1, in which the said controller comprises a program enabling the calculation of an anticipated value CC_A of the torque set value of the electric traction motor(s), and the delivery of a torque set value CC_set to the electric traction motor(s) equal to the sum CC_set=CC_A+CC_R.

12. Traction chain according to claim 2, in which the said program enabling the translation of the accelerator position into an engine power set value P_th/set determines, from the accelerator position, a percentage “

x %”

of a maximum engine power P_th/max that can be absorbed by the vehicle, and determines the said maximum engine power P_th/max from the speed of the vehicle.

13. Traction chain according to claim 3, in which the said program enabling the translation of the accelerator position into an engine power set value P_th/set determines, from the accelerator position, a percentage “

x %”

of a maximum engine power P_th/max that can be absorbed by the vehicle, and determines the said maximum engine power P_th/max from the speed of the vehicle.