Lean Powertrain Development

1
Lean Powertrain Development
ObjectiveDevelop an integrated approach to
Powertrain design, performance optimisation and
rapid calibration, through a simulation model
based philosophy

• The Problem, Current Industry Practice
• Separate sub system development process- Little
  integration, compromised result
• Simulation tools used intensively, but at sub
  system level Little integration to achieve
  optimisation
• New technologies selected off the shelf- Rarely
  optimised for required duty
• Lead time to market compromised by multiple
  iterations during development

Implementation

• How about Hybrid Vehicles?
• Future Vehicle powertrains may well include some
  hybrid components, but hybrid vehicles are not a
  total solution
• Toyota Prius Honda Insight are no more fuel
  economic than existing diesel powered vehicles
• Vehicle performance must still exist when
  batteries are flat
• Therefore demands original size engine
• Start/stop capability a useful benefit
• Some potential for regenerative braking
• Strong hybridisation requires large mass addition
  (batteries and electric machines)

Virtual Hardware
Prototype Hardware
Real World Hardware

• The Optimisation Task
• Targets- Minimise fuel consumption, and meet
  emissions targets and driver performance
  expectations
• A multi dimension problem, many complex
  interactions and trade-offs to consider
• Considerable number of mechanical constraints
• Potential to use Multi Objective Genetic
  Algorithms

• Why Diesel?
• CO2 Targets, Fleet Average of 140g/km by 2008,
  120g/km by 2012
• Currently 169g/km, of which average diesel is 25
  lower than average gasoline vehicle
• Results of this research will transfer to gasoline

• A Novel Approaches to Virtual Prototyping
• Utilising Hardware in the Loop (HIL)
• Real time models of powertrain components can be
  operated interfacing with existing hardware in
  many combinations
• New technologies will be prototyped either in
  software or through novel emulating hardware in
  the test cell environment

• Expected Project Outcomes
• A practical method for complex Powertrain design
  and calibration
• A more integrated and better optimised Powertrain
  solution
• Reduction of intensive experimental and modelling
  procedures
• Predictive methods developed for understanding
  the effects of emerging hardware
• Reduction in final product complexity

• Sam Akehurst, University of Bath, Powertrain
  Vehicle Research Centre
• Funded Under EPSRC Project Codes EP/C540883/1
  EP/C540891/1