System designs and experimental assessment of a seven-mode vehicle-oriented hybrid powertrain platform

This study developed a mechatronics platform for a seven-mode vehicle-oriented powertrain system. The innovative “all-in-one” concept was used for flexibly arranging various power or energy sources to be combined for various hybrid powertrains. Hence, it significantly reduces the cost and human resources for evaluating new-type power systems or developed vehicle control strategies on the same experimental platform. In this study, three power sources were chosen for providing hybrid power. The first source is a 125 c.c. spark ignition (SI) engine, where a controllable throttle valve governs the output torque, while a fuel meter measures the consumed fuel. The second one is a 1.5kW hub motor, where a motor control unit (MCU) and a 48V lithium battery pack properly provide the required electric power. The third source is an air engine, where a 220V air compressor and other components provide the pneumatic power. For the experimental platform, a developed Matlab/Simulink package receives the measured signals and sends the control commands to actuators. Through the on/off state control of three controllable e-clutches, three single-source modes, three dual-source modes, and one three-source mode (3+3+1) can be conducted. A 1.1kW/24V magnetic powder brake emulates the road load. The results show that three dual-source modes and a three-source mode were successfully operated. The efficiencies, torques and speeds, mass flow rates, etc. have been measured and calculated. This platform is aimed for the research fields of green energies, advanced powertrains, and power flow management.