HEVs with reconfigurable architecture: a novel design and optimal energy management

This work presents guidelines to solve the optimal energy management in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) with reconfigurable architecture. Specifically, the vectorized implementation of Dynamic Programming (DP) is addressed. Also, a novel power-split reconfigurable architecture (PSRA) is presented and compared to the third generation of Toyota Hybrid System (THSIII). The HEVs with reconfigurable architecture use clutches to change the connection between the powertrain components. The combination of clutches provides different configurations, and as a consequence, the control input variables managed by the energy management strategy vary according to the configuration selected. This renders more complex the implementation of DP. In this work, the models and the algorithm to solve the vectorized implementation of DP in commutated-control input problems are presented. Finally, the optimal strategy is used to evaluate the performance of the novel PSRA proposed. Improvements on consumption and drivability are achieved with respect to THSIII.