Indianapolis, Indiana
June 15, 2014
June 15, 2014
June 18, 2014
2153-5965
Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies
9
24.409.1 - 24.409.9
10.18260/1-2--20300
https://peer.asee.org/20300
392
Eric Constans is the Chair of the Mechanical Engineering department at Rowan University. His research interests include engineering education and vibration and acoustics.
Development and Implementation of a Control Strategy for a Hybrid Power Train System in a Classroom SettingThe XXXXX University Mechanical Engineering program is studying the use of a long-term(five semester) design project on student learning and concept retention. The project, a bench-scale hybrid powertrain system, will be designed, analyzed and fabricated by students starting intheir sophomore year and culminating in their final semester as seniors (see prior ASEEpublication “XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”). The Hybrid Power Train (HPT) uses an air motorand electric motor as the two motive power sources which engage depending on the drivingconditions. It is a small-scale replica of the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) [1] but adapted to aclassroom setting. The air motor is the “prime mover” for the hybrid system. It was made bystudents in their first semester as juniors; this system was described in an earlier ASEEpublication[xx].The system is electronically controlled by a microcontroller (Arduino MEGA 2560) in order toachieve a variable transmission. It changes to adapt itself to different driving conditions with theaim of working at its most efficient range of operation. At the same time, a microcontroller-based speed cruise control system was developed and implemented for the system.The hybrid power train was built using sensing, actuating and control instruments. A tachometer(the first module built by the students) is used to read the speed of the motors, and at the sametime a set point is provided by the user. The microcontroller processes the inputs variables andregulates in the case of the electric motor the current using a motor driver; or in the case of theair motor the flow of air by controlling six solenoid valves. The valves are installed to six fittingsinto an aluminum block, each one with different diameter size holes; the air flow variesdepending on the holes size. In consequence, by combining the flow of air through the differentdiameter size holes a range of sixty four different combinations can be obtained.This paper describes the control strategy of the project and provides details for successfullyimplementing the above control system in a classroom setting, and describes our experience indelivering the module to the first group of students. Further details on each module are beingmade available on an interactive website, which is also described in the paper.
Constans, E., & Salas Acosta, M., & Bhatia, K. K., & Zhang, H., & Kadlowec, J. (2014, June), Development and Implementation of a Control Strategy for a Hybrid Power Train System in a Classroom Setting Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana. 10.18260/1-2--20300
ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2014 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015