OPTIMIZATION AND CONTROL OF HEATING SYSTEMS IN BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES

Main researchers:
Dr. Jorge E. Jiménez Hornero
Dr. Francisco Javier Vázquez Serrano

Reference: TED2021-130373B-I00
Organization: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
From: 2022-12-01
To: 2024-11-30
Funding: 103.960 €

Summary:
Minimization of battery consumption in entirely electric public transportation vehicles, as battery electric buses, is an extremely important subject mainly because allows extending their range and, therefore, contributes to foster and increase their use for urban and long-distance routes, thus reducing atmospheric polluting emissions and noise. Essentially, such batteries have to supply energy to the traction system, but also to auxiliary systems and equipment; from the latter, the HVAC system (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) represents the highest consumption, particularly in heating mode because of the limited insulation, resulting in 35% of total consumption and reducing the vehicle range up to 50% or more, depending on the ambient conditions and existing disturbances (solar radiation, door opening, passenger occupancy, etc.). The HVAC system is supplied with residual heat energy in internal combustion engine vehicles, but heat pumps are used in electric vehicles instead, so there are significant differences between them. Therefore, the proposed project intends the energy efficiency optimization of the HVAC system in heating mode, keeping suitable comfort conditions for passengers, seeking to minimize its battery consumption and contributing to the benefits previously stated. Hence, the project lies in the environmental goals of the research call “climate change mitigation” (through the subjects “increasing of clean or climatically neutral mobility” and “improving of energy efficiency”) and “pollution control”.

Advanced optimization and optimal control techniques are proposed to achieve the project goals, specifically, based on MPC (Model Predictive Control). Initially, thermodynamic modelling of the bus cabin and of the HVAC system, including electric consumption variables, will be carried out; such HVAC system will be installed as a laboratory plant to conduct component characterization experiments and to validate previously developed algorithms in simulation. In this context, a hardware-in-the-loop system allowing bidirectional communication between the experimental plant and the cabin model simulation will be also created, so the latter does not need to be present at laboratory.

Publications:

Delgado, M. L., Ruz, M.L., Vázquez, F. & Jiménez Hornero, J.E. (2024). Multiobjective Optimization for PI-based Control Strategies for HVAC Systems in Coaches. 4th IFAC Conference on Advances in Proportional-Integral-Derivative Control.

Vázquez, F., Garrido, J., Ruz, M., & Jiménez-Hornero, J.E. (2023). Stiction compensation for low-cost electric valves. Control Engineering Practice, 134, 105482

Delgado, M. L., Jiménez Hornero, J.E., & Vázquez, F. (2023). Caracterización térmica de un intercambiador de calor de un autobús. XLIV Jornadas de Automática (pp. 388-392). Universidade da Coruña. Servizo de Publicacións.

Delgado, M. L., Jiménez-Hornero, J. E., & Vázquez, F. (2023). Design, Implementation and Validation of a Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Bench for Heating Systems in Conventional Coaches. Applied Sciences, 13(4), 2212.

Delgado, M. L., Jiménez Hornero, J.E., & Vázquez Serrano, F. (2022). Modelo térmico de un sistema de calefacción para vehículos de transporte público. XLIII Jornadas de Automática (pp. 500-507). Universidade da Coruña. Servizo de Publicacións.

Doctoral Thesis:

“Design of HVAC control strategies in public transport vehicles”. María Luisa Delgado (in progress).