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Energy Procedia 104 (2016) 384 – 389

CUE2016-Applied Energy Symposium and Forum 2016: Low carbon cities & urban
energy systems

Comparative analysis on the rule-based control strategy of

two typical hybrid electric vehicle powertrain
Jingda Wua, Jiankun Penga, Hongwen Hea,*, Jiayi Luoa
a
Beijing Institude of Technology,Beijing,100081,China

Abstract

Series-Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) has well applied in practice due to its significant advantages, this
paper aimed at two different kind of Series-Parallel HEV configurations: Power Split and Mode Switching
configuration, comparing their control strategies, set model and simulate to verify, obtain features and applications of
two configurations. The simulation results show that the power split configuration does better in protecting battery and
reducing urban fuel consumption, while mode switching configuration has simpler structure.

Keywords: Hybrid Electric Vehicle; electromechanical coupling device; Power-split; Mode Switching; Simulation

Main text

1. Introduction

HEV is an important development direction of new energy vehicle. Series-Parallel HEV are favoured in
practical application because of advantages in both series and parallel configurations [1]. According to
configurations, Series-Parallel HEV can be divided into two categories: Power Split configuration and
Mode switching configuration. Power split is so popular that until 2010 roughly 90% of the HEVs sold
were power-split hybrid vehicles [2].Mode Switching configuration is another famous type, typically applied
in Honda’s I-mmd system [3]. In this paper, two typical configurations were selected in these two categories,
we compare their control strategy and set simulation model to verify it. Power split configuration structure
is shown by fig 1(a), which electromechanical coupling device use a single planetary gear structure; mode
switching configuration structure is shown by fig 1(b), which switch series-parallel mode by a clutch.
Power split configurations use planetary gear to couple the power of engine, generator and motor. The
planet carrier is connected to engine, transfer a part of power to sun gear as for generator electricity. Motor
is connected to the ring gear, its power are coupled with the other part of engine power in the ring gear and
output to drive shaft.
Mode switching configuration: through the clutch to switch series and parallel mode, the engine is
connected to the output shaft via a clutch, and is connected to generator, Motor works independently from
the former two, through another gear connecting with the output shaft. When the clutch is disconnected, a
series hybrid mode works on: motor drives alone, while engine output power to generator aimed at charging
the battery; when the clutch is connected, a parallel hybrid mode works on, engine power couple with motor

* Corresponding author. Tel.: 010-68914842

E-mail address: hwhebit@bit.edu.cn.

1876-6102 © 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Applied Energy Symposium and Forum, CUE2016: Low carbon cities
and urban energy systems.
doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2016.12.065
 Jingda Wu et al. / Energy Procedia 104 (2016) 384 – 389 385

and drive the vehicle together. The structure of the mode switching configuration is simpler than that of the
power split configuration.

(a) (b)
Fig. 1. Two hybrid electric powertrain: (a)power split configuration ; (b)mode switching configuration

2. Control strategy

According to the performance design requirements, the energy management control strategy is used to
distribute the desire drive torque or power to make the power components work in their most efficient area
[4]
,since the prime key technology is the control algorithm and optimization in HEV[5]. We set control
strategy of two configurations.
Power Split configuration control strategy
Control strategy flow of Power split configuration is shown in Fig 2(a). Pedal opening degree
corresponds to the desired speed of motor, as shown in the left part of figure, and corresponds to engine
control, shown in the right of figure, when pedal opening is small engine does not open, when starting the
engine, pedal opening degree corresponds to desired output power of engine, by engine operating point
control strategy, best choice of engine torque and speed is selected, engine and motor couple the power and
drive the vehicle. Generator charge the battery while the motor power consume it, both keep the overall
balance to ensure battery SOC stable.
SOC control strategy: we establish a CS (charge sustaining) control strategy of battery SOC, namely:
SOC level has a negative correlation to engine output power, under the same driver pedal opening degree,
the lower SOC corresponds higher engine output power to ensure battery charging power. Otherwise
consumes excess power by reduce engine output power. By appropriate choice of parameters to achieve
the battery charge and discharge power roughly balanced, and SOC change stability.
Engine operating point control strategy: Based on the engine universal characteristic curve, each
desired output power of engine corresponds a minimum fuel consumption speed and torque, this speed,
torque is set as target of engine operating point. Speed-control strategy: Since the motor is fixedly connected
with the ring gear and output shaft, making its speed is not adjustable; so in the planetary gear, the engine
(planet wheel) speed is only controlled by the generator (sun wheel), so engine speed can be controlled just
by setting generator speed. Torque control strategy: the engine torque is directly related to the degree of
throttle, through a proportional - integral regulation regulates the throttle, which implements the actual
output torque follows the target torque
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(a) (b)
Fig. 2. Two configuration control strategy: (a)power split configuration ; (b)mode switching configuration

Mode switching configuration control strategy

Control strategy flow of Mode Switching configuration is shown in Fig 2(b), the driver according the
gap between the desired and actual vehicle speed to adjust the pedal, and the choice of vehicle mode also
depends on the speed, clutch is disconnected when low speed , otherwise the clutch is connected. focus on
the left of fig, when the clutch is disconnected, pedal opening corresponds to motor desired torque and
engine desired power, engine operating point control strategy ensures that the engine works in the best
range, the engine power supplied to the motor to make the battery SOC stabile. The right part of figure
shows the clutch is connected, depending on pedal opening and engine speed, the operating point control
strategy select desired torque to output, excess or insufficient of vehicle torque is made up for by motor.
SOC control strategy: Similar to power split configuration, SOC value is negatively correlated with
output power in order to keep SOC stable.
Engine operating point control strategy: When the clutch is disengaged, SOC and accelerator
control the engine desired power, also by engine universal characteristic graph, we determine minimum
fuel consumption operating point which correspond to engine output power, the target torque controlled
by engine throttle, As for speed control, the engine is only connected to generator, so just control
generator speed to control the engine speed match the target value.
When the clutch is closed, engine is connected to drive shaft making its speed limited by the wheel speed
and cannot be controlled, so based on universal characteristic curve, the actual speed and desired power
determine the torque of minimum fuel consumption, and we controlled the actual torque matching this
target value through throttle. However, the engine power and vehicle desired power output is not equal now,
the difference between the two can be provided by the electric motor which can ensure vehicle dynamic

3. Simulation and analysis

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The well-known software MATLAB/Simulink by Math Works has been widely used in dynamic system
modelling and simulation [6]. Accordance with the idea of the control strategy, along the actual power
transfer line, we establish this two hybrid powertrain model in MATLAB / simulink environment, as the
fig 3(a) and fig 3(b).

(a) (b)
Fig. 3. Two configuration transmission model: (a)power split configuration ; (b)mode switching configuration
After modelling, two models have a fuel economy simulation based on NEDC conditions, the condition
of real speed following desired speed is shown in fig 3(a) and fig3 (b).

Fig. 4. Vehicle desired speed and actual speed of two configuration

It can be found that both real speed of configurations follows desired speed well.
Then comes to engine actual operating point, which is shown in Fig4.
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Fig. 5. Two configuration engine operating point: (a)power split configuration ; (b)mode switching configuration

As can be seen from Fig5, engine operating points of two configurations are concentrated in the vicinity
of the minimum fuel consumption curve, both have reached the desired engine fuel consumption control.
At the same time it can be found in power split configuration that: since the motor always work as "weaken
the peak filling the trough", the engine power demand is not always high. But in mode switching
configuration the motor work alone when the clutch is disconnected, making more power required, so as
the engine power demand. Since the larger engine output power makes lower fuel consumption, in the
perspective of minimum fuel consumption rate curve, mode switching configuration is slightly better in
fuel economy. But also due to the mode switching configuration requires engine direct-drive, its overall
engine power is greater, so the combined fuel consumption of both is basically the same.

Fig. 6. Two configuration’s battery SOC: (a)power split configuration ; (b)mode switching configuration
The change of battery SOC is as shown in Fig 6, It can be found that both SOC reference is 0.75, within
a predetermined range of change, in line with the requirements of the control strategy, the stable value is
set to 0.75 due to the internal resistance of the battery active in the range of 0.4 to 0.8, and in order to reduce
the number of cycles of the battery to ensure battery life, it will be stable SOC value is set to 0.75. Observe
the two SOC comparison chart, and find that the SOC change of power split configuration is relatively
stable, while the larger mode switching configuration changes. This is because the power split configuration
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driven by both engine and motor, the peak power of motor is not high, so charging and discharging power
are relatively small, however, the mode switching configuration in most cases carried out series mode,
which the motor divers alone, thus motor power is larger, the battery charging and discharging power is
relatively large, leading to dramatic changes in SOC. From the perspective of protecting the battery life,
the power split configuration does better.
The fuel consumption of two in NEDC condition is close, power split configuration reaches at
4.5L/100km, while mode switching comes to 4.7L/100km. In city condition the former

4. Conclusion

Through above stating we clear the control strategy of two configurations, then the use of
MATLAB/simulink modeling and simulation prove the feasibility of both configurations, and verify the
engine operating point control, battery SOC control method. Through analysis it can be found that:
(1) The combined fuel consumption of two configuration is very close and both less than 5L/100km.
(2) The power split configuration has less engine and motor power demand which can reduce the the
size and cost of power component,
(3) The power split configuration let battery SOC more stable, which makes it reduce cycle life and
protect battery.
(4) the mode switching configuration do not need planetary gear to couple the power of all power
component, so its structure can be simpler, manufacturing requirements and cost can be reduced.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Beijing Institute of Technology in part. The authors would also like to thank
the reviewers for their corrections and helpful suggestions.

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Biography
Hongwen He, received the Ph.D. degree from the Beijing Institute of Technology,
Beijing, China, in 2003, in vehicle engineering. He is currently a Professor with the
National Engineering Laboratory for Electric Vehicles, School of Mechanical
Engineering, and Beijing Institute of Technology. His research interests include
power battery modelling and simulation on electric vehicles, design, and control
theory of the hybrid power train.