Studying Energy Efficiency of Thermal Management Systems Designed for Electric Vehicles with In-Wheel Motors
Ilya Kulikov
Abstract
The article describes a study aimed at evaluation of thermal management systems (TMS) intended for traction electric drives in respect of thermal performance and energy efficiency. Several options of TMS design have been devised for an all-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with in-wheel electric motors. The mathematical models of these systems have been elaborated in order to estimate their operating characteristics. The models include hydraulic and thermal behavior of powertrain components, as well as their energy performance in operating regimes corresponding to realworld vehicle driving. An additional purpose of the models is to be used in X-in-the-loop environment, which merges physical tests and real-time software calculations in order to reproduce the operating behavior of complex powertrain systems. The simulations were conducted in two driving cycles intended for light-duty vehicles. The results allowed estimating both thermal and energy characteristics of the TMS and selecting the optimal topology for implementation within the X-in-the-loop environment.