Physical model of a hybrid electric drive train

Abstract

A motor and flywheel system was designed to simulate the dynamics of the electric drive train and inertial mass of a hybrid electric vehicle. The model will serve as a test bed for students in 2.672 to study the energy losses between the battery, motor, and kinetic energy of the car during acceleration and regenerative braking over a range of realistic driving profiles. The goal is to maintain fidelity to the dynamics of a road-worthy vehicle while making the model lab-safe and simple to operate. The model drive train will be designed on a one-to-one scale with the vehicle to be simulated. A motor and controller from an electric vehicle will be purchased to provide realistic electric drive for the system. The kinetic energy of the car will be simulated by a flywheel of equivalent mass. To keep the total energy in the system low enough to satisfy safety concerns, the system will be limited to simulating the motion of a light car moving up to ten miles per hour, representative of stop-and-go city traffic.