Electrical energy storage components are vitally important in intelligent vehicles. Energy storage elements must recognize and communicate their state of charge and health in order to enable optimal use of the available energy. Therefore, modelling of the energy storage components and their intelligent integration into the vehicle is an essential part of the development process of Smart Drives.
Any presently feasible component for energy storage, such as batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells, are analysed and modelled. The models are determined in an iterative process based on theoretical concepts and measurements at the battery test bench. Furthermore, particularly for batteries, a model-based condition and state of charge diagnostic is used.
The prospect of fuel cell use in vehicles poses many problems. Among these are thermal management in dynamical operation, since fuel cell efficiency is greatly affected by temperature. Furthermore, the electrical behaviour of fuel cells under dynamic loading conditions has to be taken into account to achieve optimal operation of the drive system. The necessary parameters can be analysed by investigating the behaviour of fuel cells on the test bench and through subsequent modelling of the fuel cell system.
franz.pirker@ait.ac.at