Reducing carbon footprint of transportation: development of an optimal energy management system for solar idle reduction

该项目旨在开发和商业化一种新的可再生能源技术，太阳能怠速减少或SIR，以减少汽车怠速，这导致了重大的经济，环境和健康问题。SIR技术直接利用太阳能，并与发动机、交流发电机、插件接口和逆变器等其他车辆能源部件有效协同工作，优于其他怠速减少技术，例如柴油辅助动力装置、发动机自动停机和卡车停车电气化。更具体地说，该项目旨在开发和测试SIR技术的一个关键组成部分，即能源管理系统（EMS），它在创造具有最佳能源效率的经济高效SIR技术方面发挥着至关重要的作用。EMS是SIR技术中的一个小型能源枢纽。其控制方案是决定SIR整体能量转换效率、最小化能量损失、提高成本效益和消费者接受度的关键因素。该项目的结果是通过硬件在环（HIL）模拟，为SIR应用程序提供具有最佳性能的预测性EMS。为了实现研究目标，将收集和分析来自示范服务车辆的太阳能发电、储能系统（ESS）工作电压和电流以及行驶/负载循环的真实实验数据。然后将开发和研究通用太阳能ESS的拓扑结构和组件模型，以提出最佳架构和优化组件设计。在该项目中开发和测试的最佳EMS将创造SIR技术，有助于显着减少服务车辆的碳足迹和空气污染，同时提高其燃油效率。同时，发动机空转将被消除，允许车队节省燃料，并符合反空转法律。SIR技术的成功开发将为加拿大带来巨大的经济效益和社会效益。

This project aims to develop and commercialize a novel renewable energy technology, Solar Idling Reduction or SIR, to abate vehicle idling which results in significant economic, environmental, and health concerns. Directly utilizing solar energy and working effectively with other vehicle energy components, such as the engine, alternator, plug-in interface and invertors, SIR technology is superior to other idle reduction technologies, for instance diesel auxiliary power units, automatic engine shutdown, and truck stop electrification. More specifically, this project aims at developing and testing a critical component of SIR technology, namely the energy management system or EMS, which plays an essential role in creating a cost-effective SIR technology with optimal energy efficiency. EMS functions as a mini energy hub within the SIR technology. Its control scheme is a critical factor in determining the overall energy conversion efficiency of SIR, minimizing energy losses and improving cost-effectiveness and consumer acceptance. The outcome of this project is a predictive EMS with optimal performance for SIR applications through hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations. To achieve the research goal, real-world experimental data for solar energy generation, energy storage system (ESS) operating voltage and current, and driving/load cycles from demonstrated service vehicles will be gathered and analyzed. Topology and component models for a generic solar-powered ESS will then be developed and investigated to suggest the best architecture and optimized component designs. The optimum EMS developed and tested during this project will create SIR technology that helps significantly reduce the carbon footprint and air pollution of service vehicles while improving their fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, the engine idling will be eliminated, allowing fleets to save fuel and be compliant with anti-idle laws. The successful development of SIR technology will bring about great economic and social benefits to Canada.