As fuel economy and emissions standards become more stringent, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) using series architectures are being increasingly explored. Due to the decoupling of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) from the road, the primary control challenge in this architecture is the optimization of an ICE control law. A run-time Genset speed controller is presented for use during the charge-sustaining mode in a Series PHEV to find the optimal operating parameters for a conventional diesel engine coupled to an electric generator in terms of minimized fuel consumption and emissions generation. On board vehicle sensors provide real time data to the controller allowing for this method of optimization to be valid regardless of environment or operating conditions. The controller is validated through computer simulations using data from the Embry-Riddle EcoCAR 2 vehicle platform. Compared to the existing static Genset speed controller, the run-time controller resulted in a 40% reduction in fuel consumption and a 45% reduction in NOx production.
","abstract_html":"<p>As fuel economy and emissions standards become more stringent, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) using series architectures are being increasingly explored. Due to the decoupling of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) from the road, the primary control challenge in this architecture is the optimization of an ICE control law. A run-time Genset speed controller is presented for use during the charge-sustaining mode in a Series PHEV to find the optimal operating parameters for a conventional diesel engine coupled to an electric generator in terms of minimized fuel consumption and emissions generation. On board vehicle sensors provide real time data to the controller allowing for this method of optimization to be valid regardless of environment or operating conditions. The controller is validated through computer simulations using data from the Embry-Riddle EcoCAR 2 vehicle platform. Compared to the existing static Genset speed controller, the run-time controller resulted in a 40% reduction in fuel consumption and a 45% reduction in NOx production.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Rowe, Chester Paul, II"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering","degree_level":"Thesis - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:26:08Z","subjects":["HEV","hybrid electric vehicles","fuel consumption","emissions reduction","Automotive Engineering","Electro-Mechanical Systems"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/edt/279","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Rowe, Chester Paul, II"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["HEV","hybrid electric vehicles","fuel consumption","emissions reduction","Automotive Engineering","Electro-Mechanical Systems"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/279"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["As fuel economy and emissions standards become more stringent, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) using series architectures are being increasingly explored. Due to the decoupling of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) from the road, the primary control challenge in this architecture is the optimization of an ICE control law. A run-time Genset speed controller is presented for use during the charge-sustaining mode in a Series PHEV to find the optimal operating parameters for a conventional diesel engine coupled to an electric generator in terms of minimized fuel consumption and emissions generation. On board vehicle sensors provide real time data to the controller allowing for this method of optimization to be valid regardless of environment or operating conditions. The controller is validated through computer simulations using data from the Embry-Riddle EcoCAR 2 vehicle platform. Compared to the existing static Genset speed controller, the run-time controller resulted in a 40% reduction in fuel consumption and a 45% reduction in NOx production.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Run-Time HEV Engine-Generator Power-Speed Optimization for Fuel Consumption and Emissions Reduction"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Rowe, Chester Paul, II"],"dc:description.abstract":["As fuel economy and emissions standards become more stringent, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) using series architectures are being increasingly explored. Due to the decoupling of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) from the road, the primary control challenge in this architecture is the optimization of an ICE control law. A run-time Genset speed controller is presented for use during the charge-sustaining mode in a Series PHEV to find the optimal operating parameters for a conventional diesel engine coupled to an electric generator in terms of minimized fuel consumption and emissions generation. On board vehicle sensors provide real time data to the controller allowing for this method of optimization to be valid regardless of environment or operating conditions. The controller is validated through computer simulations using data from the Embry-Riddle EcoCAR 2 vehicle platform. Compared to the existing static Genset speed controller, the run-time controller resulted in a 40% reduction in fuel consumption and a 45% reduction in NOx production.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/279"],"dc:subject":["HEV","hybrid electric vehicles","fuel consumption","emissions reduction","Automotive Engineering","Electro-Mechanical Systems"],"dc:title":["Run-Time HEV Engine-Generator Power-Speed Optimization for Fuel Consumption and Emissions Reduction"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:26:08Z"}