Low-noise range extender concepts for electric vehicles

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Low-noise range extender concepts for electric vehicles

Schürmann, Gregor / Eisele, Georg / Genender, P. / Wolff, Klaus

Electric vehicles provide only a short driving range, because of high battery costs and weight. One solution is a range extender, a combination of internal combustion engine and alternator, which produces the desired electric power for longer distances. An important attribute of range extenders is a refined acoustic and vibrational behavior, because the low interior noise in electric vehicles should not be destroyed by the range extender operation. In this paper a comparison of concepts of different internal combustion engines (differing in number of cylinders, bank angle and firing distance) has been undertaken in order to rate, which engine design is best suited as a range extender. Multi-body and 1D flow simulations are used to calculate the range extenders' excitation. Using transfer path syntheses, virtual interior noise components and seat vibrations of these concepts were calculated. So the different concepts can be compared by listening and analyzing the driver-related results. After accessing the different engine concepts, different mounting systems are simulated and analyzed. Additionally, an internal rolling moment compensation system ('FEVcom') can be used for range extenders to reduce the rolling moment forces on the engine mounts. This system was also simulated and the results will be shown in this paper. The operation strategy can be used to effectively make use of the prevailing masking noise. Beneficial operation strategies from the acoustics point of view will also be examined. Thus, only a combination of a low-vibration internal combustion engine with an optimal mounting system or the rolling moment compensation system and a good operation strategy can lead to the desired customer acceptance.