Design of Energy Management System and Software Validation for Series-Hybrid Tractor Powertrain

The farming machinery industry is undergoing a steady transition towards Hybridized and Electrified Powertrains, and the relevance of Hybrid technology in becoming increasingly relevant in terms of fuel economy, improved performance and reduced carbon footprint. With the introduction of a Battery Pack working in tandem with an Internal Combustion Engine, it is essential to develop an efficient Energy Management System (EMS) to effectively control the energy exchange and power distribution between the power sources. It is therefore important to ensure that the intervention of the Battery Pack ensures a reduction in the Powertrain's reliance on the Engine, while making sure that all the power requirements are met. Additionally, it is vital to estimate the State of Charge (SoC) of the Battery Pack properly, and ensure that the EMS is designed to optimize Battery Charging and Discharging Cycles to maintain SoC and prolong service. This paper aims to model and simulate a series-Hybrid tractor Powertrain using Typhoon-HIL real-time simulator. An attempt has been made to design and test an EMS with the objective of optimizing the power delivered by the Battery Pack, and reducing the dependence on the Internal Combustion Engine.