Hybrid-Electric Range Extended Audi TT: About Christophe

Christophe Garant, a senior mechanical engineering student, is a member of the Composites Lab since summer 2009 thanks to Dr. Hutapea, his adviser, and also a member of the mechanical engineering honor society Pi Tau Sigma. Before joining the Composites Lab, he was a math and science tutor at Temple’s Math Science and Resource Center for two years. Aside from school, he was a member of Temple’s Roller Hockey Team for four years, which made the Collegiate Nationals at Colorado in 2008. Because of the design experience from working on his senior design project, he was able to obtain a job at General Dynamics Electric Boat working in the department Ship System Components. He expects to receive his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in May 2010 and is excited for his future.

Project Description

HEATT Team 2010 - 2011:

The transportation industry has yet to find an alternative fuel source with the efficiency and practicality necessary to lower oil use. In order to further this transition, this project bridges the gap between gasoline and fuel cell technology for vehicles. The prototyped power train for this project features a 288 olt battery system combined with an internal combustion engine generator and hydrogen PEM fuel cell to provide addition range. The current state of the power train allows charging for the batteries solely from a house hold socket. The projected range of the battery system is 60 miles; the combined range is 400 miles. To achieve the combine range, the ICE generator and hydrogen PEM fuel cell must be integrated into one system. Our focus is to design a Battery Management System (BMS) to charge the batteries either from a house hold socket, gasoline generator, or hydrogen fuel cell. This would require a charge algorithm that we will have to design. The BMS will be designed and simulated in LabVIEW. The BMS will optimize the performance of the batteries by monitoring the charge and discharge cycles, as well as protect the batteries from power surges and thermal failures.

HEATT Team 2010:

A series hybrid electric powertrain with range extending capabilities using hydrogen and gasoline was designed and modeled in LabVIEW to simulate performance and fuel economy. To prove the concept of this design, a 2000 Audi TT was converted to a plug-in AC electric vehicle with a 90kW electric motor and LiFePO₄ batteries. A 10kW internal combustion generator and 5kW hydrogen PEM fuel cell were installed to extend the range of the vehicle allowing the vehicle to be run easily on today’s fuel and ready for hydrogen, a possible future alternative fuel.

Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standard city and highway driving tests, the vehicle has a theoretical increase in fuel economy from 22/31 miles per gallon (MPG) respectively to 230/173 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGGE).

Hybrid-Electric Range Extended Audi TT

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