Solution speeds design of energy-efficient cars

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 4, 2002

Ansoft has integrated its Simplorer with Advisor (advanced vehicle simulator), a widely used software tool created by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Ansoft has integrated its Simplorer with Advisor (advanced vehicle simulator), a widely used software tool created by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The combined solution, which enables engineers to evaluate and optimise new energy-efficient vehicle technologies, is available now.

"More than 4000 Advisor users can now take advantage of Simplorer to perform system-level drive-cycle simulation", said Uwe Knorr, Product Marketing Manager for Ansoft.

"Engineers can evaluate the impact of today's complex and power-demanding electrical systems and optimise overall vehicle performance".

The new automotive system design solution combines the strengths of Simplorer, which accurately predicts electrical system behaviour, and Advisor, which performs overall vehicle system analysis.

The integrated solution enables engineers to evaluate and analyse advanced propulsion and electrical systems technologies.

Ultimately, the improved fuel economy and reduced vehicle emissions result in less dependency on foreign oil supplies and a cleaner environment.

NREL worked closely with automotive industry partners to develop Advisor, a sophisticated systems tool capable of analysing the energy efficiency of conventional, electric, fuel-cell, and hybrid-electric vehicles in a virtual environment.

The objective of the Advisor program is to help automotive engineers make intelligent choices about improving energy-management strategies, optimising vehicle system designs, and reducing development times.

Advisor allows the engineer to virtually test the impact of changes in vehicle components, such as engines, batteries, and control systems to the vehicle-propulsion system that might impact performance, fuel economy, or emissions.

An important trend towards new electronic technologies can be seen in the automotive industry.

These technologies include 42V electrical systems, integrated starter-alternators, electric steering, brake-by-wire, electric pumps, and catalyst heaters.

These technologies are projected to result in an additional 15% increase in fuel economy along with emissions reductions.

To more accurately predict the effects of both propulsion and electrical systems and their interdependency, the capabilities of Advisor were extended.

Ansoft's Simplorer provides the required electrical and electromechanical system simulation capabilities.

Its unique simulator coupling technology allows cosimulation between Advisor and Simplorer, providing simultaneous analysis of the vehicle's propulsion and electrical systems.

Simplorer is a sophisticated, multidomain simulation tool for a wide range of system-level designs and analyses in automotive applications.

Simplorer is constructed around a robust coupling technology that allows design engineers to analyse circuits, block diagrams, and state machines simultaneously.

The combined Simplorer-Advisor solution will be attractive to both vehicle manufacturers, who are interested in overall system performance, and to suppliers who want to analyse a component's behaviour in a virtual vehicle design environment.

The new integration will make its debut next week in Detroit, Michigan at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress.