Voltage control of a generator for a hybrid vehicle prototype

The automotive market is currently dominated by internal combustion engine vehicles, which use non-renewable energy sources emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Hybrid cars are emerging as a sustainable alternative to minimize the problem, while waiting for futuristic solutions as solar or hydrogen vehicles. In this study, an electric energy generator prototype for a hybrid vehicle is developed, focusing on the voltage control at the generator terminals. Initially, the possible opening angles of the carburetor valve of an internal combustion engine, controlled by a servomotor, were mapped, followed by open-loop tests. This concept resulted in the identification of the system parameters, which were applied to the MATLAB software for the implementation of the PI controller, responsible for a closed-loop control of the air-fuel mixture that feeds the engine. Thus, the rotation of the shaft coupled to the generator remains almost fixed, reducing the generated voltage fluctuation, allowing safely storage of the energy that will be used to drive the vehicle wheels.