PSAT-NP (POWERTRAIN SYSTEMS ANALYSIS TOOLKIT – NON-PROPRIETARY)

Because of time and cost constraints, designers cannot build and test each of the many possible powertrain configurations for advanced vehicles. Thus, developing fuel cell and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) requires accurate, flexible simulation tools. Argonne undertook a collaborative effort to further develop the Powertrain System Analysis Toolkit Non-Proprietary (PSAT-NP) under the direction of and with contributions from Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler. PSAT is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

PSAT is a"forward-looking" model that simulates fuel economy and performance in a realistic manner — taking into account transient behavior and control system characteristics. It can simulate an unrivaled number of predefined configurations (conventional, electric, fuel cell, series hybrid, parallel hybrid, and power split hybrid). Because of its forward architecture, PSAT component interactions are "real world."

Overview

PSAT— a computer simulation model for advanced vehicle designs — received a 2004 R&D 100 Award. It was developed by Argonne engineers Aymeric Rousseau, Phillip Sharer, and Sylvain Pagerit. PSAT provides accurate performance and fuel economy, allowing automotive and truck manufacturers and their suppliers to select appropriate advanced technologies and bring them more quickly to the market. PSAT was developed under a U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program, Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies

The software arose out of manufacturers' need to effectively and inexpensively design powertrains with optimized fuel economy. The software program focuses on advanced designs such as hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. With PSAT, engineers can simulate a multitude of pre-defined configurations through computer-generated vehicle simulation, reducing cost by saving countless hours of physical prototyping. PSAT is flexible and reusable. According to Rousseau,"If you develop one model or control, then this model can be reused for another model or powertrain. There is no need to start from scratch."

PSAT's architecture is"forward-looking," meaning that component interactions are"real-world." This method is computationally more intensive than"backward-looking" architecture; however, the result is a tool that will allow powertrain designers to develop realistic control strategies and assess component behaviors in a system environment by using models that are closer to reality. These models, developed by using MATLAB v6.5 and Simulink v4, were validated within 1% fuel economy for conventional vehicles and up to 5% for advanced configurations.

When using its intuitive graphical user interface, running a simulation in PSAT is a simple process. After selecting the drivetrain configuration, the user specifies each component characteristic, including its size and technology. Then, the driving cycle or the performance to be simulated is selected. Once the simulation is performed, the results can be analyzed.

Licensed PSAT users include major automotive suppliers, energy companies, research institutions, and universities. To date, PSAT has been used by Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler Corp., General Motors, Dana, ArvinMeritor, Exxon/Mobil, and Lockheed Martin, as well as universities that develop designs for student vehicle competitions. (More... pdf file)

Key Features

PSAT V6.0 includes many new features and improvements, some of which are highlighted below. These changes were based on feedback from people in industry and universities who use the software as well as the needs expressed by staff at DOE and Argonne. PSAT V6.0 runs with Matlab R14.

New features and improvements include:

• New interactive and easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (developed in C#)
• XML Database
• Dual energy storage system configurations
• Series-parallel configurations
• New parameter nomenclature using structures
• Additional post-processing capabilities
• More detailed documentation
• Web based
• USB Key security lock for preventing unauthorized use

A demo is now available and provides an extensive review of the PSAT software along with sample problems. You can view this video, after registering with no charge, at http://www.transportation.anl.gov/software/PSAT/PSAT_Demo/index.html

Argonne has licensed more than 30 copies of PSAT to universities and commercial organizations. The PSAT pricing is per copy, with pricing being noted in the attached licenses. Click on the license for the exact licensing fees for your organization.

For a U.S. or foreign university/non-profit click here, and for a U.S. or foreign commercial license click here.