Generation 2 Dynamometer for On-Highway Automotive System Testing (Testbed 2)

Testbed 2 is a 100-hp dynamometer at the University of Arkansas supporting the development of power-dense powertrains for on-road hybrid and electric vehicles. Experimental data could be obtained for design feedback as POETS enabling technologies. Testbed 2 is illustrated in Fig. 1 identifying its main components. The OPAL-RT real-time simulator enables hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing with the dynamometer motor drives through a graphical user interface based on LabVIEW®. A data acquisition system captures a variety of current, voltage, speed, torque, and temperature signals as determined by the requirements of the particular test. Generation-2 Testbed 2 is capable of:

• Generating realistic torque and speed profiles given physical dimensions and environmental conditions of a vehicle,
• Producing EPA and user-derived vehicle driving schedules
• Limiting ramp rates of torque and speed commands to prevent that power levels required by a driving schedule may cause component failures by exceeding the limits of the inverter under test.

Example Projects:

• Testing of a 250-kW traction inverter (ARPA-E)
• Rapid Prototyping of a SiC-Based PMSM Motor Drive for a hybrid electric aircraft (Ampaire)
• Fault Identification testing of a commercial traction inverter
• Characterization testing of a motor and alternator set