Optimal energy management strategy of a hybrid electric vehicle considering engine noise

Noise emission from vehicles in urban transportation has become of interest for researchers in addition to the engine exhaust gas emissions due to its significant effect on public health. In this work, an optimal energy management strategy is proposed for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) by taking the effect of engine noise into account. The engine noise is calculated based on a pressure-based combustion noise model at different operating points of a 1.5 L gasoline engine. The optimal operating points of the engine are defined using the calculated engine noise from in-cylinder pressure data and experimental data of brake specific fuel consumption (FC). A modification on the electric assist control strategy is proposed to mask the engine noise below the road noise. The modified strategy is then optimized for different driving cycles. Comparison of the results demonstrates that the proposed modification not only masks the engine noise below the road noise, but also reduces the vehicle FC.