Development of an optimized game controller for energy saving in a novel interconnected air suspension system

Abstract

In this study, the focus is on reducing the energy that is consumed by a compressor for providing high air pressure in the reservoir. A new air suspension configuration is presented that is titled active interconnected air suspension with outsourced air pressure. In this configuration, a compressor is used to charge the tank; meanwhile, the air springs are connected. For minor excitation, first, the air flows between air springs to control roll angle and height adjustment. If the situation of body position gets worse, the compressed air tank compensates to keep the body not generating roll angle and bounce. This methodology has a benefit. This configuration conserves compressed air in the tank in minor road elevation. The optimized controllers are designed to control roll angle and bounce, but they determine the outsourced air mass flow rate. For switching between interconnection and outsourced mode, there are some rules defined based on game theory for a trade-off between high dynamical performance quality of the vehicle and reduction of energy consumption. The optimization is done on the rules to keep both aspects minimum as much as possible. A three-axle heavy truck is used, and its performance is under discussion on an uneven rough road. Roll angle is improved progressively in novel air suspension configuration, and the energy consumption is reduced. In the default condition, the roll angle is improved 72% from the passive case and 39% from the conventional configuration. Furthermore, the energy consumption optimized version reduces 14% from the non-optimized case and 46% from the outsourced mode. By importing road power spectral density type E and type G, as the short domain and high-frequency vibrations, to two sides of the truck, it is inferred that the vehicle could remain on interconnection mode entirely without using the compressor.