Proposed Test Bench Research Articles

Hybrid vehicular fuel cell/battery powertrain test bench: design, construction, and performance testing

The development of hybrid vehicular power systems has been conducted for decades to improve transportation quality mainly in terms of environment pollution and fuel economy. Hence, hybrid electric vehicular systems are considered an attractive and potential solution in the long run to replace conventional combustion engine vehicles. In this paper, a scaled-down vehicular powertrain test bench is designed and constructed utilizing a hybrid fuel cell/battery energy sources. The performance of the proposed test bench is also investigated experimentally to explore the modes of operation for system components under various road conditions. Load-following energy management strategy is implemented experimentally in this hybrid configuration. The concepts that can be learned from such test bench are certainly essential for any future implementation on real full-size vehicles. In this study, it is shown that even though fuel cells have a good energy-to-weight ratio, they have a slow response and that is why they must be combined with other fast-response energy sources like a battery or supercapacitor. The test bench is mainly built to explore the implementation of various energy management strategies and control algorithms without the need to have a real vehicle and an automotive test track. In addition, it is an excellent platform for training highly qualified automotive engineers and university undergraduate students as well as automotive researchers.

Low-Cost and Modularized Test Bench for Focal Plane Array

In this paper, a low-cost and modularized test bench for microbolometric focal plane array is proposed. Based on the analysis of driving microbolometric focal plane array, we have set up the simple test bench. The test bench consists of four major modules: optical part, driving sequence timer, power supply and signal processing board, and data analyzer. Each module in the test bench is reconfigurable and the driving sequence timer is programmable in system. The proposed test bench is low-cost and has been applied to practical microbolometric focal plane arrays in our laboratory.

Control of a Test Bench for Dynamic Emulation of Mechanical Loads

The paper describes a control strategy for a test bench consisting of a drive under test mechanically connected with a dynamometer drive. The control of dynamometer drive is performed on RT-Lab simulation platform and based on dynamic emulation of mechanical loads (DEML) strategy. Torque-controlled dynamometer emulates the behaviour of a real mechanical load. The test bench enables emulating of the linear and non-linear dynamics of mechanical loads with only mathematical model of the load included into the closed-loop control. Main purpose of the research on this kind of test bench’s control is a simplification of manufacturer tests on new actuator prototypes. The next equally important purpose is reducing the commissioning time of drives’ control. Simulation and experimental results showing the abilities of the proposed test bench‘s control approach are presented. © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Experimental Machine Vision System for Training Students in Virtual Instrumentation Techniques

The aim of this paper is to present the main techniques in designing and building of a complex machine vision system in order to train electrical engineering students in using virtual instrumentation. The proposed test bench realizes an automatic adjustment of some electrical circuit parameters on a belt conveyer. The students can learn how to combine mechanics, electronics, electrical engineering, image acquisition and processing in order to solve the proposed application. After the system implementation the students are asked to present in which way they can modify or extend the system for industrial environment regarding the automatic adjustment of electric parameters or the calibration of different type of sensors (of distance, of proximity, etc) without the intervention of the human factor in the process.

Development of an experimental platform for research in energy and electrical machine control

This paper presents the development of a test bench dedicated for electrical machines and energy control, as realized by the research team of the Power Systems and Electrical Machines Laboratory (RME) of the National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology (INSAT) in Tunisia. The principal components of the proposed test bench are explained, and the respective characteristics are given. This paper focuses on mounting low-cost sensors and developing reliable scientific results. The relevant obtained results in photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy fields, power measurement and control, as well as alternating current (AC) machine drives are likewise presented. These are supported by two signal processing controller boards based on Technosoft MCK240 and dSPACE DS1104 kits. In the wind energy field, some results relative to Self Excited Induction Generator dedicated to supplying isolated sites are discussed; in addition, water pumping is discussed for PV energy. In the AC drives area, the results of a closed loop control are presented using a developed direct voltage control (DVC) scheme implemented on dSPACE DS1104. Maps and interesting details of some realized sensors are also presented.

A Real-Time Regulator, Turbine and Alternator Test Bench for Ensuring Generators Under Test Contribute to Whole System Stability

A new Test Bench for speed governors has been developed and successfully tested in a simulation laboratory and in a Hydro-Québec hydroelectric powerhouse. Equipped with a Real-Time Simulator, the RT-LAB BERTA Test Bench makes it possible to cause the speed governor and turbine to react as though they are operating in an islanded power system, while remaining connected to the main grid. This ensures that the generating unit under test actually contributes to the stability of the whole power system. On-site testing has demonstrated that previous speed governor settings which were thought to be very stable were in fact generating undesirable power oscillations. Through the use of the proposed Test Bench, more accurate settings can be made on-site without the need to conduct laborious analyses.

Determination of Characteristics for Electrically Modulated Pneumatic Control Valves using Isothermal Chambers

In the present paper, an automatic test bench is developed for determining the main characteristics of electrically modulated pneumatic control valves using isothermal chambers. In particular, the pressure-flow rate characteristics can be obtained by simply measuring the pressure response inside the isothermal chamber during charge and discharge of air to the chamber. The proposed test bench has a shorter measurement time of only seconds and a lower air consumption as compared to the improved conventional method. Furthermore, the frequency dynamic characteristics with volume load can be measured more accurately owing to the use of an isothermal chamber as a load chamber. The high measurement efficiency and energy savings of the developed test bench are demonstrated herein.

Evaluation of adhesiveness of glass filaments in a complex fibre with a dynamic method

A test bench for evaluating the adhesiveness of complex glass fibres by dynamic separation was developed. The bench makes it possible to obtain detailed information on separation of fibres and the type of distribution of the lubricant along the fibre. The results obtained in testing fibres on the bench are in very good agreement with their technological indexes. The proposed test bench is universal in comparison to the currently used benches. It allows determining the adhesiveness of not only large, but also small fibre segments.