Vehicle differential

1. Introduction and its role:

Differential is a small device that helps in splitting the torque of the cars engine in such a way, which will allow the wheels to move at different speed. These differentials play an important role while turning a car.

Figure 1.1: wheels are at different speeds while cornering (W0>Wi and rout> rin)

` We know that, the inside and outside wheels of a car turn in different radius corners, and thus need to rotate at different speeds. Speed is equal to the distance travelled divided by time . So Consequently, the outside wheel has to turn faster than the inside one in order to cover the greater distance in the same amount of time. So in a two wheel drive as for example if differential is not included than In this case a certain amount of tension would build up And this tension would relive itself with a wheel skipping over the surface. Wheels would have to be locked together, forced to spin at the same speed. This results in difficult and unpredictable handling, damage to tires and roads, a great deal of force is required for tire slip. That force would have to be transmitted through the axle from one wheel to another , putting a heavy strain on the axle components. 1.1.Working principle of differential The differential has mainly three jobs to do: 1. To give the engine power (torque)at the wheels.

2. To act as the final gear reduction in the vehicle, showing the rotational speed of the transmission one final time before it hits the wheel 3. To transmit the power to wheels while allowing them to rotate at different speeds.

Figure1.2: conventional mechanical differential

In classical automobile drive train is composed by a single motor/engine providing torque to each driving wheel. The most common solution is to use a mechanical device called mechanical differential to distribute torque to the wheels. In the figure shows the basic mechanical differential configuration. The basic principle of the differential gear unit can be understood by using equipment that consists of two gears pinion and rack. The drive shaft ends in a pinion gear inside the differential. When the drive shaft turns, the pinion drives a ring gear that is part of the differential housing, so that both housing and ring gear rotate together. Inside the housing are two pinion gears and two side gears; each side gear is connected, via an axle, to a drive wheel. When the car drives straight ahead and the axle shafts turn at the same speed, the differential housing rotates, but no differential action occurs, both axles turn at the same speed and the spider gears do not rotate. All they do is lock up both axles so they turn at the same speed. When the car negotiates a turn, however, the differential must compensate for the difference in distance traveled by the drive wheels. The opinions roll around the side gears, allowing the inside wheel to turn more slowly and the outside wheel to turn more slowly and the outside wheel to turn faster--hence the name, "differential". 1.2. Disadvantages of mechanical differential:

A simple mechanical differential gears have one major disadvantage. If the inner and outer wheels are on surfaces of unequal roughness, the wheel on the smoother surface spins with a higher angular momentum. Since the differential splits the torque equally, the wheel on rougher surface will decrease in angular momentum and hence the vehicle will move at a very low speed or may not move at all. In case the difference in traction is too large i.e. when one of the wheels is off road or on a slippery surface, torque from the wheel on the road will be transferred to the wheel that is off the surface and it will spin at double angular momentum. Hence the vehicle will remain stationary. In order to solve this problem, we need to transfer more of the torque to the stationary wheels. So a new type of differential called limited slip differential (LSD) is invented, where a series of coupled clutches which limit the difference in the rotation of the inner and outer wheels to a specific limit. LSD feeds power to one wheel when the other wheel starts to slip and thus keeps the automobile moving. There is also a disadvantage using LSD system. The only disadvantage of a LSD is that it may require an additive to be added to the gear oil. Without it the clutches in the LSD will wear quicker, or not work at all. But now a days with the immerging technology towards the development of Electric & Hybrid electric vehicles a new types of differential system is possible which will allow much larger starting torque to the wheels separately and provides greater resistances to these type of conditions. Which is named as electronic differential system (EDS). 2. Introduction to electronic differential: The electronic differential is a new form of differential, which provides the required torque for each driving wheel separately and allows different wheel speeds. It is completely different from the conventional mechanical differential system. it reduces the mechanical transmission components is related to the elimination of the mechanical differential gear introducing an electronic substitute system, called electronic differential.

Figure: mechanical differential system [9]

Figure: Electronic differential system [9]

With the emergence of electric vehicles new drive train configurations are possible. Multi-drive systems become easy to implement due to the large power density of electric motors. advantages over a mechanical differentia: 1. Much simpler. It can eliminates the need of gearbox and clutch. 2. It uses several electric motors, one for each driving wheel allowing independent control of each wheel 3. reconfigurable - it is reprogrammable in order to include new features or tuned according to the drivers preferences; 4. allows distributed regenerative braking; 5. the torque is not limited by the wheel with least traction, as it is with a mechanical differential. 6. faster response times; 7. accurate knowledge of traction torque per wheel.

3. Research activity and Literature survey :

During the first 4 months of my PhD course the research activity has been mainly focused on the review of scientific literature concerning principles and methods actually adopted in differential system. Firstly, the investigation and understanding of conventional car differential(mechanical differential) has been carried out in order to understand the challenges and limitations that designers have to deal with. After that a particular attention has been paid in a new kind of approach which is called electronic differential as mentioned above. The research on electronic differential propulsion system is quit new and probably japan is the first country to start it in 2006. Some of the research papers have been studied , in which the researchers tries to employ many methods to implement this electronic differential and various aspects of electric vehicles (EV). Some researchers named S. M. Wasfy, M.M.Eissa, G.M.A.Sowilam , M.Abdel monem tries to model and analysis of a proper traction system for two wheel independent drive EVs [1]. They employed electronic differential to assuring the best possible traction control of the vehicle. They tries When straight trajectory, the two rear wheels run exactly at the same speed (for a steering angle equals zero) and for the same road conditions under the left and right side of wheels . but When the vehicle turns right and left, the references for the rear wheel speeds are selected according to the steering angle[1], to ensure that during turning

the wheels will maintain the relative speeds imposed by the trajectory geometry. With the information about the real speed of the vehicle, on left and right sides, they are making a control algorithm [1] which changes the generated torques in each wheel drive, in order to produce the same traction force applied to the road surface.

Figure: proposed system[1] They tries to control the speed of the car using two rear wheels angular velocity (WLEFT, WRIGHT)as a feedback signal to a PD controller . PD-controller is implemented in order to obtain null static error, between the reference for the angular velocity (W L(REF), WR(REF)) and the measured value (WLEFT, WRIGHT)as shown. Three researcher Kada Hartani, Yahia Miloud, and Mohamed Bourahla form Algeria tries to propose a system to improve the vehicle stability based on the method of electronic differential using sliding mode control[2]. SMC, is a nonlinear control method that alters the dynamics of a nonlinear system by application of a discontinuous control signal that forces the system to "slide" along a cross-section of the system's normal behaviour. However, it is difficult to analyse the nonlinear behaviour of the differential system in relation to the speed and steering angle, as well as vehicle structure. The proposed propulsion system consists of two permanent magnet synchronous machines that ensure the drive of the two back driving wheels. The proposed control structure called independent machines for speed control permits the achievement of an electronic differential[2]. Yong Zhou1, Shengjin Li2, Xunqi Zhou2, Zongde Fang2 three Chinese researcher also published a paper in 2010 in the field of electronic differential[3]. They tried to

implement a control strategy of Electronic Differential with Four In-wheel Motors of EV. In this paper, they designed a prototype EV with four in-wheel motors, via the steering wheel or pedal the driver can provide orders such as starting, accelerating or decelerating, turning, braking etc. All of the orders are converted into analog signal via several linear displacement sensors, and then the analog signal will be transferred to the controller. Hence, the turning force in this EV comes from every in-wheel motor instead of the turning motor like traditional vehicle[3]. In the figure below they have listed the principle of turning of their method. First, they defined the relationship between the angle of the steering wheel and analog signal output from the displacement sensor.

Figure: principle of turning[3]

Then, the sensor converts the angle to analog signal, this signal will be inputted to controller. After analyzed the signal, controller regulates the speed of four motors, makes them have different speed. Finally, the speed of one side wheels of vehicle is faster than that of the other side, and then the vehicle will turn to one side which the wheels have lower speed.controller also continuously sensed feedback sinal coming from the each wheel.they have made the controller part with a microcontroller.

A new control system for electrical propulsion with electronic differential based on FPGA is proposed by some researchers from Portugal[4]. In this paper they are developing a fully integrated on chip electronic differential controller employing FPGA technology. As shown the figure below The control system user inputs are the torque reference based on the throttle position and the curvature angle defined by hand wheel rotation. The differential controlled chipis composed of a control unit and a parametric identification. The control unit has two AC motor controllers and an electronic differential. The electronic differential algorithm defines the torque references for each motor in function of the speed of each wheel (left and right), the vehicle curvature (f) angle and the torque desired by the driver (Te *). The parametric identification unit estimates some key motor parameters necessary for controller tuning, which are used by the control unit. The major AC motor drive control blocks are: current loop control, PWM generator and encoder interface. The current loop control represents the innermost control loop of the whole system and is performed with a digital proportional-integral (PI) current controller[4].

Fig. 1: Architecture of propulsion control chip, implemented on a FPGA [4]

A specific block is used for acquiring data from analog digital converters (ADCs) for two current phases of a motor which are then directly controlled and synchronized by the propulsion control chip. The final stage of AC motor control is commanding the power semiconductors to get the desired voltage and frequency. A PC based user interface used in this method allows easy controller configuration, data acquisition and performance analysis.

Electronic differential also be implemented adaptively. A paper written by the Bekheira Tabbache, Abdelaziz Kheloui, and Mohamed El Hachemi Benbouzid, seneior member from IEEE concerns about the vehicle stability based on the adaptive electronic differential[5]. They used a DSP processor chip for that purpose. To handle EV stability while cornering or under slippery road condition, they have proposed the traction drive uses direct torque control and an adaptive-flux-and-speed-observer-based algorithm. Li Zhai, Shouquan Dong from Beijing has proposed A comprehensive control strategy of speed and torque based on Neural Networks PID electronic differential to calculate object speed of four wheels[6]. they were used Four PID controllers to achieve torque distribution on four in-wheel motors, to realize electronic differential speed steering and at end they found The simulation results with different reference steering angle and velocity which indicate the strategy can improve the steering maneuvering and stability of vehicle in a low speed.

Figure: control architecture based on Electronic differential [6]

In the figure An electronic differential speed control system is shown demonstrated in this paper to calculate the speed difference and control the torque distribution for the four in-

wheel motors. Power battery pack and engine generator set would together in parallel supply the energy convertor, then power the DC power bus through the energy convertor [6]. When the voltage on the bus goes beyond the limitation, the energy absorber begins to work and absorb the redundant energy. Comprehensive electronic differential speed controller would calculate vehicular velocity v , steering angle , four wheels steering angle fl, fr, rl, rr and four wheels velocity vfl , vfr , vrl , vrr according to the signal from steering wheel and pedal. The comprehensive controlling strategy based on neural networks PID is used to perform speed-torque coordinate control of electric differential. Torque signals on the CAN bus would be sent to the four motors controller to control the four driving wheels torque to realize the vehicular electronic differential speed control continuous steering. Some researcher of Applied Electronics Group, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Rio Cuarto, had studied the principles and methods actually developed in electronic differential system around the world and then they implemented most appropriate control strategy for this using Field Oriented Control (FOC) or vector control method of AC motors[11]. In order to implement an induction motor vector control, stator current, rotor flux position and rotor speed are measured. They used a DSP processor named TMS320F2812 for processing and controlling purposes.

4. Conclusion:
These are the some papers based on electronic differential have studied during this period. During these literature surveys it has noticed that every researcher concentrates on the vehicle stability issues with the help of electronic differential and are designed to keep some stability-related quantity[] (as for e.g. wheel slip) in a safe region. They are trying to give different approaches to achieve electronic diferential as mentioned above. But some

situations may happen in which we have to cope with extreme steering conditions as for example in a accidental case and acceleration demand in car racing scenario. In these cases we require a controller which is able to cope with these conditions. Till now It has found that no researcher is given importance in it. So this is one of a point which we can approach in near future. Another issue is that almost all researcher tries to proceed implementation of EDS quit hardest way which production cost must be larger. Some of them considering both steering input[1] & wheel feedback input[1][2], someone trying to implement it with PID

controller[6], use adaptive technique [5] etc. So development of a cost effective and a simple implementation will have considered to be a another major aspect of EDS in near future.

5. References: [1]
S. M. Wasfy, M.M.Eissa (SMIEEE), G.M.A.Sowilam , M.Abdel monem.:MODELING
AND ANALYSIS OF A TRCTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TWO INDEPENDENT WHEEL DRIVES-ELECTRIC VEHICLE, International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ10) Granada (Spain), 23rd to 25th March, 2010 .

[2]

Kada Hartani, Yahia Miloud, and Mohamed Bourahla,: Vehicle Stability Improvement Based on Electronic Differential Using Sliding Mode Control. 7th
WSEAS International Conference on Electric Power Systems, High Voltages, Electric Machines, Venice, Italy, November 21-23, 2007. PP:331-338.

[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Yong Zhou1, Shengjin Li2, Xunqi Zhou2, Zongde Fang2.: The Control Strategy of Electronic Differential for EV with Four In-wheel Motors. Chinese Control and Decision
Conference IEEE 2010.

Ricardo Pinto de Castro, Hugo Santos Oliveira, Jos Ricardo Soares, Nuno Miguel.; A new FPGA based control system for electrical propulsion with electronic differential. Bekheira Tabbache, Abdelaziz Kheloui, and Mohamed El Hachemi Benbouzid, Senior Member, IEEE.: An Adaptive Electric Differential for Electric Vehicles Motion Stabilization.IEEE transactions on vehicular technology, vol. 60, no. 1, january 2011 Li Zhai, Shouquan Dong.: Electronic Differential Speed Steering Control for Four In-wheel Motors Independent Drive Vehicle. Proceedings of the 8th World Congress on
Intelligent Control and Automation June 21-25 2011, Taipei, Taiwan.

Y. Hori, senior member IEEE, Future vehicles driver by electricity and control research on four wheel motored UOT electric march II, IEEE Transactions on Industrial
Electronics, vol. 51, no. 5, Oct. 2004, pp. 954 962

Y. E. Zhao, J. W. Zhang and X. Q. Guan,: Modeling and Simulation of Electronic

Differential System for an Electric Vehicle with Two Motor-Wheel Drive. IEEE
Transactions on Vehicular Technology 2009.

Manu Jain, Student Member, IEEE, and Sheldon S. Williamson, Member, IEEE,: Suitability Analysis of In-Wheel Motor Direct Drives for Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles. IEEE Electrical Power & Energy Conference 2009. K. Vitols, I. Galkin,: Analysis of Electronic Differential for Electric Kart. 15th
International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference, EPE-PEMC 2012 ECCE Europe, Novi Sad, Serbia.

[11] Guillermo A. Magallan, Cristian H. De Angelo, Guillermo Bisheimer and Guillermo [12]
Garcia,: A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle with Electronic Differential Traction Control. 2008 IEEE Kada HARTANI, Mohamed BOURAHLA, Yahia MILOUD1, Mohamed SEKOUR,: Electronic Differential with Direct Torque Fuzzy Control for Vehicle Propulsion System. Turk J Elec Eng & Comp Sci, Vol.17, No.1, 2009