Efficient Energy Conversion in Electrically Assisted Bicycles Using a Switched Reluctance Machine Under Torque Control

The prospect of physical exertion commonly acts as a deterrent to the adoption of cycling for everyday transport. A battery powered assistance torque electric motor could alleviate such physical exertion by reducing the effort required by the cyclist. This study investigates the potential effectiven...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE access 2020, Vol.8, p.202401-202411
Main Authors: Zaghari, Bahareh, Stuikys, Aleksas, Weddell, Alex S., Beeby, Steve
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
battery
Bicycles
Bicycling
Eccentrics
electric bike
Electric motors
energy conversion
Energy conversion efficiency
Modulated cycling torque
Motor drives
Reluctance machinery
Schedules
switched reluctance machine
Switched reluctance motors
Torque
Torque control
Torque motors
Traffic speed
Wind resistance
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Summary:The prospect of physical exertion commonly acts as a deterrent to the adoption of cycling for everyday transport. A battery powered assistance torque electric motor could alleviate such physical exertion by reducing the effort required by the cyclist. This study investigates the potential effectiveness, efficiency, and energy saving of electrically-assisted cycling when assistance torque of a switched reluctance motor is designed to vary in accord to the cyclist instantaneous torque at the pedal cranks. Specifically, the modulated motor assistance torque is delivered at the least efficient human input torque points on the cycle. For a representative short distance cycling schedule modulating the instantaneous torque of the on-board electric motor causes the electric energy expenditure to not exceed that of the assisted cycling mode of an identical constant-torque motor. Furthermore, for the same speed profile cycling journey with added road gradient and head wind resistance, the energy expenditure of the modulated torque motor is equal to the constant torque motor. These findings indicate significant improvements in the cycling experience.
ISSN:2169-3536
2169-3536
DOI:10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3036373