Rapid modeling and ECU testing of a hydrogen free-piston engine generator

With the advantages of cleanliness, high power density, and simple structure, the hydrogen free-piston generator (FPEG) has emerged as a promising range extender in new energy vehicles. Despite its excellent application prospects, the development of the electronic control unit (ECU) for the FPEG system remains challenging and time-consuming. Therefore, it is necessary to build a system model for the ECU test. Traditional modeling methods have some problems, such as slow simulation speed and low accuracy. This article proposes a method for building a rapid system model. The rapid system model has been built based on the hydrogen free-piston engine generator system. Afterward, the test cases for the ECU test were generated based on the constructed model. Several typical operating conditions of the system have been considered. Include cold start conditions, handling of fire anomalies, and stable operating conditions. Finally, the feasibility of the model is verified through hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing. The result shows that the rapid system model can be used for the ECU test. Its simulation time was reduced by approximately 78% compared to the original model.