Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Electric Vehicles (EVs) are crucial technologies for the automotive industry to meet society’s demands for cleaner, more energy efficient transportation. Meeting the need to provide power which sustains HEVs and EVs is an immediate area of concern that research and development within the automotive community must address. Electric batteries and electrical motors are the key components in HEV and EV power generation and transmission, and their performance plays very important role in the overall performance of the modern high efficiency vehicles. Therefore, in this dissertation, we are motivated to study the electric batteries, interior permanent motor (IPM), in the context of modern hybrid electric/electric drive systems, from both multi-physics and system level perspectives. Electrical circuit theory, electromagnetic Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) finite volume method will be used primarily in this work. The work has total of five parts, and they are introduced in the following. Firstly, Battery thermal management design is critical in HEV and EV development. Accurate temperature distribution of the battery cells during vehicle operation is required for achieving optimized design. We propose a novel electrical-thermal battery modeling technique that couples a temperature dependent battery circuit model and a physics-based CFD model to meet this need. The electrical circuit model serves as a heat generation mechanism for the CFD model, and the CFD model provides the temperature distribution of the battery cells, which can also impact the heat generation of the electrical battery model. In this part of work, simulation data has been derived from the model respective to electrical performance of the battery as well iv as the temperature distribution simultaneously in consideration of the physical dimensions, material properties, and cooling conditions. The proposed model is validated against a battery model that couples the same electrical model with a known equivalent thermal model. Secondly, we propose an accurate system level Foster network thermal model. The parameters of the model are extracted from step responses of the CFD battery thermal model. The Foster network model and the CFD model give the same results. The Foster network can couple with battery circuit model to form an electric-thermal battery model for system simulation. Thirdly, IPM electric machines are important in high performance drive systems. During normal operations, irreversible demagnetization can occur due to temperature rise and various loading conditions. We investigate the performance of an IPM using 3d time stepping electromagnetic FEA considering magnet’s temperature dependency. Torque, flux linkage, induced voltage, inductance and saliency of the IPM will be studied in details. Finally, we use CFD to predict the non-uniform temperature distribution of the IPM machine and the impact of this distribution on motor performance. Fourthly, we will switch gear to investigate the IPM motor on the system level. A reduced order IPM model is proposed to consider the effect of demagnetization of permanent magnet due to temperature effect. The proposed model is validated by comparing its results to the FEA results. Finally, a HEV is a vehicle that has both conventional mechanical (i.e. internal combustion engine) and electrical propulsion systems. The electrical powertrain is used to work with the conventional powertrain to achieve higher fuel economy and lower emissions. v Computer based modeling and simulation techniques are therefore essential to help reduce the design cost and optimize system performance. Due to the complexity of hybrid vehicles, multidomain modeling ability is preferred for both component modeling and system simulation. We present a HEV library developed using VHDL-AMS.

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), the causative agent of hepatitis E, is a zoonotic pathogen of worldwide significance. The genus Orthohepevirus A of the family Hepeviridae includes all mammalian strains of HEV and consists of 8 recognized genotypes. Genotypes 1 and 2 HEVs only infect humans and genotypes 3 and 4 infect humans and several other animal species including pigs and rabbits. An ever-expanding host range of genetically-diversified strains of HEV now include bat, fish, rat, ferret, moose, wild boar, mongoose, deer, and camel. Additionally, the ruminant species goats, sheep, and cattle have been implicated as potential reservoirs as well. My dissertation research investigates a novel animal model for HEV, examines the immune dynamics during acute infection, and evaluates the possibility of additional animal reservoirs of HEV. The first project established an immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain knock-out JH (-/-) gnotobiotic piglet model that mimics the course of acute HEV infection observed in humans and evaluated the pathogenesis of HEV infection in this novel animal model. The dynamics of acute HEV infection in gnotobiotic pigs were systematically determined with a genotype 3 human strain of HEV. We also investigated the potential role of immunoglobulin heavy-chain JH in HEV pathogenesis and immune dynamics during the acute stage of virus infection. This novel gnotobiotic pig model will aid in future studies into HEV pathogenicity, an aspect which has thus far been difficult to reproduce in the available animal model systems. The objective of the second project for my PhD dissertation was to determine if cattle in the United States are infected with a bovine strain of HEV. We demonstrated serological evidence of an HEV-related agent in cattle populations with a high level of IgG anti-HEV prevalence. We demonstrated that calves from a seropositive cattle herd seroconverted to IgG binding HEV during a prospective study. We also showed that the IgG anti-HEV present in cattle has an ability to neutralize genotype 3 human HEV in vitro. However, our exhaustive attempts to detect HEVrelated sequence from cattle in the United States failed, suggesting that one should be cautious in interpreting the IgG anti-HEV serological results in bovine and other species. Collectively, the work from my PhD dissertation delineated important mechanisms in HEV pathogenesis and established a novel animal model for future HEV research. / Ph. D. / Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), the causative agent of hepatitis E, is a zoonotic pathogen of worldwide significance. According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 20 million HEV infections annually, which result in 3.3 million cases of acute hepatitis E and >44,000 HEV-related deaths. Hepatitis E is a self-limiting acute disease in general, but carries the ability to cause high mortality in pregnant women and chronic hepatitis in immunocompromised individuals. The underlying mechanisms of HEV host tropism and progression of disease to chronicity are unknown. My dissertation work investigates a novel animal model for HEV, evaluates the possibility of additional animal reservoirs of HEV, and examines the immune dynamics during acute infection. The first project established an immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain knock-out JH (-/-) gnotobiotic piglet model that mimics the course of acute HEV infection observed in humans. The dynamics of acute HEV infection were determined in both the knock-out and wild-type piglets with a genotype 3 strain of human HEV. We also investigated the potential role of immunoglobulin heavy-chain JH in HEV pathogenesis and virus infection. In the second project, we determined if cattle in the United States are infected with a bovine strain of HEV. We showed serological evidence of an HEV-related agent in cattle as well as calves born in a seropositive herd. Despite the detection of specific antibodies recognizing HEV in cattle, definitive evidence of virus infection could not be demonstrated. Our exhaustive attempts to detect HEV-related sequence from cattle in the United States failed, suggesting that one should be cautious in interpreting the IgG anti-HEV serological results in bovine and other species. Collectively, the work from my PhD dissertation research delineated important mechanisms in HEV pathogenesis and established a novel animal model for future HEV research.

Optimal control of energy flows in a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is crucial to maximising the benefits of hybridisation. The problem is complex because the optimal solution depends on future power demands, which are often unknown. Stochastic Dynamic Programming (SDP) is among the most advanced control optimisation algorithms proposed and incorporates a stochastic representation of the future. The potential of a fully developed SDP controller has not yet been demonstrated on a real vehicle; this work presents what is believed to be the most concerted and complete attempt to do so. In characterising typical driving patterns of the target vehicles this work included the development and trial of an eco-driving driver assistance system; this aims to reduce fuel consumption by encouraging reduced rates of acceleration and efficient use of the gears via visual and audible feedback. Field trials were undertaken using 15 light commercial vehicles over four weeks covering a total of 39,300 km. Average fuel savings of 7.6% and up to 12% were demonstrated. Data from the trials were used to assess the degree to which various legislative test cycles represent the vehicles’ real-world use and the LA92 cycle was found to be the closest statistical match. Various practical considerations in SDP controller development are addressed such as the choice of discount factor and how charge sustaining characteristics of the policy can be examined and adjusted. These contributions are collated into a method for robust implementation of the SDP algorithm. Most reported HEV controllers neglect the significant complications resulting from extensive use of the electrical powertrain at high power, such as increased heat generation and battery stress. In this work a novel cost function incorporates the square of battery C-rate as an indicator of electric powertrain stress, with the aim of lessening the affliction of real-world concerns such as temperatures and battery health. Controllers were tested in simulation and then implemented on a test vehicle; the challenges encountered in doing so are discussed. Testing was performed on a chassis dynamometer using the LA92 test cycle and the novel cost function was found to enable the SDP algorithm to reduce electrical powertrain stress by 13% without sacrificing any fuel savings, which is likely to be beneficial to battery health.

<p>Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy occurs when our immune system causes a reaction to otherwise harmless substances (allergens). Allergens are predominantly proteins present in biological materials such as pollens, mites, animal epithelia, moulds and foods. </p><p><i>In vitro</i> tests for specific IgE antibodies usually employ an allergen source extract as an antibody capturing reagent. The proportion of allergenic molecules in these biochemically complex extracts may vary.</p><p>Recombinant allergens may be obtained in large quantities with biotechnological techniques. These proteins can be characterized biochemically and immunologically, resulting in tests with minimal batch-to-batch variation. This thesis describes different uses of recombinant allergens in component-resolved diagnostics (CRD).</p><p>In CRD, single allergenic proteins are used to establish a sensitization profile of the patient. Two timothy grass (<i>Phleum pratense</i>) pollen allergens, Phl p 11 and Phl p 4, were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins. They were subsequently characterized and can, for example, be used in a panel for grass pollen CRD.</p><p>Single allergens may be useful as diagnostic markers for allergic sensitization. This phenomenon was studied using tropomyosin, a major allergen from the shrimp <i>Penaeus aztecus</i> (Pen a 1). The characteristics of the recombinant and natural proteins were compared. The recombinant tropomyosin was then extensively tested using specific competition for IgE binding against extracts of other crustacean species, house dust mite and cockroach.</p><p>In cases when an important allergen is missing or underrepresented in a natural extract, the corresponding recombinant allergen may be added to the extract as a spiking reagent. Previous studies have shown that latex extracts for diagnostic testing may lack the allergen Hev b 5. Recombinant Hev b 5 was expressed from a synthetic gene construct, incorporating several adaptations to enable efficient large scale production of the recombinant protein, to be used as a spiking reagent.</p>

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergy occurs when our immune system causes a reaction to otherwise harmless substances (allergens). Allergens are predominantly proteins present in biological materials such as pollens, mites, animal epithelia, moulds and foods. In vitro tests for specific IgE antibodies usually employ an allergen source extract as an antibody capturing reagent. The proportion of allergenic molecules in these biochemically complex extracts may vary. Recombinant allergens may be obtained in large quantities with biotechnological techniques. These proteins can be characterized biochemically and immunologically, resulting in tests with minimal batch-to-batch variation. This thesis describes different uses of recombinant allergens in component-resolved diagnostics (CRD). In CRD, single allergenic proteins are used to establish a sensitization profile of the patient. Two timothy grass (Phleum pratense) pollen allergens, Phl p 11 and Phl p 4, were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins. They were subsequently characterized and can, for example, be used in a panel for grass pollen CRD. Single allergens may be useful as diagnostic markers for allergic sensitization. This phenomenon was studied using tropomyosin, a major allergen from the shrimp Penaeus aztecus (Pen a 1). The characteristics of the recombinant and natural proteins were compared. The recombinant tropomyosin was then extensively tested using specific competition for IgE binding against extracts of other crustacean species, house dust mite and cockroach. In cases when an important allergen is missing or underrepresented in a natural extract, the corresponding recombinant allergen may be added to the extract as a spiking reagent. Previous studies have shown that latex extracts for diagnostic testing may lack the allergen Hev b 5. Recombinant Hev b 5 was expressed from a synthetic gene construct, incorporating several adaptations to enable efficient large scale production of the recombinant protein, to be used as a spiking reagent.

The University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team’s participation in EcoCAR: The Next Challenge provided an unparalleled opportunity to execute advanced vehicle technology research with hands on learning and industry leading mentoring from practicing engineers in the automotive industry. This thesis investigates the optimization of the hybrid operating strategy on board the EcoCAR development vehicle. This investigation provides the framework to investigate the pros and cons of different hybrid control strategies, develop the model based design process for controls development in a student team environment and take the learning of this research and apply them to a mule development vehicle. A primary controls development model was created to simulate software controls before releasing to the vehicle level and served as a tool to evaluate and compare control strategies. The optimization routine was not directly compatible with this model and so a compromise was made to develop a simplified vehicle model in the MATLAB environment that would be useful for observing trends but realizing that the accuracy of the results may not be totally consistent with the real world vehicle. These optimization results were then used to create a new control strategy that was simulated in the original vehicle development model. This new control strategy exhibited a 15% gain in fuel economy over the best case from the literature during an Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) drive cycle. Recommendations for future work include adding charge depletion operation to the simulation test cases and improving the accuracy of the optimization model by removing the simplifications that contributed to faster simulation time. This research has also illustrated the wide variability of drive cycles from the mildly aggressive UDDS cycle having 5 kilowatts average propulsion power to the very aggressive US06 cycle having 19 kilowatts average propulsion power and their impact on the efficiency of a particular control strategy. Understanding how to adapt or tune software for particular drive cycle or driver behaviour may lead to an interesting area of research.

Dans cette étude, la bile d’un porc canadien naturellement infecté par une souche du virus de l’hépatite E (VHE) a été utilisée afin d’inoculer deux groupes de porcelets. Dans l’étude précoce (E), 4 porcelets âgés de 4 semaines et exempts de pathogènes spécifiques (SPF), ont été suivis jusqu’à 14 jours post-inoculation (pi). Dans l’étude tardive (L), 9 porcelets ont été suivis à chaque semaine jusqu’à l’abattage, soit 120 jours pi. À la nécropsie, la présence du VHE a été évaluée dans différents organes à 7, 14 et 120 jours pi. Des porcelets témoins (E=2 et L=3) ont été inoculés par de la bile exempte de VHE. Le virus a persisté chez certains animaux jusqu’à 84 à 105 jours pi dans le sérum malgré la présence d’anticorps IgG anti-VHE dans le sang, suggérant une virémie prolongée. L’excrétion virale dans les fèces s’est étalée également sur une période de 105 jours pi chez certains animaux. De plus, la détection de l’ARN viral dans les organes évalués s’est révélée presque nulle à l’âge d’abattage à l’exception de quelques vésicules biliaires, alors qu’on retrouvait l’ARN viral dans plusieurs organes à 7 et 14 jours pi. Pour évaluer la distribution du VHE chez les porcs commerciaux du Québec, un échantillonnage de porcs de trois abattoirs a été réalisé. Environ 100 échantillons de sang, fèces, foies et bile provenant des mêmes animaux en processus d’abattage ont été prélevés dans chacun des abattoirs, sur des porcs destinés à la consommation humaine. La détection de l’ARN viral et des anticorps du VHE a été réalisée à l’aide d’une RT-PCR nichée et d’un test ELISA adapté pour déceler les anticorps porcins anti-VHE. Chez les porcs d’abattoir, 12,9 % des échantillons de bile contenaient de l’ARN viral du VHE, alors que la détection virale était moindre dans les autres organes. Une séroprévalence en IgG de 26,0 % a été obtenue pour les sérums porcins analysés. Une analyse phylogénétique des différentes souches isolées pendant l’étude a démontré qu’elles sont du génotype 3. Ces données indiquent une exposition potentielle des travailleurs de l’industrie porcine au VHE porcin, notamment par les fèces, le sang et les organes et également pour les consommateurs par le biais des foies. / In this study, a strain of porcine hepatitis E virus (HEV) isolated from the bile of a naturally-infected Canadian pig was used to inoculate two groups of piglets. In the early-phase experiment (E), 4 one month-old piglets, specific pathogen free (SPF), were monitored for 14 days. In the late-phase experiment (L) 9 piglets were monitored up to slaughter (120 days post-inoculation (pi)). Controls piglets (E=2 and L=3) were inoculated with free HEV bile. The presence of HEV was monitored routinely in their blood and feces. At necropsy, viral occurence was evaluated in organs at 7, 14 and 120 days pi. Interestingly, HEV was found to persist in the serum of some animals up to 84-105 days pi, despite the presence of IgG HEV antibodies in their blood. Fecal shedding was detected until 105 days pi for a portion of pigs. In organs, HEV RNA was detected in low amount of gallbladders at killing time, while it was detected in a large number of organs at 7 and 14 days pi. To assess the distribution of HEV in commercial finishing pig in Quebec, a sampling was realised in pigs from three slaughterhouses from Quebec. Approximately a hundred samples of feces, blood, bile and liver were collected in each slaughterhouse, on pigs intended for human consumption. A sample of each type was collected on each of the chosen pigs. Detection of HEV RNA was carried out using a nested RT-PCR on each sample and a human ELISA test was adapted for the detection of swine antibodies against HEV in swine serum samples. For pigs at slaughter, 12,9 % of the bile samples were positive to HEV RNA and a seroprevalence of IgG of 26,0 % was detected in swine. A phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that all strains of the study were in the genotype 3. All results demonstrate that porcine industry workers are potentially exposed to swine HEV by feces, blood and organs.

The University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team’s participation in EcoCAR: The Next Challenge provided an unparalleled opportunity to execute advanced vehicle technology research with hands on learning and industry leading mentoring from practicing engineers in the automotive industry. This thesis investigates the optimization of the hybrid operating strategy on board the EcoCAR development vehicle. This investigation provides the framework to investigate the pros and cons of different hybrid control strategies, develop the model based design process for controls development in a student team environment and take the learning of this research and apply them to a mule development vehicle. A primary controls development model was created to simulate software controls before releasing to the vehicle level and served as a tool to evaluate and compare control strategies. The optimization routine was not directly compatible with this model and so a compromise was made to develop a simplified vehicle model in the MATLAB environment that would be useful for observing trends but realizing that the accuracy of the results may not be totally consistent with the real world vehicle. These optimization results were then used to create a new control strategy that was simulated in the original vehicle development model. This new control strategy exhibited a 15% gain in fuel economy over the best case from the literature during an Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) drive cycle. Recommendations for future work include adding charge depletion operation to the simulation test cases and improving the accuracy of the optimization model by removing the simplifications that contributed to faster simulation time. This research has also illustrated the wide variability of drive cycles from the mildly aggressive UDDS cycle having 5 kilowatts average propulsion power to the very aggressive US06 cycle having 19 kilowatts average propulsion power and their impact on the efficiency of a particular control strategy. Understanding how to adapt or tune software for particular drive cycle or driver behaviour may lead to an interesting area of research.

Η θεματολογία της εργασίας αυτής περιλαμβάνει την υβριδική τεχνολογία στην αυτοκίνηση. Γίνεται μία εκτεταμένη ανάλυση των υβριδικών οχημάτων, αρχικά κάνοντας αναφορά στην ιστορία των υβριδικών και μη οχημάτων και έπειτα στα περιβαλλοντικά θεμάτα που τα έφεραν στο προσκήνιο. Η ανάλυση περιλαμβάνει επίσης την μελέτη των διαφόρων κατηγοριών υβριδικών οχημάτων, την εξέταση των κατασκευαστικών μερών τους και κλείνει με την παρουσίαση κάποιων χαρακτηριστικών οχημάτων που βγήκαν στην παραγωγή. Στη συνέχεια, η εργασία περνά στο πειραματικό της στάδιο, που περιλαμβάνει τη μελέτη και κατασκευή ενός ηλεκτροκινητήριου συστήματος για εφαρμογή σε πειραματικό όχημα. Το όχημα μετά τις επεμβάσεις θα είναι υβριδικό, κάνοντας χρήση δύο πηγών ενέργειας, ορυκτά καύσιμα και ηλεκτρισμό. Έγινε η προμήθεια του οχήματος και των απαραίτητων μερών του συστήματος δηλαδή ενός ασύγχρονου ηλεκτροκινητήρα και των μπαταριών, που είναι τύπου οξέος-μολύβδου. Ακολούθησαν μηχανολογικές μετατροπές στο αμάξωμα ώστε να δεχθεί το πρόσθετο σύστημα μετάδοσης κίνησης, οι οποίες και αναλύονται. Παράλληλα βρίσκονταν σε εξέλιξη οι μετατροπείς ισχύος που απαιτούνται στο σύστημα ηλεκτρικής κίνησης για να προσαρμόσουν τα ηλεκτρικά μεγέθη κατάλληλα ώστε να επιτρέψουν την ροή ισχύος από τις μπαταρίες προς τον κινητήρα, κατά την επιτάχυνση του οχήματος, και την επιστροφή ενέργειας στις μπαταρίες από τη μηχανή, που λειτουργεί ως γεννήτρια λαμβάνοντας ενέργεια από την κινητική του οχήματος. Οι απαιτούμενοι μετατροπείς είναι ένας αμφικατευθυντήριος μετατροπέας ανύψωσης – υποβιβασμού συνεχούς τάσης σε συνεχή και ένας μετατροπέας συνεχούς τάσης σε τριφασική εναλλασσόμενη, ή πιο απλά τριφασικός αντιστροφέας. Ο δεύτερος μετατροπέας πραγματοποιεί και τον έλεγχο της ροπής που παράγει σε κάθε στιγμή ο κινητήρας μέσω της μεθόδου του Άμεσου Έλεγχου Ροπής (DTC). Περιγράφονται οι μεθοδολογίες ελέγχου των τριφασικών ασύγχρονων κινητήρων και γίνεται λεπτομερής ανάλυση της χρησιμοποιούμενης μεθόδου. Στο τελευταίο τμήμα περιγράφονται οι πειραματικές μετρήσεις που διεξήχθησαν με το σύστημα που κατασκευάστηκε, στον εργαστηριακό πάγκο και επί του οχήματος της εφαρμογής. Τέλος, γίνεται ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων που προέκυψαν. / The subject of this work includes the use of hybrid technology in automotive. An extensive analysis of hybrid vehicles is carried out, referring to the history of hybrid and other vehicles and then to the environmental matters that brought hybrids to the fore. The analysis also includes the study of different types of hybrid vehicles, examining their components and ends with the presentation of some remarkable vehicles that have been produced. The work then passes into the experimental phase, involving the design and construction of an electric system to be applied in a conventional vehicle. The vehicle is meant to function as a hybrid, using two energy sources, fossil fuels and electricity. For the reason, a vehicle has been supplied along with the necessary parts of the system, which consist of an asynchronous electric motor and lead acid batteries. Mechanical modifications that were made to the chassis to accept the additional drivetrain are discussed in detail. The construction of the necessary power converters is carried out in parallel. Their purpose is to adjust the electrical values in order to allow the flow of power from the batteries to the engine during acceleration of the vehicle and return energy to the batteries from the electrical machine, which acts as generator powered from the vehicle’s wheels.. The required converters are: a bi-directional buck/boost DC to DC converter and a three-phase DC to AC converter, which is simply described as inverter. The second converter also performs the control of the torque produced at any time from the engine, using Direct Torque Control (DTC). Alternate methodologies are also described, while the used technique is fully analyzed. The final section describes the experimental procedures performed to the constructed systems. At first they are tested in the laboratory and afterwards they are applied on the vehicle. Finally, an analysis of the results is performed.

The controls for a parallel hybrid electric truck are optimized using numerical optimal control. Trade-offs between catalyst light-off times, NOx emission and fuel consumption have been investigated for cold starts at two operating points, as well as temperature differences between conventional and hybrid powertrains during WHTC (World Harmonized Transient Cycle). A model describing the temperature dynamics of the aftertreatment system is implemented as well as temperature-based deNOx performance for both Cu-Zeolite and Fe-Zeolite catalysts. Control is performed in a piecewise linear fashion, resulting in a total of 23 states including control signals. It is shown that high temperatures can be a larger threat to catalyst performance when running the WHTC than low temperatures, for both conventional and hybrid powertrains. Furthermore, decreasing the light-off time of the catalyst does not always lead to decreased NOx emission, instead there is a trade-off between light-off time and NOx emission. It is found that there are controls that will realize decreased NOx emission for a hybrid truck during cold starts at the expense of increased fuel consumption.