A fault tolerant energy supply is a fundamental prerequisite for automated driving. The in-creasing variety and complexity of modern drivetrains and vehicle architectures require flex-ible and efficient methods for the development of the electrical power supply system in the early phase.
This contribution introduces an approach in which detailed Modelica models of the power supply system are generated automatically based on wiring harness, architecture and component specific energy demands. At the top level, the models represent the central en-ergy sources, such as the battery and DC/DC converter, as well as the power distribution units. Within these, the fuses, the associated cables and the electrical consumer compo-nents are depicted. Special attention is given to the realistic representation of fuse tripping mechanisms, cable inductances and the input circuitry of the components in order to accu-rately capture dynamic effects.
The models are designed for the simulation of highly dynamic processes up to a frequency range of 100 kHz. This enables the investigation of a wide variety of operating and fault scenarios, such as the targeted insertion of short circuits at different locations within the power supply system. In this way, the selectivity of cascaded fuses as well as compliance with voltage and time requirements for safety-critical systems can be analyzed.
Automated model generation and detailed simulation enable efficient analysis of different architecture and drivetrain concepts, with the goal of ensuring the functionality of safety-relevant systems even in the event of failure. Finally, the simulation results are validated by vehicle measurement data to ensure the reliability of the models.