Energy-Consumption Optimization Control for Lunar Rover's Travel with Torque-Distribution-strategy in Rear Wheels

In anticipation of future extensive lunar surface operations, lunar rovers are required to advance towards higher speeds and improved energy conservation. When traveling at high speeds on the lunar surface, the vehicle's energy expenditure is greatly amplified by the influence of the terrain, particularly in conditions where driving and steering are coupled. This paper proposes an energy-saving control strategy for lunar rovers that employs dynamic rear-axle torque distribution, with the goal of optimizing transient energy consumption during travel. To tackle the challenge of non-differentiable functions within the optimization objectives, we suggest using a zeroth-order gradient optimization method for resolution, dynamically constraining the range of control parameters to fulfill the dynamic torque distribution objectives as needed for the task. The energy-saving control effectiveness of the algorithm has been confirmed through simulation, demonstrating a minimum energy-saving ratio of at least 4%, which increases to over 11% as the speed level rises, offering a valuable technical solution for the energy optimization of lunar rovers.