Reuse propriety determination device and reuse propriety determination method

Abstract

To precisely obtain the remaining life of a component based on the use history of the component and determine the propriety of reuse of the component based on the remaining life.SOLUTION: A reuse propriety determination device 20 acquires use history data related to the use history of a component in a vehicle. The use history data includes data on at least one stressor that the component has been subjected to while being used in the vehicle. The reuse propriety determination device 20 calculates the remaining life of the component based on the acquired use history data. Therefore, the remaining life of the component can be determined with high accuracy based on the actual use of the component. Furthermore, the propriety of reuse of the component can be appropriately determined based on the calculated remaining life.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a reuse determination device and a reuse determination method for determining whether a component used in a vehicle can be reused.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for predicting the power cycle life of a power semiconductor in a power conversion device when the power conversion device is used in an application where start-up and stop are frequently repeated. Specifically, in response to the number of repetitions per unit time being set by an operation panel, the number of years of the power cycle life is calculated from the detected temperature of the temperature detection circuit of the power semiconductor in the operating state and the power cycle life curve of the power semiconductor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As described above, in Patent Document 1, the number of repetitions per unit time is set by an operation panel. And the number of years of the power cycle life when the power conversion device is driven at the set number of repetitions per unit time is calculated. In other words, Patent Document 1 does not calculate the number of years of life based on the actual performance (usage history) of the power conversion device being driven. Therefore, for example, when the power conversion device has been used for a certain period, it is difficult to accurately determine the remaining number of years of life based on the actual usage history of the power conversion device.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a reuseability determination device and a reuseability determination method capable of accurately obtaining the remaining service life based on the usage history of a component and determining the reusability of the component based on the remaining service life.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a reuseability determination device according to the present disclosure is a reuseability determination device that determines the reusability of a component that has been used in a vehicle (10), and includes: an acquisition unit (S100) that acquires usage history data regarding the usage history of a component in a vehicle; the usage history data includes data regarding at least one stress factor received while the component is used in the vehicle; a calculation unit (S120, S140) that calculates the remaining service life of the component based on the usage history data acquired by the acquisition unit; and a determination unit (S130, S150, S152, S154) that determines the reusability of the component based on the remaining service life of the component calculated by the calculation unit.

[0007] Further, a reuseability determination method according to the present disclosure is a reuseability determination method for determining the reusability of a component that has been used in a vehicle (10), which is executed by at least one processor, and includes: acquiring (S100) usage history data regarding the usage history of a component in a vehicle; the usage history data includes data regarding at least one stress factor received while the component is used in the vehicle; calculating (S120, S140) the remaining service life of the component based on the acquired usage history data; and determining (S130, S150, S152, S154) the reusability of the component based on the calculated remaining service life of the component.

[0008] According to the reuse feasibility determination device and the reuse feasibility determination method of the present disclosure, usage history data regarding the usage history of parts in a vehicle is acquired. The usage history data includes data regarding at least one stress factor received while the part is used in the vehicle. Then, based on the acquired usage history data, the remaining life of the part is calculated. For this reason, based on the actual usage record of the part, the remaining life of the part can be obtained with high accuracy. Therefore, based on the calculated remaining life, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the part can be reused.

[0009] The reference numbers in the above parentheses are merely examples showing the correspondence with the specific configurations in the embodiments described later for ease of understanding of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0010] Also, regarding the technical features described in each claim of the claims other than the features of the present disclosure described above, they will become apparent from the description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings described later.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. For the same or similar configurations, the same reference numerals may be given across multiple drawings, and the description may be omitted in some cases. When only a part of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configurations of other previously described embodiments can be applied to other parts of the said configuration. Also, not only the combinations of configurations explicitly shown in the description of each embodiment, but also the configurations of multiple embodiments may be partially combined with each other as long as there is no problem with the combination.

[0013] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a system configuration including a reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 is provided outside the vehicle 10. Then, for example, when the vehicle 10 is discarded or undergoes inspection, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 acquires usage history data regarding the usage history of at least one part from devices including various sensors mounted on the vehicle 10. The device may be included in the part to be determined for reuse feasibility. The reuse feasibility determination device 20 calculates the remaining life of the part when it is reused in another vehicle or reused for a non-vehicle application (app) based on the acquired usage history data. Then, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 determines the feasibility of reusing the part based on the calculated remaining life of the part.

[0014] The parts subject to the reuse feasibility determination can be, for example, a motor generator that functions as a drive source for driving the vehicle 10 in hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, electric vehicles, etc., and also functions as a generator for converting kinetic energy into electrical energy and recovering it during braking of the vehicle 10 or the like. Alternatively, the parts subject to the reuse feasibility determination can be a storage battery that supplies power to the motor generator, stores the power generated by the motor generator, and / or can be charged by an external charging facility. Further, the parts subject to the reuse feasibility determination may be a power control unit for driving the motor generator.

[0015] In the future, it is expected that the number of hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and electric vehicles will increase. If the above-mentioned parts are reusable, from the perspective of resource conservation, for example, it is desirable to reuse them in other vehicles where the corresponding parts have failed, or in applications such as solar power generation, wind power generation, and hydroelectric power generation, for power conversion from DC to AC, power storage of the generated power, and / or reuse as a generator. Note that the applications of the reused parts are not limited to these, and it is also possible to use them in machine tools, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), etc. Further, the parts subject to the reuse feasibility determination may be parts other than the above-mentioned parts.

[0016] The use history data of the part includes data on at least one stress factor that the part to be judged for reuse was subjected to while being used in the vehicle 10. The data on the stress factor includes, for example, at least one of the following: the range and frequency of temperature changes of the part (hereinafter, thermal stress), the magnitude and duration of current flow when the part is used while current is flowing through it (hereinafter, current flow time stress), the magnitude and frequency of vibration acting on the part (hereinafter, vibration stress), and the magnitude and frequency of stress fluctuation acting on the part (hereinafter, stress stress). These factors may cause, for example, deterioration of electrical connections in the part due to solder or connectors, deterioration of electrical components such as capacitors and switching elements, or reduction in the mechanical strength of each part constituting the part, thereby affecting the lifespan of the part. However, the data on the stress factor is not limited to these, and for example, the magnitude and duration of voltage applied to the part (hereinafter, voltage stress) may be used in addition to or instead of the current flow time stress. Furthermore, if the part is a storage battery, the number of full charges or the number of quick charges, which are factors that cause deterioration of the battery's performance, may be used as data related to the stress factor. Alternatively, if the part is reused in a machine tool that is used in a poor environment with dust, oil mist, etc., the change in the amount of current leakage (the difference between the input current and the output current) may be used as a stress factor to check the degree of resistance to foreign matter.

[0017] The above-described usage history data can be obtained from devices including sensors mounted on the vehicle 10. The devices including sensors periodically detect data related to stress factors over the usage period of parts in the vehicle 10 and store the data in a storage device such as a memory. For example, the sensors can include a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a part, a current sensor that detects the current applied to a part, a voltage sensor that detects the voltage applied to a part, a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, etc. that detect data indicating the magnitude of vibration acting on a part. The thermal stress can be calculated from the change in the temperature of the part detected by the temperature sensor. The energization time stress can be calculated from the magnitude of the current applied to the part and the energization time detected by the current sensor. The voltage stress can be calculated from the magnitude of the voltage and the voltage application time detected by the voltage sensor. The vibration stress can be calculated based on the speed of the vehicle 10 and the acceleration acting on the part detected by the speed sensor or the acceleration sensor. This is because the magnitude of the vibration acting on the part is correlated with the speed of the vehicle 10 and / or the acceleration acting on the part.

[0018] However, the temperature change of the part may be directly detected by the temperature sensor, or the temperature change of the part may be estimated from the energization pattern to the part. Also, regarding the stress, for example, for mechanical parts such as a motor generator, it can be estimated from the change in the magnitude of the acceleration of the vehicle 10 detected by the acceleration sensor, and for electrical parts such as a power control unit, it can be estimated from the difference in the linear expansion coefficients of the respective materials constituting the electrical part based on the temperature change (for example, the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature) detected by the temperature sensor.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the reuse determination device 20 includes, for example, a computer including a processor 21, a memory 22, an I / O unit 23, and a display unit 24. The memory 22 includes, for example, a RAM and a ROM. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. ROM is an abbreviation for Read Only Memory.

[0020] The processor 21 executes a predetermined process (control) by executing a program stored in the ROM while using the RAM as a temporary storage area. The processor 21 constructs a plurality of functional units by executing a plurality of instructions included in the program. The processor 21 may be singular or plural. The storage medium for the program is not limited to the ROM. For example, various storage media such as HDDs and SSDs can be adopted. HDD is an abbreviation for Hard-disk Drive. SSD is an abbreviation for Solid State Drive.

[0021] The processor 21 is, for example, a CPU, MPU, GPU, DFP, etc. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. MPU is an abbreviation for Micro-Processing Unit. GPU is an abbreviation for Graphics Processing Unit. DFP is an abbreviation for Data Flow Processor. The processor 21 may be realized by combining a plurality of types of arithmetic processing units such as a CPU, MPU, and GPU. Alternatively, the processor 21 may be realized as an SoC. SoC is an abbreviation for System on Chip. Furthermore, the processor 21 may be realized using an ASIC or FPGA. ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. FPGA is an abbreviation for Field-Programmable Gate Array. Or, the processor 21 may be configured by appropriately combining functional units constructed by executing a program and hardware circuits.

[0022] The I / O unit 23 inputs and outputs data between devices external to the reuse feasibility determination device 20, such as devices including sensors mounted on the vehicle 10. Further, the I / O unit 23 also includes an operation panel capable of instructing the operation details of the reuse feasibility determination device 20. The display unit 24 displays the determination result of reuse feasibility, the usage, remaining life, etc. when determined to be reusable. Note that when there is only one type of reuse usage, the display of the usage may be omitted.

[0023] Next, an example of the process executed in the reuse feasibility determination device 20 to determine the feasibility of component reuse will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2. The flowchart of FIG. 2 shows the process in which the reuse feasibility determination device 20 determines whether reuse is possible in a plurality of usages (App 1 and App 2).

[0024] First, in step S100, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 acquires usage history data of the component to be determined for reuse feasibility from a device including sensors mounted on the vehicle 10. As described above, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 can acquire the usage history data when inspecting or scrapping the vehicle 10. In the subsequent step S110, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 determines, for example, whether an instruction from the operation panel indicates scrapping of the vehicle 10. If it indicates scrapping, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 proceeds to step S120. If it does not indicate scrapping and only acquisition of the usage history data is instructed, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 returns to step S100.

[0025] In addition, when the reuse determination device 20 acquires the usage history data at a timing other than when the vehicle 10 is scrapped, the usage history data acquired in association with the identifier of the vehicle 10 may be saved, and in the vehicle 10, the usage history data may be deleted. As a result, in the vehicle 10, it becomes unnecessary to prepare a large-capacity memory in order to store the usage history data. Alternatively, the reuse determination device 20 may be configured to periodically acquire the usage history data from the vehicle 10 via, for example, V2X communication. Or, the reuse determination device 20 may be configured to acquire the usage history data all at once when the vehicle 10 is scrapped.

[0026] In step S120, the reuse determination device 20 calculates the remaining life of the part when the reuse purpose is the first purpose (App 1) based on the acquired usage history data. The first purpose (App 1) can be, for example, a vehicle purpose. Below, with the first purpose being a vehicle purpose and determining whether the part can be reused in another vehicle, an example of calculating the remaining life of the corresponding part will be described with reference to the figure.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3(a), conventionally, regarding the life of the vehicle 10, it has been roughly judged based on the driving distance of the vehicle 10 and the number of years of use of the vehicle 10. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3(a), regarding the driving distance of the vehicle 10, the design life is set to X0 km, and regarding the usage period of the vehicle 10, the design life is set to Y0 years. Then, the shorter remaining life LTveh between the remaining life obtained from the difference between the actual driving distance (X km) and the design life driving distance X0 (km), and the remaining life obtained from the difference between the actual usage period (Y years) and the design life life period Y0 (years) is taken as the remaining life of the vehicle 10.

[0028] However, the ways in which the vehicle 10 is used are various, and even if the usage period and the driving distance are the same, the above-described stress factors (thermal stress, energization time stress, vibration stress, stress stress, etc.) that the parts mounted on the vehicle 10 are subjected to usually vary greatly from vehicle 10 to vehicle 10.

[0029] Therefore, the reuse determination device 20 of the present embodiment calculates the remaining life of a component based on usage history data including data on at least one stress factor that the component has received during use in the vehicle 10. Thereby, it becomes possible to calculate the remaining life of the component with high accuracy based on the actual results regarding the stress factors that the component has actually received when used in the vehicle. Therefore, based on the calculated remaining life, the reuse determination device 20 can appropriately determine whether the component can be reused.

[0030] FIG. 3(b) shows an example of calculating the remaining life of a component based on a plurality of stress factors when reusing the component for vehicle use. In the example shown in FIG. 3(b), the plurality of stress factors include thermal stress, energization time stress, vibration stress, and stress stress. Hereinafter, for each stress factor, an example of a calculation method for calculating the usage record that has already been used based on the usage history data among the component lives, and a calculation method for calculating the remaining life of the component based on the usage record will be specifically described. Note that the remaining life of the component may be calculated based on one of the plurality of stress factors described above.

[0031] First, a calculation method for usage record and a calculation method for the remaining life of a component regarding energization time stress will be described. FIG. 4(a) shows the operating rate (on-time ratio) Rd and the maximum temperature Tdmax of a component assumed at the time of designing a component including a capacitor, a switching element, solder, and the like.

[0032] Here, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, capacitors, switching elements, and / or solder have a lifespan with respect to the usage time, that is, the energization time. When the component is used for a time corresponding to its lifespan, it is highly likely that the component will no longer be able to exhibit its expected performance. And, as shown in FIG. 5, capacitors, switching elements, and / or solder have the characteristic that the estimated lifespan becomes shorter as the temperature during use increases, and the estimated lifespan becomes longer as the use temperature decreases. Thus, since the lifespan of the component with respect to the energization time is related to the energization time and the temperature during use, the energization time lifespan of the component can be obtained based on the assumed operating rate (on-time ratio) Rd and the maximum temperature Tdmax of the component at the time of design. For example, the energization time lifespan LT2 shown in FIG. 3(b) indicates the energization time lifespan of the component when the component is operated at the operating rate Rd assumed at the time of design and the temperature of the component is the maximum temperature Tdmax during the on-time of the operating rate Rd.

[0033] FIG. 4(b) shows an example of the actual operating rate Rr and the maximum temperature Trmax of the component grasped from the acquired usage history data. In this example, since the vehicle 10 was used in a relatively low-load state, the actual operating rate Rr of the component is smaller than the operating rate Rd assumed at the time of design. Also, the actual maximum temperature Trmax of the component is lower than the maximum temperature Tdmax assumed at the time of design.

[0034] In this case, among the component lifespan (energization time lifespan LT2) regarding the energization time stress due to the actual use in the vehicle, the used usage record T2 can be calculated by the following formula 1.

Equation

[0035] Alternatively, the remaining life regarding the energization time stress may be calculated based on the energization time life LT2 assumed at the design time, which is based on the operating rate (on-time ratio) Rd and the maximum temperature Tdmax of the component, rather than based on the life period Y0 years regarding the usage period of the vehicle. Specifically, the remaining life regarding the energization time stress may be calculated by subtracting the actual usage period T2 from the energization time life LT2 shown in Fig. 3(b).

[0036] Furthermore, regarding the energization time life LT2, the energization time life LT2a in the case of being used under the same conditions may be calculated in view of the operating rate Rr and the maximum temperature Trmax when actually used in the vehicle. Fig. 3(c) shows an example of the calculated energization time life LT2a. In this case, the remaining life regarding the energization time stress is calculated by subtracting the actual usage period T2 from the calculated energization time life LT2a. The energization time life LT2a can be calculated, for example, by the following formula (2).

Equation

[0037] The explanation regarding the remaining life with respect to the energization time stress described above pertains to the calculation method of the remaining life of a component when the reuse application of the component is the vehicle application as the first application. However, the component is not limited to vehicle applications, and as described above, it is also possible to reuse it in applications such as solar power generation, wind power generation, hydroelectric power generation, machine tools, and SOFC. Hereinafter, the calculation method of the remaining life with respect to the energization time stress when the component is reused in a second application (App 2) other than the vehicle application will be explained.

[0038] Figure 4(c) shows an example of the operating rate Rs and the maximum temperature Tsmax of the component assumed when the component is reused in the second application. In this example, when the component is reused in the second application, the operating rate Rs of the component is smaller than the operating rate Rd assumed at the time of design and the actual operating rate Rr in the vehicle application. Also, the maximum temperature Tsmax of the component is lower than the maximum temperature Tdmax assumed at the time of design and the maximum temperature Trmax during actual use in the vehicle application.

[0039] Therefore, the energization time life LT2b when the component is reused in the second application will be further extended compared to the energization time life LT2 determined from the operating conditions at the time of design in the vehicle application and the energization time life LT2a determined from the actual usage results when used in the vehicle. The energization time life LT2b can be calculated, for example, by the following Equation 3.

Equation

[0040] Next, a method for calculating the usage record regarding stress and a method for calculating the remaining life of a component will be described. Fig. 6(a) shows an example of the change (Δσ) in the stress acting on a component assumed when the component is used in a vehicle application. Fig. 6(b) shows an example of the change (Δσ) in the stress grasped from the acquired usage history data. Further, Fig. 6(c) shows an example of the change (Δσ) in the stress assumed when the component is reused for a second application. As described above, the change (Δσ) in the stress can be estimated from the change in the magnitude of the acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor that detects the magnitude of the force acting on the component. Alternatively, it can be estimated from the temperature change detected by a temperature sensor (for example, the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature).

[0041] For example, as shown in Fig. 7, for each material constituting the component, the number of fracture cycles corresponding to the magnitude of the change (Δσ) in the stress is determined. The example shown in Fig. 7 indicates that Material A may reach fracture with a smaller number of cycles of the change (Δσ) in the stress than Material B. Also, Material B indicates that it will not reach fracture depending on a change (Δσ) in the stress smaller than a predetermined magnitude.

[0042] Regarding the part of the component that is most vulnerable to the change (Δσ) in the stress, at the time of designing the component, based on the amplitude Δσd indicating the magnitude of the assumed change (Δσ) in the stress and its period td(Δσd), the stress life LT4 shown in Fig. 3(b) is determined.

[0043] On the other hand, Fig. 6(b) shows an example of the amplitude Δσs of the stress change acting on the component and its period ts(Δσs) grasped from the acquired usage history data. In this example, since Vehicle 10 was used in a relatively good environment with few vibrations, temperature changes, etc., the amplitude Δσr indicating the magnitude of the actual change (Δσ) in the stress is overall smaller than the amplitude Δσd assumed at the time of design. Also, the period tr(Δσr) of the actual change (Δσ) in the stress is longer than the period td(Δσd) assumed at the time of design.

[0044] In this case, among the part life (stress life LT4) related to stress due to actual use in the vehicle, the used service record T4 can be calculated by the following formula 4.

[0045]

Equation

[0046] Alternatively, the remaining life regarding the stress may be calculated based not on the life period Y0 years regarding the usage period of the vehicle, but on the stress life LT4 determined from the amplitude Δσd indicating the magnitude of the stress change (Δσ) assumed at the time of design and its period td(Δσd). Specifically, the remaining life regarding the stress may be calculated by subtracting the usage record T4 from the stress life LT4 shown in FIG. 3(b).

[0047] Furthermore, regarding the stress life LT4, in view of the amplitude Δσr and the period tr(Δσr) of the stress change (Δσ) when actually used in the vehicle, the stress life LT4a in the case of being used under the same conditions may be calculated. FIG. 3(c) shows an example of the calculated stress life LT4a. And the remaining life regarding the stress may be calculated by subtracting the usage record T4 from the calculated stress life LT4a. The stress life LT4a can be calculated, for example, by the following formula 5.

Equation

[0048] In addition, when the component is reused for a second use (App 2) other than vehicle use, the method for calculating the remaining life regarding the stress life LT4b is as follows.

[0049] FIG. 6(c) shows an example of the amplitude Δσs of the stress change acting on the component and its period ts(Δσs) assumed when the component is reused for the second use. In this example, when the component is reused for the second use, the amplitude Δσs of the stress change is smaller than the amplitude Δσd assumed at the time of design and the amplitude Δσr during actual use in vehicle use. Regarding the period ts(Δσs), it is shorter than the period td(Δσd) assumed at the time of design in vehicle use, but is approximately equal to the period tr(Δσt) during actual use.

[0050] Therefore, the stress life LT4b when the component is reused for the second use will be further extended compared to the stress life LT4 determined from the operating conditions at the time of design in vehicle use and the stress life LT4a determined from the actual usage record when used in the vehicle. The stress life LT4b can be calculated, for example, by the following Equation 6.

Equation

[0051] Next, a method for calculating the usage record and a method for calculating the remaining life of a component, both related to thermal stress, will be described. FIG. 8(a) shows an example of the temperature change Δθd of a component assumed when designing the component for use in a vehicle application. FIG. 8(b) shows an example of the temperature change Δθr grasped from the acquired usage history data. Further, FIG. 8(c) shows an example of the temperature change Δθs assumed when the component is reused for a second application. As described above, the temperature change Δθ of the component may be obtained from the detection value of a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the component, or may be estimated from the energization pattern to the component.

[0052] Here, when a thermal stress due to a temperature change Δθ is applied to the component, the thermal strain amplitude Δε generated in each part of the component is proportional to the temperature change Δθ (Δε = k1×Δθ). Also, the amplitude Δσ of the stress σ generated in each part of the component is proportional to the thermal strain amplitude Δε generated in each part. Therefore, the stress amplitude Δσ is determined in proportion to the thermal stress due to the temperature change Δθ. For this reason, in the same way as for stress, among the component life related to thermal stress (thermal life LT1 in FIG. 3(b)), the used usage record T1, the remaining life when reused for a vehicle application (Y0 - T1, LT1 - T1, or LT1a - T1), and the remaining life when reused for a second application other than the vehicle application (LT1b - T1) can be calculated. Therefore, further explanation is omitted.

[0053] Next, a method for calculating the usage record and a method for calculating the remaining life of a component, both related to vibration stress, will be described. FIG. 9(a) shows an example of the change in the vibration intensity Gd of a component assumed when designing the component for use in a vehicle application. FIG. 9(b) shows an example of the change in the vibration intensity Gr grasped from the acquired usage history data. Further, FIG. 9(c) shows an example of the change in the vibration intensity Gs assumed when the component is reused for a second application. As described above, the vibration intensity G of the component can be calculated based on the speed of the vehicle 10 detected by a speed sensor or an acceleration sensor and the acceleration acting on the component.

[0054] Here, when vibration intensity G is applied to a component, the force F applied to each part of the component is proportional to the vibration intensity G (F = K2 × G). Also, the stress σ applied to each part of the component is proportional to the force F applied to each part of the component. Therefore, the stress amplitude Δσ is determined in proportion to the vibration intensity G. For this reason, in the same way as for stress, among the component lifetimes related to vibration stress (vibration lifetime LT3 in Fig. 3(b)), the used service record T3, the remaining lifetimes when reused for vehicle applications (Y0 - T3, LT3 - T3, or LT3a - T3), and the remaining lifetime when reused for a second application other than vehicle applications (LT3b - T3) can be calculated. Therefore, further explanation is omitted.

[0055] As described above, for each of the plurality of stress factors, the used service records T1 to T4 among the component lifetimes are calculated, and further, based on these used service records T1 to T4, the remaining lifetime in vehicle applications is calculated. Next, the remaining lifetime of the component when reused for vehicle applications is calculated. For example, as shown in Fig. 3(b), the remaining lifetime of the component can be calculated as the shortest difference among the respective differences between the used service records T1 to T4 for each stress factor and the vehicle lifetime period Y0. In this case, the remaining lifetime of the component is calculated based on the used service record T1 to T4 that indicates the longest lifetime usage among the used service records T1 to T4 for each stress factor. Alternatively, the remaining lifetime of the component can be calculated as the shortest difference among the respective differences between the used service records T1 to T4 for each stress factor and the design lifetimes LT1 to LT4 for each stress factor. Further, as shown in Fig. 3(c), the remaining lifetime of the component can be calculated as the shortest difference among the respective differences between the used service records T1 to T4 for each stress factor and the lifetimes LT1a to LT4a calculated according to the conditions when actually used in the vehicle.

[0056] Returning again to the flowchart of FIG. 2 to continue the description. In step S130, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 determines the feasibility of reusing the parts in the vehicle application based on whether the remaining life calculated in step S120 is greater than a predetermined first threshold value. If the remaining life is equal to or less than the first threshold value, it is determined that reuse is not possible, and the process proceeds to step S140. On the other hand, if the remaining life is greater than the first threshold value, it is determined that reuse is possible, and the process proceeds to step S160.

[0057] In step S140, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 calculates the remaining life of the part when the part is reused in the second application (App 2) based on the acquired usage history data. For example, the remaining life of the part may be calculated as the difference between the longest usage record (T2) and the shortest life (LT1b) as shown in FIG. 3(d) based on the usage records T1 to T4 for each stress factor and the lives LT1b to LT4b calculated according to the conditions when the part is used in the second application. Alternatively, the remaining life of the part may be calculated as the shortest difference among the respective differences between the usage records T1 to T4 for each stress factor and the lives LT1b to LT4b calculated according to the conditions when the part is used in the second application.

[0058] In addition, when the stress factors that the component undergoes when reused for the second use are limited to some of the stress factors among the multiple stress factors that the component undergoes during vehicle use, as shown in Fig. 3(d), the remaining life of the component may be calculated based on the component life and the life usage for each of the stress factors within the limit, excluding the stress factors outside the limit. For example, as described above, when the component is reused for applications such as solar power generation, wind power generation, and hydroelectric power generation, the component is often used while fixed in a certain position. In such a case, since the component is not affected by vibration stress after reuse, as shown in Fig. 3(d), the remaining life of the component may be calculated excluding the vibration stress. Also, for example, when the component is used in an environment with little temperature change after reuse, the remaining life of the component may be calculated excluding the thermal stress. Regarding other stress factors, depending on the usage environment after reuse, they may also be excluded from the calculation of the remaining life of the component.

[0059] In step S150, the reuse determination device 20 determines whether the component can be reused for the second use based on whether the remaining life calculated in step S140 is greater than a predetermined second threshold value. If the remaining life is greater than the second threshold value, it is determined that reuse is possible, and the process proceeds to step S170. On the other hand, if the remaining life is equal to or less than the second threshold value, it is determined that reuse is not possible, and the process proceeds to step S180. Note that the second threshold value may be the same as or different from the first threshold value.

[0060] In step S160, the reuse determination device 20 determines that the component is a reused product for vehicle use (App 1). In step S170, the component is determined to be a reused product for the second use (App 2). In step S180, since the reusable period of the component is equal to or less than the first or second threshold value, it is determined that the component is a target for material recycling. Then, in step S190, the determination results in steps S160 to S180 are displayed on the display unit 24. When reuse is possible, only the reuse destination may be displayed, or both the reuse destination and the remaining life may be displayed.

[0061] As described above, according to this embodiment, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 calculates the remaining life of a component based on usage history data including data on at least one stress factor received while the component is used in a vehicle. Therefore, based on the actual performance (history) of the component being actually used, the remaining life of the component can be obtained with high accuracy. As a result, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 can appropriately determine whether the component can be reused based on the calculated remaining life.

[0062] (Second Embodiment) Next, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Note that since the reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to this embodiment is configured in the same manner as the reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to the first embodiment, the description of the configuration will be omitted.

[0063] The reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to the first embodiment first determines the feasibility of reuse for a first use (for example, vehicle use), and if it is determined that reuse is not possible for the first use, it determines the feasibility of reuse for a second use.

[0064] In contrast, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to this embodiment is configured to calculate the remaining life of a component for each of a plurality of uses for which the component may be reused, and determine to reuse the component for the use with the longer remaining life.

[0065] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing executed in the reuse feasibility determination device 20 according to this embodiment. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 10, in step S120, calculating the remaining life when the component is reused for the first use (application 1) is the same as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, following step S120, the reuse feasibility determination device 20 calculates, in step S140, the remaining life when the component is reused for the second use (application 2).

[0066] In step S152, it is determined whether at least one of the remaining lifetimes of the components calculated in steps S120 and S140 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. At this time, the reuse determination device 20 may compare the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the first use with the first threshold, and compare the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the second use with the second threshold. If at least one of the remaining lifetimes is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the reuse determination device 20 proceeds to step S154. On the other hand, if any of the remaining lifetimes is less than the threshold, the reuse determination device 20 proceeds to step S180.

[0067] In step S154, the reuse determination device 20 determines whether the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the first use is equal to or greater than the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the second use. If the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the first use is equal to or greater than the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the second use, the reuse determination device 20 proceeds to step S160. On the other hand, if the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the first use is less than the remaining lifetime when the component is reused for the second use, the reuse determination device 20 proceeds to step S170. The processing of steps S160 to S190 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

[0068] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0069] For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the reuse determination device 20 determines whether the component can be reused with respect to a plurality of uses. However, the reuse determination device 20 may determine whether the component can be reused with respect to only one type of use. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for the reuse determination device 20 to determine whether a component can be reused with respect to only one type of use. Since the processing content of each step in FIG. 11 is the same as the processing content of the corresponding step number in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the description thereof is omitted.

[0070] Also, in each of the above-described embodiments, the reuseability determination device 20 calculated the remaining life of the component based on a plurality of stress factors. However, the reuseability determination device 20 may select one stress factor that particularly has a great influence on the life of the component, and calculate the remaining life of the component based on the selected one stress factor.

[0071] Further, the vehicle 10 or a component to be determined for reuseability (for example, a power control unit) may have the function of the above-described reuseability determination device 20. In this case, for example, at any timing when the display of the remaining life is instructed, the remaining life and the like of the corresponding component may be configured to be displayed. Further, the vehicle 10 or the component to be determined for reuseability may cooperate to calculate the remaining life of the component.

[0072] In each of the above-described embodiments, a preferable use for reusing the component was selected, and the selected use and / or the remaining life were displayed on the display unit 24. However, instead of selecting any one use, the reuseability determination device 20 may be configured to display a plurality of uses and the remaining life for each of the plurality of uses on the display unit 24.

[0073] Finally, this specification discloses a plurality of technical ideas listed below and combinations thereof. The combinations of the following plurality of technical ideas are applicable not only to the reuseability determination device but also to the reuseability determination method.

[0074] (Technical Idea 1) A reuseability determination device that determines whether a component used in a vehicle (10) can be reused, An acquisition unit (S100) that acquires usage history data regarding the usage history of the component in the vehicle, The usage history data includes data regarding at least one stress factor received while the component is used in the vehicle, An arithmetic unit (S120, S140) that calculates the remaining life of the component based on the usage history data acquired by the acquisition unit; A reuse feasibility determination device comprising: a determination unit (S130, S150, S152, S154) that determines the feasibility of reusing the component based on the remaining life of the component calculated by the arithmetic unit.

[0075] (Technical idea 2) The usage history data includes a plurality of the stress factors, For each of the plurality of stress factors, a component life considering the usage state when used in the vehicle is determined, The arithmetic unit obtains the used portion of the component life for each of the plurality of stress factors based on the usage history data, and calculates the remaining life of the component based on the component life and the used portion for each stress factor. The reuse feasibility determination device according to Technical idea 1.

[0076] (Technical idea 3) When the component is reused for purposes other than the vehicle, the arithmetic unit calculates the remaining life of the component in the non-vehicle use considering the usage history data and the expected usage state of the component in the purpose of reusing the component as the remaining life based on the usage history data. The determination unit determines the feasibility of reusing the component regarding the purpose of reusing the component based on the remaining life of the component calculated by the arithmetic unit. The reuse feasibility determination device according to Technical idea 1.

[0077] (Technical idea 4) The usage history data includes a plurality of the stress factors, For each stress factor, a component life considering the usage state when used in the purpose of reusing the component is determined, The arithmetic unit obtains, for each stress factor, the used life portion of the component life when the component is used for reuse in the vehicle based on the usage history data, and calculates the remaining life of the component when the component is used for reuse based on the component life and the used life portion for each stress factor, for the reuse feasibility determination device according to Technical Idea 3.

[0078] (Technical Idea 5) When the stress factor received by the component when used for reuse is limited to a part of the plurality of stress factors received by the component during its use in the vehicle, the arithmetic unit obtains, for the part of the stress factors received by the component when used for reuse, the used life portion of the component life when the component is used for reuse in the vehicle, and calculates the remaining life of the component when the component is used for reuse based on the component life and the used life portion for each of the part of the stress factors, for the reuse feasibility determination device according to Technical Idea 4.

[0079] (Technical Idea 6) When there are multiple types of uses for reusing the component, the arithmetic unit calculates the remaining life of the component for each of the multiple types of uses when used in the corresponding use, The determination unit determines the feasibility of reusing the component for the use for which a longer remaining life is calculated, for the reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of Technical Ideas 3 to 5.

[0080] (Technical Idea 7) The data regarding the stress factor included in the usage history data includes at least one of the change range and number of temperature changes of the component, the magnitude and energization time of the current when the component is used with current applied, the magnitude and number of vibrations acting on the component, and the magnitude and number of stress fluctuations acting on the component, for the reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 6.

[0081] (Technical Idea 8) The acquisition unit acquires the usage history data from the component or the device mounted on the vehicle. The reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 7.

[0082] (Technical Idea 9) The component is any one of a motor generator, a storage battery, and a power control unit for driving the motor generator. The reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 8.

[0083] (Technical Idea 10) The component and / or the external device has functions as the acquisition unit, the calculation unit, and the determination unit. The reuse feasibility determination device according to Technical Idea 9.

[0084] (Technical Idea 11) The calculation of the remaining life of the component by the calculation unit is executed at any timing while the component is being used in the vehicle and / or when the component is recovered from the vehicle. The reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 10.

[0085] (Technical Idea 12) The vehicle is any one of a hybrid vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and an electric vehicle. The reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 11.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0086] 10: Vehicle, 20: Reuse Feasibility Determination Device, 21: Processor, 22: Memory, 23: I / O Unit, 24: Display Unit

Claims

1. A reuse possibility determination device that determines whether a part used in a vehicle (10) can be reused, comprising: An acquisition unit (S100) that acquires usage history data relating to a usage history of the part in the vehicle; the usage history data includes data regarding at least one stress factor to which the part has been subjected while in use on the vehicle; a calculation unit (S120, S140) that calculates a remaining life of the part based on the usage history data acquired by the acquisition unit; and a determination unit (S130, S150, S152, S154) that determines whether or not the part can be reused based on the remaining life of the part calculated by the calculation unit.

2. the usage history data includes a plurality of the stress factors; A part life is determined for each of the plurality of stress factors, taking into consideration a usage state when used in the vehicle; 2. The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit determines a life usage portion of the part life for each of the plurality of stress factors based on the usage history data, and calculates a remaining life of the part based on the part life and the life usage portion for each stress factor.

3. when the part is reused for an application other than the vehicle, the calculation unit calculates a remaining life of the part for the application other than the vehicle as a remaining life based on the usage history data, taking into account the usage history data and a planned usage state of the part in the application for which the part is reused; 2. The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the part can be reused for a use in which the part is reused, based on the remaining life of the part calculated by the calculation unit.

4. the usage history data includes a plurality of the stress factors; A part life is determined for each of the stress factors, taking into consideration the usage conditions when the part is used for a purpose for which the part is to be reused; The reuse feasibility determination device according to claim 3, wherein the calculation unit determines, for each stress factor based on the usage history data, a portion of the part's lifespan when the part is used in a purpose for which the part is reused due to use in the vehicle, and calculates a remaining lifespan of the part when the part is used in a purpose for which the part is reused based on the part lifespan and portion of the lifespan for each stress factor.

5. The reuse feasibility determination device of claim 4, wherein when the stress factors to which the part is subjected when used for the purpose of reuse are limited to some of the multiple stress factors to which the part is subjected while being used in the vehicle, the calculation unit calculates the portion of the part's lifespan that would be achieved by use in the vehicle when the part is used for the purpose of reuse for the some of the stress factors to which the part is subjected when used for the purpose of reuse, and calculates the remaining lifespan of the part when used for the purpose of reuse based on the part lifespan and the portion of the lifespan for each of the some of the stress factors.

6. When there are a plurality of types of uses as uses for reusing the part, the calculation unit calculates, for each of the plurality of types of uses, a remaining life of the part when used for a corresponding use; The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 3 , wherein the determination unit determines whether the part can be reused for an application for which a longer remaining life is calculated.

7. 6. The reuse eligibility determination device according to claim 1, wherein the data on the stress factors included in the usage history data includes at least one of the range and frequency of temperature changes of the part, the magnitude and duration of current flow when the part is used with current passing through it, the magnitude and frequency of vibration acting on the part, and the magnitude and frequency of stress fluctuation acting on the part.

8. The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit acquires the usage history data from a device mounted on the part or the vehicle.

9. The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 1 , wherein the part is any one of a motor generator, a storage battery, and a power control unit for driving the motor generator.

10. The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 9 , wherein the part and / or the external device has functions as the acquisition unit, the calculation unit, and the determination unit.

11. The reuse feasibility determination device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the calculation of the remaining life of the part by the calculation unit is performed at any time while the part is being used in the vehicle and / or when the part is recovered from the vehicle.

12. The reuse possibility determination device according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is any one of a hybrid vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and an electric vehicle.

13. A method for determining whether a part used in a vehicle (10) can be reused, the method being executed by at least one processor, comprising: Obtaining usage history data relating to a usage history of the part in the vehicle (S100); the usage history data includes data regarding at least one stress factor to which the part has been subjected while in use on the vehicle; Calculating the remaining life of the part based on the acquired usage history data (S120, S140); and A method for determining whether or not the part can be reused, comprising: determining whether or not the part can be reused based on the calculated remaining life of the part (S130, S150, S152, S154).

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