Charging control device and charging station

Abstract

To perform power supply that can respond to fluctuating demand and considers environmental load.SOLUTION: A charging control device includes determining means for determining at least one of the output and combination of a plurality of generators powered by a hydrogen internal combustion engine, drive control means for driving the generator with the determined output or combination, and supply control means for supplying the power generated by the generator to a battery to be charged.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging control device and a charging station. [Background technology]

[0002] The increasing demand for EVs has made it urgent to establish a supply infrastructure for rapid charging stations. Patent Document 1 below proposes a charging station that enables rapid charging by combining a fossil fuel-powered internal combustion engine with a rapid charger. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3221529 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, transmitting power to EV charging stations, which repeatedly undergo sudden power supply and interruptions, requires generating power for variable loads from fossil fuels and constructing transmission lines to remote locations, which places a heavy environmental and economic burden. This makes it difficult to install charging stations that take into account the environmental burden and can respond to variable demand, especially when high-power charging is required for vehicles equipped with large batteries, such as trucks, which require large currents.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a technology that can supply power in response to fluctuating demand and taking into consideration the environmental load. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is to A determination means for determining at least one of the outputs and combinations of a plurality of generators driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engine; The charging control device has a drive control means for driving the generator with the determined output or combination, and a supply control means for supplying the power generated by the generator to the battery to be charged. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to supply power that can respond to fluctuating demand and takes environmental load into consideration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging station. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging station. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging station. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of a charging control system. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a charge control device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a charge control device. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a graph showing thermal efficiency relative to output. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing types of H2ICE generators. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a charge control process. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a combination of H2ICE generators. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Embodiment) <Summary> Currently, there are approximately 75 million automobiles in Japan (approximately 60 million passenger cars and 15 million trucks, etc.), of which electric vehicles account for less than 1%. As the proportion of electric vehicles increases in the future, it is predicted that the amount of electricity supplied from the power grid will no longer be sufficient. Here, the power grid refers to the existing system that integrates power generation, transformation, transmission, and distribution to supply electricity to power-receiving equipment.

[0010] Furthermore, with the increasing capacity of batteries installed in electric vehicles and significant improvements in C (Capacity) rates, if there is a demand to charge a truck battery (for example, 1 MWh) to about 80% in 15 minutes, it is expected that the instantaneous load on the power grid will exceed the allowable range. To address this, it is possible to install a storage battery to handle the instantaneous load, but the high cost of installing the storage battery is an issue.

[0011] Therefore, in this embodiment, a charging station (EV charging station) that supplies power to electric vehicles and the like will be described. In this embodiment, the electric power supplied by the charging station is generated by a plurality of generators driven by the power of a hydrogen internal combustion engine. A hydrogen internal combustion engine is an internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen as fuel. Because a hydrogen internal combustion engine uses hydrogen gas as fuel, it does not generate carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas). Hereinafter, a hydrogen internal combustion engine will be referred to as an "H2ICE (H2 Internal Combustion Engine)." Furthermore, because the generator used in this embodiment is driven by the power of the above-mentioned hydrogen internal combustion engine, it can reduce the environmental load compared to generators that use conventional fossil fuels (gasoline or diesel). Hereinafter, a generator driven by the power of a hydrogen internal combustion engine will be referred to as an "H2ICE generator."

[0012] The charging station according to this embodiment not only supplies electric power to electric vehicles, but can also supply (fill) hydrogen (high-pressure gas or liquefied hydrogen) to fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen internal-combustion engine vehicles (H2ICEVs). The objects to which the charging station supplies electric power are not limited to electric vehicles (EVs), but may also be plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs) or batteries themselves.

[0013] The present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 3 are diagrams showing an example of a charging station.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example (pattern 1) of a charging station CS. The charging station CS shown in Figure 1 includes a renewable energy source RE, an (on-site) hydrogen generator HG, a hydrogen tank HT, a booster dispenser BD, and an H2ICE generator E. The charging station CS generates hydrogen by supplying electricity obtained from renewable energy sources RE (such as solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, biomass power, and geothermal power) to the hydrogen generator HG. The generated hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen tank HT. The charging station CS then uses a booster dispenser BD to fill the generated hydrogen into fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen fuel engine vehicles (H2ICEVs). The charging station CS also supplies the electric vehicle EV with electricity generated by a generator EG driven by the power of an internal combustion engine fueled by the generated hydrogen. The charging station CS may also supply electric power obtained from renewable energy RE to the electric vehicle EV. The charging station CS shown in Figure 1 uses renewable energy RE as a power source, making it possible to generate and supply hydrogen and also supply electricity in an independent environment (local; off-grid). The majority of the costs for hydrogen used for power generation are due to the storage and transportation of the hydrogen, which is a bottleneck in demand. Therefore, it is desirable to use renewable energy RE and store hydrogen according to demand, as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the charging station CS shown in FIG. 1 can also supply power to the power grid in an emergency, for example.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example (pattern 2) of a charging station. The charging station CS shown in Figure 2 includes a hydrogen tank HT, a booster dispenser BD, and an H2ICE generator EG. The charging station CS stores hydrogen produced at an external hydrogen production plant HP and transported by a hydrogen transport truck HV in a hydrogen tank HT, and then uses a booster dispenser BD to fill the produced hydrogen into fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen-fueled engine vehicles (H2ICEVs). The charging station CS also supplies the electric vehicle EV with electricity generated by a generator EG driven by the power of an internal combustion engine fueled by the generated hydrogen. The charging station CS shown in FIG. 2 can be configured as a small-scale charging station CS by obtaining hydrogen from an external source.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example (pattern 3) of the charging station CS. The charging station CS shown in Figure 3 includes an MCH storage tank MT, a hydrogen desorption device HD, a hydrogen tank HT, a booster dispenser BD, and an H2ICE generator EG. The charging station CS stores methylcyclohexane (MCH) in an MCH storage tank MT, which is produced at an external chemical plant CP and transported via a pipeline. Methylcyclohexane is a hydrogen carrier and a liquid (a type of organic hydride) produced by adding hydrogen to toluene. The charging station CS then dehydrogenates the stored methylcyclohexane using a hydrogen desorption unit HD. The dehydrogenated hydrogen is stored in a hydrogen tank HT. The toluene produced by the dehydrogenation is recovered and transported again via a pipeline to the external chemical plant CP. In other words, the recovered toluene is circulated and reused at the chemical plant CP. The chemical plant CP then adds hydrogen to the recovered toluene to produce methylcyclohexane, which is then transported via a pipeline to the charging station CS. The charging station CS then uses a booster dispenser BD to fill the generated hydrogen into fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen fuel engine vehicles (H2ICEVs). The charging station CS also supplies the electric vehicle EV with electricity generated by a generator EG driven by the power of an internal combustion engine fueled by the generated hydrogen. As shown in Figure 3, if transportation can be safely carried out via pipeline, the organic hydride (e.g., methylcyclohexane) is transported via pipeline from the chemical plant CP to the charging station CS. Furthermore, the organic substance (e.g., toluene) after dehydrogenation is returned from the charging station CS to the chemical plant CP. This type of circulation method is effective, for example, in a charging station CS adjacent to a factory. Note that in a charging station CS located far from a factory, methylcyclohexane may be transported from the chemical plant CP to the charging station CS by a transport lorry (vehicle) instead of by pipeline. Similarly, toluene may be transported from the charging station CS to the chemical plant CP by a transport lorry instead of by pipeline. The charging station CS may utilize the exhaust heat of the generator EG for the hydrogen desorption described above, thereby enabling more efficient and economical supply and production of hydrogen.

[0017] <System configuration> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of the system configuration of a charge control system SS according to this embodiment. The charge control system SS according to this embodiment includes a charge control device 1 provided in a charging station and multiple H2ICE generators EG. The charge control device 1 may also be provided outside the charging station. In this case, the charge control device 1 may control the H2ICE generators EG by communicating via a network including the Internet.

[0018] <Hardware configuration> 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the charge control device 1 according to this embodiment. The charge control device 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a bus 14, an input / output interface 15, an output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20.

[0019] The CPU 11 executes various processes in accordance with programs recorded in the ROM 12 or programs loaded from the storage unit 18 into the RAM 13. The RAM 13 also stores data and the like required for the CPU 11 to execute various processes. The CPU 11, the ROM 12, and the RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output interface 15 is also connected to this bus 14.

[0020] An output unit 16, an input unit 17, a storage unit 18, a communication unit 19, and a drive 20 are connected to the input / output interface 15. The output unit 16 is made up of a display, a speaker, etc., and outputs various information as images and sounds. The input unit 17 is made up of a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and inputs various information. The storage unit 18 is made up of a hard disk, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data. The communication unit 19 communicates with other devices via a network N including the Internet.

[0021] Removable media 21, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, is appropriately attached to the drive 20. Programs read from the removable media 21 by the drive 20 are installed in the storage unit 18 as needed. The removable media 21 can also store various data stored in the storage unit 18 in the same way as the storage unit 18.

[0022] <Functional configuration> 6 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the charge control device 1 according to this embodiment. The CPU 11 according to this embodiment functions as a reception unit 31, a setting unit 32, a determination unit 33, a drive control unit 34, and a supply control unit 35.

[0023] The reception unit 31 receives the connection of electric vehicles EV to the charging station CS. When the reception unit 31 receives the connection of electric vehicles EV, it also receives the number of connected electric vehicles EV, the battery capacity, and the battery state of charge (SoC: State of Charge). The battery state of charge can be determined, for example, by measuring the voltage of the battery cells or by integrating the input / output current of the battery pack (coulomb counting). The reception unit 31 stores the received information in a reception information DB 41. Hereinafter, the information received by the reception unit 31 will be referred to as the reception information DB 41. The reception unit 31 may also receive information such as departure time, requested charging time, charging settings (rapid charging or normal charging), battery life, and temperature from the user of the electric vehicle EV. The requested charging time is the time required for charging (the expected time the user will keep the electric vehicle EV connected to the charging station CS). Specific values ​​such as one hour or eight hours can be cited as examples of the requested charging time. In this embodiment, rapid charging refers to charging a battery that is nearly empty (charge state: 0%) to 80% in approximately 15 to 30 minutes. The reception unit 31 may receive a charging demand from (for example, a nearby) electric vehicle EV via the network N (and the communication unit 19). The reception unit 31 may also receive the location of the electric vehicle EV and the distance between the electric vehicle EV and the charging station CS via the network N. Note that the reception unit 31 may receive information indicating that an emergency is occurring. For example, in an emergency, the charging station CS may supply power to an external power system PS. In this case, the reception unit 31 may receive a power generation demand (power generation amount) from the manager of the power system PS. In this embodiment, an example in which the battery is a lithium ion battery will be described, but the type of battery is not particularly limited.

[0024] The setting unit 32 sets whether to perform quick charging or normal charging (slow charging) (variable load) based on the information received by the receiving unit 31. For example, the setting unit 32 sets whether to perform quick charging based on the state of charge (SoC) of the battery to be charged, the required charging time, etc. Generally, quick charging is possible when the state of charge of the battery is between 15% and 75%. However, due to the nonlinearity of the charge amount caused by the battery's internal resistance, the required power decreases when the battery's state of charge is 75% or higher, and therefore slow charging is performed. Therefore, raising the battery's state of charge from 75% to 100% takes several times longer than the required charging time from 15% to 75%. However, slow charging reduces the power supply per electric vehicle (EV), thereby increasing the number of electric vehicles (EV) that can be charged with the same power. For example, by performing such slow charging at night when the required charging time is longer, it is possible to simultaneously charge several times the number of vehicles that can be fast-charged at the charging station CS. Note that the required charging time may be calculated, for example, from the departure time. The setting unit 32 may also set whether to perform fast charging based on the battery's lifespan, temperature, etc. For example, the setting unit 32 may set slow charging instead of fast charging if a predetermined number of years have passed since the battery was manufactured or if the battery's temperature is above a predetermined temperature.

[0025] Furthermore, the setting unit 32 sets the charging capacity (power demand; charging demand) based on the information received by the receiving unit 31. The charging capacity is the total amount of chargeable capacity of the batteries to be charged. In this embodiment, the charging capacity is set based on the number of electric vehicles EV, the size of the battery capacity, the state of charge, etc. For example, if there are six electric vehicles EV, each with a battery capacity of 50 kWh, and the state of charge of each battery is 0%, the setting unit 32 sets the charging capacity to 300 kWh. The setting unit 32 may predict the demand for charging based on the information received by the receiving unit 31. This allows the charging station CS to create an operation plan that determines which electric vehicle EV needs what energy (e.g., hydrogen or electricity) and how much of it. Furthermore, for example, the setting unit 32 may perform pre-storage of power in a storage battery provided in advance in accordance with the demand forecast. This allows the charging station CS to maintain its availability and smooth out the power demand so that it is not uneven. To promote the smoothing, the CPU 11 may transmit information to (for example, nearby) electric vehicles EV via the network N. For example, the CPU 11 may transmit current congestion information and future congestion forecast information to the electric vehicles EV so that they will come to the charging station CS during times when the charging demand is high. Furthermore, for example, the setting unit 32 may predict the allowable power supply time (flight schedule). For example, the setting unit 32 may predict fast charging (charging with a short allowable power supply time) during the day and slow charging (charging with a long allowable power supply time) at night. Furthermore, for example, the setting unit 32 may make the prediction based on the allowable power supply time during past charging.

[0026] Furthermore, in an emergency or the like, the setting unit 32 sets the power generation demand (electric power demand) based on the information received by the receiving unit 31. The power generation demand is the amount of power generation required in an emergency, etc. For example, it corresponds to the power generation demand in an external electrical system, the power generation demand in a home, etc. Note that the power generation demand may be set to the value received by the receiving unit 31 as is.

[0027] The determination unit 33 (determination means) determines the output of multiple H2ICE generators EG driven by the power of hydrogen internal combustion engines. For example, in the case of an H2ICE generator EG capable of charging up to four electric vehicles EV, the determination unit 33 determines the output of the H2ICE generator EG according to the number of electric vehicles EV to be charged as follows: Output of H2ICE generator EG when charging one electric vehicle EV: 25% Output of H2ICE generator EG when charging two electric vehicles EV: 50% Output of H2ICE generator EG when charging three electric vehicles EV: 75% Output of H2ICE generator EG when charging four electric vehicles EV: 100%

[0028] The determination unit 33 also determines a combination of multiple H2ICE generators EG driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engines. In this embodiment, the determination unit 33 acquires information about the multiple H2ICE generators EG by referencing a pre-registered generator information DB 42. Note that the information about the multiple H2ICE generators EG may also be acquired by the reception unit 31. In this embodiment, the charging station CS has multiple generators with different rated outputs. For example, the charging station CS has multiple H2ICE generators EG of three types: small, medium, and large. This allows control such as switching to a more economical large H2ICE generator EG in response to an increase in demand. Here, the higher the output (engine speed) of a generator, the higher its thermal efficiency becomes up to a certain speed. Therefore, it is desirable to drive the generators at the output that provides the best thermal efficiency and to control the amount of power generated by the entire charging station CS by controlling the number and type of generators to be driven. Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 33 determines the combination of H2ICE generators EG to be driven based on the variable load (load) and demand. The determination unit 33 may determine the combination of the multiple H2ICE generators EG as described above based on the charging demand predicted by the setting unit 32. By determining the combination based on the predicted charging demand, for example, in the case of the charging station CS shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to adjust the amount of hydrogen generated or charge a pre-installed storage battery. As a result, when an increase in charging demand is predicted in the future, it is possible to operate multiple engines at high efficiency while taking into account the charging demand (prediction), etc.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a graph showing thermal efficiency versus output. FIG. 7 shows an example of the relationship between thermal efficiency (%) and output (load) (kW) when generating electricity using a hydrogen fuel cell (FC), and the relationship between thermal efficiency (%) and output (load) (kW) when generating electricity using a hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2ICE). Here, thermal efficiency is the proportion of energy input as heat that is converted into electrical energy (power). For hydrogen fuel cells, the efficiency decreases as the output increases. Furthermore, for fuel cells, increasing the output further reduces efficiency because more power is required to run the internal fan. On the other hand, for hydrogen internal combustion engines, the efficiency increases as the output increases up to a certain rotation speed (near the value p on the horizontal axis in the example of FIG. 7). In this embodiment, as described above, the H2ICE is driven at the output with the highest thermal efficiency, and the number and type of generators to be driven are controlled to efficiently control the overall power generation amount of the charging station CS.

[0030] 8A to 8C are diagrams showing the types of H2ICE generators EG used in this embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, three types of generators are used in this embodiment: small, medium, and large. In this manner, an example will be described in which the output of the H2ICE generators EG is approximately N (N is a natural number) times that of a small generator, and approximately N times that of a medium generator is a large generator. Also, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which three of each type of generator are used. Note that the type and number of generators are not particularly limited.

[0031] The drive control section 34 (drive control means) shown in FIG. 6 drives the H2 ICE generator EG with the output or combination determined by the determination section 33.

[0032] 6 causes the power generated by the H2ICE generator EG to be supplied to the electric vehicle EV (battery) connected to the charging station CS. In addition, in an emergency, the supply control unit 35 causes the power generated by the H2ICE generator EG to be supplied to the power grid PS.

[0033] <Processing content> FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the charge control process according to this embodiment.

[0034] In step S1, the reception unit 31 determines whether or not it is an emergency. If it is not an emergency, the process proceeds to step S2, and if it is an emergency, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0035] In step S2, the reception unit 31 receives the connection. The reception unit 31 also receives the number of electric vehicles, the battery capacity, and the charge state.

[0036] In step S3, the setting unit 32 sets the charging capacity based on the number of electric vehicles EV, the battery capacity, the charging state, and the like.

[0037] In step S4, the setting unit 32 sets (for each battery) whether or not to perform quick charging based on the state of charge (SoC) of the battery to be charged and the required charging time.

[0038] In step S5, the determination unit 33 determines the generator output and combination based on the charge capacity and whether or not quick charging is performed. As described above, the determination unit 33 determines the generator combination so that the H2ICE generator EG can output enough power to satisfy the demand when driven at the most efficient rotation speed. An example of the generator combination determined by the determination unit 33 will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

[0039] In step S6, the drive control unit 34 drives the H2 ICE generator EG with the output or combination determined in step S5.

[0040] In step S7, the supply control unit 35 supplies the electric power generated by the H2ICE generator EG to the electric vehicle EV (battery) connected to the charging station CS. When multiple electric vehicles EV are connected, the supply control unit 35 supplies electric power corresponding to the battery capacity, state of charge, and whether or not quick charging is enabled for each electric vehicle EV. Note that the supply control unit 35 may also supply electric power obtained from renewable energy to the electric vehicles EV, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0041] In step S8, in the case of an emergency, the setting unit 32 sets a power generation demand. For example, when power is supplied to the power system PS (grid), the setting unit 32 sets the power generation demand (power generation amount) received by the receiving unit 31.

[0042] In step S9, the determination unit 33 determines the output and combination of the generators based on the power generation demand set in step S8. Note that in an emergency, the determination unit 33 may determine all H2ICE generators EG included in the charging station CS as generators to be driven so as to maximize the amount of power generation.

[0043] In step S10, the drive control unit 34 drives the H2 ICE generator EG with the output or combination determined in step S9.

[0044] In step S11, the supply control unit 35 causes the electric power generated by the H2ICE generator EG to be supplied to the electric power system PS connected to the charging station CS.

[0045] <Example of generator combination> Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a combination of H2 ICE generators EG. The control of the H2 ICE generators EG in Fig. 10 is an example based on the following conditions 1 to 4. Condition 1. H2ICE generator EG to be installed at charging station CS: Three 250KW generators, one 1MW generator Condition 2. Target customer: 200KW to 250KW electric vehicle (EV) Condition 3. Number of charging ports: 6 ports Condition 4. Output control of the H2ICE generator EG: Operate in a high-output range with good thermal efficiency (e.g., 80% output) according to the load situation (required charging time, SoC, battery life, capacity, temperature, number of units, etc.)

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10, the H2ICE generators EG are driven according to the number of electric vehicles EV connected to the charging port. For example, when charging one electric vehicle EV as described above, one 250 kW generator (No. 1) is operated. When charging two electric vehicles EV as described above, two 250 kW generators (Nos. 1 and 2) are operated. Here, when charging three electric vehicles (EV) as described above, one 1 MW (1000 kW) generator is operated (the 250 kW generators (No. 1-2) are stopped). This is because it is more economical to switch to one large generator with a similar total output than to operate multiple small generators. Similarly, when charging four of the above-mentioned electric vehicles EV, one 250 kW generator (No. 1) and one 1 MW generator are operated. When charging five of the above-mentioned electric vehicles EV, two 250 kW generators (No. 1-2) and one 1 MW generator are operated. When charging six of the above-mentioned electric vehicles EV, three 250 kW generators (No. 1-3) and one 1 MW generator are operated.

[0047] <Advantageous Effects of the Present Embodiment>

[0048] According to the above-described embodiment, a charging station that optimizes thermal efficiency can be provided by changing the combination of a large H2ICE generator and a small H2ICE generator depending on fluctuating load and demand.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, by providing a charging station that supplies power to large, high-C-rate electric vehicles and batteries that require large amounts of power instantaneously, it is possible to prevent the capacity of existing power grids from being exceeded.

[0050] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to supply electric vehicles with electricity generated using a method that does not use fossil fuels. Therefore, even if the number of electric vehicles owned increases in the future, it is possible to provide charging stations with low environmental impact while minimizing the burden on existing power grids (i.e., in local environments without relying on power supply from the power grid).

[0051] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the hydrogen used in the H2ICE generator can be industrial-grade hydrogen, which is lower in purity than the hydrogen used in fuel cells. Therefore, charging using an H2ICE generator has advantages over charging using a fuel cell in addition to efficiency.

[0052] Furthermore, the charging station of the above-described embodiment can function as both an EV charging station and a hydrogen station by storing hydrogen for both electric vehicles (for power generation) and fuel cell vehicles.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, in an emergency, by supplying power to the power grid, for example, if the power infrastructure stops functioning during a disaster, the system can function as a power generation facility by storing hydrogen in advance or supplying it from an external source.

[0054] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications, improvements, etc. within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0055] (Variation) In the above-described embodiment, the determination of the output or combination of the H2ICE generators may be performed periodically at predetermined intervals, thereby enabling an appropriate power supply to be provided in response to fluctuating loads and changes in demand.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, a classifier generated by machine learning may be used to predict charging demand based on the acquired text. Also, a classifier generated by machine learning (AI) may be used to allow the charging station to learn its own operating efficiency and optimize the output and combination of H2ICE generators.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, the exhaust heat generated by the operation of the H2ICE generator may be used in the hydrogen desorption device, as shown in Fig. 3. This allows for more efficient power supply and hydrogen filling at charging stations that charge electric vehicles and fill fuel-powered vehicles with hydrogen. This also allows for the supply of two types of energy: electricity and heat.

[0058] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the output and combination of H2 ICE generators are determined, but it is also possible to determine only at least one of the output and combination of H2 ICE generators, thereby enabling efficient control of power generation by the hydrogen internal combustion engine.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the output or combination of H2ICE generators is determined based on the variable load and power demand (charging capacity or power generation demand), but the output or combination of H2ICE generators may also be determined based on either one of these.

[0060] In the above-described embodiment, a generator that generates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen may be used. That is, the charging station can be considered as a charging station that includes at least one of a generator driven by the power of a hydrogen internal combustion engine and a generator that generates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, and a supply device that supplies the electricity generated by the generator to a battery. This makes it possible to supply hydrogen-derived energy (electricity) with a low environmental impact.

[0061] Although the above embodiment describes an example of controlling multiple H2ICE generators, it is also possible to control only one H2ICE generator. That is, a charging station may include a generator driven by the power of a hydrogen internal combustion engine and a charge control device that determines the output of the generator, drives the generator at the determined output, and supplies the electric power generated by the generator to a battery.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the charging station and the electric vehicle may communicate with each other about various situations and information via a network such as the Internet or Wi-Fi (mutual communication function). This allows the charging station to perform scheduling (operation planning) and preparations for charging and refueling.

[0063] The processing executed by each functional unit of the charge control device can also be considered as a charge control method, that is, a charge control method having a determination step of determining at least one of the outputs and combinations of multiple generators driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engine, a drive control step of driving the generators with the determined outputs or combinations, and a supply control step of supplying the electric power generated by the generators to the battery.

[0064] The processes executed by the functional units of the charging control device can also be regarded as a computer program for causing a computer to execute the following: a determination step for determining at least one of the outputs and combinations of multiple generators driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engine, a drive control step for driving the generators with the determined outputs or combinations, and a supply control step for supplying the electric power generated by the generators to the battery.

[0065] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the charging station supplies power to the power grid in an emergency, but this is not limited to an emergency, and for example, the charging station may supply power to the power grid in response to an operation by a manager of the charging station. Furthermore, the charging station may supply power to both the electric vehicle and the power grid regardless of whether an emergency occurs.

[0066] Furthermore, for example, the above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. In other words, the functional configuration is merely an example and is not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient for the information processing system to have the function of being able to execute the above-described series of processes as a whole, and there is no particular limit to the type of functional block used to realize this function. Furthermore, the location of the functional block is also not particularly limited and may be arbitrary. For example, a functional block of one device may be transferred to another device, etc. Conversely, a functional block of another device may be transferred to one device, etc. Furthermore, one functional block may be configured as a single piece of hardware, a single piece of software, or a combination thereof.

[0067] When a series of processes is executed by software, the programs constituting the software are installed onto a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer incorporated into dedicated hardware. Alternatively, the computer may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a general-purpose smartphone or personal computer.

[0068] The recording medium containing such a program may be composed not only of a removable medium (not shown) that is distributed separately from the device main body in order to provide the program to users, etc., but also of a recording medium that is provided to users, etc. in a state that it is pre-installed in the device main body.

[0069] In this specification, the steps describing the program recorded on the recording medium include not only processes that are performed in chronological order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed in chronological order but are performed in parallel or individually. Also, in this specification, the term "system" means an overall device composed of multiple devices or multiple means, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1: Charging control device EG: H2ICE generator PS: Power system 11: CPU 31: Reception section 32: Setting section 33: Determination unit 34: Drive control unit 35: Supply control unit

Claims

1. A determination means for determining at least one of the outputs and combinations of a plurality of generators driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engine; a drive control means for driving the generator with the determined output or combination; supply control means for supplying the electric power generated by the generator to a battery to be charged; A charging control device having the same.

2. The determining means determines the output or combination of the generators based on a variable load or a power demand. The charge control device according to claim 1 .

3. The plurality of generators include a plurality of generators having different rated outputs, the determination means determines a combination of the plurality of generators having different rated outputs. The charge control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the determination means determines the combination of the generators based on the charge capacity of the battery to be charged. The charge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the determination means determines the combination of generators based on a required charging time for the battery to be charged. The charge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the supply control means causes the generated electric power to be supplied to an electric power grid. The charge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The charge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a plurality of generators driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engine; A charging station equipped with

8. At least one of a generator driven by the power of a hydrogen internal combustion engine and a generator that generates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen; a supply device that supplies the electric power generated by the generator to a battery; A charging station equipped with

9. a generator driven by the power of the hydrogen internal combustion engine; a determining means for determining an output of the generator; a drive control means for driving the generator at the determined output; supply control means for supplying the electric power generated by the generator to a battery; a charging control device having A charging station equipped with

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