Vehicle Charging Power Control for Cooling Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging control systems for vehicles face challenges in minimizing the driving noise of cooling devices during external charging, particularly when the vehicle is stopped, as there is no noise from traveling or on-board devices to influence the operation level of the cooling fans.
Innovation Solution
A charging control device that adjusts the charging power level and cooling control based on the necessary charge amount and expected completion time, switching between high and low power levels to maintain appropriate temperature ranges while minimizing cooling device noise, by controlling the power conversion device and cooling device to charge at high power until a predetermined amount is reached and then reducing to a low power level for sustained charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If charging is performed at a high power level to reduce charging time, then productivity is improved, but the cooling device must operate at a high drive level which increases driving noise
Solution Approach 1:
The charging process is divided into two distinct stages: a first charging stage at a high power level to quickly replenish charge amount, and a second charging stage at a low power level to complete charging while minimizing noise. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both fast charging and noise reduction by applying different power levels at different times during the charging process
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by determining in advance whether the vehicle has a travel schedule and calculating the necessary charge amount before starting charging. Based on this preliminary assessment, the control device plans the charging strategy - using high power level when noise impact is acceptable (vehicle has travel schedule) and low power level when noise should be minimized (vehicle has no travel schedule), thereby proactively managing the noise-power tradeoff
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the cooling device operates at a low drive level to reduce noise, then driving noise is reduced, but the appropriate temperature range cannot be maintained at high power charging levels
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the power level based on real-time conditions including charge amount, travel schedule, and temperature requirements. The power level transitions from high to low as the charging progresses and charge amount increases, allowing the cooling device to operate at appropriate drive levels for each stage while maintaining temperature control effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The control device changes the operating parameters of the charging system by switching between high and low power levels. At high power levels, the system accepts higher cooling requirements temporarily to achieve fast charging, then transitions to low power levels where low drive level cooling is sufficient, thereby adapting parameters to balance noise and temperature control needs
3Object-generated harmful factors
If charging is performed at a low power level to minimize cooling device noise, then driving noise is reduced, but charging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging process is divided into two distinct stages: a first charging stage at a high power level to quickly replenish charge amount, and a second charging stage at a low power level to complete charging while minimizing noise. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both fast charging and noise reduction by applying different power levels at different times during the charging process
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by determining in advance whether the vehicle has a travel schedule and calculating the necessary charge amount before starting charging. Based on this preliminary assessment, the control device plans the charging strategy - using high power level when noise impact is acceptable (vehicle has travel schedule) and low power level when noise should be minimized (vehicle has no travel schedule), thereby proactively managing the noise-power tradeoff
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes one or more processors configured to: specify a necessary charge amount of the power storage device; and control the conversion device such that the power storage device is charged at a high power level up to a predetermined charge amount reachable to the specified necessary charge amount, and such that the power storage device is charged at a low power level after the predetermined charge amount has been reached, the low power level being a level of charging power at which an appropriate temperature range is maintained by cooling control at a low drive level of the cooling device, the high power level being a level of charging power at which the appropriate temperature range is maintained by cooling control at a high drive level at which cooling performance is higher than cooling performance of the low drive level.