Climate Control Power Management for Current Spike Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to efficiently manage power distribution to electrical accessories in vehicles and transport containers, leading to potential damage from current spikes and inefficient power usage.
Innovation Solution
A power distribution system utilizing communication signals from charging equipment to adjust power delivery to electrical accessories, including a controller that manages power flow based on available current, prohibiting startup when insufficient, adjusting current draw when excessive, and permitting unrestricted power when sufficient, using power electronics to control ramp rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If power is delivered to electrical accessories without current management, then power availability is improved, but risk of damage from current spikes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of available current from the power source before allowing accessory operation. The controller determines maximum available current and compares it against minimum startup requirements, preventing startup when insufficient current is available and avoiding current spike damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts power delivery based on real-time current availability. The controller continuously monitors available current and modifies power delivery to accessories accordingly, transitioning between restricted and unrestricted power modes based on current conditions
2Object-affected harmful factors
If power is restricted to electrical accessories, then protection from current spikes is improved, but power usage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring available current from the power source and adjusting power delivery to accessories based on this feedback. The controller receives information about maximum available current and modifies accessory power consumption accordingly, optimizing power usage efficiency while maintaining protection
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters dynamically based on available current. When sufficient current is available, the system transitions from restricted power mode to unrestricted power mode, allowing full power delivery to accessories, thereby eliminating energy loss from artificial restrictions while maintaining protection through continuous monitoring
3Power
If unrestricted power is provided to electrical accessories, then power availability is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The controller acts as an intermediary between the power source and electrical accessories. It mediates power delivery by determining available current, comparing it against requirements, and selectively enabling or restricting power to accessories, thereby ensuring both power availability and system reliability
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies described herein pertain to delivering power to primary and accessory electrical components associated with a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered, as well as to a power source of the vehicle itself. To operate one or more of accessory electrical components and deliver power to a vehicle battery, via a power distribution unit, the embodiments facilitate understanding of dynamic power available to the accessory electrical components as well as the vehicle battery, and distributing of the power in a prioritized manner to optimize the system for a most efficient power delivery process, with regards to power needs and power availability. Managing power supplied to a climate control unit that is used in a transport climate control system providing climate control to at least one of an internal space of a vehicle, may be performed by a controller that is electrically connected to at least the climate control unit.