EV Air Conditioning Control for Peak Energy Shifting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle air conditioning systems consume significant electrical energy, contributing to energy consumption peaks in transport networks, especially during rush hours, and existing solutions do not effectively manage energy usage based on vehicle operational states.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system for electric vehicles that includes an actuator and a controller to adjust power delivery based on both climatic conditions and vehicle energy parameters, such as energy consumption or production, to maintain predefined climatic conditions while reducing energy consumption peaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the air conditioning system operates at full power to maintain predetermined climatic conditions, then the climatic comfort is improved, but the electrical energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the air conditioning system's power delivery adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed. The controller dynamically modifies the operating commands sent to actuators based on real-time vehicle energy parameters (such as braking energy recovery status), allowing the system to optimize between climatic comfort and energy consumption according to current operational conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from solely climatic conditions to a combination of climatic conditions and vehicle energy parameters. By introducing energy parameters (e.g., braking energy, battery charge state) as additional control inputs, the system can adjust actuator power delivery to reduce peak consumption while maintaining acceptable climatic conditions
2Device complexity
If the air conditioning system operates independently without considering vehicle energy parameters, then the climatic control is simplified, but the energy consumption peaks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the controller multi-functional by having it simultaneously manage both climatic conditions and vehicle energy parameters. The same controller that regulates temperature and humidity now also integrates energy management functions, allowing it to coordinate air conditioning operation with the vehicle's overall energy state and recovery opportunities without adding separate dedicated control systems
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an actuator that produces heat or cold onboard an electric vehicle and a controller that generates an operating command to control the actuator to deliver a first average power over a predetermined time period based on one or more climatic conditions and based on a vehicle energy parameter. The vehicle energy parameter indicates whether (a) the electric vehicle or another electric vehicle is consuming electric energy or (b) the electric vehicle or another electric vehicle is producing the electric energy. The controller generates the operating command such that the first average power delivered by the actuator during the predetermined time period has substantially the same value as a second average power delivered by the actuator when the controller generates the operating command based only on the one or more climatic conditions.