Electric Vehicle Battery Grid Balancing via Distributed Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power supply and demand leveling systems that utilize electric vehicle batteries are not effectively utilized to balance power supply and demand across the entire smart grid, as they are primarily used by individual consumers and not fully leveraged for grid-wide equilibration.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes a power supply/demand condition judging device, a battery capacity judging device, and a charge/discharge command setting device to manage the charging and discharging of electric vehicle batteries based on both individual and total power supply/demand conditions, allowing battery capacity to be used across multiple consumers for grid-wide balancing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If battery capacity is used exclusively by individual electricity consumers, then individual consumer needs are met, but grid-wide power supply and demand balancing is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery utilization scopeVSAvoidpower supply and demand balancing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery capacity of electric vehicles is designed to serve dual purposes: meeting individual consumer needs and contributing to grid-wide power supply/demand balancing. The system enables batteries to function both as local energy storage for individual consumers and as distributed resources for overall grid stabilization, achieving multi-functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines individual consumer-level power management with grid-level power management into a unified system. By integrating the charge/discharge control of individual vehicle batteries with the overall smart grid balancing objectives, the system achieves both local and global power optimization simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If stationary batteries are used for power supply and demand leveling, then power balancing is achieved, but large-scale installation is required making it costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply and demand leveling capabilityVSAvoidinstallation scale and cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single large-scale stationary battery system, the patent segments the power storage function into numerous small-scale battery units distributed across multiple electric vehicles. Each vehicle's battery serves as an independent but coordinated storage unit, collectively achieving the power leveling function without requiring large centralized installations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control system acts as an intermediary that coordinates the charge/discharge operations of distributed vehicle batteries to achieve power supply and demand leveling. This intermediary control mechanism enables the segmented battery system to function as a unified power balancing solution, replacing the need for large stationary batteries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of energy

If battery capacity is optimized for individual consumer use, then consumer electricity costs are reduced, but overall smart grid equilibration is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsumer electricity costVSAvoidgrid-wide power balancing capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where information about individual consumer power usage, battery status, and grid conditions is continuously exchanged between the charge/discharge control system and the power supply/demand management center. This feedback enables dynamic adjustment of battery operations to simultaneously optimize consumer costs and achieve grid-wide balancing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The charge/discharge control system dynamically adjusts battery operations based on real-time conditions, switching between individual consumer optimization mode and grid-wide balancing mode as needed. This dynamic adaptability allows the same battery resources to serve different objectives at different times, achieving both consumer cost reduction and grid equilibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables the profitable utilization of electric vehicle battery capacity to balance power supply and demand across the entire smart grid, optimizing charge/discharge controls to prevent fluctuations and imbalances, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of energy distribution.

Implementation Method 1

batteries installed in electric vehicles or hybrid electric vehicles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBattery (electricity): Battery (electricity)

Implementation Method 2

charges the batteries during night when electricity demand is relatively low, and discharges the batteries during daytime when electricity demand is at its peak

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrochemical energy storage: Battery (electricity)

Data Source

PatentEP2602901B1Power demand-and-supply equalization system
Publication Date: 2021.01.06 MITSUBISHI CORPORATION
  • EP2602901B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2602901B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2602901B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention judges a total power supply/demand condition of the electricity consumers 2 as a whole according to an individual power supply/demand condition of electricity consumers 2, judges a total usable capacity of all batteries 17 according to a usable capacity of the batteries 17 of electric vehicles 10 parked at electricity consumers 2, obtains required charge/discharge amounts of all the batteries 17 according to a result of comparison of the total power supply/demand condition of the electricity consumers 2 as a whole with the total usable capacity of all the batteries 17, subjects the batteries 17 to charge/discharge controls according to the required charge/discharge amounts, the power supply/demand conditions of the electricity consumers 2, and the usable capacities of the batteries.