Peer-to-Peer EV Charging via DC/DC Converter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric cars, especially hybrid and pure electric vehicles, face challenges in charging their batteries as they can become completely discharged, requiring tow trucks to transport them to charging stations, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A battery charging system that enables electric energy transfer between electric cars using a converter and connectors with precharge units and a controller to manage voltage conversion based on battery state information, allowing for on-the-go charging without the need for tow trucks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a battery is completely discharged, then the electric car requires towing to a charging station, but this increases loss of time and productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The discharged electric car serves itself by becoming a charging source for other cars. The battery of the discharged car is connected to batteries of other cars through a multi-connector system, allowing the discharged car to recharge its own battery while simultaneously charging other cars, eliminating the need for external towing and charging infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple electric cars are merged into a single charging system through a common charging station with multiple connectors. The system combines the batteries of multiple cars into a shared energy pool, where energy can be freely exchanged between cars based on their charge states, transforming individual charging problems into a collective solution.
2Reliability
If tow trucks are used to transport discharged electric cars, then charging can be performed, but this increases cost and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for external towing services by enabling discharged cars to recharge themselves through peer-to-peer energy transfer. The charging station provides the necessary connection infrastructure, but the energy transfer is initiated and controlled by the cars themselves based on their battery states.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging station serves multiple functions: it can charge multiple cars simultaneously, it can transfer energy between cars with different charge states, and it can operate as a grid-connected charging station or as an isolated peer-to-peer charging system. The multi-connector design allows the same infrastructure to serve various charging scenarios.
3Reliability
If conventional charging methods are used, then discharged cars can be recharged, but this reduces productivity and increases loss of substance
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous operation by allowing discharged cars to immediately recharge without interruption to their service cycle. While one car is charging, other cars can continue to provide transportation services, and the discharged car can quickly replenish its energy through the peer-to-peer charging system, maintaining overall fleet productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the energy value when a battery is discharged, the system recovers and redistributes energy from cars with excess charge to cars that need charging. This maximizes the utilization of available energy resources within the fleet, reducing waste and improving overall efficiency.
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 system allows for convenient and cost-effective battery charging by enabling energy transfer between neighboring electric cars, improving power transmission efficiency with the use of a DC/DC converter, eliminating the need for tow trucks and reducing charging costs.
Implementation Method 1
a converter connected between the first connector and the second connector and configured to convert a voltage transmitted from the battery of the charging providing car through the first connector and transmit the converted voltage to the battery of the charging target car through the second connector
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a battery charging system and method. The battery charging system according to the present invention includes a first connector connected to both ends of a battery of a charging providing car; a second connector connected to both ends of a battery of a charging target car; a converter configured to convert a voltage transmitted from the battery of the charging providing car through the first connector and transmit the converted voltage to the battery of the charging target car through the second connector; and a controller connected to each of a battery management system (BMS) of the charging providing car and a BMS of the charging target car to control a voltage conversion ratio of the converter based on a state information on each of the batteries transmitted from each of the BMSs.