EV Inverter-Motor Charging for Battery Heat Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery electric vehicles require a separate heater and additional space for battery warming, increasing manufacturing costs and physical size.
Innovation Solution
A battery electric vehicle design that uses an inverter with three arm circuits and a motor with three coils, allowing for independent control of current flow directions to generate heat without a separate heater, utilizing existing components for heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate heater is installed to warm the battery, then the battery can be warmed effectively, but the manufacturing cost and physical size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery heating function with the inverter and motor components that already exist in the vehicle. The inverter's switching elements and the motor's coil windings are utilized to generate heat for the battery, merging multiple functions (power conversion, motor control, and thermal management) into existing components rather than adding a separate heater system.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverter and motor components are made multi-functional by enabling them to perform both their primary functions (power conversion and motor control) and secondary heating function. The switching elements in the inverter and coil windings in the motor are controlled to generate heat that warms the battery, allowing these components to serve multiple purposes.
2Temperature
If a separate heater is installed to warm the battery, then the battery can be warmed effectively, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery heating function with the inverter and motor components that already exist in the vehicle. The inverter's switching elements and the motor's coil windings are utilized to generate heat for the battery, merging multiple functions (power conversion, motor control, and thermal management) into existing components rather than adding a separate heater system.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverter and motor components generate their own heat as a byproduct of their normal operation, and this heat is utilized to warm the battery. The system essentially uses itself to provide the heating function, eliminating the need for separate heating components and reducing manufacturing costs.
3Productivity
If normal charging operation is used, then charging efficiency is high, but heat generation is insufficient for battery warming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the charging operation mode based on battery temperature requirements. The controller can switch between normal charging operation (for efficiency) and heat generation charging operation (for warming), optimizing the balance between charging efficiency and thermal management based on real-time conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the inverter and motor during charging to control heat generation. By adjusting the switching patterns and current flow through the coil windings, the system can vary the amount of heat generated while maintaining charging functionality, enabling temperature control during the charging process.
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
Heat generation is achieved without additional components, reducing manufacturing costs and size while effectively warming the battery.
Implementation Method 1
In the heat generation charging operation, a first current flows in the positive direction in at least one of the three coils, and a second current flows in an opposite direction from the arm circuit toward the neutral point in another coil of the three coils. A total value of the first current is greater than a total value of the second current. According to such a configuration, the first current can be caused to flow in the forward direction and the second current can be caused to flow in the opposite direction through the heat generation charging operation. This allows the loss to be increased compared to the normal charging operation, thereby promoting heat generation in the inverter and the motor.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery electric vehicle includes a battery, an inverter having three arm circuits, a motor having three coils connected to a neutral point and three arm circuits, a relay, a ground wire, and a controller. The controller can selectively perform a normal charging operation and a heat generation charging operation. In normal charging operation, equal current flows in all three coils in the positive direction from the neutral point to the arm circuit. In the heat generation charging operation, a first current flows in the positive direction in at least one of the three coils, and a second current flows in the opposite direction from the arm circuit toward the neutral point in the other coils. The total value of the first currents is greater than the total value of the second currents.