EV Bidirectional Charging for Predicted Power Outages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrified vehicles face challenges in charging during power outages, as existing systems are not effectively designed to anticipate or manage energy storage and transfer during such conditions.
Innovation Solution
A bidirectional energy transfer system with a control module that predicts power outages using weather and grid data, increasing the charging storage limit of the traction battery pack and enabling energy transfer from the vehicle to structures, acting as a backup power source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the charging storage limit is increased to 100% in anticipation of power outages, then the vehicle's energy storage capacity is improved, but the risk of battery overcharging and safety issues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting power outages using weather data and grid reliability information before they occur. When a power outage is predicted, the system proactively increases the charging storage limit from 80% to 100%, allowing the vehicle to store additional energy in advance. This preliminary charging ensures the vehicle has sufficient energy储备 for backup power needs during outages without requiring actual overcharging conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring weather conditions, grid reliability data, and actual power outage occurrences. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from past events and refine its predictions, adjusting charging strategies based on predicted versus actual outage patterns. The feedback ensures charging decisions are data-driven rather than arbitrary, maintaining battery safety while optimizing energy storage.
2Ease of operation
If the system automatically manages charging without user intervention, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control module performs multiple functions within a single integrated system: it predicts power outages using weather and grid data, determines optimal charging limits, manages bidirectional energy transfer, and provides user notifications. By consolidating these diverse functions into one multi-functional control module, the system achieves automatic charging management without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service capabilities by automatically monitoring conditions, making charging decisions, and managing energy transfer without requiring continuous user intervention. The control module independently processes weather data, grid reliability information, and vehicle state to autonomously adjust charging parameters, reducing the operational burden on users while maintaining manageable system complexity through automated routines.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bidirectional energy transfer is enabled during power outages, then the vehicle's versatility as a backup power source is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic adaptability by enabling bidirectional energy transfer only when specifically needed during predicted or actual power outages. The control module dynamically switches the energy transfer direction based on real-time conditions: normally the vehicle charges from the grid, but during outages it reverses to discharge to the structure. This conditional, dynamic operation provides versatile backup power capability without requiring permanently complex bidirectional infrastructure to be always active.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods may coordinate and execute bidirectional energy transfer events between electrified vehicles and other devices or structures. Weather related data and/or grid related data may be leveraged for predicting the likelihood of power outage conditions of a grid power source. When power outage conditions are likely, a charging storage limit of a traction battery pack of the electrified vehicle may be automatically increased. The increased charging storage limit temporarily increases the energy storage capacity of the traction battery pack in anticipation of expected power outage conditions, thereby better preparing the traction battery pack for use as a backup power source during the power outage conditions.