EV Motor as Generator for Battery Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hybrid electric vehicles have battery packs and internal combustion engines that are not optimized for efficiency, leading to oversized components that increase weight and reduce the lifespan of batteries, as they are not tailored to specific drive cycles.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes the electric vehicle's main drive controller and motor as a generator to recharge the battery when stopped, using a clutch mechanism and the internal combustion engine to maintain a desired state of charge, allowing the vehicle to complete its daily drive cycle without fully discharging the battery, and uses standard J1772 or induction charging infrastructure for initial charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If battery pack size and generator capacity are increased to ensure sufficient power supply, then the vehicle can complete drive cycles without external charging, but the vehicle weight increases and battery lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between motor mode and generator mode based on real-time operating conditions. The main drive motor automatically reverses its function to generate electricity when the vehicle is stopped and the battery needs charging, eliminating the need for a permanently installed generator and reducing overall system weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The main drive motor serves dual purposes: it functions as a propulsion motor during vehicle operation and as a generator for battery charging when the vehicle is stopped. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate generator components, reducing weight while maintaining drive cycle completion capability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If battery pack size is increased to provide sufficient energy for the drive cycle, then the vehicle can operate without external charging infrastructure, but the battery weight increases and lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses its own main drive motor to recharge the battery during stopped periods, eliminating the need for external charging infrastructure. The battery serves itself by being recharged from the motor-generator during operational pauses, reducing the required battery capacity and weight while extending lifespan through maintained charge levels.
3Reliability
If a separate generator is installed to charge the battery, then the battery can be kept at optimal charge levels, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The main drive motor is designed to operate in both motor and generator modes, eliminating the need for a separate generator component. This reduces system complexity and component count while maintaining the capability to keep the battery at optimal charge levels through regenerative braking and idle charging operations.
4Reliability
If the internal combustion engine runs continuously to charge the battery, then the battery remains charged, but fuel consumption increases and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The internal combustion engine operates periodically only when the battery charge level drops below the threshold, rather than running continuously. The controller monitors battery state of charge and activates the engine-generator system only when needed, reducing fuel consumption while maintaining reliable battery charge status.
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 results in a smaller, lighter high-voltage battery module, prolonging its life and reducing overall vehicle costs, while optimizing components for specific drive cycles, allowing the vehicle to operate efficiently and effectively.
Implementation Method 1
utilizes the electric vehicle's main drive controller and motor as the generator to recharge the main battery module when the vehicle is stopped
Data Source
AI summary
An electric vehicle utilizes an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle's main electric drive system in the regeneration mode and to charge the battery when the vehicle is stopped. The electric vehicle's main drive controller and motor are used as the generator to recharge the battery when the vehicle is stopped via a clutch mechanism allowing the motor to act as a generator while the vehicle is at rest. As the vehicle proceeds throughout the drive cycle, the vehicle is powered by the electric motor from the battery. The battery is recharged to a specified state of charge when the vehicle is parked. The internal combustion engine only operates to charge the battery, and the electric motor is used to propel the vehicle.