EV Phase Order Checking via Asymmetric Charging Current Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for determining and correcting phase order connections in electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) rely on manual inspection, leading to inefficient charging due to incorrect phase connections, which can cause uneven current distribution, overheating, and potential damage to charging units.
Innovation Solution
A computerized system on the vehicle uses a control routine to determine phase order by asynchronously drawing smaller currents on each phase, measuring consumption, and mapping phases to correct connections, potentially involving a connected cloud for adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual inspection is used to determine phase order, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases and reliability is compromised due to potential human error
Solution Approach 1:
The EV itself performs the phase order determination by autonomously drawing different currents on different phases and measuring the results, eliminating the need for external manual inspection or specialized testing equipment. The vehicle's existing power consumption measurement capabilities are leveraged for this diagnostic function.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical inspection process is replaced with an automated electrical measurement system. The control routine uses electrical current measurements and phase angle detection to automatically determine phase order, substituting human physical inspection with electronic sensing and processing.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If incorrect phase connections are not detected, then device complexity remains low, but harmful factors increase due to uneven current distribution and overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The control routine continuously monitors phase current consumption and uses the feedback from these measurements to detect incorrect phase connections. By comparing expected versus actual current distribution patterns, the system identifies phase order errors and can alert the user or adjust operation to prevent overheating.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase order determination is performed before normal charging operation begins, during an initial diagnostic phase. This preliminary check prevents incorrect phase connections from causing harmful effects during subsequent charging operations.
3Loss of time
If phase order determination is performed manually, then measurement precision may be sufficient, but loss of time increases due to manual intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The phase order determination is integrated into the normal charging workflow as an automatic preliminary step. The measurement and determination process occurs continuously during the initial connection phase without requiring the user to pause or perform separate manual checks, eliminating time loss while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems/techniques that facilitate determination of phase order of a connection point via a control routine are provided. In various embodiments, a system can generate a control routine to determine a phase order of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to which the EV is connected and a phase order of a connection point via asynchronous operation of phases. In various aspects, the system can draw, by the EV and via the control routine, a smaller current in one phase than other phases for a measurable time. In various cases, the system can adjust, locally in the EV or via a connected cloud, an external device, or the EVSE, a maximum current to draw or deliver by the EV per phase based on the phase order determined.