Electric Vehicle Pool Control for Grid Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy storage systems struggle to accurately forecast and react to future power consumption and generation fluctuations, particularly with renewable energy sources, due to their limited ability to quickly adapt and predict user behavior, leading to instability in electrical energy supply networks.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing a pool of electric vehicles as a bidirectional energy storage device, managed by a pool control unit, which predicts and adjusts the total energy store's power by aggregating the capabilities of individual vehicles, allowing for secure control power provision in both positive and negative directions, thereby stabilizing the network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional energy storage systems are used to provide control power, then the system can respond to power fluctuations, but the forecasting accuracy and reaction speed to future power consumption and generation changes remain insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of electrical energy supply networkVSAvoidforecasting accuracy of power consumption and generation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the energy storage function across multiple electric vehicles instead of relying on a single centralized storage system. Each vehicle's battery contributes to the overall energy storage capacity, enabling distributed and more accurate forecasting of power availability while maintaining network stability through aggregated control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If a single centralized energy storage system is used, then control is simplified, but the system cannot quickly adapt to unpredictable fluctuations in renewable energy generation and user consumption patterns

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to adapt to power fluctuationsVSAvoidcomplexity of energy storage system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the energy storage capabilities of multiple electric vehicles into a unified virtual storage system. The pool control unit aggregates the batteries of individual vehicles, creating a combined energy resource that can adapt to power fluctuations while managing complexity through centralized coordination of distributed resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The electric vehicles serve multiple functions: they provide personal transportation while simultaneously acting as mobile energy storage units for the power grid. This multi-functionality increases adaptability to power fluctuations without requiring dedicated infrastructure, as existing vehicles are utilized for both purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If electric vehicles are used as energy storage devices, then forecasting accuracy and reaction speed improve, but the system complexity increases due to bidirectional coupling and pool management requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereaction speed to power fluctuationsVSAvoidcomplexity of bidirectional coupling system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pool control unit serves as an intermediary between the electric vehicles and the power grid. It manages the bidirectional coupling by coordinating charging and discharging operations, handling the complexity of multiple vehicle connections while enabling rapid response to power fluctuations through centralized decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3442823B1Electric vehicle with feedback to the power supply system and provision of control power
Publication Date: 2021.08.25 LICHTBLICK SE
  • EP3442823B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3442823B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3442823B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Method and system for creating a control power for an electrical power supply system comprising a plurality of power generators, a plurality of power consumers and a pool control unit, characterized by providing an overall energy store which comprises a plurality of electric vehicles which can be bidirectionally coupled to the electrical energy supply system and each have at least one energy store, further characterized by determining, at a first time before a second time, an actual power of the overall energy store at the second time as the sum of a predicted power of a first group of electric vehicles at the second time and a predicted power of a second group of the electric vehicles at the second time, further characterized by determining, at the first time, a maximum possible discharge power of the overall energy store at the second time as the sum of a predicted maximum possible discharge power of the first group of electric vehicles at the second time and a predicted maximum possible discharge power of the second group of electric vehicles at the second time, further characterized by determining, at the first time, a stored control power in a positive direction at the second time as the difference between the actual power of the overall energy store at the second time and the maximum possible discharge power of the overall energy store at the second time.