EV Power Conversion System Boosting Circuit Fault Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power conversion systems for electric vehicles lack redundancy, leading to failure in retrogression and regeneration operations when a single boosting circuit becomes faulty, resulting in depletion of the DC auxiliary power supply and inability to drive the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A power conversion system with multiple boosting circuits coupled in parallel, a control circuit to manage faulty circuits, and smoothing capacitors to enhance fault tolerance, allowing continuous operation and power supply to essential components even if some circuits fail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single boosting circuit is used to reduce device complexity and cost, then the system becomes simpler and cheaper, but the reliability decreases because the system cannot operate when the boosting circuit fails
Solution Approach 1:
The boosting circuit is divided into multiple independent modules (first boosting circuit and second boosting circuit). Each module can operate independently, and when one module fails, the other can continue to provide power, ensuring system reliability while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
2Reliability
If multiple boosting circuits are used in parallel to improve reliability and enable continuous operation during faults, then the system can maintain retrogression and regeneration operations even when some circuits fail, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The boosting circuit is divided into multiple independent modules (first boosting circuit and second boosting circuit). Each module can operate independently, and when one module fails, the other can continue to provide power, ensuring system reliability while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit dynamically adjusts the operation mode based on the fault status of boosting circuits. When a fault is detected, the control circuit automatically switches to a mode that utilizes only the non-faulty circuit, ensuring continuous system operation adaptability.
3Reliability
If an alternator is included to provide power to DC power supply and auxiliary equipment, then the system has redundancy for power supply, but the weight and cost of the vehicle increase
Solution Approach 1:
The alternator is removed from the system. Instead, the boosting circuits perform both voltage boosting and power supply functions that would traditionally require a separate alternator, thereby reducing vehicle weight and cost while maintaining power supply capability through the modular boosting circuit architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The boosting circuit is designed to perform multiple functions: voltage boosting for the DC main power supply and direct power supply to auxiliary equipment. This multi-functionality replaces the need for a separate alternator, reducing overall system weight and cost.
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
The system ensures continuous retrogression and regeneration operations, reduces costs and weight by omitting the alternator, and improves efficiency and lifespan of components, enabling a 'limp home mode' for safe vehicle evacuation or movement.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of boosting circuits coupled to the DC main power supply and configured to perform a retrogression operation of boosting the DC voltage
Implementation Method 2
an inverter circuit coupled to the plurality of boosting circuits and configured to convert the boosted DC voltage into an AC voltage
Implementation Method 3
at least one of a motor or generator coupled to the inverter circuit and configured to receive the AC voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A power conversion system including a DC main power supply for supplying a DC voltage, boosting circuits for performing a retrogression operation of boosting the DC voltage and comprising driving circuits, an inverter circuit for converting the DC voltage into an AC voltage, a motor/generator for receiving the AC voltage, and a control circuit for outputting a control signal to the driving circuits and stopping an operation of a faulty boosting circuit of the boosting circuits when one of the boosting circuits is faulty, for setting power control values depending on a number of remaining non-faulty boosting circuits of the boosting circuits, and for controlling the remaining non-faulty boosting circuits and the inverter circuit based on the power control values, wherein the inverter circuit and the boosting circuits perform a regeneration operation of supplying regeneration power to the DC main power supply, peripheral equipment, and/or a DC auxiliary power supply.