eVTOL Battery Charge Timing for Reduced Full-SOC Deterioration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deterioration of batteries in vertical take-off and landing aircraft is accelerated when the state of charge (SOC) is high, particularly due to prolonged periods of full charge during flight, which affects the battery's performance and longevity.
Innovation Solution
A control system and method that optimizes battery charging based on flight conditions, using a power generation device to charge the battery during periods of low power consumption and discharge during high consumption, while managing the state of charge and temperature to minimize deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the battery is charged to full charge during flight, then the power availability for rotor operation is improved, but the battery deterioration accelerates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the charging strategy adaptive rather than static. The control unit dynamically adjusts charging decisions based on real-time flight conditions, battery state of charge, and predicted future power requirements. This allows the system to optimize between power availability and battery durability by charging only when necessary and at appropriate rates, rather than maintaining constant full charge.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of state of charge management from a fixed target (full charge) to a dynamic range based on flight phase and power requirements. By adjusting the target state of charge and charging rate according to flight conditions, the system resolves the contradiction between needing high power availability and preventing battery deterioration.
2Loss of energy
If the battery is discharged during flight, then the power consumption from the power generation device is reduced, but the state of charge decreases affecting subsequent operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by predicting future power requirements based on flight phase and advance charging. The control unit calculates predicted power consumption for upcoming flight phases and charges the battery in advance during phases with lower power demand, ensuring sufficient state of charge is available when needed while minimizing overall power generation consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through phase-based charging strategies. Different charging behaviors are applied during different flight phases (e.g., charging during cruise, discharging during high-power maneuvers). This periodic alternation between charging and discharging based on flight phase optimizes the balance between energy loss and state of charge maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system 70 includes: a VTOL rotor 20 and a cruise rotor 29 configured to generate a thrust; a power unit that has a power generation device 40a configured to generate power and supply the power to the rotors, and a battery 32 configured to store power which is supplied from the power generation device, and supply stored power to the rotors; and a control unit 91 configured to calculate a charging time of the battery based on a required amount of power storage that should be stored in the battery when the aircraft flies in a predetermined flight condition, and a state of the battery, and determine a charge start time of the battery based on the charging time and a flight time it takes to reach the predetermined flight condition. With this, it is possible to suppress a deterioration.