Fleet Depot Charging Control for Peak Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charging electric vehicle fleets at peak demand hours leads to high operational costs due to increased grid power demand and fluctuating electricity prices, which existing methods fail to optimize.
Innovation Solution
Implement a controller system that optimizes charging by analyzing vehicle characteristics, charger capabilities, depot conditions, and grid demand to minimize peak power usage through strategic charging and vehicle-to-vehicle charging during peak hours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vehicles are charged at peak demand hours to meet mission requirements, then vehicle availability is improved, but operational cost increases due to high electricity prices and peak demand charges
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary charging of vehicles during off-peak hours before they are needed for missions, and pre-charges stationary energy storage devices during periods of low demand. This allows the fleet to have sufficient charge capacity for upcoming missions without drawing power during expensive peak demand hours, thus maintaining vehicle availability while avoiding peak pricing
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that coordinates charging between vehicles, stationary energy storage devices, and the grid. It manages vehicle-to-vehicle charging where charged vehicles transfer energy to uncharged vehicles, and coordinates stationary energy storage devices to discharge during peak hours, thereby reducing direct peak demand from the grid while ensuring all vehicles meet their mission requirements
2Productivity
If multiple chargers are activated simultaneously to charge all vehicles, then charging speed is improved, but peak power demand from the grid increases resulting in higher costs
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements periodic charging schedules that stagger the activation of multiple chargers rather than activating them all simultaneously. Chargers are activated in sequences during off-peak and moderate demand periods, spreading out the power draw over time. This maintains overall charging productivity while avoiding concentrated peak power demands that would occur with simultaneous activation
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables vehicle-to-vehicle charging where already-charged vehicles automatically serve as power sources for uncharged vehicles through wireless or cable connections. This self-service mechanism allows multiple vehicles to be charged without proportionally increasing grid power demand, as the energy is transferred internally within the fleet rather than requiring additional grid capacity
3Productivity
If the number of chargers is increased to match the number of vehicles, then charging capacity is improved, but infrastructure cost and peak power demand increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes each charger multi-functional by enabling it to serve multiple vehicles sequentially and to participate in both grid charging and vehicle-to-vehicle charging operations. A single charger can charge different vehicles at different times, and vehicles that have been charged can then act as mobile charging units for other vehicles. This universal approach allows the fleet to achieve high charging capacity with fewer physical chargers, reducing infrastructure costs while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates mobile copies of charging capability by enabling vehicles to transfer energy to each other. Instead of requiring a physical charger at every possible vehicle location, the charging capability is copied from charged vehicles to uncharged vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle energy transfer. This virtual replication of charging infrastructure allows the fleet to scale charging capacity without proportionally increasing the number of fixed charger installations
Data Source
AI summary
An electrified vehicle with a powertrain is disclosed, comprising: a battery; and a controller configured to be in communication with a plurality of electric vehicles. The controller including a processor and a non-transient computer readable storage medium comprising instructions. The instructions cause the vehicle to determine a plurality of characteristics of the electrified vehicle; determine a plurality of characteristics of a plurality of chargers, determine a plurality of characteristics of each of a plurality of charging depots; process the plurality of characteristics of the electrified vehicle, the plurality of characteristics of each of the plurality of chargers, and the plurality of characteristics of multiple charging depots to identify charging opportunities for the electrified vehicle over the course of a time period; perform a multiple charging depot optimization analysis to generate a power grid peak hour profile; and perform a peak power optimization analysis to generate a vehicle charging profile.