Mobile Energy Storage Fleet Charging Control for Service Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fleet operators of electric vehicles face significant challenges in managing the maintenance and charging of large fleets, including high costs for energy storage device charging and lost time when vehicles are recharging instead of providing services.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that includes location sensors, energy storage devices, charge sensors, and computing devices to determine the current state of charge and location of vehicles, allowing for remote communication and control of charging based on electric grid signals and service demand, enabling dynamic charging control to balance energy consumption and supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vehicles are charged continuously to maintain energy storage devices, then energy supply reliability is improved, but operational time is reduced due to vehicles being unavailable for service during charging
Solution Approach 1:
The charging control system dynamically adjusts charging schedules based on real-time vehicle location, service demand, and energy storage state. Vehicles transition between service mode and charging mode based on dynamic conditions, optimizing the balance between energy supply reliability and operational availability without fixed charging schedules
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service charging by automatically monitoring vehicle energy storage levels and initiating charging operations when vehicles return to designated charging locations, eliminating the need for manual charging management and reducing operational downtime
2Measurement precision
If a large fleet of vehicles is managed manually for charging, then charging control precision is improved, but labor cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where vehicle location sensors, energy storage sensors, and service demand data are constantly monitored and fed back to the central control system, which automatically adjusts charging schedules and routes, eliminating manual intervention while maintaining precise charging control
Solution Approach 2:
Manual charging management operations are replaced by an automated electronic control system that uses computing devices, communication networks, and control algorithms to manage fleet charging, substituting human labor with automated technological systems
3Use of energy by moving object
If vehicles are routed to charging locations away from service areas, then energy cost is reduced by utilizing off-peak pricing, but time loss increases due to additional travel distance
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fleet into different operational groups, routing some vehicles to distant charging locations during off-peak periods while keeping others in service areas, allowing simultaneous optimization of energy costs and service availability across the fleet without requiring all vehicles to travel
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary routing planning that incorporates charging stops into existing service routes, scheduling charging operations during naturally occurring service gaps or low-demand periods, thereby minimizing additional travel distance and time loss while still capturing off-peak energy pricing benefits
Data Source
AI summary
Vehicle control systems can include one or more location sensors, an energy storage device, one or more charge sensors and one or more vehicle computing devices. The location sensor(s) can determine a current location of a vehicle, while the charge sensor(s) can determine a current state of charge of an energy storage device that can be located onboard the vehicle to provide operating power for one or more vehicle systems. The vehicle computing device(s) can communicate the current location of the vehicle and current state of charge of the energy storage device to a remote computing device, receive from the remote computing device a charging control signal determined, at least in part, from the current location of the vehicle and the current state of charge of the energy storage device, and control charging of the energy storage device in accordance with the charging control signal.