Fuel Cell Power Profiling for Route-Based Vehicle Load Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fuel cell systems in vehicles face inefficiencies in power production, leading to reduced fuel economy and increased wear, as they often produce excessive power when not required and struggle to accurately determine optimal power output profiles for specific driving events.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a processor device to identify upcoming driving events and determine a desirable power output profile for a fuel cell system based on historical driving event data, including power output from previous routes under similar conditions, allowing for efficient power distribution between the fuel cell system and energy storage system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fuel cell system produces high levels of electric power continuously, then sufficient propulsion force is ensured for all driving events, but fuel economy deteriorates and wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of upcoming driving events and determines desirable power output profiles in advance. By using historical driving event data and current operating conditions, the fuel cell system is instructed to produce optimal power levels before driving events occur, rather than continuously producing high power. This preliminary planning enables the fuel cell to operate efficiently while ensuring sufficient propulsion force is available when needed.
2Power
If the fuel cell system produces high levels of electric power continuously, then power demand from energy consumers is met, but wear of the fuel cell system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the fuel cell system's power output based on identified upcoming driving events and current operating conditions. Instead of continuous high-power operation, the fuel cell produces power at variable levels optimized for specific driving events. The processor device instructs the fuel cell to produce appropriate power amounts for each identified driving event, enabling the system to meet power demands while reducing unnecessary wear from continuous high-level operation.
3Productivity
If complex calculations are performed to determine power split between fuel cell system and energy storage system, then optimal power distribution is achieved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of desirable power output profiles by analyzing historical driving event data and current operating conditions before actual driving events occur. This advance planning allows the processor device to establish optimal power distribution strategies without requiring complex real-time calculations during driving events. The power split between fuel cell system and energy storage system is pre-determined based on identified driving event characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system and a method for controlling a power producing assembly of a vehicle is described. The power producing assembly includes a fuel cell system and an energy storage system comprising one or more batteries. The method includes identifying an upcoming driving event of the vehicle, said upcoming driving event comprising following a route in a geographic location, identifying a current operating condition of the vehicle,-using driving event information, including power output from a fuel cell system, for driving events following the same route which have previously been performed under determined operating conditions, and determining a desirable power output profile from the fuel cell system during the identified upcoming driving event for the current operating condition on the basis of the driving event information.