Generator Regulator Pulse Duty Factor Control for Battery Current Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle generator systems experience high current consumption from the battery during engine start-up, especially at lower temperatures, due to a fixed pulse duty factor that ensures rotational speed detection across all temperature ranges, leading to unnecessary battery drain.
Innovation Solution
The generator regulator employs a dual control signal system, where one signal has a fixed pulse duty factor and the other is adjustable based on excitation current, with a comparator selecting the smaller pulse duty factor to minimize current consumption while ensuring sufficient excitation for rotational speed detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed pulse duty factor is used to ensure rotational speed detection across all temperature ranges, then reliability of rotational speed detection is improved, but current consumption from the battery increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a fixed pulse duty factor to a dynamically adjustable pulse duty factor that adapts to temperature conditions. The control unit modifies the pulse duty factor based on detected temperature, allowing the system to optimize excitation current for rotational speed detection at each temperature while minimizing unnecessary current consumption when detection is already sufficient at lower currents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of pulse duty factor from a fixed value to a variable that depends on temperature. By monitoring temperature and adjusting the pulse duty factor accordingly, the system ensures reliable rotational speed detection across all temperature ranges while reducing current consumption at temperatures where lower excitation currents are sufficient.
2Measurement precision
If a higher excitation current is provided to ensure sufficient phase voltage amplitude for rotational speed detection at all temperatures, then measurement precision is improved, but current consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the excitation current parameter dynamically based on temperature. At lower temperatures where lower excitation currents still provide sufficient phase voltage amplitude for accurate rotational speed detection, the system reduces the excitation current, thereby maintaining measurement precision while reducing current consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature feedback to adjust the excitation current level. The control unit monitors temperature and uses this information to determine the appropriate excitation current required for sufficient phase voltage amplitude, ensuring accurate rotational speed detection while minimizing current consumption at each temperature condition.
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
This approach limits or reduces battery current consumption during engine start-up across all temperatures, ensuring sufficient excitation for rotational speed detection without excessive battery drain, even at favorable working points like lower temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a change in the pulse duty factor of a PWM control signal made available by the regulator control for a switching transistor is carried out
Implementation Method 2
The alternating voltages generated at phase voltage connections U, V and W are rectified
Implementation Method 3
The alternating voltages generated at phase voltage connections U, V and W are rectified in a rectifier device having a plurality of branches
Data Source
AI summary
A device for minimizing the current consumption of a motor vehicle generator from the battery during the starting phase of a motor vehicle, has a generator unit and a generator regulator. The generator regulator includes a regulator control, which has a unit for providing a first control signal having a fixedly specified pulse duty factor, a unit for providing a second control signal having a pulse duty factor that is a function of the excitation current, and a unit for selecting the control signal having the smaller of the two pulse duty factors, which is supplied to the output stage of the generator regulator as the control signal.