Hybrid Battery Control Range Adjustment for Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling battery charging and discharging in hybrid cars face challenges in maintaining accurate battery capacity within a targeted range, especially during abnormal conditions, which can lead to over-charging or over-discharging and battery degradation, and may not ensure safety when narrowing the targeted control range.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically adjusts the targeted control range for battery charging and discharging based on detected remaining capacity, narrowing the range during abnormal conditions to include the detected capacity at the time of the anomaly, ensuring safe operation by setting a narrower range that includes the detected capacity, rather than relying on a standard reference like 50%, and allowing controlled charging and discharging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the targeted control range for remaining battery capacity is widened to increase effective battery capacity, then the actual discharge capacity and charging capacity are increased, but the probability of over-charging or over-discharging increases causing battery degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the targeted control range adjustable rather than fixed. The control range dynamically changes based on battery state: under normal conditions, a wide range (30%-70%) is used to maximize effective capacity, while under abnormal conditions detected by the state determination unit, the range automatically narrows to a safe range (40%-60%). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize for capacity when safe and for safety when abnormal conditions arise.
2Reliability
If the targeted control range is narrowed during abnormal conditions to ensure battery safety, then over-charging and over-discharging are prevented, but the effective battery capacity that can be used is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the control range width based on real-time battery state assessment. The state determination unit evaluates battery conditions and switches between wide range mode (30%-70%) for normal operation and narrow range mode (40%-60%) for abnormal conditions. This allows the system to maintain maximum effective capacity during normal operation while automatically prioritizing safety when abnormalities are detected, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and capacity utilization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If remaining battery capacity is determined from battery voltage and temperature when current sensor malfunctions, then the system can continue operation, but accurate determination of remaining battery capacity may not be possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing alternative measurement methods in advance for when the primary current sensor fails. The system is pre-configured with voltage and temperature-based capacity determination as a backup method. When sensor malfunction is detected, the system seamlessly switches to this pre-prepared alternative method, ensuring continuous operation. Although the alternative method may have reduced accuracy, it maintains system adaptability and prevents complete shutdown, resolving the contradiction between operational continuity and measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The method of controlling charging and discharging in a hybrid car power source detects remaining capacity of batteries 1 that supply power to the motor 11 that drives the hybrid car, controls battery 1 charging and discharging to keep detected remaining capacity within a pre-set first targeted control range under normal conditions, and controls battery 1 charging and discharging to keep detected remaining capacity within a second targeted control range that is narrower than the first targeted control range when an abnormality is detected. Further, the method of controlling charging and discharging sets the second targeted control range to include the detected remaining capacity when the range for controlling battery 1 remaining capacity is switched from the first targeted control range to the second targeted control range at detection of an abnormality.