Hybrid Vehicle Control Apparatus for SOC Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid vehicles face inefficiencies in fuel consumption when traveling through downhill sections and congestion areas, as the state of charge (SOC) of the storage battery fluctuates, leading to decreased fuel efficiency and accelerated battery deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid vehicle control apparatus that adjusts the target SOC based on planned travel routes, implementing downhill control to decrease SOC before downhill sections and congestion control to increase SOC before congestion sections, while prioritizing congestion control when both occur, to avoid reaching SOC limits and minimize forced charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the remaining capacity SOC is increased as much as possible during downhill travel to improve fuel efficiency, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the SOC reaches the upper limit making further improvement impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus performs preliminary actions by lowering the SOC before the vehicle enters the downhill section. This creates headroom in the battery capacity, allowing the battery to accept more regenerative energy during the downhill section without reaching the upper limit, thereby maximizing fuel efficiency improvement while maintaining SOC management flexibility.
2Quantity of substance
If the SOC is lowered before a downhill section to maximize energy recovery, then more energy can be stored, but the SOC may reach the lower limit causing forced charging
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus uses feedback mechanisms to continuously monitor the SOC and adjust the control strategy accordingly. By calculating the expected SOC change during downhill travel and comparing it with the lower limit threshold, the system determines the optimal degree of preliminary SOC reduction, ensuring maximum energy storage while preventing the SOC from reaching the lower limit and causing forced charging.
3Reliability
If the vehicle travels through congestion sections with frequent stopping and starting, then the SOC decreases due to limited regenerative braking, but maintaining higher SOC before congestion is needed to prevent forced charging
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus performs preliminary charging actions before the vehicle enters congestion sections by raising the SOC in advance. This ensures that the battery has sufficient capacity to handle the energy demands of frequent stopping and starting in congestion areas without forcing the SOC to the lower limit, thereby maintaining continuous operation reliability while minimizing the impact on fuel efficiency.
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 effectively maintains SOC within optimal ranges, preventing fuel efficiency decreases and battery deterioration, thereby improving overall fuel efficiency and extending battery life.
Implementation Method 1
when rotation of a wheel axle is transmitted to the motor, the motor generates electric power (i.e., an electric generator generates electric power), and the storage battery is charged by the electric power as well. Namely, the kinetic energy of the vehicle is converted to electrical energy
Implementation Method 2
a storage battery which supplies electric power to the motor and which is charged by output of the engine
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a motor, and a storage battery and configured to charge the storage battery with electric power generated as a result of regenerative braking and electric power generated by using output of the engine. The control apparatus executes a downhill control which decreases the remaining capacity of the storage battery before the vehicle enters a downhill section and executes a congestion control which increases the remaining capacity before it enters a congestion section. In addition the control apparatus determine which control is to be executed according to the positional relation between the start point of the downhill section and the start point of the congestion section when both a downhill section and a congestion section are contained in a planned travel route of the vehicle.