Hybrid Engine Output Control for SOC Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Series type hybrid vehicles experience fuel efficiency deterioration and exhaust gas aggravation due to high-intensity internal combustion engine operations, which necessitate enriched region operation, leading to inefficient fuel use and harmful emissions.

Innovation Solution

An output control device for internal combustion engines that sets an engine output determination value to limit engine output when the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is above a certain threshold, preventing enriched operation and optimizing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions by controlling the engine's output based on detected SOC values and actual drive motor and battery request power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the internal combustion engine operates at high output to secure power equivalent to generation output of power generator, then the SOC value can be maintained or recovered, but the engine operates in enriched region causing fuel efficiency deterioration and exhaust gas aggravation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSOC value maintenanceVSAvoidfuel efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control device dynamically adjusts the engine output based on real-time SOC value detection. When SOC is above the threshold, the engine output is limited to prevent enriched operation. When SOC falls below the threshold, the engine output is increased to recover SOC. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting engine operation to actual battery state, avoiding unnecessary enriched operation while ensuring SOC maintenance when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the operating parameters of the internal combustion engine based on SOC value. By detecting SOC and comparing it with a predetermined threshold, the system changes the engine output parameter - limiting it when SOC is high to avoid enriched region operation, and increasing it when SOC is low to ensure power generation. This parameter change strategy resolves the contradiction between SOC maintenance and fuel efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the internal combustion engine operates at high output to secure power equivalent to generation output of power generator, then the SOC value can be maintained or recovered, but exhaust gas aggravation occurs due to enriched region operation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSOC value maintenanceVSAvoidexhaust gas aggravation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control device dynamically adjusts the engine output based on real-time SOC value detection. When SOC is above the threshold, the engine output is limited to prevent enriched operation and associated exhaust gas aggravation. When SOC falls below the threshold, the engine output is increased to recover SOC. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting engine operation to actual battery state, avoiding unnecessary enriched operation that causes harmful emissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the operating parameters of the internal combustion engine based on SOC value. By detecting SOC and comparing it with a predetermined threshold, the system changes the engine output parameter - limiting it when SOC is high to avoid enriched region operation and its harmful effects, and increasing it when SOC is low to ensure power generation. This parameter change strategy resolves the contradiction between SOC maintenance and reduction of harmful emissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If the engine output is limited to equal to or less than the engine output determination value, then fuel efficiency and operational efficiency are improved, but the SOC value may fall below the target value when generation output exceeds the determination value

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidSOC value maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device continuously detects the SOC value and compares it with a predetermined threshold, using this feedback to adjust engine output. When SOC is above the threshold, the engine output is limited to improve fuel efficiency. When SOC falls below the threshold, the limitation is removed or reduced to recover SOC. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by ensuring that output limitation is applied only when it does not compromise SOC maintenance, adapting to real-time battery state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control device dynamically adjusts the engine output based on real-time SOC value detection. When SOC is above the threshold, the engine output is limited to prevent enriched operation. When SOC falls below the threshold, the engine output is increased to recover SOC. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting engine operation to actual battery state, avoiding unnecessary enriched operation while ensuring SOC maintenance when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9359970B2Output control device for internal combustion engine
Publication Date: 2016.06.07 SUZUKI MOTOR CORP

AI summary

An output control device for an internal combustion engine mounted on an electrically powered vehicle has a power generator driven by the engine, a drive battery that saves a power generated by the power generator and detects an SOC value of a power saving state, and a drive motor that propels a vehicle by using the power generated by the power generator or the power saved in the drive battery, and controls an output of the engine at a time of power generation of the power generator. The output control device sets an engine output determination value corresponding to a boundary at which an operation state of the engine shifts from stoichiometric operation to enriched operation, and limits an output of the engine to equal to or less than the engine output determination value in correspondence with the detected SOC value of the drive battery.