Hybrid Vehicle Refueling Mode to Prevent Engine Restart
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid electric vehicles face the risk of the engine unintentionally starting during refueling, posing a fire hazard.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method that determines if a hybrid electric vehicle is attempting to refuel by checking the gear position, fuel intake status, and location, and enters a refueling mode to keep the engine off until refueling is complete, managing battery state and reducing accessory device power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the engine is automatically turned off when the vehicle is stopped for refueling, then fuel efficiency is improved and exhaust emissions are reduced, but the risk of unintentional engine start during refueling increases, creating a fire hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The control device detects refueling conditions in advance (fuel cap position change, location at gas station) and proactively enters refueling mode before refueling begins, preventing engine start during refueling while maintaining fuel efficiency benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors refueling status through sensors (fuel cap position, location information) and adjusts engine control accordingly, exiting refueling mode when refueling is detected as complete, thus balancing safety and fuel efficiency
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the engine is turned off during refueling to prevent fire hazard, then safety is improved, but user convenience deteriorates because accessory devices cannot operate and the vehicle cannot respond to driver requests
Solution Approach 1:
The control device checks battery state of charge before entering refueling mode and preliminarily manages accessory device operations to reduce power consumption, ensuring safety while maintaining essential user convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts accessory device operation modes during refueling based on battery state of charge, allowing non-essential accessories to be restricted while maintaining essential functions, thus balancing safety with user convenience
3Measurement precision
If the system monitors multiple conditions (gear position, fuel intake status, location) to accurately detect refueling attempts, then refueling detection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The refueling detection function is segmented into multiple independent sensors (fuel cap position sensor, location information system) that each detect specific aspects of refueling, with the control device integrating these separate detection results to achieve accurate refueling detection while maintaining modular system architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A control device for a hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine, a drive motor that drives the vehicle by assisting the engine, a battery that provides energy to the drive motor, and a processor. The processor may determine whether there is an attempt to fuel the vehicle. When it is determined that there is the attempt to fuel the vehicle, the processor may enter a refueling mode to maintain a state in which the engine is turned off, and when refueling is completed, the processor may release the refueling mode to turn on the engine according to an engine starting condition.