Electric Marine Battery Range Display Under Wind and Current
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to accurately account for environmental conditions such as wind and current when estimating the range of an electric marine propulsion system, leading to inaccuracies in battery power consumption and causing 'range anxiety' for users.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that calculates and displays an 'eccentric battery range' by determining the impact of environmental forces on a marine vessel in various directions, using sensors to measure wind and current vectors, and generating a range display that accounts for these forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a simple nominal range calculation is used based on battery charge level, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the range information is inaccurate and does not account for environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the range calculation into multiple directional components (eccentric ranges) rather than a single nominal value. The control system calculates separate range values for different headings (e.g., forward, backward, left, right) based on environmental forces in each direction, providing more accurate and nuanced range information to the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional nominal range scalar to a multi-dimensional eccentric range representation. By incorporating directional vectors and environmental force components, the system adds spatial dimensions to the range calculation, displaying range information as an eccentric shape or multiple directional values rather than a single number.
2Reliability
If environmental forces are not considered in range calculation, then the calculation is simple and fast, but the battery power consumption estimation is inaccurate causing range anxiety
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors environmental conditions (wind, current, waves) and feeds this information back into the range calculation algorithm. The control system adjusts the eccentric range values in real-time based on measured environmental forces, ensuring accurate power consumption estimation that reflects current operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used in range calculation from simple battery charge level to multiple parameters including battery charge level, environmental force vectors, vessel heading, and speed. By incorporating these additional parameters, the system achieves more reliable power consumption accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric marine propulsion system includes a power storage system comprising at least one marine battery, an electric marine drive powered by the power storage system, and a control system. The control system is configured to identify at least one environmental vector describing a magnitude and a direction of at least one environmental force impacting a marine vessel, and then calculate a resultant vector based on the at least one environmental vector. A nominal range to empty is then determined based on a charge level of the power storage system, and the system determines an eccentric range based on the resultant vector and the nominal range to empty, wherein the eccentric range represents a range to empty in a plurality of directions around the marine vessel. An eccentric range display is generated on a display device based on the eccentric range.