Modular Power Storage System for Electric Vehicles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric-powered vehicles face challenges in scalability and management complexity due to changes in high-voltage power storage device specifications, requiring significant adjustments to the integration control device and increasing development man-hours.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a power storage system with multiple parallel-connected unit modules, each comprising a power storage device, contactors, current sensors, and control devices, managed by an integration control device that simplifies the management and allows for easy expansion or reduction of capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional high-voltage power storage devices with specialized design are used to improve vehicle system performance, then safety and power performance are improved, but the control system complexity increases and scalability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The power storage system is divided into multiple independent unit power storage modules, each with its own control device. This segmentation allows the integration control device to manage multiple standardized modules rather than a single complex specialized device, reducing overall control complexity while maintaining safety through distributed control architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal unit power storage module design that can be used across different vehicle configurations. Each module has standardized components and control interfaces, making them interchangeable and adaptable to various power requirements without requiring specialized custom designs, thus reducing control system complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If power storage device specifications are changed to meet different capacity requirements, then vehicle performance adaptability is improved, but development man-hours and control system reconfiguration increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the power storage system into standardized modules, the patent enables capacity changes through simple addition or removal of modules rather than redesigning the entire system. This modular approach significantly reduces development time when capacity requirements change
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves capacity adaptability by changing the number of parallel-connected modules rather than redesigning individual devices. This parameter change (number of modules) allows flexible capacity adjustment while maintaining the same standardized module design, avoiding the need for control system reconfiguration
3Quantity of substance
If multiple parallel-connected power storage devices are used to increase capacity, then power storage capability is improved, but management control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each parallel-connected power storage device is encapsulated as an independent unit module with its own control device, segmenting the management complexity into manageable units. The integration control device communicates with multiple simple module controllers rather than managing a single complex system, reducing overall management complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Each unit module has its own control device that autonomously manages its power storage device, enabling self-service operation. This distributed intelligence reduces the burden on the integration control device, allowing it to scale to multiple modules without proportionally increasing management complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An electric-powered vehicle is equipped with a power storage system having power storage devices each including a plurality of serially connected cells, and an integration control device. Contactors and current sensors are connected in series to the power storage devices. Control devices capable of managing statuses of the power storage devices are provided in addition to the power storage devices, the contactors, and the current sensors, thereby forming unit power storage modules. The unit power storage modules are connected in parallel. An electrical load whose driving is controlled by using powers of the power storage devices is provided. The integration control device is connected to the electrical load and the control devices of the unit power storage modules.