Electric Motor Heating Control at Vehicle Standstill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical heating systems in vehicles, particularly in heavy-duty vehicles, are inefficient and costly, and they struggle to provide effective heating at standstill conditions, which can degrade electrical motor performance and potentially damage components.
Innovation Solution
A computer system with processing circuitry is used to disconnect the electrical motor from the vehicle's drive train and control the stator current vector to accelerate the motor to a predetermined speed, allowing for efficient heating of the motor and subsequent distribution of heat within the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional electric or combustion heaters are used for vehicle heating, then heating function is provided, but vehicle cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical motor is made to serve dual purposes: propulsion during vehicle operation and heating during standby/idle periods. By controlling the motor to rotate at specific speeds during standby, it generates heat that is transferred to the cabin through the heat exchanger, eliminating the need for separate heating devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor utilizes its own operational characteristics to provide heating. During standby, the motor rotates independently (decoupled from the drive train) and generates heat internally through electromagnetic losses and resistance, which is then transferred to heat the cabin, making the system self-sufficient without external heating sources.
2Temperature
If traditional heaters are installed in the vehicle, then heating capability is ensured, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical motor performs dual functions as both a propulsion device and a heating source. During standby mode, the motor rotates independently and generates heat that is transferred to the cabin through the existing heat exchanger system, thereby eliminating the need for separate heating equipment and reducing overall vehicle weight.
3Use of energy by moving object
If electrical motor is used for heating at standstill, then heating efficiency improves, but motor temperature control becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the motor's rotational speed during standby mode to optimize heating efficiency while managing temperature. The control unit varies the rotation speed based on thermal requirements, allowing the motor to operate in different regimes (acceleration, steady-state rotation, deceleration) to meet heating demands without overheating.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit manipulates electrical parameters (current amplitude, current angle, voltage frequency) to regulate the motor's rotational speed and consequently the heat generation. By changing these parameters, the system achieves precise control over the heating output and motor temperature without requiring complex mechanical control mechanisms.
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 reduces the cost and weight of the vehicle by eliminating the need for traditional heaters, provides an efficient and environmentally friendly heating method for electric vehicles at standstill, and ensures optimal operating temperatures for the electrical motor.
Implementation Method 1
control a stator current vector, comprising a stator current amplitude and a stator current angle, driving the electrical motor
Implementation Method 2
determine the predetermined stator current amplitude based on a temperature of windings of the electrical motor
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system comprising processing circuitry is presented. The processing circuitry is configured to disconnect an electrical motor from a drive train of a vehicle and to control a stator current vector driving the electrical motor to cause the electrical motor to accelerate to a predetermined rotational speed. The stator current indicating a stator current amplitude and stator current angle. The processing circuitry is further configured to, responsive to the electrical motor rotating at the predetermined rotational speed, control the stator current angle to maintain the predetermined rotational speed at a predetermined stator current amplitude.