Propulsion Control Device for Electric Vehicle Power Converter Abnormality Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles face a reduction in propelling force when power converters fail, and conventional methods rely on operator judgment, which can lead to insufficient force if the judgment is incorrect.
Innovation Solution
A propulsion control device with multiple power converters, an output controller, an abnormality detector, and a determiner that adjusts the output of functioning power converters to maintain normal or increased levels based on detected abnormalities, ensuring sufficient propelling force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operator manually increases power converter output based on judgment, then propelling force can be maintained during abnormality, but operator error may cause insufficient propelling force
Solution Approach 1:
The propulsion control device automatically detects power converter abnormalities and determines required output increases without operator intervention. The system self-adjusts by having the output controller increase output of non-faulty power converters based on abnormality detection results, eliminating operator judgment errors while maintaining propelling force.
Solution Approach 2:
The abnormality detector continuously monitors power converter status and feeds this information to the determiner, which calculates the necessary output increase. This closed-loop feedback system ensures the propelling force is automatically adjusted in response to detected abnormalities, replacing manual operator judgment with automated control.
2Power
If power converter output is increased to compensate for failures, then propelling force is maintained, but the load on remaining power converters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The output controller dynamically adjusts the output parameter of non-faulty power converters based on the number of faulty converters detected. By changing the output parameter in response to abnormality conditions, the system maintains total propelling force while distributing load appropriately among functioning power converters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static normal output to dynamic adaptive output based on abnormality conditions. The determiner calculates the required output increase dynamically according to the number of faulty power converters, allowing the system to adapt its power distribution in real-time to maintain propelling force while managing converter loads.
3Reliability
If multiple power converters are used, then propelling force redundancy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The abnormality detector and output controller serve multiple functions: detecting failures in any power converter, determining the number of faulty converters, calculating required output increases, and controlling the output of non-faulty converters. This multi-functionality manages the complexity of having multiple power converters while maintaining propelling force redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The control functions for multiple power converters are merged into a unified system where the abnormality detector monitors all converters and the output controller manages all non-faulty converters collectively. This consolidation manages the complexity of multiple converters through integrated control rather than separate control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An abnormality detector detects whether an abnormality is occurring in a power converter based on electric current that the power converter outputs and an electric current detector detects. When a value that includes the number of power converters in which an abnormality is occurring, and that indicates amount of reduction in propelling force of a vehicle satisfies a judgment criterion, a determiner determines that an increase is required in the output of the power converter in which no abnormality is occurring, among multiple power converters, to a level higher than normal output. An output controller stops the power converter if notified by the abnormality detector of an occurrence of an abnormality in the power converter. The output controller controls the output of the power converter, for which the determiner determines that the increase is required so that the output becomes higher than the normal output.