Smart Grid Management for Electric Vehicle Wireless Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless power transfer systems for electric vehicles are ineffective in managing distributed charging demands across varying routes and battery capacities, and fail to enable electric vehicles to contribute power back to the grid, particularly during peak usage periods.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes a processor and computer-readable medium to evaluate grid load availability, regulate energy distribution through a switching fabric, and manage bidirectional energy flow between electric vehicles and the grid, allowing vehicles to charge or contribute power based on demand and priority.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wireless power transfer systems are deployed to charge electric vehicles along roadways, then electric vehicles can be recharged during travel without stopping, but the system fails to manage distributed charging demands across varying routes and battery capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power transfer parameters based on real-time vehicle identification and battery state assessment. The roadway charging system transitions from static fixed-power transmission to dynamic adaptive power distribution, modifying charging characteristics according to each vehicle's specific needs and grid conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor vehicle battery capacity, charge level, and route information. This feedback enables the control system to optimize power distribution in real-time, adjusting charging parameters based on actual vehicle requirements and grid availability rather than using fixed predetermined settings
2Adaptability or versatility
If more electric vehicles are added to the grid, then renewable energy adoption increases, but the strain on already constrained grid resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of grid load availability before initiating charging operations. By evaluating grid capacity in advance and pre-coordinating charging schedules, the system prevents overload conditions and ensures that charging operations only commence when sufficient grid resources are available, thus avoiding strain on constrained grid resources
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters based on grid conditions, adjusting charging power levels, timing, and distribution patterns. When grid resources are constrained, the system modifies charging parameters to reduce load; when resources are abundant, it increases charging capacity, thereby adapting to varying grid availability without causing strain
3Length of moving object
If electric vehicles use larger battery packs to travel longer distances, then travel range increases, but Tesla buyers pay a significant premium and battery vehicles must be recharged for hours
Solution Approach 1:
The roadway charging system enables continuous power transfer to the vehicle battery while the vehicle is in motion, eliminating the need for stationary recharging stops. This continuous charging approach maintains the vehicle's operational status without interruption, allowing the vehicle to travel longer distances without pausing for extended recharging periods
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary charging during periods of low vehicle occupancy or off-peak hours when grid resources are more abundant and cheaper. By charging in advance during optimal conditions, the system reduces the need for urgent charging during peak periods, effectively extending usable travel range without requiring oversized batteries
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 system efficiently manages energy distribution for electric vehicles with different battery capacities and charge levels, enabling them to contribute power back to the grid during peak usage, reducing the strain on the smart grid and incentivizing the use of larger battery packs.
Implementation Method 1
a wire carrying an electric current produces a magnetic field around the wire (Ampere's Law)
Implementation Method 2
a coil intersecting a magnetic field produces a voltage in that coil (Faraday's Law)
Implementation Method 3
electromagnetic power transfer between electrical circuits across an air gap can be achieved using magnetic field coupling at resonance (Tesla's Law)
Data Source
AI summary
A control system for a power grid includes a grid load availability evaluator that determines, for a selected time interval, an amount of electrical energy from a power grid that can be used to charge rechargeable electric vehicles by a plurality of charging segments positioned along transportation routes in a transportation network and a switching fabric to regulate, over the selected time interval, the electrical energy provided by the charging segments in accordance with the determined amount of electrical energy from the power grid that can be used to charge rechargeable vehicles.