Vehicle Control Unit for Regenerative Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In fuel cell vehicles, surplus regenerative electric power cannot be charged into the secondary battery, leading to unexpected consumption by auxiliaries like air compressors, causing driving noise and discomfort for users.
Innovation Solution
A control unit manages the regenerative electric power by directing it to auxiliaries during specific operational maneuvers, even when the battery is chargeable, to synchronize noise with user actions and optimize power usage, potentially using quieter auxiliaries when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the auxiliary is caused to consume the regenerative electric power when the secondary battery cannot be charged, then the energy efficiency is enhanced, but the user experiences driving noise and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit determines in advance whether the secondary battery is in a chargeable state before causing the auxiliary to consume regenerative electric power. By performing this determination beforehand, the system can prevent unexpected auxiliary operation and associated noise, thereby resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and user comfort.
2Loss of energy
If the auxiliary consumes regenerative electric power suddenly, then the surplus energy is utilized, but the user develops a feeling of strangeness due to unexpected noise
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the chargeable state of the secondary battery and uses this feedback information to determine whether the auxiliary should consume regenerative electric power. This feedback mechanism ensures that auxiliary operation occurs only when appropriate, preventing unexpected noise and maintaining user comfort while still utilizing surplus energy.
3Productivity
If the regenerative electric power is supplied to the auxiliary during operational maneuvers, then the power usage is optimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit automatically determines the chargeable state of the secondary battery and makes decisions about auxiliary power consumption without requiring complex external control systems or user intervention. This self-service approach optimizes power usage while keeping the control system relatively simple.
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 user discomfort by correlating auxiliary noise with operational maneuvers and ensures appropriate timing for power consumption, enhancing battery management and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a regenerative electric power is generated in a drive motor of the vehicle at the time of deceleration
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle is equipped with an electric storage device, a drive motor, an auxiliary that can be driven by a regenerative electric power, and a control unit. The control unit performs a non-chargeable control for causing the auxiliary to consume the regenerative electric power when the electric storage device is in a non-chargeable state, and performs a specific maneuver control for causing the auxiliary to consume the regenerative electric power even when the electric storage device is in a chargeable state in the case where an operational maneuver for making a change to an operation mode in which a larger amount of the regenerative electric power is generated is performed with the regenerative electric power generated.