Vehicular Microgrid Buffer Battery for Scalable Grid Supplementation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques fail to effectively scale up the discharge of surplus electricity from vehicles to the main electric grid, leading to inefficient and uncoordinated energy supplementation.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent vehicular microgrid system that includes a set of vehicular charging stations coupled to an intermediate battery, utilizing machine learning models to determine optimal times for discharging surplus electricity from the intermediate battery to the main electric grid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vehicles discharge surplus electricity directly to the main electric grid using existing techniques, then individual vehicles can contribute energy, but the system cannot be effectively scaled up to a large number of vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate battery system that acts as a mediator between multiple vehicles and the main electric grid. This intermediate battery accumulates surplus electricity from multiple vehicles and then discharges to the grid when needed, enabling scalable coordination without requiring complex direct connections between each vehicle and the grid. The intermediate battery serves as a buffer that decouples the timing and coordination requirements between vehicle charging/discharging operations and grid supplementation needs.
2Reliability
If vehicles discharge surplus electricity independently, then individual energy supplementation occurs, but the discharge timing does not align with when the main electric grid warrants supplementation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the control component continuously monitors both the charge state of the intermediate battery and the operational status of the main electric grid. This feedback loop enables the system to determine optimal discharge timing based on actual grid needs rather than arbitrary or predetermined schedules. The feedback ensures that surplus electricity is discharged to the grid precisely when it warrants supplementation, maximizing the reliability and effectiveness of the energy supplementation.
3Ease of operation
If an intermediate battery is introduced to accumulate surplus electricity from multiple vehicles, then coordinated discharge to the grid becomes possible, but the system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate battery system is designed to perform multiple functions: it accumulates surplus electricity from vehicles, stores energy for later use, and discharges to the main grid when needed. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated infrastructure, reducing overall complexity despite the addition of the battery component. The universal design allows the same infrastructure to serve both vehicle energy management and grid supplementation purposes.
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
The system enables coordinated and efficient discharge of surplus electricity, providing non-negligible assistance to the main electric grid at times of high demand, thereby improving grid operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The device can accumulate, within an intermediate battery, surplus electricity collectively supplied by one or more vehicles that dock at the set of vehicular charging stations
Implementation Method 2
The device can discharge, at a time at which a main electric grid warrants supplementation, the surplus electricity from the intermediate battery to the main electric grid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Systems/techniques that facilitate intelligent vehicular microgrids are provided. In various embodiments, a system can comprise a set of vehicular charging stations coupled to an intermediate battery. In various aspects, the system can accumulate, within the intermediate battery, surplus electricity collectively supplied by one or more vehicles that dock at the set of vehicular charging stations. In various instances, the system can discharge, at a time at which a main electric grid warrants supplementation, the surplus electricity from the intermediate battery to the main electric grid. In various cases, the system can determine the time at which the main electric grid warrants supplementation, via execution of a machine learning model.