Power control apparatus and method for electrical system of vehicle

• US 20060122737A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Senda, Takashi, Obayashi, Kazuyoshi, Tamura, Hiroshi, Tani, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc

Abstract

A power control apparatus acquires a maximum supply amount of power, transient maximum supply amount of power, and transient minimum supply amount of power of each power supply source. The apparatus further acquires a power cost of respective power supply sources, a load-required power and a charge request power. The apparatus acquires a combination of power supply sources that minimizes specific fuel consumption and determines an allocation amount of power. Taking transient response of respective power supply sources into account, the allocation amount of power of each power supply sources is corrected to be greater than a transient minimum supply power and smaller than a transient maximum supply power.

Claims

1. A power control apparatus for an electrical system for supplying power from a plurality of power supply sources to an electrical load, the apparatus comprising:

allocation determination means that makes a determination of an allocation amount of power for each of the power supply sources so that a power cost of an entirety of the electrical system is minimized, by taking into account a variation in a power cost, which is indicative of a cost per unit amount of power, with respect to a supply amount of each of the power of respective power supply sources.

control means that controls power generation of each of the power supply sources in accordance with a determined allocation amount of power.

2. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 1, further comprising:

demand power acquiring means that acquires a demand amount of power indicative of an amount of power necessary to be supplied overall from the plurality of power supply sources to the electrical system; and

power information calculation means that performs calculation of information of a maximum supply amount of power indicative of a power suppliable from each power supply source and of the power cost, which is the cost per unit amount of power, for the supply amount of power of respective power supply source,

wherein the allocation determination means makes a determination of the allocation amount of power for each power supply source with which the power cost of the entirety of the electrical system is minimized, the determination being made to satisfy a condition that a total amount of power of the supply amounts of power of respective power supply sources is equal to the demand amount of power and the supply amount of power of respective power supply source is within a maximum supply amount of power of respective power supply source.

3. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 2, further comprising:

necessary power acquiring means that acquires a load-required amount of power indicative of a necessary amount of power of the electrical load; and

charge request power acquiring means that acquires a charge request amount of power of power storage means of the power supply sources,

wherein the demand power acquiring means acquires a sum of the load-required amount of power and the charge request amount of power to be the demand amount of power.

4. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 3, wherein:

the charge request power acquiring means includes target cost setting means that sets a target cost being used in the event of charging the power storage means in accordance with a residual capacity of the power storage means,

the charge request amount of power is set to an amount of power obtained by a subtraction of the load-required amount of power from a maximum amount of power of respective power supply sources that is output a cost lower than or equal to the target cost in accordance with the target cost, the power cost of respective power supply source other than the power storage means, a maximum charge amount of power of the power storage means, and the load-required amount of power.

5. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 4, wherein the target cost setting means sets the target cost to be higher as the residual capacity of the power storage means is smaller, and sets the target cost to be lower as the residual capacity of the power storage means is greater.

6. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 4, wherein the target cost setting means sets the target cost to be higher as the load-required amount of power is greater.

7. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 2, wherein:

at least one of the plurality of power supply sources includes an energy converter that converts power supplied from an energy source to power; and

the power information calculation means performs calculation of a maximum supply amount of power of the power supply source including the energy converter in accordance with information regarding usable power for conversion of power from the energy source of the power supply source.

8. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 7, wherein, taking performance of the energy converter into account, the power information calculation means performs calculation of the maximum supply amount of power of the power supply source including the energy converter.

9. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 2, wherein:

the power information calculation means performs calculation of a maximum supply amount of power constantly suppliable from each power supply source, and performs calculation of a transient supply amount of power suppliable from the power supply source after a predetermined time; and

the allocation determination means makes the determination of the allocation amount of power for the power supply source in accordance with the maximum supply amount of power and the transient supply amount of power.

10. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 9, wherein:

the power information calculation means performs calculation of a maximum supply amount and a transient minimum supply amount of power, respectively, indicative of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the transient supply amount of power; and

the allocation determination means includes correction means for performing correction so that the allocation amount of power of the power supply source becomes greater than or equal to the transient minimum supply amount of power in the power supply source and smaller than or equal to the transient maximum supply amount of power.

11. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 7, wherein the power information calculation means includes maximum supply power calculation means that inputs information regarding the power into a system model of a system configured to include the energy converter and a control device which controls the energy converter, and that performs calculation of the maximum supply amount of power of the power supply source including the energy converter.

12. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 11, wherein the control means includes final command value calculation means that inputs a power supply command value indicative of the allocation amount of power determined by the allocation determination means into a reverse model with respect to the system model, and that performs calculation of a final command value for the energy converter.

13. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 12, wherein the maximum supply power calculation means and the final command value calculation means each performs the calculation by using a system model into which a response delay element of the energy source is incorporated and the reverse model.

14. A power control apparatus for an electrical system comprising:

a power supply source including an energy converter that converts energy supplied from an energy source to power and supplies the power to an electrical load;

power information calculation means that performs calculation of information of a maximum supply amount of power indicative of an amount of power suppliable from the power supply source in accordance with information regarding power usable for conversion of energy supplied from the energy source; and

final command value determination means that determines a final command value for the power supply source in accordance with a power supply command amount value determined from the maximum supply amount of power.

15. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 14, wherein the power information calculation means performs calculation of the maximum supply amount, taking performance of the energy converter into account.

16. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 14, wherein the power information calculation means includes power supply command amount determination means that performs calculation of a maximum supply amount of power constantly suppliable from the power supply source, performs calculation of a transient supply amount of power suppliable from the power supply source after a predetermined time, and makes the determination of the power supply command amount value in accordance with the maximum supply amount of power and the transient supply amount of power.

17. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 16, wherein:

the power information calculation means performs calculation of a maximum supply amount and a transient minimum supply amount of power, respectively, indicative of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the transient supply amount of power; and

the power supply command amount determination means includes correction means for performing correction so that the power supply command amount value becomes greater than or equal to the transient minimum supply amount of power and smaller than or equal to the transient maximum supply amount of power.

18. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 14, wherein the power information calculation means includes maximum supply power calculation means that inputs information regarding the power into a system model of a system configured to include the energy converter and a control device which controls the energy converter, and that performs calculation of the maximum supply amount of power.

19. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 18, further comprising:

final command value calculation means that inputs the power supply command value into a reverse model with respect to the system model, and that calculation of a final command value for the energy converter.

20. A power control apparatus for an electrical system according to claim 19, wherein the maximum supply power calculation means and the final command value calculation means each performs the calculation by using the system model into which a response delay element of the energy source is incorporated and the reverse model.