ACTIVE ELECTRICAL POWER FLOW CONTROL SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZATION OF POWER DELIVERY IN ELECTRIC HYBRID VEHICLES

• US 20090309416A1
• Filed: 06/12/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Original Assignee: Northern Illinois University
• Inventors: Yu, Zhihong, Zinger, Donald, Bose, Anima B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,080,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0025 Transfer function weighting factor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/114 Super-capacities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A power flow control system including an integrated circuit having a mechanism for determining an amount of energy storage required for power source devices and a mechanism for controlling power flow delivery between the power source devices. A power flow control system also including more than one power source device in electrical connection with the power flow control system. An efficient hybrid vehicle, including the power flow control system integrated in the hybrid vehicle, and more than one power source device in electrical connection with the power flow control system and operatively connected to the hybrid vehicle. A method of controlling power flow in a vehicle, including the steps of determining the amount of energy storage required for power source devices, and controlling power flow delivery between the power source devices. Power flow control systems and methods of using for fuel cell and battery combinations and battery and super-capacitor combinations.

Claims

1. A power flow control system comprising:

an integrated circuit including means for determining an amount of energy storage required for power source devices and means for controlling power flow delivery between said power source devices.

2. The power flow control system of claim 1, wherein said power source devices are chosen from the group consisting of fuel cells, batteries, super-capacitors, and combinations thereof.

3. The power flow control system of claim 2, wherein said power source devices are a fuel cell, battery, and super-capacitor.

4. The power flow control system of claim 1, wherein said means for determining is further defined as a Simplex linear algorithm.

5. The power flow control system of claim 1, wherein said means for controlling is further defined as an algorithm to minimize performance index.

6. The power flow control system of claim 5, wherein said means for controlling is further defined as an algorithm comprising Equations 1-40.

7. The power flow control system of claim 6, wherein said algorithm further comprises means for updating weighting coefficients and is defined in Equation 25.

8. The power flow control system of claim 1, wherein said power source devices are a fuel cell, a battery, and a super-capacitor, and said means for determining is further defined as an Simplex algorithm, and said means for controlling is further defined as an algorithm including Equations 1-40.

9. The power flow control system of claim 1, wherein said control system is operatively connected in a vehicle chosen from the group consisting of electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, golf carts, motorbikes, snowmobiles, motorboats, and jet skis.

10. The power flow control system of claim 1, further including more than one power source device in electrical connection with said power flow control system.

11. The power flow control system of claim 10, wherein said power source devices are chosen from the group consisting of fuel cells, batteries, capacitors, and combinations thereof.

12. The power flow control system of claim 11, wherein said means for determining is further defined as a Simplex algorithm.

13. The power flow control system of claim 12, wherein said means for controlling is further defined as an algorithm including Equations 1-40.

15. The power flow control system of claim 13, wherein said means for controlling is further defined as an algorithm including Equations 1-24.

17. The power flow control system of claim 15, wherein said means for controlling is further defined as an algorithm including Equations 26-40.

18. An efficient hybrid vehicle, comprising the power flow control system of claim 1 integrated in said hybrid vehicle, and more than one power source device in electrical connection with said power flow control system and operatively connected to said hybrid vehicle.

19. The efficient hybrid vehicle of claim 18, wherein said power source devices are chosen from the group consisting of fuel cells, batteries, capacitors, and combinations thereof.

14. A power flow control system for a fuel cell and battery combination comprising:

an integrated circuit including means for determining an amount of energy storage required for a fuel cell and battery combination and means for controlling power flow delivery between said fuel cell and battery.

16. A power flow control system for a battery and super-capacitor combination comprising:

an integrated circuit including means for determining an amount of energy storage required for a battery and super-capacitor combination and means for controlling power flow delivery between said battery and super-capacitor.

20. A method of controlling power flow in a vehicle, including the steps of:

determining the amount of energy storage required for power source devices; and

controlling power flow delivery between the power source devices.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said determining step is further defined as determining the amount of energy storage required for power source devices chosen from the group consisting of fuel cells, batteries, capacitors, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said determining step is further defined as solving an Simplex algorithm.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said controlling step is further defined as solving an algorithm based on Equations 1-40.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said solving step further includes updating weighting coefficients according to Equation 25.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said controlling step is further defined as

determining power requirements of the vehicle;

based on a battery state, determining a required power command from a fuel cell by using a performance index;

creating a feedback gain sequence to feedback information about the battery state to the power command for the fuel cell;

creating a feedforward gain sequence to include information from an optimal control sequence into the fuel cell power command;

dividing remaining power between the fuel cell and a super-capacitor

26. A method of controlling power flow in a vehicle between a fuel cell and battery, including the steps of:

determining the amount of energy storage required for the fuel cell and battery; and

controlling power flow delivery between the fuel cell and battery.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said controlling step is further defined as solving an algorithm based on Equations 1-24.

28. A method of controlling power flow in a vehicle between a battery and super-capacitor, including the steps of:

determining the amount of energy storage required for the battery and super-capacitor; and

controlling power flow delivery between the battery and super-capacitor.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said controlling step is further defined as solving an algorithm based on Equations 26-40.