Energy Management System and Method for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

• US 20100187030A1
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gearhart, Chris Conway
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An energy management system includes a first energy source having a first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content, a second energy source having a second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content and a drive mechanism powered by the first energy source and the second energy source. The drive mechanism is powered by the first energy source when the first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than the second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content and the drive mechanism is powered by the second energy source when the second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than the first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content.

Claims

1. An energy management system, comprising:

a first energy source having a first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content;

a second energy source having a second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content;

a drive mechanism powered by said first energy source and said second energy source; and

wherein said drive mechanism is powered by said first energy source when said first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content and said drive mechanism is powered by said second energy source when said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than said first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content.

2. The energy management system of claim 1 further comprising a prime mover interfacing with said first energy source and a power distribution and conversion mechanism interfacing with said prime mover, said second energy source and said drive mechanism.

3. The energy management system of claim 2 wherein said prime mover is a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine.

4. The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said first energy source comprises an onboard fuel storage facility containing fuel.

5. The energy management system of claim 1 wherein said second energy source comprises a battery and electrical energy stored in said battery.

6. The energy management system of claim 5 further comprising an electrical grid connected to said battery.

7. The energy management system of claim 6 wherein said battery is adapted for plug-in connection to said electrical grid.

8. An energy management system for a hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:

a first energy source having a first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content;

a second energy source having a second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content;

a power distribution and conversion mechanism disposed in electrical communication with said first energy source and said second energy source;

an electric drive mechanism drivingly engaged by said power distribution and conversion mechanism; and

wherein said electric drive mechanism is operated using said first energy source when said first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content and said electric drive is operated using said second energy source when said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than said first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content.

9. The energy management system of claim 8 further comprising a prime mover interfacing with said first energy source and said power distribution and conversion mechanism.

10. The energy management system of claim 8 wherein said prime mover is a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine.

11. The energy management system of claim 8 wherein said first energy source comprises an onboard fuel storage facility containing fuel.

12. The energy management system of claim 8 wherein said second energy source comprises a vehicle battery and electrical energy stored in said vehicle battery.

13. The energy management system of claim 12 further comprising an electrical grid connected to said vehicle battery.

14. The energy management system of claim 13 wherein said vehicle battery is adapted for plug-in connection to said electrical grid.

15. The energy management system of claim 8 further comprising a vehicle controller communicating with said first energy source, said second energy source and said power distribution and conversion mechanism and wherein said vehicle controller is adapted to use GPS and time information to estimate said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content based on regional grid mix averages.

16. An energy management method for minimizing greenhouse gas emissions of a vehicle, comprising:

providing a first energy source;

providing a second energy source;

determining a first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content of said first energy source;

determining a second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content of said second energy source; and

operating said vehicle using said first energy source when said first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content and operating said vehicle using said second energy source when said second well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content is less than said first well-to-wheels greenhouse gas emissions content.

17. The energy management method of claim 16 wherein said providing a first energy source comprises providing a fuel source and said providing a second energy source comprises providing a vehicle battery and electrical energy stored in said vehicle battery.

18. The energy management method of claim 17 further comprising providing a prime mover in power communication with said fuel source;

providing a power distribution and conversion mechanism in electrical communication with said prime mover;

providing said vehicle battery in electrical communication with said power distribution and conversion mechanism; and

providing an electric drive mechanism in driven engagement with said power distribution and conversion mechanism, and further comprising recharging said vehicle battery by distributing electrical power from said power distribution and conversion mechanism to said vehicle battery while minimizing an average greenhouse gas emissions content per unit of electrical energy stored in said vehicle battery.

19. The energy management method of claim 18 wherein said providing a prime mover in power communication with said fuel source comprises providing an internal combustion engine in power communication with said fuel source.

20. The energy management method of claim 18 wherein said providing a prime mover in power communication with said fuel source comprises providing a fuel cell in power communication with said fuel source.