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EP-4735293-A1 - CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL ENERGY SOURCE MANAGEMENT

EP4735293A1EP 4735293 A1EP4735293 A1EP 4735293A1EP-4735293-A1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a control system (100) for controlling a power supply system (300) of a vehicle, the power supply system comprising a first electrical energy storage module (304) of the vehicle, a second electrical energy storage module (306) of the vehicle, and a power converter (302) configured to connect the second electrical energy storage module to an external power supply external to the vehicle, wherein during charging of the second electrical energy storage module by provision of electrical power from the external power supply. The control system (100) is configured to: receive an electrical power demand signal indicative of a load (308) demand of a load connected to the power supply system (300); receive a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the power supply system (300); and output a power supply signal to control the power supply system to provide electrical power from: the first electrical energy storage module (304) to the load in dependence on the electrical power demand signal being below a power threshold; or the external power supply via the power converter (302) to the load in dependence on the electrical power demand signal being above the power threshold, wherein the power threshold is an adaptive power threshold dependent on the electrical power demand signal and the temperature signal.

Inventors

  • SAPTE, Atharva
  • LLEWELYN-OVERS, Sheldon

Assignees

  • Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240625

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . A control system (100) for controlling a power supply system (300) of a vehicle, the power supply system comprising a first electrical energy storage module (304) of the vehicle, a second electrical energy storage module (306) of the vehicle, and a power converter (302) configured to connect the second electrical energy storage module to an external power supply (310) external to the vehicle, wherein during charging of the second electrical energy storage module by provision of electrical power from the external power supply, the control system is configured to: receive an electrical power demand signal indicative of a load demand of a load (308) connected to the power supply system; receive a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the power supply system; and output a power supply signal to control the power supply system to provide electrical power from: the first electrical energy storage module to the load in dependence on the electrical power demand signal being below a power threshold; or the external power supply via the power converter to the load in dependence on the electrical power demand signal being above the power threshold, wherein the power threshold is an adaptive power threshold dependent on the electrical power demand signal and the temperature signal.
  2. 2. The control system (100) of claim 1 , wherein the power threshold is further dependent on one or more of: a voltage across the power converter (302); a state of health of the first electrical energy storage module (304); a state of charge of the first electrical energy storage module; and a fault state of the first electrical energy storage module.
  3. 3. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to control the power supply system (300) to provide electrical power from the external power supply (310) via the power converter (302) to the load (308) when the temperature of the first electrical energy storage module (304) is above a temperature threshold.
  4. 4. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to control the power supply system (300) to provide electrical power from the external power supply (310) via the power converter (302) to the load (308) when the power demand from the load is above a power demand threshold.
  5. 5. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein, when the state of charge of the first electrical energy storage module (304) is below a remaining charge threshold, the control system is configured to control the power supply system (300) to provide electrical power from the external power supply (310) to the first electrical energy storage module to increase the state of charge of the first electrical energy storage module to reach a filled charge threshold.
  6. 6. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein, when the state of charge of the first electrical energy storage module (304) has reached a filled charge threshold following supply of electrical power to the first electrical energy storage module, control the power supply system (300) to provide electrical power from the external power supply (310) to the second electrical energy storage module (306) and provide electrical power to the load (308) from the first electrical energy storage module.
  7. 7. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to control the power supply system (300) to provide electrical power from the external power supply (310) via the power converter (302) to the load (308) when the state of health of the first electrical energy storage module (304) is below a health threshold.
  8. 8. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein, during provision of electrical power from the external power supply (310) via the power converter (302) to the load, the control system is configured to control the power supply system (300) to provide electrical power from the external power supply via the power converter to the second electrical energy storage module (306) to increase the electrical energy stored in the second electrical energy storage module.
  9. 9. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the power threshold is determined according to a predetermined mapping dependent on the temperature of the power supply system (300) and the power demand from the load.
  10. 10. The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to: detect if the electrical power demand from the load (308) connected to the power supply system (300) changes from a value below the power threshold to a value above the power threshold; and in response to the detection: output a power request signal to the power converter (302) to cause power to be supplied from the external power supply (310) via the power converter to the load; and output a power inhibit signal to the first electrical energy storage module (304) to prevent the provision of electrical power from the first electrical energy storage module to the load.
  11. 11 . The control system (100) of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to: detect if the electrical power demand from the load (308) connected to the power supply system (300) changes from a value above the power threshold to a value below the power threshold; and in response to the detection: output a power inhibit signal to the power converter (302) to inhibit the provision of electrical power from the external power supply (310) via the power converter to the load; and output a power request signal to the first electrical energy storage module (304) to cause power to be supplied from the first electrical energy storage module to the load.
  12. 12. A power supply system (300) comprising the control system (100) of any of claims 1 to 11 ; the first electrical energy storage module (304); the second electrical energy storage module (306); and the power converter (302).
  13. 13. A vehicle (700) comprising the power supply system (300) of claim 12 or the control system (100) of any of claims 1 to 11 .
  14. 14. A method for controlling a power supply system (300) of a vehicle, the power supply system comprising a first electrical energy storage module (304) of the vehicle, a second electrical energy storage module (306) of the vehicle, and a power converter (302) configured to connect the second electrical energy storage module to an external power supply (310) external to the vehicle, wherein during charging of the second electrical energy storage module by provision of electrical power from the external power supply, the method comprises: receiving an electrical power demand signal (502) indicative of a load demand of a load (308) connected to the power supply system, receiving a temperature signal (504) indicative of a temperature of the power supply system; and outputting a power supply signal (506) to control the power supply system to provide electrical power from: the first electrical energy storage module to the load in dependence on the electrical power demand signal being below a power threshold (508); or the external power supply via the power converter to the load in dependence on the electrical power demand signal being above the power threshold (510); wherein the power threshold is an adaptive power threshold dependent on the electrical power demand signal and the temperature signal.
  15. 15. Computer readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, are arranged to perform a method (500) according to claim 14.

Description

Control System for Electrical Energy Source Management TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to managing a power supply system for a vehicle. Aspects relate to a control system for controlling a power supply system of a vehicle, a power supply system, a vehicle, a method for controlling a power supply system of a vehicle, computer readable instructions and a non-transitory computer readable medium. BACKGROUND There has recently been increased interest in providing battery-powered vehicles. A typical charging protocol for a traction battery of an electrically powered vehicle is for the traction battery to be connected to a charging source (e.g. plugged into the grid) and then charging of the battery takes place once connected for charging. A battery powered vehicle may provide electrical power to various vehicle components. Some of these components may require powering while the vehicle is charging. Different power sources may power such components with different efficiencies dependent on the component power demand, and it is desirable to use an appropriate power source to power such components. Current systems may not provide power to such components in the most efficient way which may lead, for example, to wasted power or a reduction in battery life. It is an aim of the present disclosure to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a control system for controlling a power supply system of a vehicle, a power supply system, a vehicle, a method for controlling a power supply system of a vehicle and computer readable instructions as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect there is provided a control system for controlling a power supply system of a vehicle, the power supply system comprising a first electrical energy storage module of the vehicle, a second electrical energy storage module of the vehicle, and a power converter configured to connect the second electrical energy storage module to an external power supply external to the vehicle, wherein during charging of the second electrical energy storage module by provision of electrical power from the external power supply, the control system is configured to: determine to power a load using the first electrical energy storage module or the power converter in dependence on a received power demand from the load and an environmental factor of the power supply system; and output a power supply signal to control the provision of power to the load by the first electrical energy storage module or the power converter in dependence on the determination. The environmental factor of the of the power supply system may comprise a temperature, state of health, state of charge, humidity, fault state, and/or other environmental factor. Advantageously, power is supplied to a load from an electrical energy supply module appropriately for the power demand from the load and the environment. For example, a very low power demand may be provided by a low voltage energy source and a higher power demand may be provided by a high voltage energy source. The determination of which energy source to use to power the load may depend on the load demand in combination with another environmental factor, both of which affect the efficiency with which power may be provided to the load and affect which source is the most appropriate to power the load. According to an aspect there is provided a control system for controlling a power supply system of a vehicle, the power supply system comprising a first electrical energy storage module of the vehicle, a second electrical energy storage module of the vehicle, and a power converter configured to connect the second electrical energy storage module to an external power supply external to the vehicle, wherein during charging of the second electrical energy storage module by provision of electrical power from the external power supply, the control system is configured to: determine to power a load using the first electrical energy storage module or the power converter in dependence on a received power demand from the load and an electrical parameter of the power supply system; and output a power supply signal to control the provision of power to the load by the first electrical energy storage module or the power converter in dependence on the determination. Advantageously, power is supplied to a load from an electrical energy supply module appropriately for the electrical parameters of the system at that time. The efficiency of the power converter depends on the power drawn from it as well as the voltage over it, so the determination to power the load from the electrical energy storage module or via the power converter may be more appropriately made to increase efficient use of the power converter, and maintain desirable characteristics of the first electrical energy storage module such as longer battery life / slower batt