DE102016225188A1 - Device, gas station, wholesale energy device and method for reducing oversupply of energy - Google Patents

Abstract

There is proposed a device, a means of transportation, a gas station, an energy wholesaler, and a method for reducing oversupply of energy for a powertrain of a vehicle (10). The method comprises the steps of: determining an oversupply of energy and in response thereto sending a message to the means of locomotion (10) and / or a user (1) regarding the oversupply.

Description

The present invention relates to a device, a means of transportation, a gas station, an energy wholesale facility and a method for reducing an oversupply of energy for a drive train of a means of transportation. In particular, the present invention relates to the reduction of oversupply of such energy carriers which have a variable commercial value (e.g., due to a property) over time.

Great efforts are currently being made in the art to use alternative energy sources as traction energy for a wide variety of vehicles. Especially with gaseous energy sources cooling and compression are useful or even necessary to bring significant energy resources in the tank systems of the means of transportation. For example, hydrogen is sometimes considerably cooled down to produce the required energy densities at manageable pressure.

Corresponding considerations apply to gas stations or energy delivery stations. If appropriate, quantities of hydrogen purchased from an energy wholesaler will absorb heat if the sales volume is left behind, and possibly exceed the maximum permissible pressures of the tank systems used. Either an active cooling of the tank system is required or hydrogen must be blown off unused, so that the resulting expansion cooling lowers the tank internal pressure.

Based on the aforementioned prior art, it is an object of the present invention to optimally use tank systems from an ecological and economic point of view, to empty the tank as needed (when it is just full and a large amount of hydrogen is produced via renewable energy sources) and against overpressure to protect.

The above object is achieved by a method for reducing an oversupply of energy for a drive train of a means of transport. The energy can be stored, for example, by an energy source in electrochemical form, in chemical form or the like. The means of locomotion or its drive train may be electric, combustion engine, hybrid o. Ä. Driven. The oversupply of the energy or the energy source can arise due to different circumstances. For example, an expected generation of the energy or the energy carrier can announce an oversupply. However, oversupply can also arise from existing energy / energy sources in response to a change in their state of aggregation. In a first step, an oversupply of traction energy is determined. This can be done, for example, sensory or by means of data communication (eg, by mediating the Internet). The energy / energy carrier may be in a stationary energy storage or in a traction energy storage of another means of transport (tanker, car, van, truck, etc.) surplus. In response to the identified oversupply (currently anticipated or expected in the near or medium term), a message is sent to the vehicle or user of the means of transportation that characterizes the oversupply. The user in the context of the present invention can be understood as a user of the energy or the energy carrier. In other words, a customer for the energy / energy carrier is informed of the oversupply. The means of transport / the potential customer may receive the message via a wireless communication device, for example. Accordingly, the user can receive the same message or a substantially identical message via a wireless communication terminal (eg, smartphone, tablet, or the like). The message can be received, for example, by means of an application ("app") and generate an acoustic and / or optical and / or haptic output to the user. In response to the detection of the oversupply, the means of transportation / the user can consider a reference of the energy carrier in order to reduce the oversupply. In other words, he can provide the energy storage of the means of transportation to alleviate the oversupply. In this way it can be prevented that the oversupply of energy, for example by burning a fuel as an energy source, can be reduced in an economically and ecologically ineffective manner or (depending on the form of energy) an active cooling must be carried out.

Alternatively or additionally, an incentive may be given to the user of the means of transportation in order to reduce the oversupply of energy by relating the energy carrier. For example, he can get the energy at a reduced rate. This can provide the incentive to carry out refueling / charging even though the vehicle's memory is not yet "empty" (e.g., half full, spare ...).

The dependent claims show preferred developments of the invention.

For example, the excess supply of energy due to a restriction of the energy containing memory (eg, an expected capacity bottleneck or reaching a maximum pressure for a tank system) arise. In particular, in the case of a regeneratively generated energy, a tank arranged in the region of a gas station may have a level which is too high in order to absorb further energy reserves. The same applies to an electrochemical energy source (for example, an electrochemical battery), which is available for example in the area of the gas station for electric vehicles. However, the tank can also be assigned to a private household. If it is full and the energy is not used, this energy could be offered to other users (not just the owner). This makes it unnecessary to feed this oversupply in the form of electricity into the grid - and also the associated costs. For example, the energy carrier may comprise hydrogen, natural gas or the like. In this case, the oversupply can also be caused by an increasing pressure of the gas due to heating of the tank system. In other words, fuel must be removed from the tank system to create expansion refrigeration and lower the pressure of the tank system. Instead of blowing off or flaring off the hydrogen, an economically and ecologically sensible use can be made of distribution to needy means of transportation.

In particular, in the event that a regenerative production of the energy or the energy carrier is provided, an oversupply of renewable energies (eg wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric power and / or thermal energy) can lead to the energy carriers generated by means of the regenerative energy or filled storage (eg an accumulator, a pressure tank or the like) is briefly guided to its load limit / capacity limit. The determination of oversupply can therefore be determined, for example, by announcing significant wind energy (storms), tides, solar radiation / hours of sunshine. In general, the oversupply may already be present or expected in the future.

For example, in the event that a gas station operator, a power generator o. Ä. Wind turbines, solar energy plants or hydroelectric power plants operates, coupled to the aforementioned energy converter memory within a predefined period of time (possibly depending on an expected sales of the energy carrier) completely filled or on its load limit be brought. In response to this, the message can be forwarded to needy means of transportation and thus promise immediate relief regarding the oversupply.

In particular, in the event that a variety of means of transport is informed by means of a broadcast message about the excess supply of energy, the oversupply can be reduced with a high probability sufficiently early. In particular, the incentive can be dimensioned depending on the urgency / time at which the capacity limit or load limit is reached. A high incentive can cause more means of transportation (possibly from a further distance and / or short-term) to reduce the oversupply in the manner according to the invention.

In order to keep the communication effort and / or the data volume for the reception of the message within a meaningful framework, the reception of the message can be made dependent on the location of the means of transportation or on the user thereof. In particular, a distance (route or geographical distance) can be decided by means of positioning systems basically known in the prior art as to whether the means of transport / user is ever sent the message. For example, although the message may be sent to a large circle of recipients, the message may be position-dependent or absent. Such location-based services are also referred to as location-based services. In this way, only those means of transport / users can be informed about the oversupply, for which a short-term procurement of the energy source / energy is also possible.

Depending on which position in the distribution / production chain the excess supply of energy is to be expected, the message can also be addressed to potential customers of a next level. For example, the message may be sent by a producer of the energy to a wholesaler (eg, a gas station, a gas station chain, or the like). Alternatively or additionally, the producer can send the message to a fleet operator and / or an end user (user, driver or the like) of the means of transportation. Accordingly, a device suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention can be configured stationary and / or mobile. In other words, wireless communication signals (satellite-based and / or terrestrial) may be used to inform about the oversupply and, if necessary, pre-flag desired purchase quantities.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a device is proposed for reducing excess supply of energy for a drive train of a means of transportation. The device may be designed to be stationary and / or mobile (as described above). It includes a data input, which, for example, with a sensor, a communication system or similar can be linked. The data input may include, for example, a bus subscriber. The evaluation unit can be designed as a programmable processor, microcontroller and / or as an electronic control unit. A data output is provided to communicate the oversupply of the means of transportation or the user. In other words, the data input is provided to determine an oversupply of traction energy in conjunction with the evaluation unit. In conjunction with the data output, the evaluation unit is set up to send a message to the means of locomotion and / or a user of the means of transport regarding the oversupply in response to the determined oversupply. The user in the context of the present invention can be understood as a user of the energy or the energy carrier. In other words, the features, feature combinations and resulting from these advantages of the method according to the invention can be seen in a corresponding manner by the device according to the invention realized that reference is made to avoid repetition of the above statements.

According to a third and a fourth aspect of the present invention, there are proposed a transportation means and a gas station which have a device according to the second aspect of the invention. In this way, the gas station can determine the oversupply and, for example, communicate to its customers.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an energy wholesale facility is proposed, which can supply, for example, gas stations, commercial customers or private customers. By means of the device according to the invention, the wholesale energy device can determine the oversupply of energy / energy carriers and communicate to their customers in order to reduce the oversupply economically and ecologically.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Situation, in welcher eine Tankstelle ein Überangebot regenerativ erzeugter Energie an ein herannahendes Fortbewegungsmittel kommuniziert und
• 2 ein Flussdiagramm veranschaulichend Schritte eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the figures. Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of a situation in which a gas station communicates an oversupply of regeneratively generated energy to an approaching means of transport and
• 2 a flowchart illustrating steps of an embodiment of a method according to the invention.

1 shows a car 10 as a means of transportation in which a user 1 (with a smartphone 9 equipped as a wireless communication terminal) in an environment of a gas station 3 as energy (individual) trader and producer is on the way. On the roof 11 the gas station 3 are solar cells 13 arranged to produce hydrogen by hydrolysis. In addition, the gas station points 3 a wind turbine 12 on, at the mast an antenna 14 is arranged to broadcast wireless communication signals. The dispenser 15 is via a pump 17 with the interior of a tank system 2 connected to the tank system 2 stored hydrogen 18 over the pump 15 on cars 10 to be able to deliver. The release of hydrogen is shown here only schematically. As a rule, the hydrogen is stored in gaseous form and via a compressor, so-called overflow pressure vessels are filled (at different pressures - eg 500 and 700 bar). From these vessels, hydrogen (usually via a cooling system) is sent to the vehicle tank (with a defined pressure ramp). delivered. It can also be stored liquid hydrogen which is then compressed by means of a cryopump (eg up to 700 bar) in which the hydrogen is either heated by a heat exchanger to eg -40 ℃ or with warm gaseous hydrogen (from one of the above pressure accumulator mentioned) mixed to the desired temperature.

A temperature / pressure sensor 16 is inside the tank system 2 arranged to send temperature / pressure signals to a data input 5 a computer 6 as a device 4 to send. The computer 6 represents an evaluation unit according to the invention. About a network card 7 is the calculator 6 established, an identified oversupply of hydrogen 18 by means of the antenna 14 to the car 10 to send. Hereby the user can 1 also a message to the smartphone 9 sent and an incentive to be promised, the hydrogen 18 currently very cheap and ecologically sensible from the gas station 3 to acquire. Additionally or alternatively to the message to the user 1 , the car can 10 autonomous to the gas station 3 to be controlled. The gas station 3 is also set up to receive and evaluate a weather forecast. As an announcement of many hours of sunshine or appropriate wind forces an oversupply in the area of the gas station generated hydrogen 18 For the future can be seen, the oversupply can also be avoided in advance, by timely messages invention according to the car 10 and his ilk are sent. That way, the gas station can 3 the tank system 2 empty in time, before an actual oversupply of hydrogen 18 arises.

2 FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrative of steps of a method for reducing oversupply of energy (eg, fuel) for a powertrain of a vehicle. In step 100, an oversupply of energy is determined. This can be done, for example, sensory or depending on a weather report (weather forecast). In response to the determined oversupply, a message is sent to the vehicle and its user in step 200. The message marks the oversupply and optionally includes an incentive for the user to reduce the oversupply. Finally, in step 300, the message is received in the means of transportation and displayed to the user. The latter can now decide to satisfy any energy demand for the powertrain of his means of transport in response to the news of the oversupply and then to benefit ecologically and economically from the energy.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

user

2

tank system

3

Gas station

4

contraption

5

data input

6

computer

7

network card

8th

Gas station

9

Smartphone

10

car

11

top, roof

12

Wind turbine

13

Solar cells (photovoltaic modules)

14

antenna

15

gas pump

16

Temperature / pressure sensor

17

pump

18

hydrogen

100-300

steps

Claims (11)

A method of reducing excess energy for a powertrain of a vehicle (10), comprising the steps of: - Identify (100) an oversupply of and respond to energy - Sending (200) a message to the means of transportation (10) and / or a user (1) with respect to the oversupply. Method according to Claim 1 , wherein the oversupply of energy due to a restriction of the energy-containing memory (2) for an energy source (18) is determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein determining the oversupply based - on the basis of an announcement significant - wind energy and / or - Solar energy and / or - Water energy and / or - Thermal takes place. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the oversupply of energy due to an increasing temperature and / or due to an increasing pressure within a memory (2) is formed. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the message comprises a broadcast message to a plurality of transportation means (10) and / or their users (1). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the message due to a location of the means of locomotion (10) and / or its user (1) addressed to this and this and / or this is displayed. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the message is sent by a producer (3) of the energy to a wholesaler and / or a fleet operator and / or to an end customer and / or their means of transportation (10). Device for reducing excess supply of energy for a drive train of a means of transportation (10) comprising: - a data input (5) - An evaluation unit (6) and - a data output (7), wherein - wherein the data input (5) is arranged in conjunction with the evaluation unit (6) to determine an oversupply of energy for the drive train and - wherein the data output (7) is arranged to send in response to the oversupply message to the means of transportation (10) and / or a user (1) with respect to the oversupply. Device after Claim 8 which is set up, a method according to one of Claims 1 to 7 perform. Means (10) comprising a device (4) according to one of Claims 8 or 9 , Energy wholesaling device comprising a device according to one of Claims 8 or 9 ,

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