FR3077702A1 - DEVICE FOR MONITORING THE POWER SUPPLY OF ELECTRICAL HEATING MEANS OF A SYSTEM, BASED ON THE ELECTRIC POWER AVAILABLE. - Google Patents

Abstract

A control device (DC) equips a system (S) comprising an electric power generator (PE1) coupled in parallel to an electrical consumption network (RC) and at least one electric heating means (MCE1-MCE3). This device (DC) comprises control means (MCT) installed between the electric power producer (PE1) and the electric heating means (MCE1-MCE3), and individually controlling the supply of each of these by the electric power producer (PE1) according to first and second values defining electrical power requirements respectively for the electrical consumption network (RC) and the electric heating means (MCE1-MCE3), and an electric power maximum that can be provided by this producer of electrical energy (PE1).

Description

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS OF A SYSTEM, AS A FUNCTION OF THE AVAILABLE ELECTRIC POWER

The invention relates to systems which include several electric heating means, and more precisely the control of the electric supply of these electric heating means.

Certain systems, such as for example certain vehicles (possibly motor vehicles), comprise at least one producer of electrical energy coupled in parallel to an electrical consumption network and at least two means of electrical heating, such as for example heating resistors (possibly of the type PTC ("Positive Temperature Coefficient"). The use of several means of electric heating is generally intended to allow heating in several places, for example of a passenger compartment, and / or a significant modulation of the heating power. .

Currently, most means of electric heating are controlled by switches in an all-or-nothing (or "on / off") mode. Therefore, each of them can be either in operation or not in use. When a computer in the system orders the simultaneous operation of all the means of electric heating, it often happens that the producer (s) of electric energy (s) cannot (s) provide enough electric power to supply both the electricity consumption network and all means of electric heating. We are then forced to change the state of the switches in order to alternate phases of electrical supply and phases of non-electrical supply of the electrical heating means. However, this induces what a person skilled in the art sometimes calls "backlash", that is to say activation and deactivation delays of the hysteresis type which cause instability in the electricity consumption network. resulting in ripples and disturbances. Note that we are talking here about "electrical power" and not electrical energy because the need is instantaneous.

In other words, it is often impossible to supply the maximum electric power available to the electric heating means, which degrades the quality of the heating or forces them to use more and / or more powerful electric power producers and therefore increases costs, weight and size.

It has certainly been proposed, in particular in patent document FR 3007229, to control the switches of the electric heating means from a single PWM type command ("Puise Width Modulation >>" with pulse width modulation ") , received on a single electrical control wire. However, this does not make it possible to control the switches according to what the electric power producer can provide at the time in question. In addition, this does not take into account the state of the electrical energy store and the state of the electricity consumption network.

The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation.

To this end, it proposes a control device intended to equip a system comprising at least one producer of electrical energy coupled in parallel to an electrical consumption network and at least one means of electrical heating.

This control device is characterized by the fact that it comprises control means, intended to be installed between each producer of electrical energy and the electric heating means, and individually controlling the supply of each of the latter by at least one producer of electrical energy as a function of first and second values defining electrical power requirements respectively for the electrical consumption network and the electrical heating means, and of a maximum electrical power that this energy producer can supply electric.

Thus, the electric power supplied by an electric power producer can be maximized even though it is maintained at a value lower than the maximum electric power that can be supplied by the energy producer (s). electric.

The control device according to the invention may include other characteristics which can be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

its control means can comprise, on the one hand, means of interruption in a number equal to the number of electric heating means and each intended to be installed between each producer of electric energy and one of the electric heating means and supplying the latter with an electric power which is a function of a command, and control means generating each of the commands as a function of the first and second values and of the maximum electric power;

> each of the interrupting means can have at least a first non-passing discrete state in which it totally prevents the supply of electrical power to the associated electric heating means, and a second passing discrete state in which it supplies the electric heating means associated with an electrical power equal to 100% of a predefined power. In this case, the control means can generate so-called pulse width modulation (or PWM) commands as a function of the first and second values and of the maximum electrical power;

- when the system also includes at least one electrical energy store coupled in parallel to the electrical consumption network and to each electrical energy producer, its control means can individually control the supply of each of the electrical heating means by at least one producer of electrical energy further depending on a current state of the electrical energy store.

The invention also provides a system comprising at least one producer of electrical energy coupled in parallel to an electrical consumption network and at least one means of electrical heating, and a control device of the type of that presented above.

The system according to the invention may include other characteristics which can be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- It can include at least one electrical energy store coupled in parallel to the electricity consumption network and to each producer of electrical energy;

- It can constitute a vehicle, possibly of the automobile type;

> each producer of electrical energy can be chosen from an alternator, an alternator-starter, a DC / DC type converter, an AC / DC type converter, a solar panel and a charging socket;

> it may include a transmission chain of the all-electric type or of the hybrid type or of the thermal type.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 schematically and functionally illustrates a system comprising electrical energy producers, coupled in parallel to an electrical energy store, an electrical consumption network and electrical heating means, and an exemplary embodiment of a device control according to the invention,

- Figure 2 schematically illustrates an example of a time evolution diagram (t) of the total electrical power (petot) and maximum (pemf) that can provide a producer of electrical energy of a system and the electrical power requirement (v1 ) the power consumption network of this system, and

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an example of a time evolution diagram (t) of the electrical power requirement (v1) of the electrical consumption network of a system, of the electrical power requirement (c2) of the combination of this network of electrical consumption and electrical heating means of this system, and electrical powers (pek) actually supplied to these various electrical heating means.

The object of the invention is in particular to propose a DC control device intended to equip a system S comprising at least one producer of electrical energy PEj, coupled in parallel to a network of electrical consumption RC and at least one means of electrical heating MCEk , and to control the supply of electrical power to them (MCEk).

In what follows, it is considered, by way of nonlimiting example, that the system S is a vehicle, possibly of automobile type, such as for example a car. However, the invention is not limited to this type of system. It concerns indeed vehicles (land, sea (or river) and air), installations (possibly industrial), and buildings.

Furthermore, it is considered in the following, by way of nonlimiting example, that the vehicle S comprises a transmission chain of the all-electric type or of the hybrid type. But it is not compulsory. Indeed, the transmission chain could be of the thermal type (that is to say comprising at least one thermal engine consuming fuel).

Schematically shown in Figure 1 a system (here a vehicle) S comprising two producers of electrical energy PEj (j = 1 or 2), coupled in parallel to an electrical energy store SE, an electrical consumption network RC and three electrical heating means MCEk (k = 1 to 3), and an exemplary embodiment of a DC control device according to the invention.

It is important to note that the implementation of the invention does not require that the system S comprises at least one electrical energy store SE. It may not have an electrical energy store or may have several (at least two) electrical energy stores. Likewise, the implementation of the invention does not require that the system S comprises several producers of electrical energy PEj. However, the system S must include at least one producer of electrical energy PEj. Likewise, the implementation of the invention does not require that the system S comprises three electrical heating means MCEk. However, the system S must include at least one MCEk electric heating means.

According to the system S, and according to its needs, the electrical energy store SE can be of the very low voltage, low voltage, or high voltage type. Thus, it may be a service battery, for example having a voltage between 12 V and 24 V, or a main battery supplying an electric motor machine and for example having a voltage between 48 V and 600 V.

The consumption network RC comprises at least one member consuming electrical power. By way of nonlimiting examples, such a member can be a computer, a sensor, a display unit, windshield wipers, an electric power steering, an electric turbo compressor, electric suspensions, a motor (or machine). electric, or an engine stop / start management system.

Each MCEk electric heating means is for example a heating resistor, possibly of PTC type (Positive Temperature Coefficient).

When the system S is a vehicle, a producer of electrical energy PEj can, for example, be an alternator (very low voltage or low voltage), an alternator-starter (very low voltage or low voltage), a DC type converter / DC ("Direct Current / Direct Current"), an AC / DC converter ("Alternative Current / Direct Current"), a solar panel (very low voltage or low voltage), or a charging socket for recharging '' an electrical energy storage unit SE by connection to an electrical network or a charging station.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a DC control device according to the invention comprises MCT control means which are intended to be installed between each producer of electrical energy PEj and the means (s) of electric heating MCEk. These control means MCT are arranged so as to control, individually, the supply of each of the electric heating means MCEk by at least one producer of electric energy PEj, as a function of first v1 and second v2 values which define electrical power requirements respectively for the electrical consumption network RC and the electrical heating means MCEk at the instant t considered, and of a maximum electrical power pemf that few (t) can supply this (these) producer (s) d electrical energy PEj at this instant t.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, these first v1 and second v2 values can be supplied to the control means MCT by a supervision computer CS which is responsible for supervising the operation of the system (here a vehicle) S, and in particular all that concerns the consumption of electrical power. As illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1, this supervisory calculator CS can, for example, be responsible for supplying each producer of electrical energy PEj with control information defining the total electrical power that it must produce, for example for clamping or temporarily increase electricity generation capacity. Also as shown without limitation in FIG. 1, each producer of electrical energy PEj can transmit to the supervision calculator CS and to the control means MCT at least one item of information representative of its current state, so that they can take it into account. case of problem, for example by modifying the value of the maximum electrical power pemf.

Each of the first v1 and second v2 values can, for example, be a percentage between 0% and 100% of the maximum electrical power that the system S can provide at the instant considered. It will be noted that these first v1 and second v2 values can evolve linearly between 0% and 100% or alternatively by level (for example by increment or decrement of 20%).

The maximum electrical power pemf can also be supplied to the control means MCT by the supervision computer CS. This maximum electrical power pemf may possibly vary depending on the type of electrical energy producer PEj (and therefore on its production capacity). Furthermore, this maximum electrical power pemf can be configurable.

We have schematically represented in FIG. 2 an example of a time evolution diagram (t) of the total electrical powers petot and maximum pemf that an electrical energy producer PEj of the system S can supply and of the electrical power requirement v1 of the network of electrical consumption RC of the system S. In this diagram appear a first zone Z1 which represents the electric power v1 requested and consumed at each instant t by the electric consumption network RC, a second zone Z2 which represents the electric power usable at each instant t by the electric heating means MCEk taking into account v1 and the maximum electric power pemf, and a third zone Z3 which represents the electric power reserve for the system S taking into account the total electric powers petot and maximum pemf.

Thanks to the invention, the electrical power supplied by an electrical energy producer PEj is maximized while maintaining this power at a value which is less than the maximum electrical power pemt. This makes it possible to optimize the electric power supplied to the electric heating means MCEk by taking the maximum electric power from the electric power producer PEj, while guaranteeing the quality of the electric consumption network RC as well as the state of charge of each possible electric energy storage unit SE. This results in an improvement in the thermal power restored by the electric heating means MCEk thanks to the optimization of the power taken from the producer PEj (PWM strategy) (for example in the presence of a cold or very cold climate). In addition, this avoids having to use more and / or more powerful electric power producers.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1, that the control means MCT can comprise interruption means Mlk and control means MCD.

The Mlk interrupting means are part of an MOI interrupt module which is connected in parallel to the electrical power producers PEj and to the electrical consumption network RC, as well as to the possible electrical energy store SE. The number of these interruption means Mlk is equal to the number of electric heating means MCEk. Consequently, in the example illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1, the interrupt module MOI comprises three interrupt means MI1 to MI3.

Each Mlk interruption means is intended to be installed between each electric power producer PEj and an associated electric heating means MCEk and to supply the latter (MCEk) with an electric power which is a function of a command.

For example, each Mlk interrupt means may include electronic switches of the MOSFET or IGBT (Insulated Gâte Bipolar Transistor >>) type.

The control means MCD are arranged so as to generate each of the commands intended for the various electric heating means MCEk, as a function of the first v1 and second v2 values and of the maximum electric power pemf.

It will be noted that the control means MC can generate analog commands (by means of electronic components) or digital commands (by means, for example, of a microcontroller).

For example, each of the interruption means Mlk may have at least a first non-passing discrete state in which it totally prevents the supply of electric power to the associated electric heating means MCEk, and a second discrete (totally) passing state in which it supplies the electrical heating means MCEk associated with an electrical power which is equal to 100% of a predefined maximum power. In this case, the control means MCD can generate commands known as pulse width modulation (or PWM ("Puise Width Modulation >>")) according to the first v1 and second v2 values and the maximum electrical power pemf.

The predefined maximum power is, for example, equal to the ratio between, on the one hand, the difference between the maximum electrical power pemf and the electrical power supplied to the electrical consumption network RC, and, on the other hand, the number of means of electric heating MCEk.

As a variant, each of the interruption means Mlk can be arranged so as to supply the electric heating means MCEk associated with an electric power which varies substantially linearly between 0% of the predefined maximum power and 100% of this predefined maximum power.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of a time evolution diagram (t) of the electrical power requirement v1 of the electrical consumption network RC of the system S, of the electrical power requirement c2 of the combination of this electrical consumption network RC and three electrical heating means MCEk, and electrical powers pek actually supplied to these three electrical heating means MCEk.

As can be observed, between the times t0 and t1, the electrical power requirement c2 of the combination of the electrical consumption network RC and the three electrical heating means MCEk is strictly less than the maximum electrical power pemf. Consequently, the control means MCD address to the first MI1, second MI2 and third MI3 means for interrupting the commands placing them in their first on state so that they supply 100% of the first MCE1, second MCE2 and third MCE3 means of electric heating so that they each offer maximum heating power.

Between instants t1 and t2, the electrical power requirement c2 of the combination of the electrical consumption network RC and the three electrical heating means MCEk is strictly greater than the maximum electrical power pemf. In addition, the electric power available for the three MCEk electric heating means is not sufficient to supply all three at 100%. Consequently, the control means MCD address, on the one hand, to the first MI1 and second MI2 means for interrupting the commands placing them in their first on state so that they supply 100% of the first MCE1 and second MCE2 means of electric heating, and, on the other hand, to the third interruption means MI3 a command inducing a partial supply (for example 20%) of the third electric heating means MCE3.

After the instant t2, the electrical power requirement c2 of the combination of the electrical consumption network RC and the three electrical heating means MCEk is even greater than between the instants t1 and t2, and the electrical power available for the three electric heating means MCEk can only supply one electric heating means at 100% and another partially. Consequently, the control means MCD send, firstly, to the first interruption means MI1 a command placing it in its first on state so that it supplies 100% of the first electric heating means MCE1, a second part, to the second means of interruption MI2 a command inducing a partial supply (for example 60%) of the second electric heating means MCE, and, on the other hand, to the third means of interruption MI3 a command placing it in its second non-conducting state so that it prevents the supply of the third electric heating means MCE3.

It will also be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1, that when the system S comprises at least one electrical energy store SE coupled in parallel to the electrical consumption network RC and to each electrical energy producer PEj, its means of MCT control can individually control the supply of each of the electrical heating means MCEk by at least one producer of electrical energy PEj also as a function of a current state of the electrical energy store SE. This current state of the electrical energy store SE is supplied by the latter (SE) to the supervision computer CS and to the control means MCT îo (and more precisely to the control means MCD), as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1 Furthermore, this current state can, for example, be defined by a state of charge (or SOC ("State Of Charge")) and / or a temperature and / or a voltage and / or a current. When the electrical energy store SE is used as a producer (and therefore that no producer of electrical energy PEj produces electrical power), the control device DC also determines the control instructions with the information of the electrical energy producers PEj but depending on the state of the electrical energy store SE.

Claims (10)

1. Control device (DC) for a system (S) comprising at least one producer of electrical energy (PEj) coupled in parallel to an electrical consumption network (RC) and at least one means of electrical heating (MCEk), characterized in that it comprises control means (MCT), intended to be installed between each producer of electrical energy (PEj) and said electrical heating means (MCEk), and controlling individually the supply of each of the latter (MCEk) by at least one producer of electrical energy (PEj) as a function of first and second values defining electrical power requirements respectively for said electrical consumption network (RC) and said electrical heating means (MCEk), and of a maximum electrical power which this producer of electrical energy (PEj) can provide. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means (MCT) comprise i) interruption means (Mlk) in number equal to the number of electric heating means (MCEk) and each intended to be installed between each producer of electrical energy (PEj) and one of said electrical heating means (MCEk) and supplying the latter (MCEk) with an electrical power function of a command, and ii) control means (MCD) generating each of said commands as a function of said first and second values and of said maximum electrical power. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of said interruption means (Mlk) has at least a first non-passing discrete state in which it totally prevents the supply of electric power to the associated electric heating means (MCEk) , and a second discrete passing state in which it supplies the electric heating means (MCEk) associated with an electric power equal to 100% of a predefined maximum power, and in that said control means (MCD) generate so-called commands with pulse width modulation as a function of said first and second values and of said maximum electrical power. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, when said system (S) further comprises at least one electrical energy store (SE) coupled in parallel to said electrical consumption network (RC) and to each producer of electrical energy (PEj), said control means (MCT) individually control the supply of each of said electrical heating means (MCEk) by at least one producer of electrical energy (PEj) in operation according to in addition to a current state of said electrical energy store (SE). 5. System (S) comprising at least one producer of electrical energy (PEj) coupled in parallel to an electrical consumption network (RC) and at least one electrical heating means (MCEk), characterized in that it comprises in addition to a control device (DC) according to one of the preceding claims. 6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises at least one electrical energy store (SE) coupled in parallel to said electrical consumption network (RC) and to each producer of electrical energy (PEj). 7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it constitutes a vehicle. 8. System according to claim 7, characterized in that each producer of electrical energy (PEj) is chosen from an alternator, an alternator-starter, a DC / DC type converter, an AC / DC type converter, a panel solar and a charging socket. 9. System according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it comprises a transmission chain of the all-electric type or of the hybrid type or also of the thermal type. 10. System according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it constitutes a motor vehicle.