Vehicle with AC-to-DC inverter system for vehicle-to-grid power integration
Vehicles that are capable of connecting to the AC grid are described that comprise a prime mover and at least one motor generator. In one embodiment, a vehicle may be constructed as a plug-in hybrid system and using the powertrain under controller instruction to either place power on an AC power line (to service AC grids) or to draw power from the AC power line to add electrical energy to the batteries on the vehicle. In some aspects, vehicles may test whether the power needed to service the AC power line may be satisfied by the on-vehicle batteries or, if not, whether and how much power to extract from the prime mover. In some aspects, vehicles may have a thermal management system on board to dynamically supply desired heat dissipation for the powertrain, if the powertrain is using the prime mover to supply power to the AC grid.
1. A vehicle which is connected to an Alternating Current (AC) power line, the vehicle comprising:
a prime mover;
a radiator;
an exhaust system;
first and second electric motor-generators, the first and second electric motor-generators mechanically coupled to the prime mover via a clutch;
a battery, the battery electrically coupled to the first and second electric motor-generators, the battery capable of receiving or supplying electrical energy to the first and second electric motor-generators;
an inverter, the inverter electrically coupled to the first and second electric motor-generators and the battery, the inverter capable of connecting to the AC power line; and
a controller, the controller capable of supplying control signals to the prime mover, the first and second electric motor-generators such that the controller is capable of dynamically affecting a flow of electrical power to or from the AC power line,
wherein the controller further comprises a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle to:
receive signals correlating to an electrical load demand on the AC power line;
supply electrical power generated from the prime mover to one of the first and the second motor-generators via the inverter to the AC power line when the electrical load demand is not met by the battery;
calculate heat of the radiator;
predict temperature rise with fixed coolant flow in the radiator; and
when temperature is not predicted to stabilize in the radiator adjust flow rate of coolant in the radiator.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle to:
calculate heat of the exhaust system;
predict temperature rise with fixed coolant flow to the exhaust system; and
when temperature is not predicted to stabilize in the exhaust system adjust flow rate of coolant to the exhaust system.
3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle to supply an increase in demand of electrical power by the battery to substantially keep the prime mover on an Ideal Operating Line (IOL) of the prime mover when the prime mover is supplying electrical power to the AC power line.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle further comprises an airflow fan, the airflow fan positioned to dissipate heat from the vehicle.
5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the airflow fan supplies cooling air at a speed sufficient to cool the vehicle as though the vehicle were at a desired speed to dissipate heat from the vehicle.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a cooling spray nozzle fan, the cooling spray nozzle fan positioned to dissipate heat from the vehicle.
7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the cooling spray nozzle fan is positioned in a group of vehicular structures selected from the group consisting of an on-board tank and an external coolant port.