Using advanced algorithms ChargePanel’s Dynamic Smart Charging solution analyzes power system conditions in real-time to identify the most efficient distribution to electric vehicles.
Smart Charging and Dynamic Load Balancing
Dynamic load balancing is a function of smart charging. To perform load balancing effectively ChargePanel’s solution is designed to continuously monitor and optimize the efficient distribution of available power across charging infrastructure.
The Challenge:
Electric vehicle charging can place additional load on electricity circuits. Power connections can require upgrading to handle the heavy load of charging electric vehicles in combination with supplying multiple other appliances.
In addition, businesses operating and charging entire fleets of electric vehicles can require large amounts of power which can place even further strain on electricity circuits. Upgrading power connections for handling additional load requires qualified electricians, permits may also need to be approved prior to the upgrades, both of which can be time consuming and expensive.
The Solution:
At ChargePanel we developed the Dynamic Smart Charging solution to offer an effective method which can prevent expensive upgrades and to provide an efficient, automated way to prioritize charging sessions across multiple electric vehicles.
The Dynamic Smart Charging solution performs dynamic load balancing, real-time monitoring, distributes available power across groups of charging stations, prioritizes and optimizes the order of charging sessions and has built in fallback settings and max settings to prevent over-load.
A Guide – How It Works:
This guide shows how ChargePanel’s Dynamic Smart Charging solution is implemented using charging stations with connections to compatible smart units.
Dynamic load balancing can be activated for a group that includes one or more charging stations. At predetermined intervals, the charging station messages the number of ampere to be used at the site, ChargePanel’s solution then determines the number of accessible ampere available for each charging station that is installed.
ChargePanel’s Dynamic Smart Charging solution enables the ability to control a group of charging stations according to the amount of ampere that is available at the time and location. Where at least one of the charging stations is capable of reporting the actual usage, it is then possible to control the power for all charging stations.
A maximum value can be set for the entire group of charging stations, with the actual maximum available ampere fluctuating over time and the charging stations adapting thereafter. Available ampere (the remaining usable amount) is shared out by ChargePanel’s solution which calculates if; A) a charging station can deliver power and: B) at what level of ampere. ChargePanel’s solution measures how the charging stations are functioning at each point in time.
For example:
- if the charging stations are connected
- if the vehicles to be charged are able to receive power
- if the charging stations are closed or unavailable for use
The amount of power to be delivered is then adapted so that charging sessions will function as optimally as possible.
If a charging station goes offline, it will automatically enter offline-mode and the charging station will then deliver the amount of power manually set as a fallback setting. Dynamic load balancing will reactivate automatically as soon as the charging station comes back online. The fallback amount of power for charging stations in offline mode is automatically deducted from the available amount for dynamic load balancing the group, so that the offline charging station can make use of the set amount of fallback power.
Example 1
The charging sessions begin for the vehicles at the arrival time. In the above example, two of the four cars are being charged (car 2 and 3). Car 1 and 4 arrived earlier and have already reached the desired charging capacity. The maximum amount currently available at the location is 63 ampere. Car 2 is prioritized as it arrived earlier then car 3. Therefore car 2 is receiving 32 ampere and car 3 is receiving 31 ampere, bringing the total to 63 ampere. The maximum value is divided as equally as possible so that the vehicles receive similar ampere for as long as possible. A charging station can never deliver more than the maximum number of ampere set for the charging station, (in this case 32A per charging station).
Example 2
Over time the situation changes car 1 and car 4 have lost some of the energy (which can occur when a vehicle is parked for an extended amount of time) as car 1 and car 4 arrived earlier then car 2 and car 3, they are now prioritized. In the background ChargePanel’s technology automatically detects if the vehicles can again receive power after the initial charging session has finished. In this case all four electric vehicles can now charge.
In this example, a maximum number of 55 ampere is now available at the location, which is divided as equally as possible between the charging stations. Settings for the minimum number of ampere for a charging session are also in place, in this case if any of the charging stations were to be offered less then the minimum specified, the charging session(s) would not activate.
Prioritization with ChargePanel’s Dynamic Smart Charging Solution
Which charging session is prioritized depends upon:
- The total available ampere for the charging location
- The arrival time
- The ability for the vehicle to receive power
- The minimum ampere required for starting a charging session
The vehicle that initiates a charging session first has the highest priority status, however the available ampere is delivered as equally as possible amongst the active charging stations. ChargePanel’s solution controls if a vehicle can be charged by measuring the energy delivered between two short intervals at the start of a charging session. If the vehicle can receive power, it is given a higher priority status, if the available power is higher than the minimum value set for the charging station the vehicle will then be included in receiving a share of the available power.
The prioritization is being measured continuously and adapted for the group of charging stations by ChargePanel’s solution to provide the most efficient distribution to the charging stations and electric vehicles.
Find out what ChargePanel’s Dynamic Smart Charging Solution can do for your business. Contact us at:
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