Date of Award
5-2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Civil Engineering
Committee Chair/Advisor
Chowdhury, Mashrur A
Committee Member
Taiber , Joachim
Committee Member
Ogle , Jennifer
Abstract
Due to the tremendous political, economic and environmental pressures the transportation sector is facing, the United States finds itself devoting more energy to innovative solutions like electric vehicle (EV) technologies. The first objective of this study was to analyze how utilizing real-time information dissemination transferring capabilities to vehicles, as envisioned in the 'connected vehicle' system, could effectively facilitate the EV charging process at fast-charging stations. By simulating a traffic network of EVs in Matlab, it was found that the total time due to the battery charging process could be optimized for EVs that were able to use connected vehicle communications. Utilizing the optimization platform, the improvement of two vehicle parameters, extra travel time due to the charging and time spent in the charging station queue, as well as two charging station (CS) parameters, queue length and power output, were measured. The analysis revealed benefits at both a network and individual vehicle level. It was also found that load balance throughout the electric grid was also evenly distributed as EVs were routed to locations experiencing lower charging demand, resulting in minimized queue lengths and power outputs at each CS.
Traditionally, EVs are recharged at stationary sources, which results in significant time restrictions. Inductively coupled power transfer (ICPT) is a form of wireless power transfer technology that can alleviate EV user's 'range anxiety' while also minimizing the size and cost of the EV on-board energy storage system. As a result of ICPT charging, however, the cost will begin to shift from EVs to the infrastructure needed to charge them while in-motion. The problem now facing numerous agencies is that they will incur significant costs constructing, maintaining, and operating ICPT infrastructure. The second objective of this paper is to provide a thorough review on the costs associated with ICPT infrastructure and to present a business model that agencies can use as a shell for identifying and addressing the potential issues to cost-effective ICPT for EVs. The successful implementation of charging station infrastructure will propel EV market penetration to the next level and bring our transportation system into the future.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Jennifer, "Connected Vehicle Supported Electric Vehicle Charging Operations and Related Infrastructure Issues" (2012). All Theses. 1316.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/1316