VEHICLE POWER SUPPLY DEVICE MOUNTED WITH WASTE HEAT RECOVERY DEVICE AND OPERATION CONTROL METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle power supply device mounted with a waste heat recovery device and an operation control method which improve fuel economy of vehicle travel by making an alternator generate electricity through: driving force from wheels when a vehicle travels on a downward slope; and recovered energy by a waste heat recovery device when the vehicle travels with a travel load of an internal combustion engine.SOLUTION: A vehicle power supply device mounted with a waste heat recovery device comprises: a second driving force transmission mechanism which has a first clutch 15 which connects/disconnects transmission of driving force between an alternator 17 and an internal combustion engine 1 and a second clutch 18 which connects/disconnects the transmission of driving force recovered from a Rankine cycle circuit 2 to the alternator 17; downward slope detection means; and control means 3 which controls connection and disconnection of the first clutch 15 and the second clutch 18. The control means 3 allows electricity to be generated by engaging the first clutch 15 when the downward slope detection means detects that a vehicle travels on a downward slope and by engaging the second clutch 18 when the downward slope detection means does not detect that the vehicle travels on the downward slope.