Methods and systems for automotive type transient protection of a solar charge source

• US 10,418,845 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: Thermo King Corporation (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Srnec, Matthew, Schumacher, Ryan Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin, Naum
• Application Number:
  US15/411,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20170214271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/32 for charging batteries from a charging set comprising a non-electric prime mover rotating at constant speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for providing automotive type transient protection of a solar charge source. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a load and a solar charge source for providing DC power to the load. The solar charge source including a solar charge controller including an automotive type transient suppression module configured to provide automotive type transient protection for the solar charge source from an automotive type transient.

Claims

1. A battery charging system for charging a battery comprising:

the battery providing electrical power to a load;

an electric machine charge source for charging the battery, the electric machine charge source including a prime mover configured to generate mechanical power and an electric machine connected to the prime mover and configured to convert the mechanical power generated by the prime mover into electrical power for charging the power source; and

a solar charge source for charging the battery, wherein the solar charge source is connected in parallel to the electric machine charge source, the solar charge source including;

a solar panel configured to absorb sunlight and generate electrical power from the sunlight, and

a solar charge controller connected to the solar panel, the solar charge controller including an automotive type transient suppression module configured to provide automotive type transient protection for the solar charge source from an automotive type transient,

wherein the solar charge controller further includes;

a maximum power point tracking (MDPT) portion configured to obtain solar cell data from the solar panel and determine power optimization information from the solar panel data;

a temperature compensation portion configured to obtain temperature data of the battery and determine correction information based on the temperature data; and

a startup and charge rate intelligence portion configured to obtain charge status data from the battery and determine charge optimization information based on the charge status data; and

a load control and output regulation portion configured to control and regulate electrical power sent to charge the battery based on the power optimization information obtained from the MPPT portion, the correction information obtained from the temperature compensation portion, and the charge optimization information obtained from the startup and charge rate intelligence portion.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the automotive type transient suppression module is configured to protect the solar charge source from one or more of a SAE J1113 type transient, a SAE J1455 type transient, a ISO 11452 type transient, a ISO 7637 type transient, a ISO 10605 type transient, and a IEC CISPR-25 type transient.

3. The battery charging system of claim 2, wherein the automotive type transient suppression module is configured to protect the solar charge source from one or more of a J1113/11 Pulse 1c transient, a J1113/11 Pulse 2a transient, a J1113/11 Pulse 2b transient, a J1113/11 Pulses 3a/3b transient, a J1113/11 Pulse 4 transient, a J1113/11 Load Dump transient.

4. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the solar charge controller includes an electrostatic discharge protection module configured to protect the solar charge source from a sudden flow of electricity between the solar charge controller and an electrically charged object.

5. The battery charging system of claim 1, wherein the automotive type transient suppression module is configured to provide automotive type transient protection for the solar charge source from the automotive type transient occurring when the electric machine charge source is disconnected from the battery.