Method and arrangement for charging of vehicle accumulators

• US 10,434,886 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unified Chargers Oy (Enersense International Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Aalto University Foundation
• Inventors: Anttonen, Jukka, Maenpaa, Matias
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Piggush, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US15/620,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20170341522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 320108, 320109, 320137
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging device is disclosed for charging an accumulator of a vehicle from a source of electrical energy, the charging device being configured to be integrated into the vehicle. The charging device includes at least two power units connectable to available phases of the source of electrical energy, the power units having at least partly same kind of power electronics of switched-mode technology to operate the power units, and structure for cooling the power electronics.

Claims

1. A charging device for charging an accumulator of a vehicle from a source of electrical energy, the charging device being configured to be integrated into the vehicle, the charging device comprising:

two or more power units configured to be connected to available phases of a source of electrical energy, wherein each power unit is configured to maintain a connection to an available phase regardless of a number of the available phases of the source of electrical energy, the power unit connections of each of the two or more power units are configured to be made to a neutral point, and the power units have power electronics of switched-mode technology to operate the power units; and

means for cooling said power electronics, an output side of the charging device being configured to be parallel connected.

2. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the source of electrical energy is an electrical network.

3. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the charging device comprises:

three power units configured to be connected to three phases of the source of electrical energy, each power unit being connected to its individual phase.

4. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the charging device comprises:

at least two power units in parallel connection on the output side of the power units.

5. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the means for cooling comprise:

at least one cooling element to transfer heat away from power electronics.

6. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the means for cooling comprise:

cooling liquid to transfer heat away from the power electronics.

7. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the power electronics comprises:

a correction circuitry for correcting reactive currents in order to minimize interferences to the source of electrical energy.

8. A charging device according to claim 7, wherein the correction circuitry is a power factor correction (PFC) circuitry which is connected to each power unit.

9. A charging device according to claim 1, wherein the power units are identical.

10. A vehicle comprising:

an accumulator; and

a charging device for charging an accumulator of the vehicle from a source of electrical energy, the charging device being configured to be integrated into the vehicle, the charging device comprising;

two or more power units configured to be connected to available phases of a source of electrical energy, wherein each power unit is configured to maintain a connection to an available phase regardless of a number of the available phases of the source of electrical energy, the power unit connections of each of the two or more power units are configured to be made to a neutral point, and the power units have power electronics of switched-mode technology to operate the power units; and

means for cooling said power electronics, an output side of the charging device being parallel connected.

11. A vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the source of electrical energy is an electrical network.

12. A vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the charging device comprises:

three power units configured to be connected to three phases of the source of electrical energy, each power unit being connected to its individual phase.

13. A vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the charging device comprises:

at least two power units in parallel connection on the output side of the power units.

14. A vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the means for cooling comprise:

at least one cooling element to transfer heat away from power electronics.

15. A vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the means for cooling comprises:

cooling liquid to transfer heat away from power electronics.

16. A vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the power electronics comprises:

a correction circuitry for correcting reactive currents in order to minimize interferences to the source of electrical energy.

17. A vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the correction circuitry is a power factor correction (PFC) circuitry which is connected to each power unit.

18. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the power units are identical.