Battery-backed DC fast charging system

• US 10,464,428 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENEL X Way USA LLC
• Original Assignee: Enel X North America, Inc. (ENEL SPA)
• Inventors: Miftakhov, Valery
• Primary Examiner(s): Tat, Binh C
• Application Number:
  US15/225,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20160339788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 320106-115
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/904 : Component specially adapted for hev

Abstract

A system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the system comprising: a low power grid interface comprising an AC pole and a DC pole, the AC pole being electrically connected to an electrical power grid; a battery buffer electrically connected to the DC pole of the low power grid interface; and a DC-DC converter having an input DC pole and an output DC pole, the input DC pole being connected to the battery buffer and the output DC pole being connected to an electric vehicle, wherein the connection between the battery buffer and the DC-DC converter is a DC electrical connection.

Claims

1. A system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the system comprising:

a. a low power grid interface comprising an AC pole and a DC pole, the AC pole being electrically connected to an electrical power grid;

b. a battery buffer electrically connected to the DC pole of the low power grid interface;

c. a DC-DC converter having an input DC pole and an output DC pole, the input DC pole being connected to the battery buffer and the output DC pole being connected to an electric vehicle, wherein the connection between the battery buffer and the DC-DC converter is a DC electrical connection; and

d. a charge controller operatively coupled at least to the low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter for controlling the operation of the low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter based on electrical power grid conditions, wherein in a first operation mode, the charge controller is configured to cause the, low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter to charge the electric vehicle.

2. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery buffer comprises second life batteries.

3. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the DC-DC converter is a buck converter.

4. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the DC-DC converter is a CHAdeMO converter.

5. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery buffer comprises a battery management system for managing the battery buffer.

6. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein in a second operation mode, the charge controller is configured to cause the low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter to stop charging the electric vehicle.

7. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein in a third operation mode, the charge controller is configured to cause electrical power from the battery buffer to be supplied back to the electrical grid.

8. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein in the third operation mode, the low power grid interface operates as a grid-tie inverter.

9. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a low-profile mechanical assembly for housing the low power grid interface, the battery buffer and the DC-DC converter.

10. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the low-profile mechanical assembly is adaptable for being placed on a surface of a parking lot.

11. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the low-profile mechanical assembly comprises two ramps for vehicle wheels.

12. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein the low-profile mechanical assembly comprises a protrusion disposed between the two ramps for vehicle wheels.

13. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the low-profile mechanical assembly is 5 inches thick.

14. The system for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein the low-profile mechanical assembly comprises attachments for loading and unloading.

16. The method for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery buffer comprises second life batteries.

17. The method for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the DC-DC converter is a buck converter.

18. The method for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the DC-DC converter is a CHAdeMO converter.

15. A method for charging an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the method comprising:

a. providing a low power grid interface comprising an AC pole and a DC pole, the AC pole being electrically connected to an electrical power grid;

b. providing a battery buffer electrically connected to the DC pole of the low power grid interface;

c. providing a DC-DC converter having an input DC pole and an output DC pole, the input DC pole being connected to the battery buffer and the output DC pole being connected to an electric vehicle, wherein the connection between the battery buffer and the DC-DC converter is a DC electrical connection; and

d. a charge controller operatively coupled at least to the low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter for controlling the operation of the low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter based on electrical power grid conditions, wherein in a first operation mode, the charge controller is configured to cause the, low power grid interface and the DC-DC converter to charge the electric vehicle.