Integrated traction inverter module and DC/DC converter

• US 20030214826A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC (INA-Holding Schaeffler GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Zhu, Lizhi, Xu, Xingyi
• Granted Patent: US 7,012,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/132
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33576 having at least one active switching element at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/797 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/07 DC-DC step-up or step-down converter inserted between the power supply and the inverter supplying the motor, e.g. to control voltage source fluctuations, to vary the motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

Integrated power conversion systems and methods for use in an electric vehicle having an electric motor, a primary high-voltage energy source, and an auxiliary energy source including a traction inverter module operable for converting a DC current generated by the high-voltage energy source into an AC current capable of powering the electric motor, and a DC/DC converter operable to step-down a voltage of the high-voltage energy source or step-up a voltage of the auxiliary energy source, wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter may share one or more common components, such as a common high-voltage DC bus capacitor, a common DC bus bar, and/or a common high-voltage transistor.

Claims

1. An integrated power conversion system for use in an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an electric motor, a primary high-voltage energy source, and an auxiliary energy source, the integrated power conversion system comprising:

a traction inverter module operable to convert a DC current generated by the primary high-voltage energy source into an AC current capable of powering the electric motor;

a DC/DC converter operable to at least one of step-down a voltage of the primary high-voltage energy source and step-up a voltage of the auxiliary energy source; and

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a plurality of common components.

2. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the traction inverter module comprises a first circuit.

3. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a second circuit.

4. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common high-voltage DC bus capacitor.

5. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common DC bus bar.

6. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common high-voltage transistor.

7. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein a portion of the traction inverter module and a portion of the DC/DC converter are operatively connected by a high-frequency transformer.

8. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the electric vehicle comprises an electric vehicle selected from the group consisting of a battery-powered vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and a hybrid electric vehicle.

9. The integrated power conversion system of claim 1 wherein the primary high-voltage energy source comprises at least one of a fuel cell, a battery, an ultracapacitor, a flywheel, and a superconducting magnetic storage device.

10. An integrated power conversion system for use in an electric vehicle having an electric motor, a high-voltage energy source, and an auxiliary energy source, the integrated power conversion system comprising:

a traction inverter module operable to convert a DC current generated by the high-voltage energy source into an AC current capable of powering the electric motor, wherein the traction inverter module comprises a first circuit;

a DC/DC converter operable to at least one of step-down a voltage of the high-voltage energy source and step-up a voltage of the auxiliary energy source, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a second circuit;

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common high-voltage DC bus capacitor;

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common DC bus bar; and

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common high-voltage transistor.

11. The integrated power conversion system of claim 10 wherein a portion of the traction inverter module and a portion of the DC/DC converter are operatively connected by a high-frequency transformer.

12. The integrated power conversion system of claim 10 wherein the electric vehicle comprises an electric vehicle selected from the group consisting of a battery-powered vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and a hybrid electric vehicle.

13. The integrated power conversion system of claim 10 wherein the high-voltage energy source comprises a fuel cell.

14. An integrated power conversion method for use in an electric vehicle having an electric motor, a high-voltage energy source, and an auxiliary energy source, the integrated power conversion method comprising:

providing a traction inverter module operable for converting a DC current generated by the high-voltage energy source into an AC current capable of powering the electric motor;

providing a DC/DC converter operable to at least one of step-down a voltage of the high-voltage energy source and step-up a voltage of the auxiliary energy source; and

disposing a plurality of common components within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter.

15. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein providing the traction inverter module operable for converting the DC current generated by the high-voltage energy source into the AC current capable of powering the electric motor comprises providing a first circuit operable for converting the DC current generated by the high-voltage energy source into the AC current capable of powering the electric motor.

16. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein providing the DC/DC converter operable to at least one of step-down the voltage of the high-voltage energy source and step-up the voltage of the auxiliary energy source comprises providing a second circuit operable to step-down the voltage of the high-voltage energy source or step-up the voltage of the auxiliary energy source.

17. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein disposing the plurality of common components within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter comprises disposing a common high-voltage DC bus capacitor within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter.

18. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein disposing the plurality of common components within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter comprises disposing a common DC bus bar within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter.

19. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein disposing the plurality of common components within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter comprises disposing a common high-voltage transistor within the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter.

20. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14, further comprising:

operatively connecting a portion of the traction inverter module and a portion of the DC/DC converter utilizing a high-frequency transformer.

21. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein the electric vehicle comprises an electric vehicle selected from the group consisting of a battery-powered vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, and a hybrid electric vehicle.

22. The integrated power conversion method of claim 14 wherein the high-voltage energy source is at least one of a fuel cell, a battery, an ultracapacitor, a flywheel, and a superconducting magnetic storage device.

23. An integrated power conversion system for use in a power generating system having an electric motor, a high-voltage energy source, and an auxiliary energy source, the integrated power conversion system comprising:

a traction inverter module operable to convert a DC current generated by the high-voltage energy source into an AC current capable of powering the electric motor, wherein the traction inverter module comprises a first circuit;

a DC/DC converter operable to step-down a voltage of the high-voltage energy source or step-up a voltage of the auxiliary energy source, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a second circuit;

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common high-voltage DC bus capacitor;

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common DC bus bar; and

wherein the traction inverter module and the DC/DC converter share a common high-voltage transistor.

24. The integrated power conversion system of claim 23 wherein a portion of the traction inverter module and a portion of the DC/DC converter are operatively connected by a high-frequency transformer.