System and method for precharging and discharging a high power ultracapacitor pack

• US 20060176028A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
• Original Assignee: ISE Incorporated (ISE Group of Companies)
• Inventors: Schulte, Juergen J., Ruppert, Swen O., Holl, Eugen
• Granted Patent: US 7,459,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/166
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/12 Induction machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/22 Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

This invention is a system and a method that uses the braking resistor, commonly used and available in electrically or hybrid-electrically propelled vehicles, to limit the precharge current during the startup of a high power ultracapacitor pack energy storage device and/or safely and rapidly discharge an ultracapacitor pack for maintenance work or storage to lengthen the life of the individual ultracapacitor cells and, correspondingly, the whole pack. The use of the braking resistor for precharging an ultracapacitor energy storage pack is an effective and less expensive method compared to other methods such as a separate DC-to-DC converter. This method includes the control logic sequence to activate and deactivate switching devices that perform the connections for the charging and discharging current paths.

Claims

1. A system for precharging an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:

an ultracapacitor pack;

an electromagnetic braking regeneration system to precharge the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack; and

a braking resistor in series with the ultracapacitor pack and the electro-magnetic braking regeneration system to limit precharge current into the ultracapacitor pack while the electromagnetic braking regeneration system precharges the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a system of at least one of an electric vehicle and a hybrid-electric vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultracapacitor pack is a plurality of ultracapacitor packs connected in at least one of a series combination and a parallel combination.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the braking resistor is a plurality of resistors connected in at least one of a series combination and a parallel combination.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the braking resistor is a heating element for liquids.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultracapacitor pack is any type of energy storage pack that requires a precharge function including a flywheel.

7. A system for discharging an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:

an engine;

an engine fuel supply;

an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack;

an electromagnetic braking regeneration system; and

a generator set to discharge the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack through the generator set and act as a motor to spin the engine while the engine fuel supply is cut off.

8. The system of claim 7, further including a braking resistor in series with the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack to discharge the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack through the braking resistor.

9. The system of claim 8, further including a coolant pump, and the engine spins to drive the coolant pump to circulate coolant through the engine and the braking resistor.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the braking resistor is a plurality of resistors connected in at least one of a series combination and a parallel combination.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the braking resistor is a heating element for liquids.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is a system of at least one of an electric vehicle and a hybrid-electric vehicle.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the ultracapacitor pack is a plurality of ultracapacitor packs connected in at least one of a series combination and a parallel combination.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the ultracapacitor pack is any type of energy storage pack that requires a precharge function including a flywheel.

15. A method of discharging an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:

providing a drive system including an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, a braking resistor in series with the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, an electromagnetic braking regeneration system, an engine, a generator, and an energy fuel supply;

cutting off the engine fuel supply; and

discharging the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack through the generator, which acts as a motor to spin the engine.

16. The method of claim 15, further including dissipating power from the electromagnetic braking regeneration system through the braking resistor.

17. A method of precharging an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:

providing a drive system including an ultracapacitor pack, an electromagnetic braking regeneration system, and a breaking resistor to dissipate power from the electro-magnetic braking regeneration system;

providing the breaking resistor in series with the ultracapacitor pack during start-up of the drive system;

while limiting precharge current into the ultracapacitor pack with the breaking resistor, precharging the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack.

18. A method of precharging an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:

providing a drive system including an ultracapacitor pack, an electromagnetic braking regeneration system, and a breaking resistor to dissipate power from the electro-magnetic braking regeneration system;

providing the breaking resistor in series with the ultracapacitor pack and the electro-magnetic braking regeneration system;

while limiting precharge current into the ultracapacitor pack with the breaking resistor, precharging the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack with the electromagnetic braking regeneration system.

19. A method of discharging an ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:

providing a drive system including an ultracapacitor pack, an electromagnetic braking regeneration system, and a braking resistor to dissipate power from the electro-magnetic braking regeneration system;

providing the breaking resistor in series with the ultracapacitor pack;

discharging the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack through the breaking resistor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the drive system includes an engine and generator set, and an energy fuel supply;

and the method further includes

cutting off the engine fuel supply; and

discharging the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack through the generator, which acts as a motor to spin the engine.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the spinning engine drives a coolant pump to circulate coolant through the engine and the braking resistor.