SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MULTIPLE SOURCE POWER CONVERSION

• US 20090278405A1
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Stancu, Constantin C., Selogie, Mark L., Dawsey, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,936,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An embodiment of a system for multiple source power conversion is implemented in a vehicle that includes an alternating current (AC) power source and first and second direct current (DC) power sources. The system includes an inverter, a DC-to-DC converter, and a controller. The controller receives external commands, inverter feedback signals, and DC-to-DC converter feedback signals, and executes and inverter control algorithm and DC-to-DC converter control algorithm. An embodiment of a method for multiple source power conversion between an AC power source, and first and second DC power sources includes receiving external commands from a remote source, inverter feedback signals from an inverter, and DC-to-DC converter feedback signals from a DC-to-DC converter. The method also includes executing an inverter control algorithm and a DC-to-DC converter control algorithm to generate drive signals for the inverter and DC-to-DC converter, respectively, based on the received commands and feedback signals.

Claims

1. A system for multiple source power conversion in a vehicle that includes a first direct current (DC) power source, a second DC power source, and an alternating current (AC) power source, the system comprising:

an inverter having a first DC input/output (I/O) connector, a second DC I/O connector, and an AC I/O connector, wherein the first DC I/O connector is adapted to be coupled with the second DC power source, and the AC I/O connector is adapted to be coupled with an AC power source;

a DC-to-DC converter having a third DC I/O connector and a fourth DC I/O connector, wherein the third DC I/O connector is adapted to be coupled with the second DC I/O connector of the inverter, and the fourth DC I/O connector is adapted to be coupled with the first DC power source; and

a controller coupled to the inverter and the DC-to-DC converter, the controller adapted to receive external commands, inverter feedback signals, and DC-to-DC converter feedback signals, and to execute a first control algorithm for controlling the inverter and to execute a second control algorithm for controlling the DC-to-DC converter based on the external commands, the inverter feedback signals, and the DC-to-DC converter feedback signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the DC-to-DC converter includes a bidirectional DC-to-DC converter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inverter and the DC-to-DC converter include a plurality of high frequency switching devices.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of high frequency switching devices includes devices selected from a group that includes insulated gate bipolar transistors, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, and integrated gate commutated thyristors.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first DC power source coupled with the first DC I/O connector;

the AC power source coupled with the AC I/O connector; and

the second DC power source coupled with the fourth DC I/O connector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the AC power source includes an electric motor, the first DC power source includes a fuel cell power module, and the second DC power source includes a battery.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the AC power source includes an electric motor, the first DC power source includes a battery power module, and the second DC power source includes an ultracapacitor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the inverter, the DC-to-DC converter, and the controller are enclosed within one housing.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a heat dissipation device adapted to dissipate heat generated by the inverter and the DC-to-DC converter.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters adapted to provide EMI filtering for the inverter and the DC-to-DC converter.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more DC bus capacitors adapted to perform DC bus voltage filtering.

12. An apparatus for multiple source power conversion in a vehicle that includes a first direct current (DC) power source, a second DC power source, and an alternating current (AC) power source, the apparatus comprising:

a controller adapted to execute an inverter control algorithm and a DC-to-DC converter control algorithm;

an inverter coupled to the controller and controlled by the inverter control algorithm, the inverter having a first DC input/output (I/O) connector, a second DC I/O connector, and an AC I/O connector; and

a DC-to-DC converter coupled to the controller and controlled by the DC-to-DC converter control algorithm, the DC-to-DC converter having a third DC I/O connector and a fourth DC I/O connector, wherein the third DC I/O connector is coupled to the second DC I/O connector,

wherein the inverter control algorithm and the DC-to-DC converter control algorithm communicate variables within the controller for coordinating three-way power transfer among the AC power source, the first DC power source, and the second DC power source.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the DC-to-DC converter includes a bidirectional DC-to-DC converter.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the inverter and the DC-to-DC converter include a plurality of high frequency switching devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of high frequency switching devices includes devices selected from a group that includes insulated gate bipolar transistors, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, and integrated gate commutated thyristors.

16. A method for multiple source power conversion between an alternating current (AC) power source, a first direct current (DC) power source, and a second DC power source, the method performed by a controller and comprising the steps of:

receiving external commands from a remote source;

receiving inverter feedback signals from an inverter;

receiving DC-to-DC converter feedback signals from a DC-to-DC converter;

executing an inverter control algorithm in order to generate first drive signals for the inverter based on the external commands and the inverter feedback signals; and

executing a DC-to-DC converter control algorithm in order to generate second drive signals for the DC-to-DC converter based on the external commands and the DC-to-DC converter feedback signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the steps of executing the inverter control algorithm and executing the DC-to-DC control algorithm are performed within a single switching cycle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving the external commands includes receiving at least one command selected from a group that includes motor speed commands, torque commands, DC-to-DC power commands, and/or current commands.

19. A method of manufacturing a system for power conversion between multiple power sources in a vehicle that includes an alternating current (AC) power source and at least two direct current (DC) power sources, the method comprising the steps of:

electrically coupling together a controller, an inverter, and a bidirectional DC-to-DC converter (BDC); and

storing an inverter control algorithm and a BDC control algorithm in a data storage device that is accessible to the controller.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

coupling the AC power source to an AC input/output (I/O) connector of the inverter;

coupling a second DC power source of the at least two DC power sources to a first DC I/O connector of the inverter;

coupling a second DC I/O connector of the inverter to a third DC I/O connector of the BDC; and

coupling a second DC power source of the at least two DC power sources to a fourth I/O connector of the BDC.