APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING ENERGY USING POWER ELECTRONICS AND MACHINE INDUCTANCE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20100096926A1
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: King, Robert Dean, Steigerwald, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,932,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/54 Windings for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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
• 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: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 : Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A traction inverter circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage, a first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the first energy storage device, and a first electromechanical device. The first electromechanical device includes a first plurality of conductors coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter, a second plurality of conductors coupled together, and a plurality of windings coupled between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors. The traction converter circuit also includes a charge bus comprising a first conductor coupled to the second plurality of conductors of the first electromechanical device, the charge bus configured to transmit a charging current to or receive a charging current from the first electromechanical device to charge the first energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

Claims

1. A traction inverter circuit comprising:

a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage;

a first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the first energy storage device;

a first electromechanical device comprising;

a first plurality of conductors coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter;

a second plurality of conductors coupled together; and

a plurality of windings coupled between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors; and

a charge bus coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter and comprising a first conductor coupled to the second plurality of conductors of the first electromechanical device, the charge bus configured to transmit a charging voltage to or receive a charging voltage from the first electromechanical device to charge the first energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

2. The traction inverter circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the energy storage device; and

a DC bus coupled between the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter, the DC bus comprising a pair of conductors.

3. The traction inverter circuit of claim 2 further comprising a second energy storage device coupled between the pair of conductors of the DC bus.

4. The traction inverter circuit of claim 3 wherein the second energy storage device has a higher voltage then the first energy storage device.

5. The traction inverter circuit of claim 2 further comprising:

a second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter; and

a second electromechanical device comprising;

a first array of conductors coupled to the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter;

a second array of conductors coupled together; and

a plurality of windings coupled between the first array of conductors and the second array of conductors.

6. The traction inverter circuit of claim 5 wherein the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter comprises a plurality of full-phase modules coupled between the pair of conductors of the DC bus, each full-phase module comprising:

a pair of switches; and

a pair of diodes; and

further comprising a contactor coupled to one of the pair of conductors of the DC bus between two of the plurality of full-phase modules.

7. The traction inverter circuit of claim 6 further comprising a controller coupled to the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter and configured to control operation of the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter in one of a boosting mode and a bucking mode based on a level of the charging voltage to direct a power factor of the traction inverter circuit toward unity.

8. The traction inverter circuit of claim 7 wherein the charge bus is configured to receive the charging voltage from an AC source.

9. The traction inverter circuit of claim 6 further comprising a controller coupled to the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter and configured to control operation of the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter in one of a boosting mode and a bucking mode based on a level of the charging voltage, wherein the charge bus is configured to receive the charging voltage from a DC source.

10. The traction inverter circuit of claim 6 wherein the pair of switches comprises one of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), field effect transistors (FETs), metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), and metal oxide semiconductor controlled thyristors (MCTs).

11. The traction inverter circuit of claim 2 wherein the charge bus comprises a second conductor coupled to one of the pair of conductors of the DC bus.

12. The traction inverter circuit of claim 11 further comprising a rectifier coupled to the charge bus and configured to convert an input AC voltage to a DC charge voltage.

13. The traction inverter circuit of claim 11 further comprising a rectifier coupled to the charge bus and configured to convert an input DC voltage to a DC charge voltage.

14. The traction inverter circuit of claim 12 further comprising a receptacle coupled to the rectifier and configured to mate with a connector of an AC source.

15. The traction inverter circuit of claim 11 further comprising a receptacle coupled to the charge bus and configured to mate with one of a connector of a DC source and a connector of a DC load.

16. The traction inverter circuit of claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to the first bidirectional DC-to-AC voltage inverter and configured to control operation of the first bidirectional DC-to-AC voltage inverter in one of a boosting mode and a bucking mode based on a level of the charging voltage to direct a power factor of the traction inverter circuit toward unity.

17. The traction inverter circuit of claim 16 wherein the charge bus is configured to receive the charging voltage from an AC source.

18. The traction inverter circuit of claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter and configured to control operation of the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter in one of a boosting mode and a bucking mode based on a level of the charging voltage, wherein the charge bus is configured to receive the charging voltage from a DC source.

19. The traction inverter circuit of claim 1 further comprising a DC bus coupled between the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter and the first energy storage device.

20. The traction inverter circuit of claim 1 wherein the first electromechanical device comprises one of a traction motor and an alternator.

21. The traction inverter circuit of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of conductors comprises a first conductor and a second conductor;

wherein the second plurality of conductors comprises a first conductor and a second conductor;

wherein the plurality of windings comprises a first winding and a second winding;

wherein the charge bus comprises a second conductor; and

wherein the first electromechanical device further comprises;

a third conductor coupled to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter;

a third winding coupled to the third conductor;

a fourth conductor coupled to the third winding; and

a switch coupled to the fourth conductor, to the second plurality of conductors, and to the second conductor of the charge bus, the switch configured to selectively couple the fourth conductor alternately between the second conductor of the charge bus and the second plurality of conductors.

22. A method comprising:

coupling a first DC energy storage device to a first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter;

coupling a first electromechanical device to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter, the first electromechanical device configured to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and configured to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy; and

coupling a conductor to the first electromechanical device, wherein the conductor is configured to transfer a charging current through the first electromechanical device to charge the first energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and via the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising coupling a second DC energy storage device to the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter one, wherein the conductor is configured to transfer the charging current into or out of the first electromechanical device to further charge the second energy storage device via the first electromechanical device and the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

coupling a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to the first DC energy storage;

coupling a second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter; and

coupling a second electromechanical device to the second bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

coupling a rectifier to the conductor, wherein the rectifier is configured to convert an input AC voltage to a DC charge voltage; and

coupling a receptacle to the rectifier, wherein the receptacle is configured to mate with an AC source connector.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising coupling the first bi-directional DC-to-AC voltage inverter directly to the first DC energy storage device.

27. A system comprising:

a machine configured to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and configured to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, the machine comprising;

a plurality of windings, each winding having a first end and a second end;

a plurality of first conductors, each first conductor coupled to a respective winding at the first end thereof, and

a plurality of second conductors, each second conductor coupled to a respective winding at the second end thereof,

a voltage inverter configured to convert AC electrical energy into DC electrical energy and to convert DC electrical energy into AC electrical energy, the voltage inverter coupled to the plurality of windings via the plurality of first conductors;

a first energy storage device coupled to the voltage inverter; and

a charging conductor coupled to the plurality of windings via the plurality of second conductors, the charging conductor configured to transmit charging energy through the machine to charge the first energy storage device.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the voltage inverter comprises a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of windings;

and

further comprising a controller configured to control the plurality of switches to boost charging energy transmitting through the machine and through the voltage inverter.

29. The system of claim 27 further comprising a vehicle comprising the machine, the voltage inverter, the first energy storage device, and the charging conductor, wherein the vehicle is one of a plug-in electric vehicle and a plug-in hybrid vehicle.