City Electric Bus Powered by Ultracapacitors

• US 20100270983A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sinautec Automobile Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Shanghai Aowei Technology Development Limited Corporation
• Inventors: Heng, Jianpo, Miao, Xiao Li, Liang, Quanshun, Hua, Li, Gong, Zhengda
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/167
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Described are a method and apparatus for charging an electric vehicle powered by ultracapacitors. The vehicle includes a current collector device for collecting power from an external power source, an electric motor module for providing a driving force to the vehicle, an ultracapacitor module, and a charger device. The ultracapacitor module includes one or more ultracapacitors. The ultracapacitor module is coupled to the current collector device for receiving power and is coupled to the electric motor module for providing power. The charger device is connected to the current collector, the ultracapacitor module, and to a temperature signal associated with one or more of the one or more ultracapacitors. The charger device is configured to adjust power supplied to the ultracapacitor module based on the temperature signal.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle powered by ultracapacitors, the vehicle comprising:

a current collector device for collecting power from an external power source;

an electric motor module for providing a driving force to the vehicle;

an ultracapacitor module comprising one or more ultracapacitors, the ultracapacitor module coupled to the current collector device for receiving power and coupled to the electric motor module for providing power; and

a charger device connected to the current collector, the ultracapacitor module, and to a temperature signal associated with one or more of the one or more ultracapacitors, the charger device configured to adjust power supplied to the ultracapacitor module based on the temperature signal.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a distributed ultracapacitor monitoring system.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a controller area network (CAN) device.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the CAN device is configured to communicate using the SAEJ1939 protocol.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an electric bus pantograph supporting the current collector device.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 further comprising a camera positioned to monitor the electric bus pantograph and connected to a controller area network (CAN) device.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the ultracapacitor module is further coupled to one or more additional electric devices for providing power.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the charger device comprises a IGBT device and a control device, the IGBT device connected to the current collector and the ultracapacitor module, the control device connected to the temperature signal and the IGBT device, wherein the control device is configured to adjust the power delivered by the IGBT device to the ultracapacitor module based on the temperature signal.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the control device is configured to decrease, using the IGBT device, an upper limit of charging voltage of the ultracapacitor module when the temperature signal indicates an increase in temperature.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the control device is configured to decrease the upper limit of charging voltage when the temperature signal indicates a temperature higher than 25°

C.

11. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the control device is configured to increase, using the IGBT device, an upper limit of charging voltage of the ultracapacitor module when the temperature signal indicates a decrease in temperature.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the control device is configured to increase the upper limit of charging voltage when the temperature signal indicates a temperature lower than 25°

C.

13. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the upper limit of charging voltage is between 580 volts and 640 volts.

14. A method for charging an electric vehicle powered by ultracapacitors, the method comprising:

receiving power, via a current collector device, from an external power source;

measuring one or more temperature values of one or more ultracapacitors connected to an electric motor;

charging the one or more ultracapacitors with power received from the external power source, wherein charging the one or more ultracapacitors is based on the one or more temperature values.