SCALABLE, HYBRID ENERGY STORAGE FOR PLUG-IN VEHICLES

• US 20110011659A1
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Sailor, Eric, Casey, Colin J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,307,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 Batteries
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An energy storage module (30, 32) for an electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle (12). Multiple low-voltage storage batteries (36) disposed on a tray (60) and connected in parallel circuit relationship form a low-voltage battery bank. A DC-to-DC converter (42) has an input connected to the low-voltage battery bank and an output connected to a high-voltage energy storage bank (34). An AC-to-DC converter (40) is connected to the low-voltage battery bank for charging the low-voltage battery bank from a source of AC electricity (45).

Claims

1. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

a combustion engine for propelling the hybrid electric vehicle via at least one driven wheel coupled to the combustion engine through a drive train;

a high-voltage energy storage bank;

an electric motor/generator associated with the drive train for recovering kinetic energy from the hybrid electric vehicle to re-charge the high-voltage energy storage bank when operating as a generator, and when operating as a motor, for drawing electric current from the high-voltage energy storage bank to propel the hybrid electric vehicle through the drive train by at least one of the combustion engine and torque in addition to that being produced by the combustion engine;

a low-voltage battery bank;

a DC-to-DC converter for re-charging the high-voltage energy storage bank from the low-voltage battery bank; and

an AC-to-DC converter for re-charging the low-voltage battery bank from a source of AC electricity.

2. The hybrid electric vehicle as set forth in claim 1 in which the low-voltage battery bank, the DC-to-DC converter, and the AC-to-DC converter are arranged in a module that is mounted on the hybrid electric vehicle separately from the high-voltage energy storage bank.

3. The hybrid electric vehicle as set forth in claim 2 in which the low-voltage battery bank, the DC-to-DC converter, and the AC-to-DC converter are arranged in the module with the AC-to-DC converter and the DC-to-DC converter at a lengthwise end of the module.

4. The hybrid electric vehicle as set forth in claim 3 in which the low-voltage battery bank comprises multiple low-voltage storage battery cells which are electrically connected in parallel circuit relationship with each other.

5. The hybrid electric vehicle as set forth in claim 4 in which the module is mounted on a member of a chassis frame of the hybrid electric vehicle with a length parallel with a length of the member of the chassis frame.

6. The hybrid electric vehicle as set forth in claim 1 in which the AC-to-DC converter comprises a circuit for converting utility-format AC power to an appropriate DC voltage for re-charging the low-voltage battery bank.

7. An energy storage module for at least one of an electric vehicle and hybrid electric vehicle, the energy storage module comprising:

a tray on which are disposed multiple low-voltage storage batteries connected in parallel circuit relationship to form a low-voltage battery bank;

a DC-to-DC converter having an input connected to the low-voltage battery bank and providing a voltage output for use by a high-voltage energy storage bank; and

an AC-to-DC converter connected to the low-voltage battery bank for re-charging the low-voltage battery bank from a source of AC electricity.

8. The energy storage module as set forth in claim 7 in which the low-voltage battery bank, the DC-to-DC converter, and the AC-to-DC converter are arranged in the energy storage module with the AC-to-DC converter and the DC-to-DC converter within one tray.

9. The energy storage module as set forth in claim 8 in which the low-voltage storage batteries comprises lead-acid storage batteries connected in parallel.

10. The energy storage module as set forth in claim 7 in which the AC-to-DC converter comprises a circuit for converting utility-format AC power to an appropriate DC voltage for re-charging the low-voltage battery bank.

11. A method of storing energy in and delivering energy from an energy storage system in a hybrid electric vehicle that has a combustion engine for propelling the hybrid electric vehicle via at least one driven wheel coupled to the combustion engine through a drive train;

a high-voltage energy storage bank;

an electric motor/generator associated with the drive train for recovering kinetic energy from the hybrid electric vehicle to re-charge the high-voltage energy storage bank when operating as a generator, and when operating as a motor, for drawing electric current from the high-voltage energy storage bank to propel the hybrid electric vehicle through the drive train by at least one of the combustion engine and torque added to that being produced by the combustion engine, and a low-voltage battery bank, the method comprising the steps of;

using a DC-to-DC converter in the hybrid electric vehicle to re-charge the high-voltage energy storage bank from the low-voltage battery bank; and

using an AC-to-DC converter in the hybrid electric vehicle to re-charge the low-voltage battery bank from a source of AC electricity that is external to the hybrid electric vehicle.

12. A method of storing energy in and delivering energy from an energy storage system in an electric vehicle that comprises an electric motor/generator for propelling the electric vehicle via at least one driven wheel through a drive train when the motor/generator is operating as a motor and for re-charging a high-voltage energy storage bank of the energy storage system when operating as a generator recovering kinetic energy from the electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

using a DC-to-DC converter in the electric vehicle to re-charge the high-voltage energy storage bank from a low-voltage battery bank in the electric vehicle; and

using an AC-to-DC converter in the electric vehicle to re-charge the low-voltage battery bank from a source of AC electricity that is external to the electric vehicle.

13. An electric vehicle comprising an electric motor/generator for propelling the electric vehicle via at least one driven wheel coupled to the engine through a drive train when operating as a motor and when operating as a generator, for recovering kinetic energy from the electric vehicle, a high-voltage energy storage bank that is re-charged by the motor/generator operating as a generator and that delivers electric current for operating the motor/generator as a motor to the propel the electric vehicle, a low-voltage battery bank, a DC-to-DC converter for re-charging the high-voltage energy storage bank from the low-voltage battery bank, and an AC-to-DC converter for re-charging the low-voltage battery bank from a source of AC electricity.

14. The electric vehicle as set forth in claim 13 in which the low-voltage battery bank, the DC-to-DC converter, and the AC-to-DC converter are arranged in a module that is mounted on the electric vehicle separately from the high-voltage energy storage bank.

15. The electric vehicle as set forth in claim 14 in which the low-voltage battery bank, the DC-to-DC converter, and the AC-to-DC converter are arranged in the module with the AC-to-DC converter and the DC-to-DC converter on a common tray.

16. The electric vehicle as set forth in claim 15 in which the low-voltage battery bank comprises multiple low voltage storage batteries arranged side-by-side and electrically connected in a parallel circuit relationship with each other.

17. The electric vehicle as set forth in claim 16 in which the module is mounted on a member of a chassis frame of the electric vehicle with a length parallel with a length of the member of the chassis frame.

18. The electric vehicle as set forth in claim 13 in which the AC-to-DC converter comprises a circuit for converting utility-format AC power to an appropriate DC voltage for re-charging the low-voltage battery bank.