LOW COST ELECTRIC POWER TAKE OUT FUNCTIONALITY FOR FUEL CELL HYBRID VEHICLES

• US 20120187753A1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Schaffnit, Jochen
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

An electrical system for a fuel cell hybrid vehicle where the vehicle includes a fuel cell stack and a high voltage battery. A traditional bi-directional DC/DC power converter is provided in a high voltage bus that couples the fuel cell stack voltage and the battery voltage. Further, a traditional power inverter module is provided that converts the high voltage DC power signal on the high voltage bus to an AC signal suitable for an electric traction motor on the vehicle. The present invention proposes using the already existing bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the PIM as part of an electric power take out (EPTO) circuit that provides AC power for external vehicle loads while the fuel cell stack and battery are not being used to power the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electrical system for a fuel cell hybrid vehicle, said system comprising:

a high voltage bus;

a fuel cell stack electrically coupled to the high voltage bus;

a high voltage battery electrically coupled to the high voltage bus;

a bi-directional DC/DC power converter electrically coupled to the high voltage bus between the fuel cell stack and the high voltage battery;

an electric traction system power inverter module electrically coupled to the high voltage bus, said power inverter module converting high voltage DC power signals from the high voltage bus to system AC power signals; and

an electric power take out circuit including the bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the electric traction system power inverter module, said bi-directional power converter providing an external voltage signal and said power inverter module providing an external AC power signal when the electrical system is in an electric power take out mode.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one contactor for disconnecting the power inverter module from the high voltage bus when the system is in the electric power take out mode.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the power inverter module is electrically coupled to the high voltage bus between the bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the fuel cell stack.

4. The system according to claim 1 further comprising an electric traction motor electrically coupled to the power inverter module and receiving the system AC signals.

5. The system according to claim 1 further comprising an AC receptacle electrically coupled to the power inverter module and receiving the external AC power signal.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the electric power take out circuit provides about 110 volts AC as the external AC power signal.

7. An electrical system for a fuel cell hybrid vehicle, said system comprising:

a high voltage bus;

a fuel cell stack electrically coupled to the high voltage bus;

a high voltage battery electrically coupled to the high voltage bus;

a first bi-directional DC/DC power converter electrically coupled to the high voltage bus between the fuel cell stack and the high voltage battery;

an electric traction system power inverter module electrically coupled to the high voltage bus, said power inverter module converting high voltage DC power signals from the high voltage bus to system AC power signals; and

an electric power take out circuit including a second bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the electric traction system power inverter module, said second bi-directional power converter being electrically coupled to the high voltage bus line and the power inverter module, said second bi-directional power converter providing an external voltage signal and said power inverter module providing an external AC power signal when the electrical system is in an electric power take out mode.

8. The system according to claim 7 further comprising an AC receptacle electrically coupled to the power inverter module and receiving the external AC power signal.

9. The system according to claim 7 further comprising an electric traction motor electrically coupled to the power inverter module and receiving the system AC signals.

10. The system according to claim 7 wherein the second bi-directional is coupled to the high voltage bus between the first bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the high voltage battery.

11. The system according to claim 7 wherein the second bi-directional is coupled to the high voltage bus between the first bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the fuel cell stack.

12. The system according to claim 7 further comprising at least one contactor for disconnecting the power inverter module from the high voltage bus when the system is in the electric power take out mode.

13. The system according to claim 7 wherein the power inverter module is electrically coupled to the high voltage bus between the bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the fuel cell stack.

14. The system according to claim 7 wherein the electric power take out circuit provides about 110 volts AC as the external AC power signal.

15. An electrical system for a hybrid vehicle, said system comprising:

a high voltage bus;

a power source electrically coupled to the high voltage bus;

a high voltage battery electrically coupled to the high voltage bus;

a bi-directional DC/DC power converter electrically coupled to the high voltage bus between the power source and the high voltage battery;

an electric traction system power inverter module electrically coupled to the high voltage bus power inverter module between the bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the power source, said power inverter module converting high voltage DC power signals from the high voltage bus to system AC power signals; and

an electric power take out circuit including the bi-directional DC/DC power converter and the electric traction system power inverter module, said bi-directional power converter providing an external voltage signal and said power inverter module providing an external AC power signal when the electrical system is in an electric power take out mode.

16. The system according to claim 15 further comprising at least one contactor for disconnecting the power inverter module from the high voltage bus when the system is in the electric power take out mode.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the power source is a fuel cell stack.

18. The system according to claim 15 further comprising an electric traction motor electrically coupled to the power inverter module and receiving the system AC signals.

19. The system according to claim 15 further comprising an AC receptacle electrically coupled to the power inverter module and receiving the external AC power signal.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein the electric power take out circuit provides about 110 volts AC as the external AC power signal.