MEDIUM VOLTAGE STAND ALONE DC FAST CHARGER

• US 20130134935A1
• Filed: 05/24/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Maitra, Arindam, Rajagopalan, Satish, Lai, Jih-Sheng, McGranaghan, Mark, Duvall, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/479,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20130134935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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 10/92 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

Abstract

An apparatus for DC fast charging of an electric vehicle includes an active front end AC-DC converter and an isolated DC-DC converter. The active front end AC-DC converter is adapted to rectify a medium voltage alternating current (AC) from a utility grid to a high voltage direct current (DC). The isolated DC-DC converter is adapted to transform the high voltage DC to a low voltage DC for charging the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for DC fast charging of an electric vehicle, comprising:

(a) an active front end AC-DC converter adapted to rectify a medium voltage alternating current (AC) to a high voltage direct current (DC); and

(b) an isolated DC-DC converter adapted to transform the high voltage DC to a low voltage DC for charging the electric vehicle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is of a single phase configuration.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the single phase configuration is of a modular design.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the modular design includes:

(i) a plurality of three-level active front end AC-DC converters with each of the inputs of the plurality of AC-DC converters connected in series; and

(ii) a plurality of isolated DC-DC converters with each of the outputs of the plurality of DC-DC converters connected in parallel, wherein outputs for each of the plurality of AC-DC converters are connected to inputs of a respective one of the plurality DC-DC converters.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the modular design includes at least one three-level active front end AC-DC converter connected to at least one isolated DC-DC converter.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the isolated DC-DC converter includes two interleaved converters adapted to reduce output DC ripple.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is of a three phase configuration.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the three phase configuration includes a three phase active front end AC-DC converter.

9. A three phase apparatus for DC fast charging of an electric vehicle, comprising three single phase apparatuses, each of the single phase apparatuses having:

(a) an active front end AC-DC converter adapted to rectify a medium voltage alternating current (AC) to a high voltage direct current (DC); and

(b) an isolated DC-DC converter adapted to transform the high voltage DC to a low voltage DC for charging the electric vehicle.