SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOBILE POWER CONDITIONING PLATFORM

• US 20140021779A1
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: TEICHMANN, Ralph
• Granted Patent: US 9,463,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/55 Capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/56 Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 15/008 using hydrogen as energy vector
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/42 for ships or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Systems and methods for a mobile power conditioning platform are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention, a mobile power conditioning platform is positioned proximate to a power grid, coupled to the power grid via an offboard power coupling, coupled to an onboard electrical system of a vehicle via a vehicle power coupling, and transfers electric power between the power grid and the onboard electrical system. One or more onboard generators of the vehicle may modify operation at least partly in response to the transfer of electric power.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a power conditioning unit configured to accept electrical power with a first set of one or more characteristics and output electrical power with a second set of one or more characteristics;

an offboard power coupling configured to couple the power conditioning unit to a power grid;

an onboard power coupling configured to couple the power conditioning unit to an onboard electrical system of a vehicle;

a power storage unit coupled to the power conditioning unit and configured to store and distribute electrical power; and

a propulsion unit coupled to the power storage unit, the power conditioning unit, or both and configured to relocate the system from a first location to a second location.

2. The system of claim 1, the power conditioning unit further configured to accept electrical power from the offboard power coupling and output electrical power to the onboard power coupling.

3. The system of claim 1, the power conditioning unit further configured to accept electrical power from the onboard power coupling and output electrical power to the offboard power coupling.

4. The system of claim 1, the power conditioning unit further configured to accept power at least in part from the power storage unit.

5. The system of claim 1, the power conditioning unit further configured to decouple at least a portion of the offboard power coupling, the onboard power coupling, or both at least partly in response to a set of pre-determined conditions.

6. The system of claim 5, the set of pre-determined conditions comprising a ground fault, a short circuit, an overload, or a change in alternating current frequency.

7. The system of claim 1, the one or more characteristics comprising frequency, voltage, amperage, phase, waveform, alternating current or direct current.

8. The system of claim 1, the propulsion unit comprising:

one or more electric motors coupled to one or more wheels or conveyors; and

operator controls configured to direct the relocation of the system from the first location to the second location.

9. The system of claim 1, the propulsion unit comprising:

one or more electric motors coupled to a propeller configured for operation in an aqueous medium; and

operator controls configured to direct the relocation of the system from the first location to the second location.

10. A method, comprising:

coupling a mobile power conditioning platform to a power grid;

coupling the mobile power conditioning platform to an onboard electrical system; and

transferring electrical power between the power grid and the onboard electrical system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the mobile power platform from a first location to a second location proximate to the power grid.

12. The method of claim 11, the positioning further comprising drawing electrical power from a power storage unit onboard the mobile power conditioning platform to drive one or more electrical motors.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising modifying operation of one or more onboard generators at least partly in response to the transferring of electrical power.

14. The method of claim 10, the transferring comprising accepting input electrical power having a first set of one or more characteristics and outputting electrical power having a second set of one or more characteristics.

15. The method of claim 14, the one or more characteristics comprising frequency, voltage, amperage, phase, waveform, alternating current or direct current.

16. A system, comprising:

a chassis;

a power conditioning unit coupled to the chassis and configured to accept electrical power with a first set of one or more characteristics and output electrical power with a second set of one or more characteristics;

an offboard power coupling coupled to the chassis and configured to couple the power conditioning unit to a power grid;

an onboard power coupling coupled to the chassis and configured to couple the power conditioning unit to an onboard electrical system; and

a coupling configured to couple the chassis to a prime mover.

17. The system of claim 16, the prime mover comprising one or more electric motors coupled to one or more wheels or conveyors.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a power storage unit coupled to the chassis and coupled to the power conditioning unit and configured to store and distribute electrical power to the power conditioning unit.

19. The system of claim 18, the power storage unit comprising one or more batteries, flywheels, capacitors, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 18, the power conditioning unit further configured to accept electrical power from the offboard power coupling and output electrical power to the onboard power coupling.