ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20140021917A1
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: PAUPERT, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,168,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• 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: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/26 Arrangements for eliminating or reducing asymmetry in polyphase networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 90/167 : 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 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A method for distributing electricity is used in a system including a three-phase current distribution network, recharge terminals for electric vehicles connected to the distribution network via three phase conductors and one neutral conductor, electric vehicles equipped with a storage battery, means for measuring electric currents and voltages in the system, and a monitoring device for communicating with the electric vehicles and the measuring means. The distribution network supplies or receives electricity at the recharge terminals, and electric vehicles are recharged or discharged on these terminals via a single-phase or three-phase electric link. The method includes identifying an arrival of an electric vehicle at a recharge terminal, identifying energy requirements of the electric vehicle, assigning at least one electric current phase carried by one of the three phase conductors to the recharge terminal, and transferring energy to or from the storage battery (or batteries) of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. Method for distributing electricity in a system comprising at least the following elements:

a three-phase current distribution network,

recharge terminals for electric vehicles connected to the distribution network via three phase conductors and one neutral conductor,

electric vehicles each equipped with at least one storage battery,

means for measuring electric currents and electric voltages in the system,

a monitoring device (suitable for communicating with the electric vehicles and the measuring means,

the distribution network being suitable for supplying or receiving electricity at the recharge terminals, the electric vehicles being adapted to be recharged or discharged on these terminals via a single-phase or three-phase electric link,

and the method comprising the following steps;

a) identifying an arrival of an electric vehicle at a recharge terminal,

b) identifying energy requirements of the electric vehicle, and

d) transferring energy to or from the storage battery (40A to 40D) of the electric vehicle,

wherein the method comprises at least one additional step c), after step b) and prior to step d), for assigning at least one electric current phase carried by one of the three phase conductors to the recharge terminal at which an electric vehicle arrives.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the additional step c) comprises at least the following sub-steps:

c1) determining the levels of use of each of the phases,

c2) actuating a switch for assigning at least one phase to the recharge terminal.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein, if the electric vehicle arriving at a terminal is single-phase, the phase assigned for the recharging thereof is that least assigned to the vehicles already connected to the other terminals.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein, if the electric vehicle arriving at a terminal is three-phase and if one of the phases is unable to accept additional loads, the loads assigned to the phases of the terminals are modified, to balance the loads on the three phases.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein, when modifying the loads assigned to the phases of the terminals, the load corresponding to a single-phase vehicle already connected to a terminal is switched to another phase.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein, when modifying the loads assigned to the phases of the terminals, the load is switched to the phase subject to the lowest load.

7. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a step consisting of setting for each phase conductor current set-points for transferring electricity between the terminals and the electric vehicles.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the current set-points are such that they are suitable for optimally approximating the limits of the distribution contract.

9. Device for distributing electricity in a system comprising at least:

one three-phase current distribution network,

recharge terminals for electric vehicles connected to the distribution network via three phase conductors and one neutral conductor,

electric vehicles each equipped with at least one storage battery,

means for measuring electric currents and voltages in the system,

a monitoring device suitable for communicating with the electric vehicles and the measuring means,

means for identifying an arrival of an electric vehicle at a recharge terminal,

means for identifying energy requirements of the electric vehicle, and

means for transferring energy to or from the storage battery of the electric vehicle, the distribution network being suitable for supplying or receiving electricity at the recharge terminals and the electric vehicles being adapted to be recharged or discharged on these terminals via a single-phase or three-phase electric link,

wherein the device comprises calculation means configured for implementing at least one step c) for assigning to the incoming electric vehicle at least one electric current phase carried by one of the three phase conductors to the recharge terminal at which the electric vehicle arrives.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein the means for performing the assigning of the phases for each of the recharge terminals are switching members embodied by electronic switches.