METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR IMPROVED ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING

• US 20150061569A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CE+T Energy Solutions Inc. (CE+T GROUP NV)
• Original Assignee: Ideal Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, William C., Barron, Guy Michael, Cobb, Christopher, Roush, Paul, Bundschuh, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/209,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20150061569A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/42 Voltage source inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters 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 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• 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 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 : for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0058 : by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 : Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 : Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33584 : Bidirectional converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/225 : comprising two stages of AC-AC conversion, e.g. having a high frequency intermediate link
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4826 : operating from a resonant DC source, i.e. the DC input voltage varies periodically, e.g. resonant DC-link inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/797 : using semiconductor devices only
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• 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

A car charging station in which battery buffering includes at least approximately as much energy as is required to charge one car rapidly. This is particularly advantageous when a photovoltaic array is connected through a power converter to charge the battery, and also to provide a lower rate of charge directly to the vehicle charge connections. Advantageously, a mains power connection can also be made through yet another port of the same multiport power converter.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging station, comprising:

at least one standard vehicle electrical connection;

at least one battery;

at least one power input connection; and

a power-packet-switching multiport power converter having a first port thereof connected to said vehicle electrical connections, a second port thereof connected to said battery, and a third port thereof connected to said power input connection;

wherein the maximum power available from said power input connection is less than half the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle charging connections.

2. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein said battery holds at least 60% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle charging connections.

3. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein said battery holds at least 100% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle charging connections.

4. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein said battery holds at least 200% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle charging connections.

5. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein said power converter can direct power from said battery to said power input connection.

6. The vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein said power converter can direct power between two or more said ports.

7. A vehicle charging station, comprising:

at least one standard vehicle electrical connection;

at least one battery;

at least one photovoltaic power input connection; and

a power-packet-switching multiport power converter having a first port thereof connected to said vehicle electrical connections, a second port thereof connected to said battery, a third port thereof connected to said power input connection, and a fourth port thereof connected to a power grid.

8. The vehicle charging station of claim 7, wherein said battery holds more than 60% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle electrical connections.

9. The vehicle charging station of claim 7, wherein said battery holds more than 100% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle electrical connections.

10. The vehicle charging station of claim 7, wherein said battery holds more than 200% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle electrical connections.

11. The vehicle charging station of claim 7, wherein said power converter can direct power from said battery to said power input connection.

12. The vehicle charging station of claim 7, wherein said power converter can direct power between two or more said ports.

13. A vehicle charging station, comprising:

a plurality of standard vehicle electrical connections;

at least one battery;

at least one power mains connection; and

a power-packet-switching multiport power converter having at least one first port thereof connected to said vehicle electrical connections, a second port thereof connected to said battery, and a third port thereof connected to said power input connection;

whereby less transient loading is imposed on the power mains connection when multiple vehicles connect in quick succession to said plurality of standard vehicle electrical connections.

14. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of said first ports.

15. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, wherein at least two said standard vehicle electrical connections are connected to one said first port by a crossbar switch.

16. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, wherein said battery holds more than 60% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle electrical connections.

17. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, wherein said battery holds more than 100% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle electrical connections.

18. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, wherein said battery holds more than 200% of the maximum power output which can be accepted at said vehicle electrical connections.

19. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, wherein said power converter can direct power from said battery to said power input connection.

20. The vehicle charging station of claim 13, wherein said power converter can direct power between two or more said ports.

21. (canceled)