POWER-SHARING CHARGING SYSTEM, CHARGING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME

• US 20150115891A1
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Institute of Energy Research
• Original Assignee: Korea Institute of Energy Research
• Inventors: SONG, Yujin, PARK, Sukin, SUNG, Yoon Dong, HAN, Su Bin, OH, Sea Seung, CHAE, Su Yong, KIM, Gyu Duk, YU, Seung Weon, LEE, ILoun
• Granted Patent: US 9,637,017 B2
• 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 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a charging system including: at least two charging devices including at least two output units configured to supply connected automobiles with charging power, a first bus electrically connected to the output units and configured to transfer charging power to the output units, and a power processing unit configured to process power, which is supplied from a power source, using a first capacity and supply the first bus with the processed power; and a second bus configured to connect a first bus of a first charging device and a first bus of a second charging device, wherein, when a total capacity of charging power supplied to automobiles connected to the first charging device exceeds the first capacity, a part or all of lacking capacity is supplied via the second bus.

Claims

1. A charging system comprising:

at least two charging devices comprising at least two output units configured to supply connected automobiles with charging power, a first bus electrically connected to the output units and configured to transfer charging power to the output units, and a power processing unit configured to process power, which is supplied from a power source, using a first capacity and supply the first bus with the processed power; and

a second bus configured to connect a first bus of a first charging device and a first bus of a second charging device, wherein

when a total capacity of charging power supplied to automobiles connected to the first charging device exceeds the first capacity, a part or all of lacking capacity is supplied via the second bus.

2. The charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first bus comprises a first AC bus configured to supply AC power and a first DC bus configured to supply DC power.

3. The charging system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second bus comprises a second AC bus configured to supply AC power and a second DC bus configured to supply DC power, the second AC bus is connected to a first AC bus of the first charging device and a first AC bus of the second charging device, and the second DC bus is connected to a first DC bus of the first charging device and a first DC bus of the second charging device.

4. The charging system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power processing unit comprises a bidirectional AC/DC converter configured to convert power of the first AC bus into power of the first DC bus and convert power of the first DC bus into power of the first AC bus.

5. The charging system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the power processing unit comprises a DC supply unit configured to convert three-phase AC power, which is supplied from a system, into DC power and supply the first DC bus with the DC power and an AC supply unit configured to supply the first AC bus with power of two phases of the three phases.

6. The charging system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first charging device comprises a bus connection unit configured to connect the first bus and the second bus, and

the bus connection unit comprises a DC/DC converter configured to convert power of the first DC bus into MVDC (Medium Voltage DC) power or HVDC(High Voltage DC) power or an AC/DC converter configured to convert power of the first AC bus into MVDC (Medium Voltage DC) power or HVDC (High Voltage DC) power.

7. The charging system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the charging system further comprises a third bus configured to connect a first bus of the first charging device and a first bus of a third charging device,

the first charging device comprises at least two bus connection units, and

the first charging device is configured to connect the first bus and the second bus via a first bus connection unit and connect the first bus and the third bus via a second bus connection unit.

8. The charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the output units comprises an output connector comprising both an AC output terminal connected to an onboard charger of a connected automobile and a DC output terminal connected to a battery of the connected automobile.

9. The charging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first bus comprises a first AC bus configured to supply AC power and a first DC bus configured to supply DC power, the first AC bus is configured to supply the AC output terminal of the output units with AC power, and the first DC bus is configured to supply the DC output terminal of the output units with DC power.

10. The charging system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the output units comprises an output controller,

the output controller is configured to supply the AC output terminal with charging power in a first charging power range and supply the DC output terminal with charging power in a second charging power range, and a maximum value of the second charging power range is larger than a maximum value of the first charging power range.

11. The charging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the output controller comprises a charging mode selection unit, and

the charging mode selection unit is configured to selectively connect the AC output terminal and the DC output terminal according to a range of charging power supplied to a connected automobile.

12. The charging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the output controller comprises a current controller, and the current controller is configured to adjust a charging rate of a connected automobile by controlling the amount of charging current.

13. The charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first charging device comprises a bus connection unit configured to connect the first bus and the second bus,

the bus connection unit comprises a power transmitter, and

the power transmitter is configured to transmit a part or all of remaining capacity, which is obtained by subtracting the total capacity of charging power supplied to connected automobiles from the first capacity, to the second bus.

14. The charging system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the bus connection unit further comprises a bypass circuit configured to unidirectionally transfer power from the second bus to the first bus, and the bypass circuit is connected in parallel with the power transmitter.

15. The charging system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the bypass circuit comprises a diode configured to prevent a reverse current.

16. The charging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power source is a system, and the charging devices are connected to the system using limited power capacities.

17. A method for controlling a first charging device comprising at least two output units configured to supply connected automobiles with charging power, the first charging device being supplied with power from a second charging device via a shared bus, the method comprising:

making a first comparison by comparing an available charging capacity of the first charging device with an amount of rapid charging;

making a second comparison, when the available charging capacity of the first charging device is smaller than the amount of rapid charging, by comparing the difference between two values with an available charging capacity of the second charging device;

displaying rapid charging on by at least one output unit when a first condition, in which the available charging capacity of the first charging device is equal to or larger than the amount of rapid charging in the making a first comparison, or a second condition, in which the difference between the available charging capacity of the first charging device and the amount of rapid charging is equal to or smaller than the available charging capacity of the second charging device in the making a second comparison, is satisfied; and

displaying a limited charging condition by the at least one output unit when the first condition and the second condition are not satisfied.

18. A charging device comprising:

at least two output units configured to supply connected automobiles with charging power;

a first bus electriclly connected to the output units and configured to transfer charging power to the output units; and

a power processing unit configured to process power, which is supplied from a power source, using a first capacity and supply the first bus with the processed power, wherein

when the total capacity of charging power supplied to connected automobiles exceeds the first capacity, a part or all of lacking capacity is supplied via a second bus connected to a different charging device.

19. The charging device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the charging device comprises a bus connection unit configured to connect the first bus and the second bus, the bus connection unit comprises a power transmitter, and the power transmitter is configured to transmit a part or all of remaining capacity, which is obtained by subtracting the total capacity of charging power supplied to connected automobiles from the first capacity, to the second bus.

20. The charging device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the charging device comprises a bus connection unit configured to connect the first bus and the second bus, and the bus connection unit comprises a DC/DC converter or an AC/DC converter configured to convert power of the first bus into MVDC (Medium Voltage DC) power or HVDC (High Voltage DC) power.