DC VOLTAGE SUPPLY SYSTEM CONFIGURED TO PRECHARGE A SMOOTHING CAPACITOR BEFORE SUPPLYING A LOAD

• US 20170047758A1
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: BERANGER, Bruno, CHATROUX, Daniel, CARCOUET, Sebastien
• Granted Patent: US 10,164,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007184 in response to battery voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters

Abstract

The invention concerns an electrical system that comprises:—an electrical charge (42, 43);—a decoupling capacitor (41);—a DC voltage power supply system, comprising first and second terminals (321, 322), including:—a DC voltage source (2) comprising first and second poles;—a first branch including a first contactor (51);—a second branch including first and second switches (302, 303) and an inductor (305) connected in series in order to selectively connect the DC voltage source to the first terminal (321) of the power supply system;—a unidirectional conducting device (307, 308, 309) for conduction from the second terminal of the DC power supply system to a connection node (323) between the second switch (303) and said inductor (305);—a control circuit (304) comprising—a mode for supplying electrical load (42, 43);—a mode for charging the decoupling capacitor (41).

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An electrical system, comprising:

an electrical load that is liable to consume a maximum current;

a decoupling capacitor connected in parallel to terminals of the electrical load; and

a DC voltage electrical power supply system, comprising first and second terminals for applying a supply voltage to the terminals of the electrical load, including;

a DC voltage source comprising first and second poles, the second pole being connected to the second terminal of the electrical power supply system;

a first branch including a first contactor selectively connecting the first pole of the DC voltage source to the first terminal of the electrical power supply system;

a second branch including first and second switches and an inductor that are connected in series in order to selectively connect the first pole of the DC voltage source to the first terminal of the electrical power supply system;

a device for unidirectional conduction from the second terminal of the DC power supply system to a connection node between the second switch and the inductor; and

a control circuit comprising;

a mode for supplying power to the electrical load, wherein the first contactor is kept closed; and

a mode for charging the decoupling capacitor, wherein the control circuit keeps the first contactor open, wherein the control circuit keeps the first switch closed and wherein the control circuit controls the switching actions of the second switch so as to output a current regulated to a level higher than the maximum current via the inductor, wherein it toggles to the mode for supplying power to the electrical load when it determines that the voltage between the first and second terminals exceeds a first threshold.

12. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second switch includes a transistor whose switching regime is controlled by the control circuit.

13. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first switch is an electromechanical switch.

14. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second pole of the DC voltage source and the second terminal of the electrical power supply system are selectively connected via a second contactor, the control circuit keeping the second contactor closed in the mode for supplying power to the electrical load and in the mode for charging the decoupling capacitor.

15. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control circuit comprises a safe mode wherein it keeps the first contactor open and the first switch open, the control circuit determining the duration of an operation in charging mode, and controlling the toggling to the safe mode when the determined duration exceeds a first threshold.

16. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the control circuit is configured to measure the voltage between the first and second poles and configured to determine the first threshold by subtracting a predefined value from the measured voltage.

17. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the regulated current level of the charging mode results in the complete charging of the decoupling capacitor in a duration of less than three seconds when the electrical load consumes the current.

18. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the DC voltage source applies a voltage that is higher than 100 V across its poles.

19. The electrical system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second switches are connected in series between the first pole of the DC voltage source and the connection node.

20. A DC voltage electrical power supply system for an electrical system as claimed in claim 11, comprising first and second terminals for applying a supply voltage to the terminals of the electrical load, including:

a DC voltage source comprising first and second poles, the second pole being connected to the second terminal of the electrical power supply system;

a first branch including a first contactor selectively connecting the first pole of the DC voltage source to the first terminal of the electrical power supply system;

a second branch including first and second switches and an inductor that are connected in series in order to selectively connect the first pole of the DC voltage source to the first terminal of the electrical power supply system;

a device for unidirectional conduction from the second terminal of the DC power supply system to a connection node between the second switch and the inductor; and

a control circuit comprising;

a mode for supplying power to the electrical load wherein the first contactor is kept closed; and

a mode for charging the decoupling capacitor, wherein the first contactor is kept open, wherein the first switch is kept closed and wherein switching actions of the second switch are controlled so as to output a current regulated via the inductor to a level higher than the maximum current that is liable to be consumed by the electrical load, and wherein it toggles to the mode for supplying power to the electrical load when it determines that the voltage between the first and second terminals exceeds a first threshold.