High voltage energy regulated conversion circuit

• US 6,959,777 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spiteri, Raymond, Beckerman, Joel, DeDona, Matthew Roger, Burba, Joseph Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEBE, GERALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/682,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.8, 701/22, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors

Abstract

A high-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit (HVERCC) (12) for electrically coupling to a vehicle bus (24) is provided. The HVERCC (12) includes a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module (22) coupled to the vehicle bus (24), a battery-pack high-voltage bus battery bus (28), and a WEG heater bus (29). The battery bus (28) is coupled to a high-voltage battery pack (30) and a WEG heater circuit (32). The HVEC module (22), the high-voltage battery pack (30), and the WEG heater circuit (32) are coupled to a logic controller (14) via a network (36). The logic controller (14) regulates the power on the vehicle bus (24), the battery bus (28), and the WEG heater bus (29). An operational method for the HVEC module (22) is also provided.

Claims

1. A high-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit for coupling to a vehicle bus comprising:

a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module electrically coupled to the vehicle bus;

a battery bus electrically coupled to the HVEC module;

a water ethylene glycol (WEG) heater bus electrically coupled to the HVEC module;

a high-voltage battery pack electrically coupled to said battery bus;

a WEG heater circuit electrically coupled to said WEG heater bus; and

a logic controller electrically coupled to said HVEC module, said high-voltage battery pack, and said WEG heater circuit via a network, wherein said logic controller regulates the power on the vehicle bus, the battery bus, and the WEG heater bus and, wherein said HVEC module operates in multiple functional modes comprising a constant voltage mode, a constant current mode, and a constant battery current mode.

2. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said WEG heater circuit further comprises a WEG heater.

3. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said logic controller activates said WEG heater circuit to discharge excess battery energy.

4. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said logic controller activates said HVEC module to accept power from the vehicle bus to said battery bus when the power level on the vehicle bus is greater than a predetermined value.

5. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said logic controller activates said HVEC module to accept power from the vehicle bus to said heater bus when the power level on the vehicle bus is greater than a predetermined value.

6. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said logic controller activates said HVEC module to supply power from said battery bus to the vehicle bus when the power level on the vehicle bus is less than a predetermined value.

7. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said logic controller deactivates said HVEC module when the power level on the vehicle bus has not exceeded predetermined voltage limits.

8. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said HVEC module maintains a state-of-charge (SOC) on said high-voltage battery pack.

9. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said high-voltage battery pack comprises a battery control module (BCM), wherein said BCM assists said logic controller in monitoring high-voltage battery pack characteristics selected from at least one of voltage, current, power, temperature, and health of said high-voltage battery pack.

10. A circuit as in claim 9 wherein said logic controller adjusts power on said battery bus in response to a signal from said BCM by signaling said HVEC module.

11. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said HVEC module charges said high-voltage battery pack by maintaining said high-voltage battery pack SOC.

12. A circuit as in claim 1 wherein said logic controller has a high-voltage battery pack maintenance algorithm, which allows said logic controller to regulate the SOC on said high-voltage battery pack.

13. An operational method for a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module comprising:

receiving an operational command signal;

operating in a determined functional mode;

voltage guarding a vehicle bus, a battery bus, and a water ethylene glycol (WEG) heater bus.

14. An operational method for a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module comprising:

receiving an operational command signal;

operating in a determined functional mode;

voltage guarding a vehicle bus, a battery bus, and a water ethylene glycol (WEG) heater bus.

15. An operational method for a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module comprising:

receiving an operational command signal;

operating in a determined functional mode; and

voltage guarding a vehicle bus, a battery bus, and a WEG heater bus comprising;

monitoring voltages on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus comprising;

comparing voltage on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said heater bus with voltage guard limits; and

signaling a logic controller that voltage guard limits are reached;

comparing voltage levels on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus;

determining whether voltage transfer between said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus is feasible; and

transferring power between said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus.

16. An operational method for a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module comprising:

receiving an operational command signal;

operating in a determined functional mode; and

voltage guarding a vehicle bus, a battery bus, and a WEG heater bus comprising;

monitoring voltages on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus comprising;

comparing voltage levels on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus;

determining whether voltage transfer between said vehicle bus, said battery, bus, and said WEG heater bus is feasible; and

transferring power between said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus comprising;

adjusting voltage on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus to be within said voltage guard limits.

17. An operational method for a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module comprising:

receiving an operational command signal;

operating in a determined functional mode; and

voltage guarding a vehicle bus, a battery bus, and a WEG heater bus comprising;

monitoring voltages on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus comprising;

comparing voltage levels on said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus;

determining whether voltage transfer between said vehicle bus,

said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus is feasible; and

transferring power between said vehicle bus, said battery bus, and said WEG heater bus while said HVEC module is in a constant voltage mode, a constant current mode, and a constant battery current mode.

18. A fuel cell energy system having a vehicle high-voltage bus comprising:

a fuel cell electrically coupled to the vehicle high-voltage bus;

a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module electrically coupled to the vehicle high-voltage bus;

a battery-pack high-voltage bus electrically coupled to said HVEC module;

a WEG heater high-voltage bus electrically coupled to said HVEC module;

a high-voltage battery pack electrically coupled to said battery high-voltage bus;

a water ethylene glycol (WEG) heater electrically coupled to said WEG heater high-voltage bus; and

a logic controller electrically coupled to said HVEC module, said high-voltage battery pack, and said WEG heater circuit via a network, wherein said logic controller regulates the power on the vehicle high-voltage bus, the battery high-voltage bus, and the WEG heater high-voltage bus.