Method and apparatus for controlling a hybrid power supply system in a vehicle

• US 7,487,851 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Buck, Michael, Schuetz, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLSZEWSKI, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US10/522,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20060102397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/18 by enquiring driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04559 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04589 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04917 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04947 of auxiliary devices, e.g. batteries, capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for controlling the power supply of a vehicle which has a hybrid power system composed of a fuel cell system and a dynamic power system which contains a storage battery. The power system can be operated with optimum dynamics as a function of operating modes which can be set.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a power supply of a device having at least one electric drive motor and a hybrid power supply system which includes a fuel cell system and a dynamic power system, wherein electrical outputs of the fuel cell system are connected to one side of a power converter whose other side feeds the drive motor which is controlled by a motor control unit, and wherein the dynamic power system has a storage battery which is connected to one side of a d.c./d.c converter whose other side is connected to the electrical outputs of the fuel cell system and to one side of the power converter, wherein:

a vehicle control unit which is connected to a velocity sensor of the mobile device and to a signal transmitter for a setpoint torque to be generated by the drive motor, is provided for setting a setpoint torque of an motor control unit and for determining current setpoint values for the mobile device which are stored in a characteristic diagram for torque setpoint values and rotational speed values;

the vehicle control unit is connected to a power control unit which is connected to the fuel cell system, a battery management system for the storage battery and to the d.c./d.c. converter;

current which is output by the fuel cell is measured and is fed as a fuel cell current value to the power control unit;

current of the drive motor is measured upstream of the power converter and is fed as a driving current value to the power control unit;

current of the other loads is measured or calculated and fed to the power control unit as a composite current value;

an operating mode selector switch for setting various operating modes of the power supply system is connected to the power control unit;

values from the battery management system relating to the charge state of the storage battery and values relating to the maximum prescribable charge current and discharge current are fed to a power flux controller;

a power setpoint value, fuel cell current, driving current, a composite current value, an operating mode which is set, a charge state value and the maximum prescribed values of the charge current and discharge current are processed in the power control unit and in an associated power flux controller with one or more programs, such that, when there is a change in the setpoint power a difference between partial power which can be generated by the fuel cell system, with a delay according to the response function, and the setpoint power is generated by the storage battery of the dynamic power system by applying corresponding setpoint values to the d.c./d.c. converter, with reference to the power of the drive motor which has already been output and the power of the fuel cell system which has already been generated as well as the velocity of the device, and taking into account the selected type of dynamic behavior and the different transition functions of the fuel cell system and of the dynamic power system.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a motor vehicle.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a forklift truck.