System for multiple energy storage and management and method of making same

• US 8,026,638 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: King, Robert Dean, Kilinski, Gary Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie; Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaplan; Hal
• Application Number:
  US12/539,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20110037320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 307/45, 307/46, 307/77
• US Class Current: 307/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A propulsion system comprising an electric drive, a DC link electrically coupled to the electric drive, and a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the electric drive, the first energy storage system comprising at least a high specific-power energy storage device is shown. The propulsion system further includes a second energy storage system, wherein a first terminal of the second energy storage system is electrically coupled to the electric drive through the DC link and a second terminal of the second energy storage system is coupled in series with a terminal of the high specific-power energy storage device. A multi-channel bi-directional boost converter is coupled to the first energy storage system and to the second energy storage system, wherein the connection between the terminal of the high specific-power energy storage device and the second terminal of the second energy storage system bypasses the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter.

Claims

1. A propulsion system comprising:

an electric drive;

a direct current (DC) link electrically coupled to the electric drive;

a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the electric drive, the first energy storage system comprising at least a high specific-power energy storage device;

a second energy storage system, wherein a first terminal of the second energy storage system is electrically coupled to the electric drive through the DC link and a second terminal of the second energy storage system is coupled in series with a terminal of the high specific-power energy storage device; and

a multi-channel bi-directional boost converter coupled to the first energy storage system and to the second energy storage system, wherein the series connection between the terminal of the high specific-power energy storage device and the second terminal of the second energy storage system bypasses the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter.

2. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the second energy storage system comprises a power battery.

3. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the second energy storage system comprises an ultracapacitor.

4. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the high specific-power energy storage device of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system are configured to receive regenerative energy during regenerative braking events associated with overhauling loads including vehicle deceleration.

5. The propulsion system of claim 4 wherein the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter is configured to control an amount of regenerative energy transferred to the high specific-power energy storage device of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system during the regenerative braking events as a function of at least one of a vehicle speed, a state-of-charge of the high specific-power energy storage device, a state-of-charge of a power battery, an electric drive torque demand, and an electric drive speed.

6. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the high specific-power energy storage device of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system are configured to supply energy during motoring events associated with at least one of pulsed loads, steady state loads, vehicle cruise, and vehicle acceleration.

7. The propulsion system of claim 6 wherein the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter is configured to control an amount of energy transferred to the high-specific-power energy storage device of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system during the motoring events as a function of at least one of a vehicle speed, a state-of-charge of the high specific-power energy storage device, a state-of-charge of the power battery, an electric drive torque demand, and an electric drive speed.

8. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the high specific-power energy storage device comprises an ultracapacitor.

9. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the first energy storage system further comprises a pre-charge circuit configured to partially charge at least one of the high specific-power energy storage device, the second energy storage system, filter capacitors, and energy storage capacitors.

10. The propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the first energy storage device further comprises an energy battery coupled to the high specific-power energy storage device.

11. The propulsion system of claim 10 further comprising a unidirectional coupling device coupled in series between the energy battery and the high specific-power energy storage device.

12. The propulsion system of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary power unit coupled to at least one of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system.

13. The propulsion system of claim 12 wherein the auxiliary power unit comprises a plug-in electrical interface and a heat engine comprising an alternator.

14. The propulsion system of claim 13 wherein the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system are capable of being recharged via the plug-in electrical interface.

15. The propulsion system of claim 14 wherein the plug-in electrical interface is coupled to a channel of the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter.

16. A method of assembling a control system comprising:

coupling an ultracapacitor with an energy battery to form a first energy storage system;

coupling a second energy storage system to an electric drive through a direct current (DC) link;

coupling a multi-channel bi-directional boost converter to each of the first energy storage system and second energy storage system; and

connecting a terminal of the ultracapacitor in series with a terminal of the second energy storage system such that the connection between the terminal of the ultracapacitor and the terminal of the second energy storage system bypasses the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising coupling a pre-charge circuit to the ultracapacitor configured to at least partially recharge at least one of the ultracapacitor and a filter capacitor.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising coupling an auxiliary energy unit to at least one of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the coupling of an auxiliary energy unit comprises coupling at least one of a plug-in electrical interface and a heat engine comprising an alternator to the at least one of the first energy storage system and the second energy storage system.

20. An energy storage arrangement for an electrically powered system, the arrangement comprising:

a first energy storage system comprising at least an ultracapacitor;

a multi-channel bi-directional boost converter coupled to the first energy storage system on a low-voltage side of the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter; and

a second energy storage system coupled to the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter on a high-voltage side of multi-channel bi-directional boost converter, wherein the second energy storage system is further coupled in series with the ultracapacitor such that the series connection between the second energy storage system and the ultracapacitor bypasses the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter.

21. The energy storage arrangement of claim 20 further comprising a direct current (DC) link and an alternating current (AC) traction drive on the high-voltage side of the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter, wherein the multi-channel bi-directional boost converter and the second energy storage system are coupled to the AC traction drive through a DC link.

22. The energy storage arrangement of claim 20 wherein the first energy storage system further comprises an energy battery coupled to the ultracapacitor.

23. The energy storage arrangement of claim 22 further comprising an auxiliary power unit coupled to at least the ultracapacitor and the energy battery.

24. The energy storage arrangement of claim 23 wherein the auxiliary power unit comprises a plug-in electrical interface and a heat engine comprising an alternator.