Apparatus for transferring energy using onboard power electronics and method of manufacturing same

• US 8,030,884 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Steigerwald, Robert Louis, King, Robert Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/550,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/140, 318/139
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1415 with a generator driven by a prime mover other than the motor of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage, a first bi-directional voltage modification assembly coupled to the first energy storage device, and a charge bus coupled to the first energy storage device and to the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly. The apparatus also comprises high-impedance voltage source coupleable to the charge bus and a controller configured to monitor a transfer of charging energy supplied from the high-impedance voltage source to the first energy storage device. The controller is also configured to compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with a threshold value and, after the threshold value has been crossed, control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to modify one of a voltage and a current of the charging energy supplied to the first energy storage device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage;

a first bi-directional voltage modification assembly coupled to the first energy storage device;

a charge bus coupled to the first energy storage device and to the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly;

a high-impedance voltage source coupleable to the charge bus; and

a controller configured to;

monitor a transfer of charging energy supplied from the high-impedance voltage source to the first energy storage device;

compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with a threshold value; and

after the threshold value has been crossed, control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to modify one of a voltage and a current of the charging energy supplied to the first energy storage device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first energy storage device comprises a high power energy storage device having an instantaneous acceptance capability larger than an instantaneous delivery capability of the high-impedance voltage source;

wherein the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises a bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter; and

wherein the controller, in being configured to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, is configured to boost one of the voltage and the current of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the high-impedance voltage source comprises:

a plurality of secondary transformer windings;

a rectifier bridge coupled to the plurality of secondary transformer windings.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller, in being configured to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, is configured to control a plurality of boost converters of the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter at a same phase.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter comprises a plurality of diodes configured to transfer a current of the charging energy from the high-impedance voltage source to the charge bus before the threshold value has been crossed.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller, in being configured to compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with the threshold value, is configured to compare a current of the charge bus with a predetermined current threshold value.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first energy storage device comprises a low power energy storage device having an instantaneous acceptance capability larger than an instantaneous delivery capability of the high-impedance voltage source;

wherein the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises a bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter; and

wherein the controller, in being configured to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, is configured to buck one of the voltage and the current of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a switch having an open position and a closed position;

wherein the switch, when positioned in the closed position, is configured to couple the low power energy storage device directly to the charge bus;

wherein the switch, when positioned in the open position, is configured to de-couple the low power energy storage device directly to the charge bus; and

wherein the controller is further configured to cause the switch to change from the closed position to the open position after the threshold value has been crossed.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter and to the charge bus, wherein the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter is configured to transfer charging energy from the high-impedance voltage source to the charge bus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

a high power energy storage device having an instantaneous acceptance capability larger than an instantaneous delivery capability of the high-impedance voltage source; and

wherein the controller is further configured to boost the voltage of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is further programmed to simultaneously charge the low power energy storage device and the high power energy storage device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller, in being configured to compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with the threshold value, is configured to compare a first energy storage device voltage of the charge bus with a predetermined voltage threshold value.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first energy storage device comprises a low power energy storage device having an instantaneous acceptance capability smaller than an instantaneous delivery capability of the high-impedance voltage source;

wherein the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises a bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter;

wherein the controller, in being configured to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, is configured to buck one of the voltage and the current of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter to a pre-determined value.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the first energy storage, the first bi-directional voltage modification, and the controller is positioned on a vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the high-impedance voltage source comprises one of a single-phase high-impedance voltage source, a two-phase high-impedance voltage source, a three-phase high-impedance voltage source, and a six-phase high-impedance voltage source.

16. A method for transferring energy between an on-board electrical storage device and an external source, the method comprising:

coupling a battery to a first voltage bus, the battery configured to output a DC voltage;

coupling a first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to the first voltage bus;

coupling a second voltage bus to the first voltage bus, the second voltage bus configured to receive charging energy from a high-impedance voltage source and to supply the charging energy to one of the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly and the first voltage bus; and

configuring a controller to;

monitor a transfer of the charging energy to the battery;

compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with a threshold value; and

after the threshold value has been crossed, control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to modify one of a voltage and a current of the charging energy supplied to the battery.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein coupling the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to the first voltage bus comprises coupling a bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter to the first voltage bus;

and

wherein configuring the controller to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises configuring the controller to boost a voltage of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein coupling the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to the first voltage bus comprises coupling a bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter to the first voltage bus;

and

wherein configuring the controller to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises configuring the controller to buck a voltage of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein configuring the controller to compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with the threshold value comprises configuring the controller to one of:

compare a current of the second voltage bus to a current threshold value; and

compare a voltage of the battery to a voltage threshold value.

20. A system comprising:

a charge bus configured to receive charging energy from a voltage source;

an energy storage device configured to output a DC voltage and coupled to the charge bus;

a first bi-directional voltage modification assembly coupled to the charge bus;

a controller configured to;

monitor a transfer of the charging energy supplied to the energy storage device;

compare the monitored transfer of charging energy with a threshold comprising one of a voltage of the energy storage device and an average rectified line voltage of the charge bus; and

after the threshold has been crossed, control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly to modify one of a voltage and a current of the charging energy supplied to the first energy storage device.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the voltage source comprises a high-impedance voltage source.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises a bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter;

and

wherein the controller, in being configured to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, is configured to boost a voltage of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-AC voltage inverter.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly comprises a bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter;

and

wherein the controller, in being configured to control the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, is configured to buck a voltage of the charging energy via the bi-directional DC-DC voltage converter.

24. The system of claim 20 further comprising an electrical apparatus configured to house the charge bus, the energy storage device, the first bi-directional voltage modification assembly, and the controller, wherein the electrical apparatus comprises one of a vehicle, a crane, an elevator, and a lift.