Adaptive low voltage disconnect controller, method of protecting a battery and a power system manager

• US 8,148,948 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acleap Power Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lineage Power Corporation (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Davis, Roy J., Smith, Darwin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US12/404,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 320/136, 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/136
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/002 in which a reserve is maintained in an energy source by disconnecting non-critical loads, e.g. maintaining a reserve of charge in a vehicle battery for starting an engine

Abstract

Provided herein is a controller for a low voltage disconnect (LVD), a method of protecting and providing a maximum or substantially maximum battery reserve coupled to a DC load bus and a power system manager. In one embodiment, the LVD controller includes an adaptive disconnect system configured to determine a variable LVD threshold voltage value and instruct the LVD to disconnect a battery reserve from a DC load bus based thereon. The variable LVD threshold voltage is determined based on a current of the battery reserve during a battery-discharge event.

Claims

1. A controller for a low voltage disconnect (LVD), comprising:

an adaptive disconnect system configured to determine a variable LVD threshold voltage value and instruct said LVD to disconnect a battery reserve from a DC load bus based thereon, wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage is determined based on a current of said battery reserve during a battery-discharge event.

2. The controller as recited in claim 1 further comprising an elapsed-time disconnect system configured to instruct said LVD to disconnect said battery reserve from said DC load bus based on a designated amount of time.

3. The controller as recited in claim 1 wherein a maximum and a minimum LVD threshold voltage value are user-defined according to user-defined minimum and maximum current values for said battery reserve during a battery-discharge event.

4. The controller as recited in claim 3 wherein said adaptive disconnect system dynamically calculates said variable LVD threshold voltage value when said current is between said user-defined maximum and minimum current values.

5. The controller as recited in claim 3 wherein said adaptive disconnect system employs a fixed value for said variable LVD threshold voltage value when said current is greater than said maximum user-defined current value and less than said minimum user-defined current value.

6. The controller as recited in claim 5 wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage value is said maximum LVD threshold voltage when said current is less than said minimum user-defined current value.

7. The controller as recited in claim 5 wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage value is said minimum LVD threshold voltage when said current is greater than said maximum user-defined current value.

8. A method of protecting a battery reserve coupled to a DC load bus, comprising:

initiating a timer for a time delay based on simultaneously detecting a failure associated with an AC supply employed to provide voltage to said DC load bus and a battery discharge event of said battery reserve;

comparing a voltage on said DC load bus to a low voltage disconnect (LVD) threshold voltage; and

sending a signal to disconnect a switch connecting said battery reserve to said DC load bus, wherein said signal is sent based on when said LVD threshold voltage is detected on said DC load bus or after said time delay.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising determining current of said battery reserve during said discharge event.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein a maximum and a minimum LVD threshold voltage value are user-defined according to user-defined minimum and maximum current values for said battery reserve during a battery-discharge event.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising dynamically calculating said variable LVD threshold voltage value when said current is between said user-defined maximum and minimum current values.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising employing a fixed value for said variable LVD threshold voltage value when said current is greater than said maximum user-defined current value and less than said minimum user-defined current value.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage value is said maximum LVD threshold voltage when said current is less than said minimum user-defined current value.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage value is said minimum LVD threshold voltage when said current is greater than said maximum user-defined current value.

15. A power system manager, comprising:

a user interface configured to accept input from a user; and

a low voltage disconnect (LVD) controller coupled to said user interface, including;

an elapsed-time disconnect system configured to disconnect a battery reserve from a DC load bus based on a designated amount of time; and

an adaptive disconnect system configured to disconnect said battery reserve from said DC load bus based on a variable LVD threshold voltage, wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage is determined from a load on said battery reserve during a battery-on-discharge event.

16. The power system manager as recited in claim 15 wherein a maximum and a minimum LVD threshold voltage value are user-defined according to user-defined minimum and maximum current values for said battery reserve during a battery-discharge event.

17. The power system manager as recited in claim 16 wherein said adaptive disconnect system dynamically calculates said variable LVD threshold voltage value when said current is between said user-defined maximum and minimum current values.

18. The power system manager as recited in claim 17 wherein said adaptive disconnect system employs a fixed value for said variable LVD threshold voltage value when said current is greater than said maximum user-defined current value and less than said minimum user-defined current value.

19. The power system manager as recited in claim 18 wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage value is said maximum LVD threshold voltage when said current is less than said minimum user-defined current value.

20. The power system manager as recited in claim 18 wherein said variable LVD threshold voltage value is said minimum LVD threshold voltage when said current is greater than said maximum user-defined current value.