Method and system for control of a vehicle energy storage device

• US 8,212,532 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US12/179,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320/133, 320/153, 320/155
• US Class Current: 320/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for controlling a power transfer rate in to and/or out of an energy storage device on-board a vehicle, such as a locomotive, during a power transfer opportunity. In one example, the method includes adjusting the power transfer rate based on a predetermination of a duration of the power transfer opportunity to match a duration of power transfer to the duration of the opportunity and achieve a specified state of charge.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a peak power transfer rate in to and/or out of a vehicle energy storage device, during a power transfer opportunity, the method comprising:

adjusting the peak power transfer rate of the vehicle energy storage device based on a predetermination of a duration of the power transfer opportunity to match a duration of power transfer to the duration of the opportunity and achieve a specified state of charge, wherein the adjustment includes reducing the peak power transfer rate while increasing the duration of power transfer, as the duration of the power transfer opportunity increases, to substantially fill the entire predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity such that a desired state of charge is attained,

wherein the adjusting of the peak power transfer rate includes operating with a first peak rate during a first power transfer opportunity of a first duration, a second peak rate during a second power transfer opportunity of a second duration, the second duration longer than the first duration, the second peak rate smaller than the first peak rate, and a third peak rate during a third power transfer opportunity of a third duration, the third duration longer than the first and second durations, the third peak rate smaller than the first and second peak rates, and where the energy storage device is an energy storage system comprising a plurality of energy storage banks; and

adjusting the peak power transfer rate of at least one of the plurality of energy storage banks responsive to an operating condition of the energy storage device, where the operating condition is an age of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting an upper and a lower threshold for the desired state of charge responsive to a temperature and age of the energy storage device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle energy storage device is included on a diesel-electric propulsion system, and wherein the peak power transfer rate in to and/or out of the vehicle energy storage device includes a peak power transfer rate of dynamic braking energy and excess prime mover power transferred from the diesel-electric propulsion system to the vehicle energy storage device.

3. A method for controlling a power transfer rate in to and/or out of a vehicle energy storage device, during a power transfer opportunity, the method comprising:

adjusting the power transfer rate of the vehicle energy storage device based on a predetermination of a duration of the power transfer opportunity to match a duration of power transfer to the duration of the opportunity and achieve a specified state of charge, wherein the adjustment includes reducing the power transfer rate while increasing the duration of power transfer, as the duration of the power transfer opportunity increases, to substantially fill the predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity; and

adjusting an upper and a lower threshold for a desired state of charge responsive to a temperature and age of the energy storage device, wherein adjusting an upper and a lower threshold includes, as a temperature or age of the device increases, reducing the upper threshold and increasing the lower threshold for the specified state of charge.

4. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

an energy storage device; and

a control system configured to,

during a first power transfer opportunity with a first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, where the energy storage device is at a first age and a first temperature, transfer power in to and/or out of the energy storage device with a first peak power transfer rate for a first duration of power transfer, said first peak power transfer rate having a first upper and a first lower threshold for a desired state of charge, to fill the entire first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity;

during a second power transfer opportunity with a second predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, said second predetermined duration being larger than said first predetermined duration, where the energy storage device is at the first age and the first temperature, transfer power in to and/or out of the energy storage device with a second peak power transfer rate for a second duration of power transfer, said second peak power transfer rate being smaller than said first peak power transfer rate, said second duration of power transfer being larger than said first duration of power transfer, to fill the entire second predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity; and

during a third power transfer opportunity, with the first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, where the energy storage device is at a second age higher than the first age, and a second temperature higher than the first temperature, transfer power in to and/or out of the energy storage device with a third peak power transfer rate for the first duration of power transfer, said third peak power transfer rate being smaller than said first peak power transfer rate, to fill the entire first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity.

5. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

an energy storage device; and

a control system configured to,

during a first power transfer opportunity with a first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, where the energy storage device is at a first age and a first temperature, transfer power in to and/or out of the energy storage device with a first power transfer rate for a first duration of power transfer, said first power transfer rate having a first upper and a first lower threshold for a desired state of charge, to substantially fill the first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity;

during a second power transfer opportunity with a second predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, said second predetermined duration being larger than said first predetermined duration, where the energy storage device is at the first age and the first temperature, transfer power in to and/or out of the energy storage device with a second power transfer rate for a second duration of power transfer, said second power transfer rate being smaller than said first power transfer rate, said second duration of power transfer being larger than said first duration of power transfer, to substantially fill the second predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity; and

during a third power transfer opportunity, with the first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, where the energy storage device is at a second age higher than the first age, and a second temperature higher than the first temperature, transfer power in to and/or out of the energy storage device with a third power transfer rate for the first duration of power transfer, said third power transfer rate being smaller than said first power transfer rate, to substantially fill the first predetermined duration of the power transfer opportunity, wherein the control system is further configured to,

during the third power transfer opportunity, adjust a second upper threshold and a second lower threshold of the third power transfer rate, the adjustment including setting said second upper threshold lower than said first upper threshold and setting said second lower threshold higher than said first lower threshold.

6. A method for operating a vehicle including an energy storage device and a diesel-electric propulsion system, the method comprising:

during power transfer opportunities, predetermining a duration of each power transfer opportunity based on information of the power transfer opportunity, and

adjusting a peak power transfer rate of the energy storage device based on the predetermined durations to thereby adjust actual durations of power transfers for achieving specified states of charge, the actual durations adjusted to match the predetermined durations of each of the power transfer opportunities, wherein during a first power transfer opportunity, power is transferred from the diesel-electric propulsion system to the energy storage device, and during a second power transfer opportunity, power is transferred from an alternate energy source than the diesel-electric propulsion system of the vehicle to the energy storage device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the power transferred from the diesel-electric propulsion system includes both dynamic braking energy and excess prime mover power.