Solar charged hybrid power system

• US 8,354,818 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Louch, Robert Jay, Franks, Donald Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US11/869,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20100213887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 320/101, 320/104, 320/117, 320/118, 320/119, 320/120, 320/121, 320/124, 320/125, 320/127, 320/132, 320/134, 320/135, 320/136, 320/137
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/966 Powered by renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• 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

Abstract

A solar powered hybrid power system including a solar charge collector; a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector; wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level.

Claims

1. A solar powered hybrid power system comprising:

a solar charge collector adapted to collect solar charge;

a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector;

wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge from said first charge storage device to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level, said second charge storage device at a higher voltage level than said first charge storage device, said first charge storage device simultaneously powering at least one power system, said solar charge collector alternately connectable through said power electronic circuit to said second charge storage system to charge said second charge storage system, said solar charge collector connected in series to said second charge storage system during said charging.

2. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said power electronic circuit is further alternately connectable in series to said at least one power system at a selectable voltage level to power said at least one power system.

3. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 2, wherein said at least one power system is selected from the group consisting of a cooling system, a ventilation system, a heating system, a defrosting system, and an auxiliary power supply system.

4. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said power electronic circuit comprises a voltage converter.

5. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said solar charge collector is selectively connectable to said at least a first charge storage device through said power electronic circuit.

6. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 5, wherein said at least a first charge storage device is adapted to receive charge from said solar charge collector at a first predetermined voltage level to accumulate a predetermined charge level in said first charge storage device.

7. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said at least a first charge storage device is adapted to transfer said stored charge upon a determination that the at least a first charge storage device has accumulated a first predetermined charge level.

8. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 7, wherein said at least a second charge storage device is adapted to receive said stored charge until a determination is made that said at least a second charge storage device has been charged to a second predetermined charge level.

9. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, further comprising a programmable controller in communication with said power electronic circuit said programmable controller adapted to control said power electronic circuit to output voltage a selected voltage level.

10. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said power electronic circuit comprises a circuit switching means adapted to selectively connect said output of said at least a first charge storage device with an input of one of said at least a second charge device and at least one power system.

11. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said power electronic circuit further comprises an operator controlled means adapted to selectively connect an output of said at least a first charge storage device to an input of said at least a second charge storage device to transfer said stored charge.

12. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said at least a first charge storage device and said at least a second charge storage device comprise respective state-of-charge (SOC) sensors adapted for sensing a charge state of said respective at least a first and at least a second charge storage device.

13. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 12, wherein said respective state-of-charge (SOC) sensors are in communication with a programmable controller.

14. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein said at least a first charge storage device and said at least a second charge storage device are selected from the group consisting of a battery and a capacitor.

15. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least a first charge storage device and said at least a second charge storage device comprises a DC battery.

16. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein the first charge storage device operates at a lower DC voltage than said second charge storage device.

17. The solar powered hybrid power system of claim 1, wherein the second charge storage device has an operating voltage in a range of from about 200 volts to about 400 volts DC.

18. A solar powered hybrid power system comprising:

a solar charge collector adapted to collect solar charge;

a charge storage system comprising at least a first charge storage device adapted to receive and store charge from said solar charge collector;

wherein said charge storage system further comprises a power electronic circuit selectively connectable to at least a second charge storage device, said power electronic circuit adapted to transfer said stored charge to said at least a second charge storage device at a selectable voltage level, said second charge storage device at a higher voltage level than said first charge storage device, said first charge storage device simultaneously powering at least one power system, said solar charge collector alternately connectable to said second charge storage system to charge said second charge storage system, said solar charge collector connected in series to said second charge storage system during said charging; and

,

wherein said power electronic circuit is further alternately connectable in series to said at least one power system at a selectable voltage level to power said at least one power system.