Hybrid electric power architecture for a vehicle

• US 8,536,729 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Rozman, Gregory I., Moss, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/796,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/34 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between networks of substantially different frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

An electric architecture for use on a vehicle has a collector bus for receiving power from a plurality of power sources. The collector bus distributes power to at least a pair of subsystems which are operable at different frequency levels. Each subsystem is provided with a global bus and a local bus, and is utilized to power at least one motor.

Claims

1. An electric architecture for use on a vehicle comprising:

a collector bus for receiving power from a plurality of power sources, said collector bus distributing power to at least a pair of subsystems which are each operating at different frequency levels, and each of said subsystems being provided with a global bus and a local bus, and being utilized to power at least one motor; and

each of said pair of subsystems is provided with a pair of inverters, a first inverter providing constant voltage and constant frequency, a second inverter providing variable voltage and variable frequency, and a plurality of switches controlled to use said second inverter, to provide power to said at least one motor at start-up, and until said at least one motor reaches a predetermined speed at which time said switches are changed such that power flows to said at least one motor through said first inverter, and such that said second inverter powers the local bus, while said first inverter powers the global bus.

2. The architecture as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of motors powered by each of said subsystems.

3. The architecture as set forth in claim 2, wherein said switches are controlled to start each of said plurality of motors in sequence with said first and second inverters being controlled such that said second variable voltage, variable frequency inverter providing power to each of said motors at start-up, until each of said motors reaches a predetermined speed at which time said switches are changed such that power flows to each of said motors through said first inverter.

4. The architecture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least two different frequency levels include 60 Hz and 400 Hz.

5. The architecture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second inverters replace each other should one of said first and second inverters fail.

6. The architecture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second inverter is also operable as a constant voltage and constant frequency inverter after a predetermined time.

7. The architecture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said collector bus supplying power to each of said first and second inverters.

8. The architecture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said global bus providing power for components off of the vehicle, and said local bus providing power for motors included on the vehicle.

9. An electric architecture for use on a vehicle comprising:

a collector bus for receiving power from a plurality of power sources, said collector bus distributing power to at least a pair of subsystems which are each operating at different frequency levels, and each of said subsystems being provided with a global bus and a local bus, and being utilized to power a plurality of motors;

each of said pair of subsystems is provided with a first inverter providing constant voltage and constant frequency and a second inverter providing variable voltage and variable frequency, and a plurality of switches that allows said second variable voltage, variable frequency inverter to provide power to each of said plurality of motors in sequence, and until each said motor reaches a predetermined speed at which time said switches are changed such that power flows to each said motor through the first inverter, and such that said second inverter powers the local bus, while said first inverter switching to power the global bus;

said first and second inverters replace each other should one of said first and second inverters fail;

said second inverter is also operable as a constant voltage and constant frequency inverter after a predetermined time; and

at least one of said subsystems also powers at least one of a non-linear load, and a lighting load.

10. The architecture as set forth in claim 9, wherein said collector bus supplying power to each of said first and second inverters.

11. The architecture as set forth in claim 9, wherein said global bus providing power for components off of the vehicle, and said local bus providing power for motors included on the vehicle.

12. A method of operating an electric architecture for use on a vehicle lading the steps of:

receiving power from a plurality of power sources at a collector bus, said collector bus distributing power to at least a pair of subsystems operating at different frequency levels, and each of said pair of subsystems powering a global bus and a local bus, and powering at least one motor; and

each of said pair of subsystems is provided with a first inverter providing constant voltage and constant frequency and a second inverter providing variable voltage and variable frequency, and a plurality of switches using said second to provide power to said at least one motor at start-up, and once said at least one motor reaches a predetermined speed, said switches are changed such that power flows to said at least one motor through the first inverter, and such that said second inverter powering the local bus, while said first inverter powering the global bus.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein there are a plurality of motors powered by each of said subsystems.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said switches are controlled to start each of said plurality of motors in sequence with said first and second inverters being controlled such that said second variable voltage, variable frequency inverter providing power to each of said motors at start-up, until each of said motors reaches a predetermined speed at which time said switches are changed such that power flows to each of said motors through said first inverter.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said first and second inverters replace each other when one of said first and second inverters fail.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said second inverter is also used as a constant voltage and constant frequency inverter after a predetermined time.

17. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said collector bus supplying power to each of said first and second inverters.

18. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said global bus providing power for components off of the vehicle, and said local bus providing power for motors included on the vehicle.