Charging device, system, and method of supplying power to at least one load

• US 8,569,994 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dougherty, John James
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Drew A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PELTON, NATHANIEL R
• Application Number:
  US13/048,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20120049795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/18 Arrangements for adjusting, eliminating or compensating reactive power in networks for adjustment of voltage H02J3/16
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00716 in response to integrated charge or discharge current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A charging device includes a power conditioning device configured to be coupled to an electric power source by an electrical distribution bus. The power conditioning device is further configured to receive alternating current (AC) volt-amperes from the electric power source, convert a first amount of the AC volt-amperes received into direct current (DC) power, and supply the DC power to at least one load. The charging device also includes a controller coupled to the power conditioning device. The controller is configured to determine a second amount of volt-amperes that the charging device has a capacity to supply in addition to the DC power supplied, and control the power conditioning device to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus using at least a portion of the second amount of volt-amperes.

Claims

1. A charging device comprising:

a power conditioning device configured to be coupled to a three phase electric power source by an electrical distribution bus, said power conditioning device further configured to receive alternating current (AC) volt-amperes from the three phase electric power source, said power conditioning device having a volt-amperes capacity; and

a controller coupled to said power conditioning device, said controller configured to;

determine, using a d-q-n transformation, a first amount of the volt-amperes capacity to be converted to direct current (DC) power by said power conditioning device;

control said power conditioning device to convert the first amount of the volt-amperes capacity to DC power and to supply the DC power to at least one load when the first amount is greater than zero;

determine, using a d-q-n transformation, a second amount of the volt-amperes capacity, wherein the second amount is a difference between the volt-amperes capacity and the first amount; and

control said power conditioning device to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus using at least a portion of the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity when the second amount is greater than zero.

2. A charging device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one load is a power storage device of an electric vehicle, said power conditioning device is configured to supply DC power to the power storage device in an amount requested by the electric vehicle.

3. A charging device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to determine the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity by subtracting the amount of DC power supplied from the volt-amperes.

4. A charging device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to determine an amount of volt-amperes reactive required by at least one electrical device coupled to the electrical distribution bus.

5. A charging device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to control said power conditioning device to use at least a portion of the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus to compensate for the volt-amperes reactive required.

6. A charging device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to control said power conditioning device to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus at an amount equal to the lesser of the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity and the amount of volt-amperes reactive required.

7. A charging device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power conditioning device comprises a plurality of switching devices configured to convert AC volt-amperes to DC power and to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus.

8. A system for supplying power to at least one load, said system comprising:

a power measurement device configured to measure at least one characteristic of electricity transmitted within an electrical distribution bus;

a charging device coupled to said power measurement device, said charging device comprising;

a power conditioning device configured to be coupled to a three phase electric power source by the electrical distribution bus, said power conditioning device further configured to receive alternating current (AC) volt-amperes from the three phase electric power source, said power conditioning device having a volt-amperes capacity; and

a controller coupled to said power conditioning device, said controller configured to;

determine, using a d-q-n transformation, a first amount of the volt-amperes capacity to be converted to direct current (DC) power by said power conditioning device;

control said power conditioning device to convert the first amount of the volt-amperes capacity to DC power and to supply the DC power to at least one load when the first amount is greater than zero;

determine, using a d-q-n transformation, a second amount of the volt-amperes capacity, wherein the second amount is a difference between the volt-amperes capacity and the first amount; and

control said power conditioning device to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus using at least a portion of the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity when the second amount is greater than zero.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one load is a power storage device of an electric vehicle, said power conditioning device is configured to supply DC power to the power storage device in an amount requested by the electric vehicle.

10. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said controller is configured to determine the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity by subtracting the amount of DC power supplied from the volt-amperes capacity.

11. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said power measurement device is configured to determine an amount of volt-amperes reactive required by at least one electrical device coupled to the electrical distribution bus and transmit data representative of the amount of volt-amperes reactive required to said controller.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to control said power conditioning device to use at least a portion of the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus to compensate for the volt-amperes reactive required.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to control said power conditioning device to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus at an amount equal to the lesser of the second amount of the volt-amperes capacity and the amount of volt-amperes reactive required.

14. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said power conditioning device comprises a plurality of switching devices configured to convert AC volt-amperes to DC power and to supply volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus.

15. A method of supplying power to at least one load, said method comprising:

receiving alternating current (AC) volt-amperes from a three phase electric power source through an electrical distribution bus;

determining, using a d-q-n transformation, a first amount of the AC volt-amperes to be supplied to at least one load;

converting the first amount of the AC volt-amperes received into direct current (DC) power when the first amount is greater than zero;

supplying the DC power to the at least one load when the first amount is greater than zero;

determining, using a d-q-n transformation, a second amount of volt-amperes, wherein the second amount is a difference between a maximum volt-amperes capacity and the first amount; and

supplying volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus using at least a portion of the second amount of volt-amperes when the second amount of volt-amperes is greater than zero.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the at least one load is a power storage device of an electric vehicle, said supplying DC power to at least one load comprises supplying DC power to the power storage device in an amount requested by the electric vehicle.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein said determining the second amount of volt-amperes that is capable of being supplied comprises subtracting the amount of DC power supplied from the maximum volt-amperes capacity.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising determining an amount of volt-amperes reactive required by at least one electrical device coupled to the electrical distribution bus.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said supplying volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus using at least a portion of the second amount of volt-amperes comprises supplying volt-amperes reactive to the electrical distribution bus at an amount equal to the lesser of the second amount of volt-amperes and the amount of volt-amperes reactive required.