Propulsion control apparatus

• US 8,738,208 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexgen Control Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US13/511,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 318/800, 363/17, 363/34, 363/37, 363/41
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/28 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/009 using field weakening
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

In a configuration in which an auxiliary power supply is connected to an intermediate link circuit of a main conversion unit, intermediate link voltage as input voltage of the auxiliary power supply is set at higher voltage depending on the main conversion unit as a main unit, and loss generated in a main circuit element of the auxiliary power supply increases; therefore, a problem has occurred that a cooling unit has to be increased in size. The main conversion unit recognizes a low-speed and stop state by monitoring a vehicle speed, and varies the intermediate link voltage corresponding to the vehicle speed; thereby, the loss generated in the main circuit element of the auxiliary power supply is reduced at the low-speed and stop state where cooling ability is decreased; as a result, small sizing and light weighting of the cooling unit is achieved.

Claims

1. A propulsion control apparatus comprising:

a converter for converting AC into DC to output;

an inverter for converting the DC outputted from the converter into AC to supply to a motor, by using a VVVF control method when vehicle speed is not higher than a VVVF limited speed and a CVVF control method when the vehicle speed is higher than the VVVF limited speed;

a filter capacitor provided at an intermediate link connection between the converter and the inverter;

an auxiliary power supply, connected to the intermediate link connection, cooled by a self ventilation system; and

a converter control unit, into which information of vehicle speed is inputted, for decreasing, based on the information, voltage at the intermediate link connection to a value at which temperature increase of the auxiliary power supply is within a limit, when vehicle speed indicated by the information of the vehicle speed is not higher than a predetermined speed which is lower than the VVVF limited speed and lower than a lower limit of a vehicle-speed range where input current into the converter is constant.

2. A propulsion control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the information of the vehicle speed is the number of axle rotation.

3. A propulsion control apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the information of the vehicle speed is a rotor frequency of the motor.

4. A propulsion control apparatus comprising:

a converter for converting AC into DC to output;

an inverter for converting the DC outputted from the converter into AC to supply to a motor, by using a VVVF control method when vehicle speed is not higher than a VVVF limited speed, and a CVVF control method when the vehicle speed is higher that the VVVF limited speed;

a filter capacitor provided at an output side of the converter;

an auxiliary power supply, connected in parallel to the filter capacitor, cooled by a self ventilation system; and

a converter control unit, into which information of the vehicle speed is inputted, for decreasing, based on the information, output voltage of the converter to a value at which temperature increase of the auxiliary power supply is within a limit, when vehicle speed indicated by the information of the vehicle speed is not higher than a predetermined speed which is lower than the VVVF limited speed and lower than a lower-limit of a vehicle-speed range where input current into the converter is constant.

5. A propulsion control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the information of the vehicle speed is a rotor frequency of the motor.

6. A propulsion control apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the information of the vehicle speed is the number of axle rotation.