Vehicle with AC-to-DC inverter system for vehicle-to-grid power integration

• US 9,193,273 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Electrified Power NA Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Efficient Drivetrains Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frank, Andrew, Lin, Chan-Chiao, Kaufman, Patrick, Fountain, Sean, Bonsen, Bram
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Yuen
• Application Number:
  US14/304,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20150360575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 527 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/006 to power outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 : Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Vehicles that are capable of connecting to the AC grid are described that comprise a prime mover and at least one motor generator. In one embodiment, a vehicle may be constructed as a plug-in hybrid system and using the powertrain under controller instruction to either place power on an AC power line (to service AC grids) or to draw power from the AC power line to add electrical energy to the batteries on the vehicle. In some aspects, vehicles may test whether the power needed to service the AC power line may be satisfied by the on-vehicle batteries or, if not, whether and how much power to extract from the prime mover. In some aspects, vehicles may have a thermal management system on board to dynamically supply desired heat dissipation for the powertrain, if the powertrain is using the prime mover to supply power to the AC grid.

Claims

1. A vehicle for connecting to an Alternating Current (AC) power line, the vehicle comprising:

a prime mover;

a first electric motor-generator, the first electric motor-generator mechanically coupled to the prime mover via a clutch;

a second electric motor-generator, the second electric motor mechanically coupled to the first electric motor-generator;

a battery, the battery electrically coupled to the first electric motor-generator and the second electric motor-generator, the battery capable of receiving or supplying electrical energy to the first electric motor-generator and the second electric motor-generator;

an inverter, the inverter electrically coupled to the first motor-generator, the second motor-generator and the battery, the inverter capable of connecting to the AC power line; and

a controller, the controller capable of supplying control signals to the prime mover, the electric motor-generator, and the electric motor such that the controller is capable of dynamically affecting the flow of electrical power to or from the AC power line;

wherein the controller further comprises a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage media, the non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising instructions that, when read by the processor, causes the vehicle to perform;

receive signals correlating to an electrical load demand on the AC power line;

supply electrical power generated from the prime mover to one of the first and the second motor-generators via the inverter to the AC power line when the electrical load demand is not met by the battery;

determine optimum efficiency of the prime mover; and

dynamically set operating characteristics of the prime mover to substantially operate the prime mover on the Ideal Operating Line (IOL) of the prime mover.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the signals correlating to the electrical load demand on the AC power line dynamically changing over time.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the signal correlates to an increase in the electrical load demand on the AC power line;

and

the non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising further instructions that, when read by the processor, causes the vehicle to perform;

supply the increase in the electrical demand on the AC power line with the battery when the prime mover is operating substantially on the IOL of the prime mover.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises at least a first airflow fan, the first airflow fan positioned to dissipate heat from a radiator.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises at least a second airflow fan, the second airflow fan positioned to dissipate heat from at least one of an engine and an exhaust system.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises a port for an external coolant supply.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises an on-board coolant storage tank.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises a set of nozzles, the set of nozzles capable of spraying coolant onto desired surfaces of one of an engine and exhaust system.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises a thermal management system, the thermal management system comprising:

a coolant system;

at least one airflow fan; and

the non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising further instructions that, when read by the processor, causes the vehicle to perform;

adjust flow rate in the thermal management system to stabilize temperature of a powertrain when the prime mover is supplying the electrical power to the AC power line.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the thermal management system further comprises a vapor pressure tank, a vapor engine and a generator such that additional electrical energy is generated and stored in the battery.

11. A method for connecting a vehicle to an AC power line, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, signals correlating to a load demand on the AC power line;

determining, by the processor, when the vehicle is capable of supplying a portion of the load demands demand on the AC power line;

determining, by the processor, dynamically whether the portion of the load demand is to be supplied by using a prime mover;

supplying electrical power generated from the prime mover to at least one motor-generator via an inverter to the AC power line when the load demand is not met by a battery;

determining, by the processor, substantially an optimum efficiency of the prime mover to supply the portion of the load demand;

setting, by the processor, operating characteristics of the prime mover to substantially supply the portion of the load demand; and

dynamically adjusting, by the processor, the operating characteristics of the prime mover according to dynamic load conditions.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

determining when the dynamic load conditions chance an operating mode of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining when the dynamic load conditions chance an operating mode of the vehicle further comprises:

changing the operating mode of the vehicle from supplying the portion of the load demand from prime mover to the battery.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

charging the battery from the AC power line according to the dynamic load conditions on the AC power line.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

determining an operating temperature of the prime mover;

predicting a temperature of the prime mover with a given flow of cooling; and

adjusting a flow of cooling to the prime mover to substantially operate the prime mover in a desired range.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprises:

determining an operating temperature of an exhaust system;

predicting a temperature of the exhaust system with a given flow of cooling; and

adjusting a flow of cooling to the exhaust system to substantially operate the prime mover in a desired range.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprises:

generating electrical energy from heat generated from at least one of a coolant or a vapor generated from one of the prime mover and the exhaust system.

18. A controller for controlling a vehicle to an AC power line, comprising:

a processor configured to perform;

receiving signals correlating to a load demand on the AC power line;

determining when the vehicle is capable of supplying a portion of the load demand on the AC power line;

determining dynamically the portion of the load demand is to be supplied;

supplying the portion of the load demand by the prime mover via an inverter when the load demand is not met by a battery;

determining substantially an optimum efficiency of the prime mover to supply the portion of the load demand;

setting operating characteristics of the prime mover to supply the portion of the load demand; and

dynamically adjusting the operating characteristics of the prime mover according to dynamic load conditions.

19. The controller of claim 18 wherein the processor causes the vehicle to perform:

charging the battery from the AC power line according to the dynamic load conditions on the AC power line.

20. The controller of claim 18 wherein the processor causes the vehicle to perform:

determining an operating temperature of the prime mover;

predicting a temperature of the prime mover with a given flow of cooling; and

adjusting a flow of cooling to the prime mover to substantially operate the prime mover in a desired range.