Charger for a battery, plurality of coupled chargers and method of operating

• US 9,209,638 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2011
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB BV (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB BV (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Bouman, Crijn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boateng, Alexis A
• Application Number:
  US13/808,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109, 320/116, 320/106, 320/119, 320/124, 320/125, 320/137, 320/138, 320/148, 320/149, 320/150
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• 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: 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• 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 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A network of chargers for a battery of an electric vehicle is disclosed, having a 1st power connection, a power converter, a 2nd power connection and at least a 3rd power connection for exchanging power with another charger. A controller is provided for controlling a power switch, and is configured to: connect the power converter to the 2nd power connection when a vehicle is to be charged from the power source, connect the power converter to the at least one 3rd power connection when power is to be delivered to another charger, and connect the at least one 3rd power connection to the 2nd power connection when power from another charger is to be delivered to the vehicle.

Claims

1. Network of chargers for electric vehicles, each charger comprising:

a 1st power connection, for exchanging power with a power source;

a power converter for converting power from the power source to a charge current suitable value for charging electric vehicles;

at least one 2nd power connection for exchanging power with a vehicle; and

at least one 3rd power connection for exchanging power with another charger;

the charger being configured for routing power to the at least one 2nd power connection when a vehicle is to be charged from the power source, and/or to the at least one 3rd power connection when power is to be delivered to another charger and/or to route power from the at least one 3rd power connection to the 2nd power connection when power from another charger coupled to the 3rd power connection is to be delivered to the vehicle,

wherein;

the chargers, when coupled to a power source, being a grid connection, together form a charging node system by being mutually interconnected via their at least one 3rd power connections, and wherein;

at least one of the chargers comprises a controllable power switch coupled to at least two of;

the power converter, the at least one 2nd power connection and the at least one 3rd connection; and

a controller is provided for routing power by controlling the switch, and is configured during operation to perform at least one of;

connect the power converter to the at least one 2nd power connection when a vehicle is to be charged from the power source;

connect the power converter to the at least one 3rd power connection when power is to be delivered to another charger; and

connect the at least one 3rd power connection to the at least one 2nd power connection when power from another charger is to be delivered to the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured during operation to route power based on information obtained from a vehicle with a battery to be charged.

2. Network of chargers according to claim 1, wherein the at least one 3rd power connection of each charger has a common connection, thus forming a power bus.

3. Network of chargers according to claim 1, wherein the power converter is coupled directly to at least one of the power connections or the power switch.

4. Network of chargers according to claim 1, wherein the controller, during operation, will be configured to route power from the 1st power connection to the at least one 2nd power connection, to enable charging batteries of vehicles with on-board chargers directly from the power source.

5. Network of chargers according to claim 1, wherein the power converter is further coupled to the controller for controlling output power and form.

6. Network of chargers according to claim 5, wherein the controller for controlling the switch and for controlling the power converter is an integrated controller.

7. Network of chargers according to claim 1, comprising:

means for remote communication, to be controlled or provided with data regarding power requirements from a central control centre.

8. Network of chargers according to claim 1, wherein each charger is coupled to a power source and together the network of chargers form a modular charging node system by being mutually interconnected via their at least one 3rd power connections.

9. Network of chargers according to claim 1, wherein the at least one 3rd power connections of the chargers have a common connection, thus forming a power bus.

10. Network of chargers for electric vehicles, each charger comprising:

a 1st power connection for exchanging power with a power source;

a power converter for converting power from the power source to a charge current suitable value for charging electric vehicles;

at least one 2nd power connection for exchanging power with a vehicle; and

at least one 3rd power connection for exchanging power with another charger;

wherein;

the chargers, when coupled to a power source, being a grid connection, together form a modular charging node system by being mutually interconnected by via their at least one 3rd power connections, wherein;

each charger has at least two 3rd power connections, and the modular charging node system is coupled ring-wise,

and wherein each charger comprises;

a controllable power switch, coupled to at least two of;

the power converter, the at least one 2nd power connection and the at least one 3rd connection; and

a controller for routing power by controlling the switch, the controller being configured during operation to perform at least one of;

connect the power converter to the at least one 2nd power connection when a vehicle is to be charged from the power source;

connect the power converter to the at least one 3rd power connection when power is to be delivered to another charger; and

connect the at least one 3rd power connection to the 2nd power connection when power from another charger is to be delivered to the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured during operation to route power based on information obtained from a vehicle with a battery to be charged.

11. Network of chargers according to claim 10, wherein each charger comprises:

a plurality of 3rd power connections, and the modular charging node system is formed by mutually connecting the at least one 3rd power connections of multiple chargers.

12. Network of chargers according to claim 10, wherein the power converter is coupled directly to at least one of the power connections or the power switch.

13. Method for operating a plurality chargers for batteries of electric vehicles, the chargers being interconnected as a network of chargers for electric vehicles, each charger comprising:

a 1st power connection for exchanging power with a power source;

a power converter for converting power from the power source to a charge current suitable value for charging electric vehicles;

at least one 2nd power connection for exchanging power with a vehicle; and

at least one 3rd power connection for exchanging power with another charger;

the charger being configured for routing power to the at least one 2nd power connection when a vehicle is to be charged from the power source, and/or to the at least one 3rd power connection when power is to be delivered to another charger and/or to route power from the at least one 3rd power connection to the 2nd power connection when power from another charger coupled to the 3rd power connection is to be delivered to the vehicle,

wherein;

the chargers, when coupled to a power source, being a grid connection, together form a charging node system by being mutually interconnected via their at least one 3rd power connections, and wherein;

at least one of the chargers comprises a controllable power switch coupled to at least two of;

the power converter, the at least one 2nd power connection and the at least one 3rd connection; and

a controller is provided for routing power by controlling the switch, and is programmed to perform, the method comprising;

connecting the power converter to the 2nd power connection when a vehicle is to be charged from the power source;

connecting the power converter to the at least one 3rd power connection when power is to be delivered to another charger; and

connecting the at least one 3rd power connection to the 2nd power connection when power from another charger is to be delivered to the vehicle.

14. Method according to claim 13, comprising:

conducting at least a multiple of the power convertible by one power converter through a 2nd power connection to a vehicle to be charged.