Electric vehicle propulsion control device and railway vehicle system

• US 9,227,516 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Hatanaka, Keita
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Application Number:
  US13/810,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/13 using AC generators and AC motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/50 using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/18 fed from dc supply lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/22 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/24 fed from ac supply lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/30 fed from different kinds of power-supply lines
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 3/02 with electric accumulators
• 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 30/00 : Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric vehicle propulsion control device having a power storage device includes: a first switch configured to perform opening and closing of a circuit between an overhead wire and a power converting unit; a second switch configured to perform opening and closing of a circuit between the power converting unit and a motor; a switching unit configured to select a terminal on a side of the power converting unit to which the first switch is connected or a terminal on a side of the power converting unit to which the second switch is connected and connect the terminal to the power storage device; and a control unit configured to control the power converting unit, the first switch, the second switch, and the switching unit to switch a connection destination of the power converting unit and cause the power converting unit to operate as an inverter or a DC/DC converter.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle propulsion control device including a power storage device, the electric vehicle propulsion control device comprising:

a power converting unit capable of performing bidirectional power flow control and configured to convert, when direct-current power from the power storage device is input from a first terminal side, the direct-current power into desired alternating-current power and output the alternating-current power from a second terminal side, convert, when direct-current power from a direct-current power supply source excluding the power storage device is input from the first terminal side, the direct-current power into desired direct-current power or alternating-current power and output the direct-current power or the alternating-current power from the second terminal side, and convert, when the direct-current power from the direct-current power supply source is input from the second terminal side, the direct-current power into desired direct-current power and output the direct-current power from the first terminal side; and

a control unit configured to control an operation of the power converting unit, wherein

when converting the direct-current power from the power storage device input from the first terminal side into desired alternating-current power and outputting the alternating-current power from the second terminal side, the control unit causes the power converting unit to operate as an inverter,

when converting the direct-current power from the direct-current power supply source input from the first terminal side into desired direct-current power and outputting the direct-current power from the second terminal side, the control unit causes the power converting unit to operate as a step-down chopper,

when converting the direct-current power from the direct-current power supply source input from the first terminal side into desired alternating-current power and outputting the alternating-current power from the second terminal side, the control unit causes the power converting unit to operate as the inverter, and

when converting the direct-current power from the direct-current power supply source input from the second terminal side into desired direct-current power and outputting the direct-current power from the first terminal side, the control unit causes the power converting unit to operate as a step-up chopper.

2. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, wherein

a reactor is provided on the second terminal side of the power converting unit,

when a voltage of the direct-current power supply source is higher than a stored voltage of the power storage device, the control unit causes the direct-current supply source to input the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source to the power converting unit from the first terminal side, and

the power converting unit charges the power storage device using direct-current power output the second terminal side via the reactor.

3. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, wherein

a reactor is provided on the second terminal side of the power converting unit,

when a voltage of the direct-current power supply source is lower than the stored voltage of the power storage device, the control unit causes the direct-current supply source to input the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source to the power converting unit from the second terminal side via the reactor, and

the power converting unit charges the power storage device using direct-current power output from the first terminal side.

4. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, wherein

when the direct-current power of the power storage device is used as power for the electric vehicle, the control unit causes the power storage device to input the direct-current power of the power storage device to the power converting unit from the first terminal side, and

the power converting unit drives the electric vehicle using alternating-current power output from the second terminal side.

5. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, wherein

when the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source is used as power for the electric vehicle, the control unit causes the direct-current power supply source to input the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source to the power converting unit from the first terminal side, and

the power converting unit drives the electric vehicle using alternating-current power output from the second terminal side.

6. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, wherein

when alternating-current power from an alternating-current power supply source is input from the second terminal side, the power converting unit converts the alternating-current power into direct-current power and outputs the direct-current power from the first terminal side, and

when converting the alternating-current power from the alternating-current power supply source input from the second terminal side into desired direct-current power and outputting the direct-current power from the first terminal side, the control unit cause the power converting unit to operate as a converter.

7. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 6, wherein

when charging the power storage device using the alternating-current power of the alternating-current power supply source, the control unit causes the alternating-current power supply source to input the alternating-current power of the alternating-current power supply source to the power converting unit from the second terminal side, and

the power converting unit charges the power storage device using direct-current power output from the first terminal side.

8. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 6, wherein

when the electric vehicle propulsion control device includes at least an alternating-current generator as the alternating-current power supply source,

when starting an engine, which is a power source of the alternating-current generator, using the direct-current power of the power storage device, the control unit causes the power storage device to input the direct-current power of the power storage device to the power converting unit from the first terminal side and drives the alternating-current generator using alternating-current power output from the second terminal side to start the engine.

9. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 6, wherein

when the electric vehicle propulsion control device includes at least an alternating-current generator as the alternating-current power supply source,

when starting an engine, which is a power source of the alternating-current generator, using the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source, the control unit causes the direct-current power supply source to input the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source to the power converting unit from the first terminal side and drives the alternating-current generator using alternating-current power output from the second terminal side to start the engine.

10. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 6, wherein

when the electric vehicle propulsion control device includes at least an alternating-current overhead wire as the alternating-current power supply source,

when supplying electric power of the direct-current power supply source to the alternating-current overhead wire, the control unit causes the direct-current power supply source to input the direct-current power of the direct-current power supply source to the power converting unit from the first terminal side and supplies alternating current power output from the second terminal side to the alternating-current overhead wire.

11. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 6, wherein

when the electric vehicle propulsion control device includes at least an alternating-current overhead wire as the alternating-current power supply source,

when supplying electric power of the power storage device to the alternating-current overhead wire, the control unit causes the power storage device to input the direct-current power of the power storage device to the power converting unit from the first terminal side and supplies alternating current power output from the second terminal side to the alternating-current overhead wire.

12. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 7, wherein the alternating-current power supply source includes at least one of an alternating-current overhead wire or an alternating-current generator.

13. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, wherein the direct-current power supply source includes at least one of a direct-current overhead wire, a fuel battery, and a solar battery.

14. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary power supply device configured to convert the direct-current power output by the power storage device or the direct-current power supply source into alternating-current power and supply the alternating-current power to an auxiliary machine, wherein

when power supply to the auxiliary power supply device is switched from the direct-current power supply source to the power storage device in a state in which power supply to the auxiliary power supply device is switched to the direct-current power supply source side according to control by the control unit,

the control unit performs control for causing the power converting unit to operate as a step-up chopper to step up a voltage of the power storage device input from the second terminal and controlling a step-up ratio of the power converting unit such that a voltage output from the first terminal is substantially equal to an output voltage of the direct-current power supply source, disconnecting the direct-current power supply source and the power converting unit and reducing the step-up ratio of the power converting unit such that a voltage at the first terminal and a voltage at the second terminal in the power converting unit are substantially equal to each other, conducting the first terminal and the second terminal on an outside of the power converting unit to conduct the auxiliary power supply device and the power storage device and controlling an upper arm element in the power converting unit to be ON to conduct the first terminal and the second terminal to conduct on an inside of the power converting unit as well at a point when the voltage at the first terminal and the voltage at the second terminal are substantially equal to each other, and releasing the conduction between the first terminal and the second terminal on the outside of the power converting unit while maintaining the conduction of the auxiliary power supply device and the power storage device.

15. The electric vehicle propulsion control device according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary power supply device configured to convert the direct-current power output by the power storage device or the direct-current power supply source into alternating-current power and supply the alternating-current power to an auxiliary machine, wherein

when power supply to the auxiliary power supply device is switched from the power storage device to the direct-current power supply source, in a state in which power supply to the auxiliary power supply device is connected to the power storage device side according to control by the control unit,

the control unit performs control for conducting the first terminal and the second terminal on an outside of the power converting unit, controlling an upper arm element in the power converting unit to be ON to conduct the first terminal and the second terminal to conduct on an inside of the power converting unit, and then releasing the conduction between the first terminal and the second terminal on the outside of the power converting unit, causing the power converting unit to operate as a step-up chopper to step up a voltage of the power storage device input from the second terminal and controlling a step-up ratio of the power converting unit such that a voltage output from the first terminal is substantially equal to an output voltage of the direct-current power supply source, connecting the direct-current power supply source and the first terminal and disconnecting the second terminal and the power storage device at a point when a voltage output from the first terminal is substantially equal to an output voltage of the direct-current power supply source.