Hybrid power system for a vehicle

• US 9,300,168 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Derek S. Elleman
• Original Assignee: Derek S. Elleman
• Inventors: Elleman, Dean S., Helm, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/273,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20100123352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,688 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 15/006 in the form of pneumatic energy, e.g. compressed air energy storage [CAES] accumulators for supplying fluid under pressure F15B1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00716 in response to integrated charge or discharge current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A hybrid power system includes an on-board compressed air supply and a battery. One or more electric motors are coupled to the vehicle wheels. The compressed air drives an air motor that is coupled to an electric generator. The electric generator is coupled to a smart power controller which controls the delivery of compressed air to the air motor and also directs the electric power to an electric motor battery bank, an accessory battery, a capacitor bank for storing the electric energy or directly to the electric motors. In accordance with the present invention, the smart energy controller optimizes the compressed air and electric energy sources to maximize the driving range of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A power system for adaptively supplying power and dynamically controlling power for operation of a vehicle subject to highway and city driving conditions wherein the driving conditions include variable loads due to a combination of grades and operator demands for acceleration comprising:

at least one electric motor operatively coupled to the vehicle to provide motive force;

a battery bank which includes a plurality of batteries configured to be coupled and provide power to said at least one electric motor, the power is stored and released by said battery bank by transfer of electrochemical energy;

a capacitor bank for storing electric charge for release on demand to deliver power;

a circuit for measuring the state of charge of each of said plurality of batteries in said battery bank that is coupled to said one or more electric motors and for measuring the amount of stored electric charge in said capacitor bank, said circuit having means for measuring the amount of discharge during operation of the vehicle of said each of said plurality of coupled batteries and said capacitor bank and generating a charge signal proportional to said amount of discharge measurement;

a controller coupled to said circuit for measuring the state of charge and responsive to said charge signal for adapting power supplied to said electric motors to said driving conditions and for dynamically controlling power to operate said vehicle; and

said controller having an adaptive control system for selectively supplying power to said at least one electric motor by operatively connecting said capacitor bank in series with at least one of said batteries during predetermined conditions requiring increases of charge in response to operator demands and road conditions producing increased load for transferring charge from said capacitor bank; and

a dynamic control system for connecting one or more of said plurality of batteries to said at least one electric motor forming a circuit, said controller disconnecting said one or more of said plurality of batteries from said at least one electric motor and connecting a different one of said plurality of batteries to said at least one electric motor as a function of the amount of discharge of said one or more of said plurality of batteries connected to the electric motor, wherein said dynamic control system is capable of changing said circuit formed to selectively maintain charge levels in said battery and said capacitor sufficient for said adaptive control system to operatively supply power.

2. The power system as recited in claim 1, further including a system for directly monitoring the discharge rate of the battery connected to said one or more electric motors during predetermined operating conditions which included a condition when said battery discharge rate is not constant and said controller is configured to connect said capacitor bank to said one or more electric motors during said condition or alternatively charge one or more of said plurality of batteries.

3. The power system as recited in claim 1, further including a pneumatic subsystem which includes a least one air tank, an air motor and an electric generator for supplying electric current in order to charge said batteries.

4. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein the battery coupled to the drive motor is defined as a coupled battery and said circuit further includes:

at least one switch for selectively disconnecting said coupled battery from said circuit in order to enable the open circuit voltage of said coupled battery to be measured;

a charging circuit operative to individually charge batteries in said plurality of batteries; and

a circuit for measuring the amount of discharge of said coupled battery and individually charging said coupled battery as a function of said open circuit voltage and a predetermined amount of said discharge.

5. The power system as recited in claim 1, wherein said circuit for measuring the discharge of said coupled battery while connected to said electric motor includes a plurality of switches for disconnecting the coupled battery connected to said electric motor and connecting another one of said plurality of batteries to said electric motor as a function of the amount of discharge of said coupled battery connected to said electric motor.

6. The power system as recited in claim 4, further including circuits for charging said batteries under predetermined conditions from said capacitor bank.