Systems and methods for controlling battery performance in hybrid marine propulsion systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hybrid marine propulsion system comprising:
- a marine propulsor that propels a marine vessel;
an internal combustion engine that selectively powers the marine propulsor;
an electric motor that selectively powers the marine propulsor;
a plurality of batteries that discharge current to power the electric motor;
a controller that operates the system in a plurality of modes including at least a charge mode in which output of the internal combustion engine is used to generate current to charge the plurality of batteries; and
a contactor for each battery in the plurality of batteries, wherein each contactor independently disconnects a respective battery in the plurality of batteries from the electric motor in a manner that discontinues charging of that respective battery by the electric motor when during charge mode more than a limited amount of current is received by that respective battery;
wherein the controller calculates a cumulative charge limit for the plurality of batteries equal to an aggregate of said limited amounts of current of the plurality of batteries, and then controls operation of the system in charge mode so as not to exceed the cumulative charge limit, thereby preventing disconnection of any of the batteries in the plurality of batteries.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid propulsion system has an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that each selectively powers a marine propulsor to propel a marine vessel. A plurality of batteries discharges current to power the motor. A controller is programmed to aggregate the recharge and/or discharge limits of plurality of batteries and then operate the system according to a method that preferably prevents internal fault and disconnection of batteries in the plurality.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A hybrid marine propulsion system comprising:
-
a marine propulsor that propels a marine vessel; an internal combustion engine that selectively powers the marine propulsor; an electric motor that selectively powers the marine propulsor; a plurality of batteries that discharge current to power the electric motor; a controller that operates the system in a plurality of modes including at least a charge mode in which output of the internal combustion engine is used to generate current to charge the plurality of batteries; and a contactor for each battery in the plurality of batteries, wherein each contactor independently disconnects a respective battery in the plurality of batteries from the electric motor in a manner that discontinues charging of that respective battery by the electric motor when during charge mode more than a limited amount of current is received by that respective battery; wherein the controller calculates a cumulative charge limit for the plurality of batteries equal to an aggregate of said limited amounts of current of the plurality of batteries, and then controls operation of the system in charge mode so as not to exceed the cumulative charge limit, thereby preventing disconnection of any of the batteries in the plurality of batteries. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method of operating a hybrid propulsion system having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that each selectively power a marine propulsor to propel a marine vessel, the method comprising:
-
providing a plurality of batteries that discharge current to power the electric motor; generating current from output of the internal combustion engine to charge the plurality of batteries, wherein a contactor is provided for each battery in the plurality of batteries, wherein each contactor independently disconnects a respective battery in the plurality of batteries from the electric motor in a manner that discontinues charging of that respective battery by the electric motor when more than a limited amount of current is received by that respective battery; operating a controller to aggregate said limited amounts of current of the plurality of batteries; and operating the system so as not to exceed the aggregated amount of current of the plurality of batteries, thereby preventing disconnection of any of the batteries in the plurality of batteries. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. A hybrid marine propulsion system comprising:
-
a marine propulsor that propels a marine vessel; an internal combustion engine that selectively powers the marine propulsor; an electric motor that selectively powers the marine propulsor; a plurality of batteries that discharge current to power the electric motor; a controller that operates the system in a plurality of modes including at least one of an electric mode in which the electric motor powers the marine propulsor and a boost mode in which both the internal combustion engine and the electric motor provide power to the marine propulsor; and a contactor for each battery in the plurality of batteries, wherein each contactor disconnects a respective battery in the plurality of batteries from the electric motor in a manner that discontinues discharging that respective battery to the electric motor when during electric mode more than a limited amount of current is discharged from that respective battery; wherein the controller calculates a cumulative discharge limit for the plurality of batteries equal to an aggregate of said limited amounts of current of the plurality of batteries and then operates the system so as not to exceed the cumulative discharge limit, thereby preventing disconnection of any of the batteries in the plurality of batteries. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of operating a hybrid propulsion system having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor that each selectively power a marine propulsor to propel a marine vessel, the method comprising:
-
providing a plurality of batteries that discharge current to power the electric motor; operating the electric motor to draw current from the plurality of batteries, wherein a contactor is provided for each battery in the plurality of batteries, wherein each contactor independently disconnects a respective battery in the plurality of batteries from the electric motor in a manner that discontinues discharging of that respective battery to the electric motor when more than a limited amount of current is discharged from that respective battery; operating a controller to aggregate said limited amounts of current of the plurality of batteries; and operating the system so as not to exceed the aggregated limited amounts of current of the plurality of batteries, thereby preventing disconnection of any of the batteries in the plurality of batteries. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
-
Specification