Apparatus and method for rapid charging using shared power electronics

• US 9,789,780 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: King, Robert Dean, Steigerwald, Robert Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/219,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/22 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/28 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 : for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 : with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• 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 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: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a DC bus coupleable to an external charging source;

an electromechanical device coupled to at least one drive wheel;

a voltage converter coupled to the DC bus and the electromechanical device;

an energy storage device coupleable to the DC bus;

at least one switching arrangement coupled between the voltage converter and energy storage device, the switching arrangement configured to selectively decouple the electromechanical device and the voltage converter from the energy storage device when the DC bus is coupled to the external charging source; and

a controller programmed to open the switching arrangement to electrically decouple the electromechanical device and voltage converter from the energy storage device when the DC bus is coupled to the external charging source.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the DC bus and the external charging source are selectively coupled via at least one charging contactor.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the charging contactor is on board the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the switching arrangement is opened before the charging contactor is closed.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the voltage converter is a DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical device comprises at least one winding, and the switching arrangement selectively couples the winding and the energy storage device.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical device is an AC motor.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to communicate with a second controller external to the vehicle.

18. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the charging contactor is off board the vehicle.

9. A method for charging a vehicle comprising:

providing a DC bus coupleable to an external charging source;

coupling an energy storage device to the DC bus;

coupling an electromechanical device to at least one drive wheel;

coupling a voltage converter to the DC bus and the electromechanical device;

selectively coupling the electromechanical device and the voltage converter to the energy storage device via at least one switching arrangement coupled between the voltage converter and energy storage device, the selective coupling being dependent on whether the DC bus is coupled to an external charging source; and

programming a controller to open the switching arrangement to electrically decouple the electromechanical device and voltage converter from the energy storage device when the DC bus is coupled to the external charging source.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising selectively coupling the DC bus to the external charging source via at least one charging contactor.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising programming the controller to open the switching arrangement prior to closing the charging contactor.

12. A system comprising:

a charging system comprising at least one power bus, wherein the power bus provides a charging voltage;

a vehicle comprising;

a DC bus coupleable to the power bus;

an electromechanical device coupled to at least one drive wheel;

a voltage converter coupled to the DC bus and the electromechanical device;

an energy storage device coupleable to the DC bus;

at least one switching arrangement coupled between the voltage converter and energy storage device, the switching arrangement configured to selectively decouple the electromechanical device and the voltage converter from the energy storage device when the DC bus is coupled to the power bus; and

a controller programmed to open the switching arrangement to electrically decouple the electromechanical device and voltage converter from the energy storage device when the DC bus is coupled to the power bus.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the charging system and the DC bus are selectively coupled via at least one charging contactor.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the vehicle controller is further configured to communicate with a charging system controller.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the switching arrangement is opened before the charging contactor is closed.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the voltage converter is a DC-to-AC voltage inverter.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the electromechanical device is an AC motor.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the electromechanical device comprises at least one winding, and the switching arrangement selectively couples the winding and the energy storage device.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the charging contactor is on board the vehicle.