Energy storage system for electric or hybrid vehicle
First Claim
1. A battery load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which a battery is subject to intermittent high current loading, the electrically powered system including a first battery, a second, and a load coupled to the first and second batteries, said battery load leveling system comprising:
- a passive electrical energy storage device;
a unidirectional electrical conducting apparatus coupled to the passive storage device and to the load, and the uni-directional electrical coupling apparatus configured to conduct current only from the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device is in parallel with the first and second batteries to the load; and
a battery switching circuit that connects the first and second batteries in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement to allow a measurable terminal voltage of a circuit from the first and second batteries to the load to be switched from a first, higher voltage mode back and forth with a second lower voltage mode; and
when the battery switching circuit is in the second lower voltage mode, then the terminal voltage of the circuit from the first and second batteries to the load also is less than a measurable voltage of the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device responds to the battery switching circuit being in the second lower voltage mode by supplying electrical current to the load; and
further comprising a pre-charge circuit configured to charge said passive storage device using an external power source,wherein said external power source comprises a hybrid vehicle engine that charges said passive storage device through an electrical circuit with the drive configured to accept regenerative power from the load.
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Abstract
A battery load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which a battery is subject to intermittent high current loading, the system including a first battery, a second battery, and a load coupled to the batteries. The system includes a passive storage device, a unidirectional conducting apparatus coupled in series electrical circuit with the passive storage device and poled to conduct current from the passive storage device to the load, the series electrical circuit coupled in parallel with the battery such that the passive storage device provides current to the load when the battery terminal voltage is less than voltage on the passive storage device, and a battery switching circuit that connects the first and second batteries in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement.
65 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A battery load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which a battery is subject to intermittent high current loading, the electrically powered system including a first battery, a second, and a load coupled to the first and second batteries, said battery load leveling system comprising:
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a passive electrical energy storage device; a unidirectional electrical conducting apparatus coupled to the passive storage device and to the load, and the uni-directional electrical coupling apparatus configured to conduct current only from the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device is in parallel with the first and second batteries to the load; and a battery switching circuit that connects the first and second batteries in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement to allow a measurable terminal voltage of a circuit from the first and second batteries to the load to be switched from a first, higher voltage mode back and forth with a second lower voltage mode; and when the battery switching circuit is in the second lower voltage mode, then the terminal voltage of the circuit from the first and second batteries to the load also is less than a measurable voltage of the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device responds to the battery switching circuit being in the second lower voltage mode by supplying electrical current to the load; and further comprising a pre-charge circuit configured to charge said passive storage device using an external power source, wherein said external power source comprises a hybrid vehicle engine that charges said passive storage device through an electrical circuit with the drive configured to accept regenerative power from the load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A battery load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which a battery is subject to intermittent high current loading, the electrically powered system including a first battery, a second, and a load coupled to the first and second batteries, said battery load leveling system comprising:
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a passive electrical energy storage device; a unidirectional electrical conducting apparatus coupled to the passive storage device and to the load, and the uni-directional electrical coupling apparatus configured to conduct current only from the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device is in parallel with the first and second batteries to the load; and a battery switching circuit that connects the first and second batteries in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement to allow a measurable terminal voltage of a circuit from the first and second batteries to the load to be switched from a first, higher voltage mode back and forth with a second lower voltage mode; and when the battery switching circuit is in the second lower voltage mode, then the terminal voltage of the circuit from the first and second batteries to the load also is less than a measurable voltage of the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device responds to the battery switching circuit being in the second lower voltage mode by supplying electrical current to the load; and further comprising a pre-charge circuit configured to charge said passive storage device using an external power source, wherein said pre-charge circuit is configured to accept regenerative power from the load using a semiconductor switch. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A battery load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which a battery is subject to intermittent high current loading, the electrically powered system including a first battery, a second, and a load coupled to the first and second batteries, said battery load leveling system comprising:
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a passive electrical energy storage device; a unidirectional electrical conducting apparatus coupled to the passive storage device and to the load, and the uni-directional electrical coupling apparatus configured to conduct current only from the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device is in parallel with the first and second batteries to the load; and a battery switching circuit that connects the first and second batteries in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement to allow a measurable terminal voltage of a circuit from the first and second batteries to the load to be switched from a first, higher voltage mode back and forth with a second lower voltage mode; and when the battery switching circuit is in the second lower voltage mode, then the terminal voltage of the circuit from the first and second batteries to the load also is less than a measurable voltage of the passive storage device to the load, and the passive storage device responds to the battery switching circuit being in the second lower voltage mode by supplying electrical current to the load; and further comprising a pre-charge circuit configured to charge said passive storage device using an external power source, wherein said external power source comprises said first and second batteries, said battery switching circuit configured to couple said first and second batteries in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which an energy storage unit is subject to an intermittent high current loading, the system including a first energy storage unit, a second energy storage unit, and a load coupled to the first and second energy storage units, the system comprising:
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a passive storage device; a unidirectional conducting apparatus coupled in a series circuit with the passive storage device and poled to conduct current from the passive storage device to the load, the series circuit coupled in parallel with the first and second energy storage units; a switching circuit that connects the first and second energy storage units in a lower voltage parallel arrangement and a higher voltage series arrangement; and a controller configured to automatically switch the first and second energy storage units between the lower voltage parallel arrangement and the higher voltage series arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 61)
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48. A load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which an energy storage unit is subject to an intermittent high current loading, the system including a first energy storage unit, a second energy storage unit, and a load coupled to the first and second energy storage units, the system comprising:
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a passive storage device; a unidirectional conducting apparatus coupled in a series circuit with the passive storage device and poled to conduct current from the passive storage device to the load, the series circuit coupled in parallel with the first and second energy storage units; and a switching circuit that connects the first and second energy storage units in a lower voltage parallel arrangement and a higher voltage series arrangement; wherein the switching circuit is free of a mechanical switching device. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A load leveling system for an electrically powered system in which an energy storage unit is subject to an intermittent high current loading to supply power to a load, the system including a first energy storage unit, a second energy storage unit, and a motor coupled to the first and second energy storage units, the system comprising:
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an ultracapacitor coupled in parallel with the first and second energy storage units; a unidirectional conducting apparatus coupled in a series circuit with the ultracapacitor and poled to conduct current from the ultracapacitor to the load; a switching circuit that connects the first and second energy storage units in a lower voltage parallel arrangement and a higher voltage series arrangement, wherein the switching circuit comprises at least one silicon controlled rectifier; a plurality of sensors configured to sense at least one of a motor speed, a torque command signal provided to the motor, a passive storage device voltage, and an energy storage unit voltage; and a controller coupled to the switching circuit and to the plurality of sensors so as to be in operable communication therewith, the controller comprising a processor programmed to; receive feedback signals from the plurality of sensors indicative of measured values of the at least one of the motor speed, the torque command signal provided to the motor, the passive storage device voltage, and the energy storage unit voltage; and control operation of the switching circuit to connect the first and second energy storage units in either a lower voltage parallel arrangement or a higher voltage series arrangement by sending control signals to the switching circuit, with operation of the switching circuit being based on the feedback signals received by the controller. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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Specification