Plug-in hybrid vehicle with fast energy storage

• US 20060250902A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AFS Trinity Power Corporation
• Original Assignee: AFS Trinity Power Corporation
• Inventors: Means, Andrew Eldon, Deshmane, Atul, Bender, Donald Arthur
• Application Number:
  US11/417,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250902A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/30 characterised by chargeable mechanical accumulators, e.g. flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 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: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

This invention relates to plug-in hybrid propulsion systems where the energy storage element of the hybrid drive train may be charged with externally supplied electricity as well as energy from the engine or regenerative braking. The invention is a plug-in hybrid system with a fast energy storage and delivery system. In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a fuel powered engine, a battery, a fast energy storage system, power converters, controllers, drive motors, an electrical distribution system, and a drive train. Additionally, the invention relates to plug-in hybrids that provide services to the electrical utility when the vehicle is connected to the utility grid.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric vehicle powertrain comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a first electric motor-generator connected to the engine and used only to start the engine or supply electricity to a second motor-generator, wherein the second electric motor generator supplies traction power to the vehicle wheels, a first electrical energy storage device, a second electrical energy storage device;

a power electronics system;

a control system, and a charging system;

the first electrical energy storage device being a battery that delivers or absorbs electrical energy when the vehicle is operated as a hybrid or when the vehicle is operated using stored electrical energy only;

the second energy storage device being a flywheel, a capacitor or ultracapacitor or supercapacitor, or a battery, wherein the second energy storage device only absorbs or delivers current as necessary to protect the first energy storage device from current above a damage threshold for the first energy storage device;

wherein the power electronics system is responsive to the control system and transfers electrical energy from each of the first and second electrical energy storage devices and the first and second electric motor-generators to each other of the first and second electrical energy storage devices and first and second electric motor-generators;

the control system including means to determine and control the energy flow path through the power electronics system; and

wherein the charging system that uses externally supplied electricity to recharge either or both the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device.

2. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 including means for providing services to the electrical distribution grid when the vehicle is connected to the grid.

3. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 configured as a parallel hybrid wherein a single motor/generator is used and this motor/generator connects to the drivetrain between the engine and the transmission.

4. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 configured as a parallel hybrid wherein a single motor/generator is used and this motor/generator connects to the drivetrain between the transmission and the driven wheels.

5. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 configured as a series hybrid wherein a single motor/generator is connected to the engine and one or more second motor/generators are connected drivably to the wheels.

6. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 wherein the engine may use gasoline, ethanol, flex-fuel, diesel fuel, bio-diesel, natural gas, propane, or hydrogen.

7. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 wherein the powertrain is configured as a series hybrid and a fuel cell is used to produce electricity instead of an engine and generator.

8. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 where an additional motor-generator is used to drive the traction wheels such that the front wheels and back wheels are driven by different motors.

9. The powertrain set forth in claim 1 wherein the wheels are driven by wheel motors.

10. The powertrain set forth in claim 2 wherein the services provided to the grid may include frequency regulation, energy arbitrage, distributed storage, opportunity charging, backup power, and voltage stabilization.