SCALABLE INTELLIGENT POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20070188137A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Scheucher
• Original Assignee: Karl Scheucher
• Inventors: Scheucher, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/001 Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• 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 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 : with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 : Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 : in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 : of the battery
• 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 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

Abstract

A scalable intelligent power-supply system and method capable of powering a defined load for a specified period of time is disclosed and claimed. Multiple external AC and DC inputs supply power to the system if available and required. An internal DC input from a back-up energy source is on board. The back-up energy source is scalable by adding additional energy cartridges such as batteries in racks mounted within frames of the system. The AC and DC inputs (including the internal DC input) are controlled, measured, sensed, and converted by circuitry controlled by the microprocessor into multiple AC and/or DC outputs. A microprocessor manages power input to, within, and output from the system. The performance of a Lithium-ion batteries used to power an automobile can be determined on the basis individual battery packs or individual battery cells within the packs. This enables the clusters or groups of Lithium ion batteries to be used in a vehicle such that these clusters operate and function as a “gas” tank or more appropriately as an “energy” tank.

Claims

1. A process for operating a power supply having a plurality of battery packs, comprising the steps of:

selecting a battery pack for examination;

connecting said selected pack to a first combination of loads and charging current including no loads and no charging current;

measuring said selected pack first output voltage while connected to said first combination of loads and charging current;

connecting said selected pack to a second combination of loads and charging current, different from said first combination of loads and charging current, including no loads and no charging current;

measuring said selected pack second output voltage while connected to said second combination of loads and charging current;

comparing said first output voltage to said second output voltage; and

,

connecting said selected pack to a third combination of loads and charging current, including no loads and no charging current, based upon the result of comparing said first output voltage to said second output voltage.

2. A process for operating a power supply having a plurality of battery packs, comprising the steps of:

interconnecting each of said battery packs with a combination of loads, a charging current, or any combination of said loads and charging current including no load and no charging current.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 comprising the further step of:

deciding the interconnection state of each of said batteries based on at least one system parameter.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3 wherein said system parameter is voltage.

5. A process as claimed in claim 3 wherein said system parameter is temperature.

6. A process as claimed in claim 3 wherein said system parameter is current.

7. A process as claimed in claim 3 wherein said system parameter is battery capacity.

8. A process as claimed in claim 3 wherein said system parameter is battery state of charge.

9. A process for operating a power supply having a plurality of power converters, each having an adjustable output, comprising the steps of:

measuring the output of each of said power converters; and

,

adjusting the output of each of said power converters as required to achieve a desired output.

10. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said power converters share a common output load.

11. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said power converters share a common input power source.

12. A process for operating a power supply, comprising the steps of:

measuring the voltage of and current in each input and output; and

,

mixing power between said inputs and said outputs and said inputs.

13. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of:

measuring the voltage of, the current in, and the temperature of each internal bus and each power converter.

14. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

measuring temperatures within an enclosure housing said power supply; and

,

measuring temperatures external to said power supply enclosure.

15. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 12 where at least one of the inputs is an array of battery packs.

16. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 15 wherein said battery packs are Li-ion battery packs.

17. A process for operating a power supply as claimed in claim 15 wherein said battery packs are removable cartridge battery packs.

18. A process for operating a power supply having a plurality of battery packs, comprising the steps:

measuring the temperature of said battery packs; and

,

determining the interconnection of said battery packs to system loads based on their temperature.

19. A process for operating a power supply having a plurality of battery packs, comprising the steps of:

measuring the state of charge of each of said battery packs during discharge of each of said batteries;

terminating discharge of each battery at a given threshold state of charge;

measuring the state of charge of each battery during charging;

terminating charging at second threshold.

20. The process of refueling a battery electric vehicle comprising the steps of:

removing discharged removable cartridge battery packs from said vehicle;

replacing said packs with charged removable cartridge battery packs;

calculating the charge energy level and condition of removed removable cartridge battery packs;

calculating the charge energy level and condition of replaced removable cartridge battery packs;

calculating a refueling fee based upon the difference of the calculated charge energy levels and conditions of removed versus replaced removable cartridge battery packs;

recharging removed removable cartridge battery packs; and

,

rendering removed removable cartridge battery packs suitable for resale as replacement removable cartridge battery packs.