Integrated bi-directional converter for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

• US 20090103341A1
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Turntide Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Lee, Young Joo, Emadi, Ali
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/124
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

This invention relates to a power module for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle including an integrated converter having a rectifier changing AC to DC, a DC/DC converter changing from a first voltage to a second voltage, and a battery storing electrical energy. The integrated converter operates in three modes 1) AC plug-in charging mode, 2) boost mode supplying power from the battery to the electrical bus and 3) buck mode supplying power from the electrical bus to the battery. The integrated converter utilizes the same single inductor during each of the three operating modes to reduce cost and weight of the system.

Claims

1. An AC/DC power module for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle having an electric drive system and an electric power supply, the power module comprising:

a plug connectable to an AC power source;

a rectifier having a rectifier input connected to the plug for receiving an alternating current therethrough, the rectifier having a rectifier circuit changing alternating current to direct current, the rectifier having a rectifier output supplying a direct current;

a bidirectional DC to DC converter having a first converter terminal operating at a first voltage and a second converter terminal operating at a second voltage that is different than the first voltage, the bidirectional DC to DC converter having a converter circuit changing direct current to or from the first voltage and the second voltage, the first converter terminal connected to the rectifier output;

an inductor coil, each of the rectifier and the bidirectional DC to DC converter comprising the inductor when power is utilized therethrough;

a battery connected to the first converter terminal and the second converter terminal; and

a bus connected to the first converter terminal and the second converter terminal, the bus connectable to the electric drive system.

2. The power module of claim 1, wherein the converter transfers at least 5 kilowatts of power between the battery and the bus.

3. The power module claim 1, further comprising a processor with an algorithm in combination with the converter for controlling at least one of gating switch signals, voltage feedback and current feedback.

4. The power module of claim 1, wherein the converter circuit comprises one current feedback loop and three voltage feedback loops.

5. The power module of claim 1, wherein the AC power source has between about 100 volts to about 500 volts and one or more phases.

6. The power module of claim 1, wherein the converter operates:

in a plug-in charging mode to supply power from the plug to the battery;

in a boost function mode to supply power from the battery to the bus; and

in a buck function mode to supply power from the bus to the battery.

7. The power module of claim 1, wherein the rectifier comprises a pulse width modulation rectifier.

8. The power module of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional DC to DC current converter comprises at least four switches and at least four diodes operatively connected with respect to each other to function in a plug-in charging mode, a boost function mode and a buck function mode.

9. The power module of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises at least one of the group consisting of lithium ion, nickel metal hydride and lead acid.

10. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle comprising the power module of claim 1.

11. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a liquid coolant system that cools at least a portion of the power module.

12. The power module of claim 1, wherein the converter comprises:

a first end of the inductor coil connected to the rectifier output, the first end of the inductor coil connected to the cathode of a first diode and the cathode of a second diode;

a second end of the inductor coil connected to an anode of a third diode and an anode of a fourth diode;

an anode of the first diode connected to a first pole of a first switch;

an anode of the second diode connected to a first pole of a second switch;

a cathode of the third diode connected to a first pole of a third switch;

a cathode of the fourth diode connected to a first pole of a fourth switch;

a second pole of the first switch connected to a positive bus terminal of the bus;

a second pole of the third switch connected to the positive bus terminal of the bus;

a second pole of the second switch connected to a positive battery terminal of the battery;

a second pole of the fourth switch connected to the positive battery terminal of the battery; and

a negative battery terminal of the battery and a negative bus terminal of the bus connected to a ground.

13. The power module of claim 12, further comprising a parallel alternative switching strategy to increase power transferred between the bus and the battery without an increase in a switching frequency.

14. The power module of claim 12, further comprising:

a first pole of a fifth switch connected to the second end of the inductor coil;

a second pole of the fifth switch connected to the ground;

an anode of a fifth diode connected to the ground;

a cathode of the fifth diode connected to the first end of the inductor coil;

a first pole of a sixth switch connected to the rectifier output;

a second pole of the sixth switch connected to the first end of the inductor coil; and

the rectifier circuit connected to the ground.

15. The power module of claim 12, further comprising:

electromagnetic interference filters connected to at least one of the plug, the battery and the bus.

16. A method of controlling power for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle having an electric drive system comprising:

charging a battery with an AC power supply by rectifying power from alternating current to direct current and converting in a bidirectional DC to DC converter the power from a supply voltage to a battery voltage for storage in the battery;

boosting power supplied to the hybrid electric vehicle when needed by the electric drive system by converting power stored in the battery from the battery voltage to a bus voltage for use by a bus connectable to the electric drive system; and

bucking power supplied by the hybrid electric vehicle when available by converting power from the bus voltage to the battery voltage for storage in battery.

17. The method of controlling power of claim 16, wherein a single inductor coil functions during each of charging, boosting and bucking.

18. The method of controlling power of claim 16, wherein a power transfer between the battery and the bus is at least 5 kilowatts.

19. The method of controlling power of claim 16, wherein charging of the battery is less than about 8 hours.

20. The method of controlling power of claim 19, wherein charging of the battery is less than about 4 hours.

21. The method of controlling power of claim 16, further comprising controlling in a controller with an algorithm switch gating within the bidirectional converter.