APPARATUS FOR ENERGY TRANSFER USING CONVERTER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

• US 20100097031A1
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: King, Robert Dean, Steigerwald, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,080,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• 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 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• 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 53/56 Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

According to an aspect of the invention, a motor drive circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy, a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first energy storage device, a voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source. The motor drive circuit further includes a coupling system coupled to the input device, to the first energy storage device, and to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter. The coupling system has a first configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and has a second configuration configured to transfer electrical energy from the first energy storage device to the voltage inverter via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.

Claims

1. A motor drive circuit comprising:

a first energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy;

a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first energy storage device;

a voltage inverter coupled to the bidirectional DC-to-DC voltage converter;

an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source; and

a coupling system coupled to the input device, to the first energy storage device, and to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, the coupling system having a first configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and having a second configuration configured to transfer electrical energy from the first energy storage device to the voltage inverter via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.

2. The motor drive circuit of claim 1 further comprising a second energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy to the voltage inverter.

3. The motor drive circuit of claim 2 wherein the first energy storage device comprises one of a battery and a fuel cell, and wherein the second energy storage device comprises one of a battery and an ultracapacitor.

4. The motor drive circuit of claim 2 wherein the first energy storage device is configured to maximize energy output, and wherein the second energy storage device is configured to maximize power output.

5. The motor drive circuit of claim 2 wherein the coupling system has a third configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the second energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.

6. The motor drive circuit of claim 2 wherein the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter comprises a first bi-directional buck/boost converter.

7. The motor drive circuit of claim 6 further comprising a second bi-directional buck/boost converter coupled to the first bi-directional buck/boost converter, wherein the first and second bi-directional buck/boost converters are configured to modulate a voltage for charging the second energy storage device.

8. The motor drive circuit of claim 1 wherein the coupling system comprises one or more coupling devices selected from the group consisting of a contactor and a semiconductor switch.

9. The motor drive circuit of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises:

a receptacle configured to receive an electric plug; and

a voltage rectifier coupled to the receptacle.

10. The motor drive circuit of claim 9 wherein the voltage rectifier comprises a diode rectifier.

11. The motor drive circuit of claim 9 wherein the input device further comprises a transformer coupled between the voltage rectifier and the receptacle.

12. A method of manufacturing comprising:

providing a first energy storage device;

coupling a first bi-directional buck/boost converter to the first energy storage device;

coupling an input device to the first bi-directional buck/boost converter, the input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source;

coupling one or more coupling devices to the first bi-directional buck/boost converter, to the first energy storage device, and to the input device, the one or more coupling devices configured to cause electrical energy to charge the first energy storage device via the first bi-directional buck/boost converter, and configured to cause electrical energy from the first energy storage device to transfer to the voltage inverter via the first bi-directional buck/boost converter.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising incorporating a voltage rectifier into the input device.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein coupling one or more coupling devices comprises coupling a switch to an inductor of the first bi-directional buck/boost converter and configuring the switch to toggle a coupling of the inductor between the input device and the first energy storage device.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising coupling a second energy storage device in parallel with the first bi-directional buck/boost converter.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein coupling one or more coupling devices comprises coupling a switch to a transistor of the first bi-directional buck/boost converter and configuring the switch to toggle a coupling of the transistor between the input device and the second energy storage device.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising coupling a plurality of bi-directional buck/boost converters to the first bi-directional buck/boost converter.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising configuring the first bi-directional buck/boost converter and one of the plurality of bi-directional buck/boost converters to modulate a voltage from the external energy source to the second energy storage device such that an energy transfer power factor is maximized.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein coupling one or more coupling devices comprises coupling a contactor between the first energy storage device and an inductor of the first bi-directional buck/boost converter.

20. A traction system comprising:

an electric motor configured to propel a vehicle;

a voltage inverter configured to supply an AC power signal to the electric motor; and

a motor drive circuit configured to supply a DC power signal to the voltage inverter, the motor drive circuit comprising;

a first battery;

a first bi-directional buck/boost converter coupled to the first battery, the first bi-directional buck/boost converter having a first inductor and a first transistor;

an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source; and

a coupling system having a first configuration configured to couple the first battery to the input device via the first bi-directional buck/boost converter, and having a second configuration configured to couple the first battery to the voltage inverter via the first bi-directional buck/boost converter.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a second bi-directional buck/boost converter having a second inductor and a second transistor, wherein the second bi-directional buck/boost converter is coupled to the first bi-directional buck/boost converter and configured to boost a voltage output from the first battery and supply the boosted voltage to the voltage inverter.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising a second battery coupled to the first and second bi-directional buck/boost converters and configured to supply electrical energy to the voltage inverter.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the first and second bi-directional buck/boost converters are configured to modulate a voltage supplied to the second battery by the external energy source supply such that the energy transfer power factor is maximized.

24. The system of claim 21 further comprising a third bidirectional buck/boost converter coupled to the first and second bidirectional buck/boost converters and configured to boost a voltage output from the first battery and supply the boosted voltage to the voltage inverter.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the coupling system comprises:

a first contactor coupled between the input device and the first battery;

a second contactor coupled between the input device and the second inductor;

a third contactor coupled between the first inductor and the first battery; and

a fourth contactor couple between the second inductor and the first battery.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the coupling system comprises:

a first contactor coupled between the first battery and the inductor;

a second contactor coupled between the first battery and the first transistor; and

a third contactor couple between the first transistor and the voltage inverter.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the coupling system comprises:

a first contactor coupled between the input device and the first transistor;

a second contactor coupled between the input device and the second transistor;

a third contactor coupled between the first inductor and the first battery; and

a fourth contactor couple between the second inductor and the first battery.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the coupling system comprises:

a first contactor coupled between the first transistor and the second transistor;

a second contactor coupled between the second inductor and the first battery.