APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RAPID CHARGING USING SHARED POWER ELECTRONICS

• US 20170001528A1
• Filed: 09/14/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: King, Robert Dean, Steigerwald, Robert Louis
• Granted Patent: US 9,914,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• 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 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/22 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/28 polyphase motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• 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 7/0045 : concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging system comprising:

a connection system coupleable to a vehicle charging station configured to supply energy to a vehicle, the connection system comprising a first connection and a second connection;

an energy storage device coupleable to the connection system via the first connection and second connection; and

a controller programmed to;

charge the energy storage device at a first charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the first connection; and

charge the energy storage device at a second charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the second connection.

2. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, further comprising a DC converter coupled to the energy storage device.

3. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical device.

4. The vehicle charging system of claim 3, further comprising an inverter coupled to the electromechanical device.

5. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the first and second connection are each mating contacts.

6. The vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the connection system is on-board the vehicle.

7. A vehicle comprising:

a connection system configured to supply energy to the vehicle, the connection system comprising a first connection and a second connection;

an energy storage device coupleable to the connection system via the first connection and second connection; and

a controller programmed to;

charge the energy storage device at a first charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the first connection; and

charge the energy storage device at a second charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the second connection.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a DC converter coupled to the energy storage device.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising an AC motor.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising an inverter coupled to the AC motor.

11. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the first and second connection are each mating contacts.

12. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

13. A method for charging a vehicle comprising:

coupling an energy storage device to a first connection of a connection system configured to supply energy to the vehicle;

coupling an energy storage device to a second connection of the connection system; and

configuring a controller to;

charge the energy storage device at a first charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the first connection; and

charge the energy storage device at a second charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the second connection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising decoupling an electromechanical device from the energy storage device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second connection are each mating contacts.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.