Systems and method for boosting output of an alternator
First Claim
1. An automotive electrical system comprising:
- a storage battery having a positive terminal connected to a positive bus and a negative terminal connected to a negative bus;
an alternator having its output connected to a rectifier bank, wherein the output terminals of the rectifier bank are connected to the positive bus and the negative bus;
a voltage regulator configured to control a field current of the alternator in response to the voltage between the positive bus and the negative bus; and
a field voltage boost circuit connected to an input of the voltage regulator and configured to increase the maximum voltage available to a field winding so as to increase the field current of the alternator.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are two techniques, neutral point switching and field voltage boost, that will increase the output of today'"'"'s 12 volt automotive electrical systems in vehicle idle conditions solely by the addition of circuitry. Neutral point switching enables the flow of a third harmonic current, which does not normally flow at low speeds, but only at high speed. Boosting the field voltages can be obtained by integrating a field voltage boost circuit and voltage regulator to increase the field voltage, and consequently the field current, above the level obtained from the battery. Furthermore, the transient response of the alternator to a change in load is improved by temporarily increasing the field voltage above the level needed to sustain the load. These two techniques are compatible, and thus may be implemented together, or may be implemented independently. No changes to a standard alternator are required to accommodate the proposed additional circuitry.
29 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An automotive electrical system comprising:
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a storage battery having a positive terminal connected to a positive bus and a negative terminal connected to a negative bus; an alternator having its output connected to a rectifier bank, wherein the output terminals of the rectifier bank are connected to the positive bus and the negative bus; a voltage regulator configured to control a field current of the alternator in response to the voltage between the positive bus and the negative bus; and a field voltage boost circuit connected to an input of the voltage regulator and configured to increase the maximum voltage available to a field winding so as to increase the field current of the alternator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification