Method and system for charging transportation vehicle without contact wire

• US 8,836,271 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mitake, Masaya, Morita, Katsuaki, Ogawa, Hiroshi, Takata, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US13/139,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20110309791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/115, 320/107, 320/134, 320/106, 320/148, 320/149, 320/156, 320/157, 320/104, 320/119
• US Class Current: 320/104
• 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: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging method is used for a transportation vehicle without a contact wire. The transportation vehicle is configured so that when a vehicle (1) equipped with an energy storage device (5) stops at a station on a track (2), the energy storage device (5) of the vehicle (1) is charged by a charging device (9) provided on a ground side. The charging method includes charging, by the charging device (9), the energy storage device (5) with a voltage set value (VS) which is near a maximum allowable voltage value (VH) of the energy storage device (5).

Claims

1. A charging method for a transportation vehicle without a contact wire, which is configured such that, when a vehicle running on a track and being equipped with an energy storage device and a regenerative brake, stops at a station on the track, the energy storage device of the vehicle is charged by a charging device provided on a ground side, the method comprising:

charging, by the charging device, the energy storage device with a voltage set value which is between a maximum allowable voltage value of the energy storage device and a minimum allowable voltage value thereof and is close to the maximum allowable voltage value,

wherein the charging by the charging device includes charging the energy storage device with a voltage set value being set such that a voltage value of the energy storage device during powering of the vehicle is greater than the minimum allowable voltage value of the energy storage device and the voltage value of the energy storage device during regenerative braking of the vehicle is less than the maximum allowable voltage value of the energy storage device,

wherein the voltage set value is set to a value satisfying the following expression;

VS_m≦

VL_m, and

wherein VS_m is a margin between the voltage set value and the maximum allowable voltage value, and VL_m is a margin between a minimum value of a voltage value of the energy storage device while the vehicle is in service and a minimum allowable voltage value.

2. The charging method according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage set value is set to ensure such a value that a margin of 5% to 30% with respect to the minimum allowable voltage value during powering of the vehicle and that a margin of 5% to 30% with respect to the maximum allowable voltage value during regenerative braking of the vehicle.

3. A charging system for a transportation vehicle without a contact wire, which is configured such that, when a vehicle running on a track and being equipped with an energy storage device and a regenerative brake, stops at a station on the track, the energy storage device of the vehicle is charged by a charging device provided on a ground side,

wherein the charging device comprises control means, and

the control means controls such that the energy storage device is charged with a voltage set value which is between a maximum allowable voltage value of the energy storage device, and a minimum allowable voltage value thereof and is close to the maximum allowable voltage value,

wherein the control means controls such that the energy storage device is charged with a voltage set value being set such that a voltage value of the energy storage device during powering of the vehicle is greater than the minimum allowable voltage value of the energy storage device and the voltage value of the energy storage device during regenerative braking of the vehicle is less than the maximum allowable voltage value of the energy storage device,

wherein the voltage set value is set to a value satisfying the following expression:

VS_m≦

VL_m, and

wherein VS_m is a margin between the voltage set value and the maximum allowable voltage value, and VL_m is a margin between a minimum value of a voltage value of the energy storage device while the vehicle is in service and a minimum allowable voltage value.

4. The charging system according to claim 3,

wherein the voltage set value is set to ensure such a value that a margin of 5% to 30% with respect to the minimum allowable voltage value during powering of the vehicle and that a margin of 5% to 30% can be ensured with respect to the maximum allowable voltage value during regenerative braking of the vehicle.