Power supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11146080-B2
Application number	US-201816499644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2017
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

The positive electrode of the unit in an m-th configuration stage (m is an integer satisfying 2≤m≤n) is connected to a negative electrode of the unit in an (m−1)-th configuration stage. A drain-side terminal of the step-up switch included in the m-th configuration stage is connected to a source-side terminal of the step-up switch included in the (m−1)-th configuration stage. A source-side terminal of the step-up switch included in an n-th configuration stage is connected to a negative electrode of the unit included in the n-th configuration stage. The n step-up switches connected in series are connected in parallel to a series circuit including the power storage mechanism and the reactor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power supply device comprising:
n configuration stages, n being an integer equal to or greater than 2, each configuration stage including: a unit including one or more power storage devices; a step-down switch having a drain-side terminal connected to a positive electrode of the unit; and a step-up switch having a drain-side terminal connected to a source-side terminal of the step-down switch;
a voltage measurement device to measure voltage of each unit;
a power storage mechanism to store electric energy and capable of receiving and outputting power;
a reactor connected in series to the power storage mechanism; and
a control operation section to switch each of the step-down switch and the step-up switch between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, wherein
the positive electrode of the unit in an m-th configuration stage of the configuration stages is connected to a negative electrode of the unit in an (m−1)-th configuration stage of the configuration stages, m being an integer satisfying 2≤m≤n,
the drain-side terminal of the step-up switch included in the m-th configuration stage is connected to a source-side terminal of the step-up switch included in the (m−1)-th configuration stage,
a source-side terminal of the step-up switch included in an n-th configuration stage of the configuration stages is connected to a negative electrode of the unit included in the n-th configuration stage,
the n step-up switches connected in series are connected in parallel to a series circuit including the power storage mechanism and the reactor, and
the control operation section refers to the voltage of each unit measured by the voltage measurement device, and when any of the units has such voltage that an absolute value of a difference from an average value of the voltages of the plurality of units is greater than a reference value, the control operation section performs control so as to reduce the difference.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
each configuration stage includes a separation switch connected in series to the unit, and a first switch is connected in series to the power storage mechanism such that a drain-side terminal has a higher potential than a source-side terminal,
the control operation section determines whether or not each unit operates normally, and
when any of the configuration stages includes a defective unit determined not to operate normally, the control operation section brings the first switch and the separation switch included in the configuration stage corresponding to the defective unit, into a non-conductive state, and brings the step-down switch and the step-up switch into a conductive state so that current bypasses the defective unit, so as to electrically separate the defective unit.

3. The power supply device according to claim 2 , wherein
where k is an integer satisfying 1≤k≤n, by repetitively switching the step-down switch included in a k-th configuration stage of the n configuration stages between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, and bringing all the other step-down switches and step-up switches into a non-conductive state, the unit included in one or a plurality of the configuration stages including the k-th configuration stage is discharged, voltage is stepped down, and power is transferred to the power storage mechanism, and
by repetitively switching the step-up switch included in a k-th configuration stage of the n configuration stages between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, bringing all the step-up switches included in the other configuration stages into a conductive state, and bringing all the step-down switches into a non-conductive state, voltage is stepped up from the power storage mechanism, and the unit included in one or a plurality of the configuration stages including the k-th configuration stage is charged.

4. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
each configuration stage includes a separation switch connected in series to the unit,
a first switch is connected in series to the power storage mechanism such that a drain-side terminal has a higher potential than a source-side terminal,
one end of the reactor is connected to the drain-side terminal of the step-up switch included in a first configuration stage of the configuration stages, and another end of the reactor is connected to the drain-side terminal of the first switch,
a drain-side terminal of a second switch is connected between the source-side terminal of the first switch and a positive-side terminal of the power storage mechanism,
a source-side terminal of the second switch is connected to the source-side terminal of the step-up switch included in the n-th configuration stage, and is connected to a drain-side terminal of a third switch,
a source-side terminal of the third switch is connected to a negative-side terminal of the power storage mechanism,
the control operation section determines whether or not each unit operates normally, and
when any of the configuration stages includes a defective unit determined not to operate normally, the control operation section brings the separation switch included in the configuration stage corresponding to the defective unit, into a non-conductive state, brings the first switch into a non-conductive state, brings the second switch into a conductive state, brings the third switch into a non-conductive state, and brings the step-down switch and the step-up switch into a conductive state so that current bypasses the defective unit, so as to electrically separate the defective unit and electrically connect the power storage mechanism in series.

5. The power supply device according to claim 4 , wherein
where k is an integer satisfying 1≤k≤n, by repetitively switching the step-down switch included in a k-th configuration stage of the n configuration stages between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, and bringing all the other step-down switches and step-up switches into a non-conductive state, the unit included in one or a plurality of the configuration stages including the k-th configuration stage is discharged, voltage is stepped down, and power is transferred to the power storage mechanism, and
by repetitively switching the step-up switch included in a k-th configuration stage of the n configuration stages between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, bringing all the step-up switches included in the other configuration stages into a conductive state, and bringing all the step-down switches into a non-conductive state, voltage is stepped up from the power storage mechanism, and the unit included in one or a plurality of the configuration stages including the k-th configuration stage is charged.

6. The power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
where k is an integer satisfying 1≤k≤n, by repetitively switching the step-down switch included in a k-th configuration stage of the n configuration stages between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, and bringing all the other step-down switches and step-up switches into a non-conductive state, the unit included in one or a plurality of the configuration stages including the k-th configuration stage is discharged, voltage is stepped down, and power is transferred to the power storage mechanism, and
by repetitively switching the step-up switch included in a k-th configuration stage of the n configuration stages between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, bringing all the step-up switches included in the other configuration stages into a conductive state, and bringing all the step-down switches into a non-conductive state, voltage is stepped up from the power storage mechanism, and the unit included in one or a plurality of the configuration stages incl

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Ishihara Hiroki
• Wada Toshihiro

Classifications

• H02J7/56

  Active balancing, e.g. using capacitor-based, inductor-based or DC-DC converters · CPC title

• H02M3/158 Primary

  including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load · CPC title

• H01M10/48

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title

• H02M1/0074

  Plural converter units whose inputs are connected in series · CPC title

• H02J7/345

  using capacitors as storage or buffering devices · CPC title