Power system and associated system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11890968-B2
Application number	US-202117197517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2017
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A power system is disclosed. The power system includes a first power generating unit. The first power generating unit includes a first power converting subunit and a first control unit coupled to the first power converting subunit, where the first control unit is configured to regulate a voltage of the first power generating unit. The power system further includes a second power generating unit coupled to the first power generating unit and a load, where the second power generating unit includes a second power converting subunit and a second control unit coupled to the second power converting subunit, wherein the second control unit is configured to control a current of the second power generating unit to share a quantity of electrical output current flowing through the load among the first and second power generating units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power unit comprising:
a power converting subunit configured to receive a current from a second power unit, the power converting subunit configured to be operably coupled with the second power unit and a load;
a filter comprising one or more inductors and a first capacitor, the filter operably coupled with the power converting subunit;
a sensor configured to measure a phase of a voltage of the power unit and a phase of a voltage of the second power unit received by the power unit, wherein the phase of the voltage of the power unit is not communicated to the second power unit and the phase of the voltage of the second power unit is not communicated to the power unit; and
a control unit operably coupled with the power converting subunit, the control unit configured to control operation of the power converting subunit based on the current received from the second power unit and a voltage received from the first capacitor, the control unit configured to control a current of the power unit to share a quantity of electrical output current flowing to the load with the second power unit without the control unit communicating between the power unit and the second power unit,
wherein the control unit is configured to change an operation of the power converting subunit to change an amount of electric output current generated by the power converting subunit based on an amount of electrical output current received from the second power unit.

2. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the current of the power unit based on a quantity of electrical output current measured by the sensor.

3. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the filter is configured to synchronize the phase of the voltage of the power unit with the phase of the voltage of the second power unit.

4. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises two inductors, the two inductors corresponding to alternating current phases.

5. The power unit of claim 4 , further comprising a converter breaker operably coupled with the two inductors and the first capacitor, the converter breaker configured to close responsive to a phase of a voltage of the power unit synchronizing with a phase of a voltage of the second power unit.

6. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the power unit is a first vehicle system, and the second power unit is a second vehicle system operably coupled with the first vehicle system.

7. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the current of the power unit to equally share the quantity of electrical output current flowing through the load among the power unit and the second power unit.

8. The power unit of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the current of the power unit to unequally share the quantity of electrical output current flowing through the load among the power unit and the second power unit.

9. A power unit comprising:
a power converting subunit configured to receive a current from a second power unit, the power converting subunit configured to be operably coupled to the second power unit and a load;
a filter comprising one or more inductors and a first capacitor, the filter operably coupled with the power converting subunit;
a sensor configured to measure a phase of a voltage of the power unit and a phase of a voltage of the second power unit received by the power unit, wherein the phase of the voltage of the power unit is not communicated to the second power unit and the phase of the voltage of the second power unit is not communicated to the power unit; and
a control unit operably coupled with the power converting subunit, the control unit configured to operate in different modes of operation, wherein:
in a first mode of operation, the control unit is configured to regulate a voltage of the power converting subunit; and
in a second mode of operation, the control unit is configured to control operation of the power converting subunit based on the current received from the second power unit and a voltage received from the first capacitor, the control unit configured to control a current of the power unit to share a quantity of electrical output current flowing to the load with the second power unit without the control unit communicating between the power unit and the second power unit, wherein the control unit is configured to change an operation of the power converting subunit to change an amount of electric output current generated by the power converting subunit based on an amount of electrical output current received from the second power unit.

10. The power unit of claim 9 , wherein the power unit is a first vehicle system, and the second power unit is a second vehicle system operably coupled with the first vehicle system.

11. The power unit of claim 10 , wherein the power unit is configured to operate as a lead vehicle of a vehicle system responsive to the control unit operating in the first mode of operation, and the power unit is configured to operate as a remote vehicle of the vehicle system responsive to the control unit operating in the second mode of operation.

12. The power unit of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the current of the power unit based on a quantity of electrical output current measured by the sensor.

13. The power unit of claim 9 , wherein the filter including at least two inductors, the two inductors corresponding to alternating current phases.

14. The power unit of claim 13 , further comprising a converter breaker operably coupled with the two inductors and the first capacitor, the converter breaker configured to close responsive to a phase of a voltage of the power unit synchronizing with a phase of a voltage of the second power unit.

15. The power unit of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the current of the power unit to equally share the quantity of electrical output current flowing through the load among the power unit and the second power unit.

16. The power unit of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the current of the power unit to unequally share the quantity of electrical output current flowing through the load among the power unit and the second power unit.

Assignees

• Transp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Kumar Ajith Kuttannair
• Ganireddy Govardhan
• Ali Shahid
• Chennamsetty Prashanth Manikumar

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• B60L9/16 Primary

  using AC induction motors · CPC title

• B60L15/002

  for control of propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways; for control of magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles for propulsion purposes · CPC title

• B60L15/32

  Control or regulation of multiple-unit electrically-propelled vehicles · CPC title

• B61C3/00

  Electric locomotives or railcars (characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; electrical features B60L; H02) · CPC title