Inductive fast charger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12155224-B2
Application number	US-202217975711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2022
Priority date	Apr 30, 2020
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

A power electronic converter includes a plurality of converter cells, each comprising an inductive power transfer stage having a coupled inductor coupling first and second sides of the converter cell, wherein the inductor comprises a first winding around a first magnetic core and a second winding around a second magnetic core; wherein the first winding and the first magnetic core are separated from the second winding and the second magnetic core by a flat electric insulation layer that provides electric insulation between the first and second sides of the converter cell; wherein at least two of the coupled inductors are arranged so that their insulation layers form a single contiguous insulation layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power electronic converter, comprising:
a plurality of converter cells, wherein each converter cell comprises:
an inductive power transfer stage comprising a coupled inductor that couples a first side of the converter cell to a second side of the converter cell, wherein the coupled inductor comprises
a first winding disposed around a first magnetic core, the first winding being connected to the first side of the converter cell, and
a second winding disposed around a second magnetic core, the second winding being connected to the second side of the converter cell;

wherein the first winding and the first magnetic core are separated from the second winding and second magnetic core by a flat electric insulation layer that provides electric insulation between the first and the second side of the converter cell;
wherein at least two of the coupled inductors are arranged in such a way that their insulation layers form a single contiguous insulation layer; and
wherein the coupled inductors are arranged side-by-side within a plane of the insulation layer to form a matrix of converter cells comprising at least two columns of converter cells and at least two rows of converter cells, wherein the converter cells are connected according to a zigzag connection scheme or a meandering connection scheme.

2. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the converter cells are connected to each other on their respective first side and on their respective second side, and wherein the connection on the first side is a series connection, and wherein the connection on the second side is a parallel connection.

3. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the coupled inductors are further arranged side-by-side within a plane of the insulation layer to form a rectangular pattern.

4. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the coupled inductors are further arranged side-by-side within a plane of the insulation layer to form a matrix of coupled inductors.

5. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the coupled inductors are immersed in a dielectric liquid.

6. The power electronic converter according to claim 5 , wherein the dielectric liquid is oil or ester.

7. The power electronic converter according to claim 5 , further comprising a tank that contains the dielectric liquid, wherein the tank comprises a first bushing plate made from a dielectric material.

8. The power electronic converter according to claim 7 , wherein the bushing plate is disposed along a plane that is parallel to the insulation layer.

9. The power electronic converter according to claim 7 , wherein the bushing plate comprises bushings for connecting conductors to the first windings.

10. The power electronic converter according to claim 7 , wherein the tank contains a matrix of coupled inductors immersed in the dielectric liquid, and wherein the matrix of coupled conductors is vertically oriented.

11. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic core of a winding is a pot core, receiving the circular winding in an annular groove of the core, and wherein the pot cores of the first and the second windings face each other with the insulation layer disposed in-between.

12. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation layer comprises at least one of oil and an arrangement of oil and oil barriers.

13. The power electronic converter according to claim 12 , wherein the oil barriers are made from an oil impregnated material.

14. The power electronic converter according to claim 13 , wherein the oil impregnated material is Nomex, or a polymer.

15. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the power electronic converter is configured to be connected to a medium voltage (MV) grid with a line-to-line (root mean square) rms voltage of 1 to 50 kV.

16. The power electronic converter according to claim 1 , wherein the insulator has an essentially flat shape.

17. A converter cell, comprising:
an inductive power transfer stage, the inductive power transfer stage comprising an inductor coupling a first side of the converter cell to a second side of the converter cell, wherein the inductor comprises a first winding disposed around a first magnetic core, the first winding being connected to the first side of the converter cell and a second winding disposed around a second magnetic core, the second winding being connected to the second side of the converter cell;
wherein the first winding and the first magnetic core are separated from the second winding and the second magnetic core by an insulation layer that provides electric insulation between the first side of the converter cell and the second side of the converter cell;
wherein the insulation layer is geometrically extended such that the converter cell is shares the insulation layer with an adjacent converter cell; and
wherein the coupled inductor is arranged side-by-side to a further coupled inductor within a plane of the insulation layer such that the coupled inductor is part of a matrix of converter cells comprising at least two columns of converter cells and at least two rows of converter cells, wherein the converter cells are connected according to a zigzag connection scheme or a meandering connection scheme.

18. The converter cell according to claim 17 , wherein the converter cells in the matrix are connected to each other on their respective first side and on their respective second side, and wherein the connection on the first side is a series connection, and wherein the connection on the second side is a parallel connection.

19. The converter cell according to claim 18 , wherein the converter cells in the matrix are further arranged side-by-side within a plane of the insulation layer to form a rectangular pattern.

20. The converter cell according to claim 19 , further comprising a tank that contains the matrix of converter cells immersed in a dielectric liquid, and wherein the matrix of converter cells is vertically oriented.

Assignees

• Abb E Mobility Bv

Inventors

• Gradinger Thomas Bernhard
• Ortiz Gabriel Ignacio
• Drofenik Uwe
• Park Ki-Bum
• Wunsch Bernhard

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H01F27/32

  Insulating of coils, windings, or parts thereof · CPC title

• H01F27/306

  Fastening or mounting coils or windings on core, casing or other support · CPC title

• H01F27/24

  Magnetic cores · CPC title

• H02J2207/20

  Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter · CPC title