Electrical power system including energy storage modules and shared system controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12184063-B2
Application number	US-202318500373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2023
Priority date	May 24, 2018
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

An example electrical power system includes a bus current controller configured to adjust a direct current (DC) provided on a DC bus, and a plurality of energy storage modules (ESMs). Each ESM includes at least one energy storage device, and includes a DC/DC converter configured to control charging of the at least one energy storage device from the DC bus and discharging of the at least one energy storage device onto the DC bus. A shared system controller is configured to control the bus current controller and the plurality of DC/DC converters. A method of controlling an electrical power system is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical power system, comprising:
a direct current (DC) bus including a positive rail configured to provide a positive DC voltage, a negative rail configured to provide a negative DC voltage, and a ground rail;
a bus current controller configured to adjust a DC provided on the DC bus; and
a plurality of energy storage modules (ESMs), each comprising at least one energy storage device and a DC/DC converter configured to control charging of the at least one energy storage device from the DC bus and discharging of the at least one energy storage device onto the DC bus;
wherein the plurality of ESMs includes a first ESM and a second ESM connected in a series stacked configuration such that the DC/DC converter of the first ESM and the DC/DC converter of the second ESM are connected to each other through a first path separate from the DC bus, the first ESM is configured to charge from and discharge onto the positive rail, and the second ESM is configured to charge from and discharge onto the negative rail.

2. The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein each DC/DC converter has an independent connection to the DC bus.

3. The electrical power system of claim 2 , wherein the first ESM and the second ESM are a same type of ESM.

4. The electrical power system of claim 2 , wherein:
wherein the plurality of ESMs includes a third ESM and a fourth ESM connected in a series stacked configuration such that the DC/DC converter of the third ESM and the DC/DC converter of the fourth ESM are connected to each other through a second path separate from the DC bus and separate from the first path, the third ESM is configured to charge from and discharge onto the positive rail, and the fourth ESM is configured to charge from and discharge onto the negative rail.

5. The electrical power system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first ESM and the second ESM are a first type of ESM; and
the third ESM and the fourth ESM are a second type of ESM that is different from the first type of ESM.

6. The electrical power system of claim 5 , wherein:
the first ESM and the second ESM each include one or more batteries; and
the third ESM and the fourth ESM each include one or more ultracapacitors.

7. The electrical power system of claim 2 , comprising:
a rectifier configured to rectify alternating current (AC) to DC on the DC bus to power a plurality of DC loads.

8. The electrical power system of claim 7 , comprising:
a generator configured to generate the AC and provide the AC to the rectifier;
wherein the bus current controller is configured to adjust the DC provided on the DC bus by the generator, the bus current controller comprising either the rectifier or a generator control unit that is separate from the rectifier and controls an output of the generator.

9. The electrical power system of claim 7 , wherein the bus current controller comprises the rectifier, which is an active rectifier.

10. The electrical power system of claim 9 , wherein the active rectifier and DC/DC converters each utilize a same switching topology.

11. The electrical power system of claim 10 , wherein:
the active rectifier and DC/DC converters each comprise a plurality of switching legs, each switching leg comprising a pair of switches and controlling connection of a respective input to the DC bus;
the respective inputs of the DC/DC converters each connect to the DC bus; and
the respective inputs of the active rectifier comprise respective phases of current from the generator.

12. The electrical power system of claim 8 , wherein:
the rectifier is a passive rectifier; and
the bus current controller comprises the generator control unit.

13. The electrical power system of claim 2 , comprising:
a shared system controller configured to control the bus current controller and the plurality of DC/DC converters;
wherein the shared system controller is configured to discharge at least one of the ESMs onto the DC bus based on activation of a pulse load connected to the DC bus.

14. The electrical power system of claim 2 , comprising:
a shared system controller configured to control the bus current controller and the plurality of DC/DC converters;
wherein the shared system controller is configured to charge at least one of the ESMs from the DC bus based on a current on the DC bus exceeding a target current level determined by the shared system controller.

15. A method of controlling an electrical power system for a vehicle, comprising:
providing direct current (DC) on a DC bus, such that a positive voltage is provided on a positive rail of the DC bus and a negative DC voltage is provided on a negative rail of the DC bus, the DC bus also including a ground rail;
selectively charging a plurality of energy storage devices of respective energy storage modules (ESMs) from the DC bus;
selectively discharging the energy storage devices of the respective ESMs onto the DC bus to power one or more DC loads, wherein each ESM includes a respective DC/DC converter,
wherein the plurality of ESMs includes a first ESM and a second ESM connected in a series stacked configuration such that the DC/DC converter of the first ESM and the DC/DC converter of the second ESM are connected to each other through a path separate from the DC bus, the first ESM charges from and discharges onto the positive rail, and the second ESM charges from and discharges onto the negative rail.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each ESM has an independent connection to the DC bus through its respective DC/DC converter.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of ESMs includes a third ESM and a fourth ESM connected in a series stacked configuration such that the DC/DC converter of the third ESM and the DC/DC converter of the fourth ESM are connected to each other through a second path separate from the DC bus and separate from the first path, the third ESM charges from and discharges onto the positive rail, and the fourth ESM charges from and discharges onto the negative rail.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the first ESM and the second ESM each include one or more batteries; and
the third ESM and the fourth ESM each include one or more ultracapacitors.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein said selectively discharging comprises:
detecting activation of a pulse load connected to the DC bus; and
discharging at least one of the ESMs onto the DC bus based on the detected activation.

20. The method of claim 15 , comprising:
utilizing a shared system controller to perform said selectively charging, selectively discharging, and at least one of:
rectifying alternating current (AC) from an electrical generator to DC on the DC bus using a rectifier; and
controlling an output of the electrical generator by utilizing a generator control unit that is separate from the rectifier.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Wilhide Matthew L
• Heglund William S

Classifications

• H02J2105/33

  exchanging power with road vehicles · CPC title

• H03K3/45

  by the use, as active elements, of non-linear magnetic or dielectric devices · CPC title

• H02M3/06

  using resistors or capacitors, e.g. potential divider · CPC title

• B60L50/15

  with additional electric power supply (with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61) · CPC title

• B60L53/20

  characterised by converters located in the vehicle · CPC title