Control unit for an electric power transmission system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409758-B2
Application number	US-201917597557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2019
Priority date	Jul 11, 2019
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A control unit for an electric power transmission system is provided. The electric power transmission system includes the control unit, an energy storage system for storing electrical energy and at least one electrical power take-off interface for connecting to an external power load. The at least one electrical power take-off interface is connected to the energy storage system in a way allowing energy transfer to the external power load. The control unit is configured to perform the following operations:—receiving information about an upcoming current increase for energy supply via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load,—configuring the at least one electrical power take-off interface to be supplied with energy from the energy storage system, and—controlling the energy supply to the external power load from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying a current limitation to the supplied energy.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control unit for an electric power transmission system to be comprised in a vehicle or vessel, the electric power transmission system comprising the control unit, an energy storage system for storing electrical energy, a charging interface for connecting to an external power supply grid and at least one electrical power take-off interface for connecting to an external power load, the at least one electrical power take-off interface being connected to the energy storage system in a way allowing energy transfer to the external power load, the at least one electrical power take-off interface being connectable to the charging interface in a way allowing energy transfer, the control unit being configured to perform the following operations:
receiving information about an upcoming current increase for energy supply via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load, which information is sent from the external power load as a signal, configuring the at least one electrical power take-off interface to be supplied with energy from the energy storage system, and
controlling the energy supply to the external power load from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying a current limitation to the supplied energy,
determining a stability status of the current supplied from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying the current limitation, and
evaluating the stability status to decide whether to supply the energy via the at least one electrical power take-off interface from the energy storage system or from the external power supply grid, and
switching to the external power supply grid for supplying energy from the external power supply grid via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load if the stability status is evaluated as stable.

2. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to apply the current limitation by means of a bidirectional DC/AC converter comprised in the electric power transmission system and connected to the energy storage system.

3. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit further is configured to perform the following operation:
controlling the energy supply to continue supply energy from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load, when the stability status is evaluated as unstable.

4. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit further is configured to perform the following operation:
using information, indicative of any one of an amplitude, a frequency and a phase angle of voltage or current, derivable from the external power supply grid for synchronizing electric characteristics of the energy supplied via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load before or while switching to the external power supply grid.

5. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical power take-off interface is connected to the charging interface in a way allowing energy transfer, wherein the control unit further is configured to perform the following operation:
controlling the energy supply via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load during steady state operation conditions of the external power load.

6. The control unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical power take-off interface is an AC electrical power take-off interface and/or a DC electrical power take-off interface.

7. A vehicle or vessel comprising a control unit according to claim 1 .

8. An electric power transmission system of a vehicle or vessel, the electric power transmission system comprising:
a control unit,
an energy storage system for storing electrical energy, and
at least one electrical power take-off interface for connecting to an external power load, the at least one electrical power take-off interface being connected to the energy storage system in a way allowing energy transfer, wherein the electric power transmission system is configured to perform the following operations under control by the control unit:
receiving information about an upcoming current increase for energy supply via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load, which information is sent from the external power load as a signal, configuring the at least one electrical power take-off interface to be supplied with energy from the energy storage system, and
controlling the energy supply to the external power load from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying a current limitation to the supplied energy,
determining a stability status of the current supplied from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying the current limitation, and
evaluating the stability status to decide whether to supply the energy via the at least one electrical power take-off interface from the energy storage system or from an external power supply grid, and
switching to the external power supply grid for supplying energy from the external power supply grid via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load if the stability status is evaluated as stable.

9. The electric power transmission system according to claim 8 further comprising a bidirectional power system connected to the energy storage system, the bidirectional power system comprising:
a bidirectional DC/AC converter for power conversion, the bidirectional DC/AC converter being connected to the energy storage system,
a charging interface for connecting to the external power supply grid,
the at least one electrical power take-off interface for connecting to the external power load, and
a junction unit connected to the bidirectional DC/AC converter.

10. A method for controlling an electric power transmission system to be performed by a control unit, the electric power transmission system being comprised in a vehicle or vessel, the electric power transmission system comprising the control unit, an energy storage system for storing electrical energy, a charging interface for connecting to an external power supply grid, and at least one electrical power take-off interface for connecting to an external power load, the at least one electrical power take-off interface being connected to the energy storage system in a way allowing energy transfer, the at least one electrical power take-off interface being connectable to the charging interface in a way allowing energy transfer, the method comprising:
receiving information about an upcoming current increase for energy supply via the at least one electrical power take-off interface to the external power load, which information is sent from the external power load as a signal,
configuring the at least one electrical power take-off interface to be supplied with energy from the energy storage system, and
controlling the energy supply to the external power load from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying a current limitation,
determining a stability status of the current supplied from the energy storage system via the at least one electrical power take-off interface while applying the current limitation, and
evaluating the stability status to decide whether to supply the energy via the at least one electrical power take-off interface from the energy storage system or from the external power supply gr

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Wedding Christoffer
• Stockman Andreas
• Sjunnesson Emil

Classifications

• B60L2210/40

  DC to AC converters · CPC title

• B60L2200/40

  Working vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2200/36

  Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks · CPC title

• B60L1/006

  to power outlets · CPC title

• B60L53/22

  Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title