Systems and methods for heating an electric charger for electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12592646-B2
Application number	US-202217825713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2022
Priority date	May 26, 2022
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling a dual active bridge converter are disclosed herein. An environmental condition associated with an electric charger for an electric vehicle may be determined, where the electric charger comprises a dual active bridge converter. Based on the environmental condition associated with the electric charger, the dual active bridge converter may be caused to enter a heat generation mode that causes the dual active bridge converter to generate heat to ameliorate the environmental condition associated with the electric charger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
determining an environmental condition associated with an electric charger for an electric vehicle, wherein the electric charger comprises a dual active bridge converter, and wherein determining the environmental condition comprises determining that a temperature associated with the electric charger is below a threshold temperature; and in response to determining that the temperature associated with the electric charger is below the threshold temperature, causing the dual active bridge converter to enter a heat generation mode that causes the dual active bridge converter to generate heat to increase the temperature and ameliorate the environmental condition associated with the electric charger.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing the dual active bridge converter to exit the heat generation mode based on determining that, as a result of the heat generation mode, the temperature associated with the electric charger has increased to a particular temperature value greater than the threshold temperature.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the environmental condition further comprises a humidity associated with the electric charger; causing the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode based on the environmental condition associated with the electric charger further comprises determining that the humidity associated with the electric charger is above a threshold humidity; the heat generation mode further comprises causing a fan to circulate air; and the method further comprises causing the dual active bridge converter to exit the heat generation mode based on determining the humidity associated with the electric charger has decreased to a particular humidity value lower than the threshold humidity.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer, a primary side bridge comprising a first plurality of switches, and a secondary side bridge comprising a second plurality of switches; and causing the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode comprises:
creating a shorted output by turning on each of the second plurality of switches of the secondary side bridge; and
controlling a current flowing through the primary side bridge and the transformer based on performing phase shift control of the first plurality of switches of the primary side bridge.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer, a primary side bridge comprising a first plurality of switches, and a secondary side bridge comprising a second plurality of switches; and causing the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode comprises:
creating a shorted output by turning on a subset of the second plurality of switches corresponding to upper switches of the secondary side bridge or by turning on a subset of the second plurality of switches corresponding to lower switches of the secondary side bridge; and
causing a current to flow through the primary side bridge and the transformer based on performing phase shift control of the first plurality of switches of the primary side bridge.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer, a primary side bridge, and a secondary side bridge; in the heat generation mode, the dual active bridge converter is in a no-load operational state; and causing the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode comprises periodically charging and discharging a capacitor coupled to the secondary side bridge to cause energy to be stored by and released from the capacitor.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dual active bridge converter is caused to enter the heat generation mode when no electric vehicles are being charged by the electric charger or when at least one electric vehicle is being charged by the electric charger.

8 . A system comprising:
a dual active bridge converter; control circuitry configured to:
determine an environmental condition associated with an electric charger for an electric vehicle by determining that a temperature associated with the electric charger is below a threshold temperature, wherein the electric charger comprises the dual active bridge converter; and
in response to determining that the temperature associated with the electric charger is below the threshold temperature, cause the dual active bridge converter to enter a heat generation mode that causes the dual active bridge converter to generate heat to increase the temperature and ameliorate the environmental condition associated with the electric charger.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
cause the dual active bridge converter to exit the heat generation mode based on determining that, as a result of the heat generation mode, the temperature associated with the electric charger has increased to a particular temperature value greater than the threshold temperature.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the environmental condition comprises a humidity associated with the electric charger, and the control circuitry is further configured to:
cause the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode based on the environmental condition associated with the electric charger further by determining that the humidity associated with the electric charger is above a threshold humidity; cause the heat generation mode to further comprise causing a fan to circulate air; and cause the dual active bridge converter to exit the heat generation mode further based on determining the humidity associated with the electric charger has decreased to a particular humidity value lower than the threshold humidity.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer, a primary side bridge comprising a first plurality of switches, and a secondary side bridge comprising a second plurality of switches, and the control circuitry is configured to cause the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode by:
creating a shorted output by turning on each of the second plurality of switches of the secondary side bridge; and controlling a current flowing through the primary side bridge and the transformer based on performing phase shift control of the first plurality of switches of the primary side bridge.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer, a primary side bridge comprising a first plurality of switches, and a secondary side bridge comprising a second plurality of switches, and the control circuitry is configured to cause the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode by:
creating a shorted output by turning on a subset of the second plurality of switches corresponding to upper switches of the secondary side bridge or by turning on a subset of the second plurality of switches corresponding to lower switches of the secondary side bridge; and causing a current to flow through the primary side bridge and the transformer based on performing phase shift control of the first plurality of switches of the primary side bridge.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the dual active bridge converter comprises a transformer, a primary side bridge, and a secondary side bridge; and in the heat generation mode, the dual active bridge converter is in a no-load operational state, and the control circuitry is configured to cause the dual active bridge converter to enter the heat generation mode by periodicall

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Schulz Steven
• Mohajerani Zahra
• Erikson Tyler
• Hiti Silva

Classifications

• H02M7/06

  using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode · CPC title

• H02J7/90 Primary

  Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage · CPC title

• H05B3/0014

  Devices wherein the heating current flows through particular resistances · CPC title

• H02J2207/20

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

• B60L53/30

  Constructional details of charging stations · CPC title