Energy Source System Having Multiple Energy Storage Devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016176298-A1
Application number	US-201615059103-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2016
Priority date	Mar 16, 2011
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

System are described that include an energy storage device adapted to store and release energy and an ultracapacitor. The systems include a switching device coupled to the energy storage device to selectively connect and disconnect the energy storage device to a load, and a second switching device coupled to the ultracapacitor and adapted to connect and disconnect the ultracapacitor to the load. The systems may include a sensor adapted to sense the current draw at the load. The first switching device is activated to connect the energy storage device to the load when a rate of change of the current draw at the load is below a threshold, and the second switching device is activated to connect the ultracapacitor to the load when the rate of change of the current draw at the load is greater than or equal to the threshold.

First claim

1 . An energy source system, comprising:
an energy storage device configured to store and release energy; an ultracapacitor; a first switching device coupled to the energy storage device and configured to selectively connect and disconnect the energy storage device to a load; a second switching device coupled to the ultracapacitor and configured to selectively connect and disconnect the ultracapacitor to the load; and a current sensor configured to sense the current draw at the load, wherein the first switching device is configured to be activated to connect the energy storage device to the load when a rate of change of the current draw at the load is below a preset threshold and the second switching device is configured to be activated to connect the ultracapacitor to the load when the rate of change of the current draw at the load is greater than or equal to the preset threshold.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first switching device comprises a field-effect transistor configured to connect and disconnect the energy storage device to the load in a variable manner.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second switching device comprises a field-effect transistor configured to connect and disconnect the ultracapacitor to the load in a variable manner.

4 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a controller coupled to the first switching device, the second switching device, and the current sensor and configured to control operation of the first switching device and the second switching device based on the rate of change of the current draw detected by the current sensor.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a starting, lighting, or ignition load.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a draw associated with one or more start-stop operational components.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a draw associated with micro-hybrid operational components.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the preset threshold comprises a current level sufficient to start an internal combustion engine.

9 . A method for controlling an energy source system, comprising:
monitoring a parameter corresponding to a demand present at a load; determining, based on a rate of change of the monitored parameter over time, whether the rate of change of the monitored parameter is greater than or equal to a preset threshold; controlling a first switch to couple a battery to the load when the rate of change of the monitored parameter is not greater than or equal to the preset threshold; and controlling a second switch to couple an ultracapacitor to the load when the rate of change of the monitored parameter is greater than or equal to the preset threshold.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the parameter comprises a current level of the demand present at the load.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising monitoring a voltage available from the battery and a voltage available from the ultracapacitor.

12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising controlling the second switch to couple the ultracapacitor to the load when the rate of change of the monitored parameter is not greater than or equal to the preset threshold and the monitored voltage from the battery is less than the present demand.

13 . An energy source system, comprising:
an energy storage device configured to store and release energy; an ultracapacitor; a first switching device coupled to the energy storage device and configured to selectively connect and disconnect the energy storage device to a load; a second switching device coupled to the ultracapacitor and configured to selectively connect and disconnect the ultracapacitor to the load; a direct current to direct current (DC-DC) converter configured to electrically couple the energy storage device to the ultracapacitor; a controller coupled to the first switching device, the second switching device and the DC-DC converter; a current sensor configured to sense the current draw at the load; the first switching device configured to be activated to connect the energy storage device to the load when a rate of change of the current draw at the load is below a preset threshold; the second switching device configured to be activated to connect the ultracapacitor to the load when the rate of change of the current draw at the load is greater than or equal to the preset threshold; and the controller configured to determine a desired energy flow to the load when the rate of change of the current draw at the load is greater than or equal to the preset threshold and configured to control the first switching device, the second switching device and the DC-DC converter to achieve the determined energy flow.

14 . The energy source system of claim 13 , comprising the controller configured to control the first switching device, the second switching device and the DC-DC converter to charge the ultracapacitor to a state sufficient to provide the determined energy flow.

15 . The energy source system of claim 14 , wherein the load comprises a starter of an internal combustion engine associated with an electromechanical vehicle.

16 . The energy source system of claim 15 , wherein the controller control charging of the ultracapacitor to the state sufficient to provide the determined energy flow during a time lapse between the current draw and a subsequent current draw.

17 . The energy source system of claim 16 , wherein the current draw comprises a first engine start signal and the subsequent current draw comprises a second engine start signal.

18 . The energy source system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to control the DC-DC converter to transfer energy from the energy storage device to the ultracapacitor to charge the ultracapacitor to a state sufficient to provide the determined energy flow.

19 . The energy source system of claim 13 , wherein the first switching device comprises a field-effect transistor configured to connect and disconnect the energy storage device to the load in a variable manner.

20 . The energy source system of claim 13 , wherein the energy storage device comprises a Pb-acid battery.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Watson Thomas M
• Jiang Junwei
• Wyatt Perry M

Classifications

• H02J7/663

  using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/84

  Control of state of health [SOH] · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/52

  for charge balancing, e.g. equalisation of charge between batteries · CPC title

• B60L50/40

  using propulsion power supplied by capacitors · CPC title