Precharging a motor vehicle high-voltage network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440551-B2
Application number	US-201414891594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2014
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

In a method for controlling a connection of a high-voltage source of a motor vehicle to a high-voltage network of the motor vehicle, first at least one test value for an electrical operating variable of the high-voltage network is determined by means of a control device of the motor vehicle after a connection command is received. The electrical operating variable depends on a capacitance actually effective at a connection of the high-voltage source to the high-voltage network. Only when the at least one test value meets a predefined safety condition, is a precharge current of the high-voltage source conducted via a first precharge resistor, which limits the precharge current, to the connection and into the high-voltage network to charge up a capacitor of the high-voltage network. Otherwise the precharge current is blocked.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a connection of a high voltage source of a motor vehicle to a high-voltage network of the motor vehicle, comprising:
receiving with a control device of the motor vehicle a connection command;
determining with the control device at least one test value for an electrical operating parameter of the high-voltage network by conducting a test current from the high-voltage source via a first pre-charge resistor to the connection, said first pre-charge resistor having a first resistance value, said at least one test value comprising a voltage value or a current strength value, said electrical operating parameter depending on a capacitance of the high-voltage network actually effective on a connection of the high-voltage source to the high-voltage network, said test current causing a first pre-charging of the actually effective capacitance, said first pre-charging being monitored by the at least first test value;
when the at least one test value satisfies a predetermined safety condition, conducting a pre-charge current of the high-voltage source via a second pre-charge resistor, which limits the pre-charge current, to the connection and into the high-voltage network to charge the capacitance of the high-voltage network, said second pre-charge resistor having a second resistance value which is lower than the first resistance value; and
blocking the pre-charging when the at least one test value does not satisfy the predetermined safety condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined safety condition is satisfied when the at least one test value is within a target value interval, said target value interval being formed by at least one target value as it results when the actually effective capacitance corresponds to a target capacitance of the high-voltage network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second pre-charge resistor limits the test current to a current strength value, which is smaller than a harmful body current for a human at a given electric high-voltage of the high-voltage source.

4. A motor vehicle, comprising
a high-voltage network;
a high-voltage source connected to the high-voltage network via a connection;
a pre-charge circuit comprising a first pre-charge resistor, a second pre-charge resistor, a first controllable switching element and a second controllable switching element, said second pre-charge resistor having a resistance value greater than a resistance value of the first pre-charge resistor, said first controllable switching element in an electrically conducting state thereof connecting the high-voltage source with the connection via the first pre-charge resistor, said second switching element in an electrically conducting state thereof conducting a test current from the high-voltage source via the second pre-charge resistor to the connection; and
a control device configured to receive a connection demand and in response to receiving the connection command
to close the second switching element and to determine at least one test value for an electrical operating parameter of the high-voltage network as a function of the test current, said at least one test value comprising a voltage value or a current strength value, said electrical operating parameter depending on a capacitance of the high-voltage network actually effective on a connection of the high-voltage source to the high-voltage network, said test current causing a first pre-charging of the actually effective capacitance, said first pre-charging being monitored by the at least first test value, and
to generate a first control signal for switching the first switching element into the connected state,

only when the at least one test value satisfies a predetermined safety condition.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the first switching element is configured in the electrically conducting state to conduct a current flowing from the high-voltage source to the connection predominantly or entirely past the second pre-charge resistor.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the first switching element and the first pre-charge resistor form a first branch circuit and the second pre-charge resistor and the second switching element form a second branch circuit, said first and second branch circuits coupling the high-voltage source with the connection independent of each other.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the first pre-charge resistor and the second pre-charge resistor are together coupled with the high-voltage source or the connection via the second switching element.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the control device is configured to switch the second switching element of the pre-charge circuit into the electrically conducting state in response to the connection command by first generating a second control signal, without thereby conducting a test current from the high-voltage source to the connection via the second pre-charge resistor.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Thömmes Marco

Classifications

• B60L3/12

  Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables} · CPC title

• B60L53/53

  Batteries · CPC title

• B60L2270/20

  Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery · CPC title

• H02H11/005

  in case of too low isolation resistance, too high load, short-circuit; earth fault · CPC title

• B60L3/0069

  relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current · CPC title