Converter for a battery charging station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9450442-B2
Application number	US-201414451969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2014
Priority date	Feb 6, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A modular converter is disclosed for a battery charging station, having at least two charging modules connected in parallel. Each of the charging modules can be configured for generating an output current I 1 , I 2 , I 3 for charging a battery. Each charging module can have a local controller for controlling the charging module. Each local controller of a charging module can be configured for determining a global charging current I and for determining the output current I 1 , I 2 , I 3 of the charging module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular converter for a battery charging station, wherein the modular converter comprises:
at least two charging modules connected in parallel, each of the charging modules being configured for generating an output current (I 1 , I 2 ) for charging a battery; and
each charging module containing a local controller for controlling the charging module,
wherein each local controller of a charging module is configured for determining a global charging current (I) and for determining the output current (I 1 , I 2 ,) of the charging module from the global charging current (I).

2. The modular converter of claim 1 , wherein each local controller is configured for receiving a charging voltage value measured in an output line of the modular converter; and
wherein each local controller is configured for determining the global charging current (I) from the charging voltage value.

3. The modular converter of claim 1 , wherein each local controller is configured for receiving a voltage and/or current information from the battery; and
wherein each local controller is configured for determining the output current (I 1 , I 2 ) from the voltage and/or current information from the battery.

4. The modular converter claim 1 , wherein the local controllers are equally designed.

5. The modular converter of claim 1 , wherein the charging modules are equally designed.

6. The modular converter of claim 1 , wherein a local controller of a charging module is mechanically attached to the charging module.

7. The modular converter of claim 1 , wherein the local controllers are communicatively interconnected with each other.

8. The modular converter of claim 1 , wherein the local controllers are configured to exchange output current values with each other.

9. A battery charging station, comprising:
a connection to a power grid;
at least one connection for interconnecting a battery; and
a modular converter according to claim 1 for converting a current from the power grid into a charging current (I) for charging the battery.

10. The battery charging station of claim 9 , wherein the battery charging station is a vehicle charging station.

11. A method of charging a battery with a modular converter, the method comprising:
determining a global current (I) for charging the battery by a first local controller and a second local controller;
calculating a first output current (I 1 ) for a first charging module by the first local controller based on the global current (I);
controlling the first charging module by the first local controller, such that the first charging module generates the first output current (I 1 );
calculating a second output current (I 2 ) for a second charging module by the second local controller based on the global current (I); and
controlling the second charging module by the second local controller, such that the second charging module generates the second output current (I 2 ).

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
sending the first output current (I 1 ) from the first local controller to the second local controller; and
calculating the second output current (I 2 ) based on the first output current (I 1 ).

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein an output current is calculated by dividing the global current (I) by a number of charging modules of the modular converter.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein output currents are optimized, such that losses of charging modules are minimized, an operation point of the modular converter is enhanced and/or current ripples in the output currents are reduced.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the global current (I) is determined to be negative, such that the battery is discharging, and the battery is used as energy storage.

16. The modular converter of claim 1 ,
wherein the local controllers of the modular converter are configured with software stored in a non-transitory state for performing a method which comprises:
determining a global current (I) for charging the battery by a first local controller and a second local controller;
calculating a first output current (I 1 ) for a first charging module by the first local controller based on the global current (I);
controlling the first charging module by the first local controller, such that the first charging module generates the first output current (I 1 );
calculating a second output current (I 2 ) for a second charging module by the second local controller based on the global current (I); and
controlling the second charging module by the second local controller, such that the second charging module generates the second output current (I 2 ).

Assignees

• Abb Technology Ag

Inventors

• Aggeler Daniel
• Canales Francisco
• Papafotiou Georgios
• Li River-Tinho
• Apeldoorn Oscar

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• B60L53/63

  in response to network capacity · CPC title

• B60L2210/00

  Converter types · CPC title

• H02J1/102

  being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60L55/00

  Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements · CPC title