Combined generator and alternator arrangement for dc charging of electric vehicles

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a charging assembly for use with a battery. The assembly includes an engine, a voltage regulator, an engine control unit, a charge controller, and a rectifier. The engine drives an alternator for generating any one of a single-phase or multi-phase AC voltage. A voltage regulator is in communication with the alternator. The rectifier converts an AC voltage from the alternator to DC before it is delivered to the battery pack. During charging of the battery, the engine is operated at a variable speed, including initially a higher revolution per minute corresponding to a maximum charging rate when a current charge of the battery is at or below a predetermined threshold level, followed by a decrease in revolution per minute with an increase in battery temperature and an increase in the current charge of the battery, during which the engine is operated at a variable speed, the charge rate is slowed down as indicated by the battery management system.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 396,262, filed on August 9, 2022, and entitled “Combination Generator and Alternator Arrangement such as for use in Charging an Electric Vehicle,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to battery charging systems and assemblies. Specifically, embodiments described herein disclose an apparatus for providing fast charging of electric vehicles having a network of rechargeable batteries. Background Art

[0004] Electric vehicle (EV) technology continues to advance and is becoming a new mode of personal mobility and for commercial transport of goods. While it is a very practical solution, one of the most important challenges to widespread success and adoption involves battery capacity and charging time / rate.

[0005] Most EV-type battery devices include either lithium-ion, nickel metal hydride, lead acid or supercapacitor-type batteries, in the latter case using polarized liquids between electrodes and electrolytes to store energy and are used to increase power when the vehicle is accelerating and climbing hills, and to assist in regenerative braking. Supercapacitors also help balance load power as a secondary energy storage system.

[0006] As is further known, a vehicle battery management system (BMS) monitors the condition of the EV battery being charged and prevents either overcharge or overdischarge conditions, which often result in battery damage, temperature rise, and shortened battery life. As is also known, an effective BMS maximizes the vehicle's range through efficient consumption of energy stored in the vehicle using different charging curves.

[0007] The key remaining challenge is to provide reliable power infrastructure and capacity for charging EVs. In particular, it is estimated that in order to support the growth rate of electric vehicles in the market, the existing power grid (such as is typically provided by coal or gas-fired power plants) will need to triple or quadruple its capacity.

[0008] Additionally, while individuals and / or commercial entities have expressed the intent to purchase large numbers of electric vehicles, they face issues with charging capacity (such as available power from the grid) because the grid has been in place for many years and is not designed to deliver the power required for the large charging network required for large-scale use of EVs, where upgrades to the grid may take years and will require large installations of electrical wires, both above and below ground substations and transformers, availability of fast charging equipment to reach very high peak usage power. Another issue that is often overlooked is that a grid failure may result in the shutdown of entire transportation capabilities, etc.

[0009] Referring to Figure 1, a vehicle 1 is shown which also has an onboard rechargeable battery power source 2 (see detailed above) and an operable battery management system 3 (BMS). In order to reliably and quickly charge the vehicle 1, a high voltage DC power input (typically in the range of 200V to 1000V) is required, and this input may include any of a three-phase generator 480V and 50 / 60Hz or a power company or grid input source 5 (also typically 480V and 50 / 60Hz).

[0010] The generated power is then delivered to the DC charging station 6 and from there (via input line 7) supplied to the vehicle battery 2. The EV BMS 3 communicates bidirectionally with the DC charging station 6 (via line 8) and this enables the BMS's sensors and control software to regulate the rate of charge provided to the battery 2.

[0011] As is further known, DC fast electric vehicle chargers EV chargers are generally classified as any one of level one, level two, and direct current (DC) fast charging. One difference between the three levels is the input voltage, where level one utilizes 110 / 120 volts AC, level two utilizes 208 / 240 volts AC, and DC fast chargers are between 200 and 600 volts AC (input).

[0012] Other known battery charging systems include a battery charging system such as that disclosed in WO 2014 / 196939 and which teaches at least one electric motor that converts electrical power into mechanical power. Other features include at least one alternator that converts mechanical energy produced by the electric motor into electrical energy, and at least one battery that stores electrical energy produced by the alternator.

[0013] Other features include at least one rectifier and charger circuit that rectifies the alternating current generated by the alternator and charges the battery, and at least one speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle, wherein at least one electronic control unit is adjusted to activate the alternator when the electric vehicle reaches a specific speed, or to deactivate the alternator when the speed is below the specific speed.

[0014] Also disclosed is a system, apparatus and method for charging an electric vehicle as set forth in US 9,592,742 to Sosinov, and teaches a power source and a power coupling element connected to the power source to transfer power obtained from the power source to the electric vehicle. Other features include: an electric cart on which the power source is mounted for moving the power source from a first location to a second location; and a control and communication system connected to the electric cart so that the electric vehicle charger can be moved from the first location to the second location by remote control and / or command from the control and communication system.

[0015] It is also known that conventional power charging stations are quite complex and require the use of transformers or other equipment to increase the voltage to the required amount and then rectify the voltage from AC to DC, as well as capacitors to clean the output. In addition, such equipment obtains constant feedback from the EV BMS 3 (Battery Management System) and in response adjusts the charging rate based on sensed conditions including EV battery temperature and other factors. As is further known, these DC fast charging units can be very expensive and require licensing and operating feeders, which can amount to significant additional costs, again all of which is only possible if grid capacity is available.

[0016] Attempts to address this problem in order to relieve grid capacity include the use of various types of solutions, including energy storage devices such as battery systems, flywheels, fuel cells, and generators based on internal combustion engines (ICE). Although the ICE generator is generally found to be the least favorable solution, it is still the only option that can actually provide reliable on-demand power because the engine turns the AC generator, which provides AC3 phase 480V to the same expensive charging station, and requires the ICE or generator to run at 50 / 60Hz, at which time the engine is limited to a constant speed of 1500 / 1800RPM. Therefore, most of the time, the engine or generator operates outside its high-efficiency "sweet spot" or "efficiency island diagram", which is usually between 1500 / 3500RPM. In addition, most engines are undesirable sources of polluting energy. Summary of the invention

[0017] In view of the above problems, an improved DC fast charging device for use with an EV is disclosed herein, which attempts to overcome many of the shortcomings of the prior art. Either an internal combustion engine or a generator driving an alternator is provided. The alternator is connected to a voltage regulator and operates to rectify the AC load to a DC voltage output before the AC load is delivered to the vehicle battery. In alternative applications, a "DC" alternator capable of regulating voltage via its own regulator may be employed.

[0018] The engine control unit (ECU) is arranged to communicate bi-directionally with the engine / generator, which in turn is arranged to communicate bi-directionally with the charge controller, which in turn is arranged to communicate equally bi-directionally or bi-directionally with the vehicle BMS. The genset controller provides processing for the generator and facilitates each of the engine start, shutdown, data measurement, data display and fault protection functions in addition to generator power measurement, power display and power protection, wherein the genset controller communicates with each of the ECU, voltage regulator and charge controller.

[0019] Further variations include providing multiple generator units for charging multiple vehicles. The alternator may also be modified as a three-phase unit.

[0020] Embodiments herein may also be applicable to non-EV charging environments, and may include any battery-operated system incorporating a similar battery management system.

[0021] In one embodiment, a charging assembly for use with a battery having a battery management system is provided. The assembly includes an engine, a voltage regulator, an engine control unit, a charge controller, and a rectifier. The engine drives an alternator for producing either a single-phase or multi-phase AC voltage. The voltage regulator communicates with the alternator. The rectifier converts the AC voltage from the alternator to DC before it is delivered to the battery pack. During charging of the battery, the engine operates at a variable speed based on BMS power and charge rate requests associated with the charging profile, typically initially at a higher rpm corresponding to a maximum charge rate when the battery's current charge is at or below a predetermined threshold level, followed by a decrease in rpm as the battery temperature increases and the battery's current charge increases, during which the charge rate is slowed as indicated by the battery management system.

[0022] In another embodiment, a charging assembly is provided. The charging assembly includes a battery assembly and a charging assembly. The battery assembly includes a battery pack having at least one battery cell. The charging assembly includes an engine, a voltage regulator, an engine control unit, a charge controller, and a rectifier. The engine drives an alternator to generate a multi-phase AC voltage. The voltage regulator is communicatively coupled to the alternator. The engine control unit is communicatively coupled to the engine. The charge controller is communicatively coupled to the voltage regulator, the alternator, and the battery assembly. The rectifier is used to convert the AC voltage from the alternator into a DC current before it is delivered to the battery assembly. The engine operates at a variable speed during charging, including an initial higher revolutions per minute corresponding to a maximum charging rate when the battery assembly is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, followed by a reduction in revolutions per minute as the temperature of the battery assembly increases and the charge level of the battery assembly increases or as indicated by the BMS based on a charging curve.

[0023] In yet another embodiment, a charging assembly is provided. The charging assembly includes a battery assembly and a charging assembly. The battery assembly includes a battery pack having at least one battery cell. The charging assembly is positioned outside the battery assembly and includes a power conversion circuit, a processor, an engine, an engine control unit, and a charging controller.

[0024] The power conversion circuit includes a multiphase alternator, a voltage regulator communicatively coupled to the multiphase alternator, and a rectifier for converting the AC voltage from the multiphase alternator into a DC current before being delivered to the battery assembly. The rectifier includes a pair of transistors for each phase of the multiphase alternator, each of the pair of transistors being configured to switch between an energized state and an energized state to control the direction of current flow and output a controlled DC current. The processor is communicatively coupled to the power conversion circuit and configured to provide a control signal to the rectifier to switch each of the transistor pairs between an energized state and an energized state. The engine drives the multiphase alternator to generate a multiphase AC voltage. The engine control unit is communicatively coupled to the engine, and the charging controller is communicatively coupled to the power conversion circuit and the battery assembly. The engine operates at a variable speed during charging, including an initial high revolution per minute corresponding to a maximum charging rate when the battery assembly is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, followed by a reduction in revolutions per minute as the temperature of the battery assembly increases and the charge level of the battery assembly increases.

[0025] These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The embodiments illustrated in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and are not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments may be understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like structures are indicated by like reference numerals, and in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a conventional electric vehicle (EV) DC charging apparatus according to the prior art, comprising a DC charging station powered by any of a three-phase generator or other dedicated power input rated at 480V AC 50 / 60Hz and connected to a vehicle battery and battery management system components;

[0028] Figure 2 Schematically depicts an EV charging apparatus according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein, including each of a generator, an alternator and supporting controllers, a voltage regulator and a rectifier, and providing an adjustable charging rate in response to components such as battery charge rate and battery temperature;

[0029] Figure 3 Schematically depicts another variation of an EV charging device according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figure 2 A multiphase alternator unit in an EV charging device;

[0030] Figure 4 Schematically depicts a Figure 2 Three-phase alternator unit in EV charging device;

[0031] Figure 5 Schematically depicts a method for Figure 4 A topology of a power conversion circuit providing an active rectifier booster on three phases and a buck converter that can apply voltage to the field coil; and

[0032] Figure 6 Schematically depicts a Figure 4 A three-phase alternator unit in an EV charging device, including sensors and feedback loops. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Embodiments described herein relate to a charging system configured to operate a charging engine or generator at a variable speed to efficiently charge an electric vehicle battery such that the charging rate is high when the battery is at or below a predetermined threshold, and the charging rate slows as the temperature of the battery increases and the charge of the battery increases toward a predetermined "full" threshold. In this way, the system and apparatus do not require the expensive equipment capacity of conventional charging stations, and because it has a dynamic unit that adjusts according to the charging rate, the overall cost effectiveness of the system is improved compared to conventional systems.

[0034] The present disclosure also addresses the need for multi-vehicle charging capabilities, as multiple alternators with separate coils and exciters can be coupled together, with each alternator having its own controller and voltage regulator to address the individual BMS needs of the vehicle. In such an arrangement, the engine control unit will take into account the power output needs and vary the speed and load of the engine / generator to meet the efficient sweet spot for each individually charged EV. Typically, in a multi-vehicle charging unit, the speed of the engine will be higher during the initial portion of the charge, and will be slowed down at a later point when consumption is lower, enabling rapid charging of multiple vehicles connected to the same generator.

[0035] Thus, the EV is charged with a DC voltage directly connected to the generator / alternator without the need for a charging station. Further, there is a variable speed of the alternator / generator to optimize efficiency based on the BMS total power requirement in conjunction with a specific engine efficiency map. Voltage regulation can be performed based on the BMS and adjusted accordingly via the controller and rectifier of the charging system. Further, the current rate and / or voltage level can be determined based on the BMS and adjusted via the active rectifier of the charging system.

[0036] As used herein, the term "communicatively connected" means that the connected components are able to exchange signals with each other, for example, electrical signals (such as voltage and current) via a conductive medium or a non-conductive medium and data signals through a network (such as via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a conductive medium or a non-conductive medium, etc.) and electromagnetic signals via the air, optical signals via optical waveguides, a conductive medium or a non-conductive medium, etc.

[0037] References include Figure 2 The present disclosure discloses a charging device, wherein Figure 2 10 is generally indicated in the figure, which is used for fast charging of a battery-supported vehicle or appliance (such as but not limited to an electric vehicle 1), and also includes a battery 2 and a corresponding management system and BMS 3. The battery 2 can be a battery assembly including at least one battery cell, which is configured to be rechargeable. The battery 2 can be configured to provide propulsion to the vehicle 1 and / or provide power to other components of the vehicle 1 or other appliances.

[0038] As previously mentioned, the EV charging device 10 features an engine or generator 12, such as which may include any internal combustion type and which may be operated by any fuel source including, but not limited to, various grades of gas, diesel, natural gas, propane, hydrogen, water, electricity, etc. Further, it should be understood that the EV charging device 10 is releasably coupled to the vehicle 1 or other electrical appliance via a connector known to those skilled in the art.

[0039] An alternator 14 is provided, which is driven by the engine 12 via a connection 16. As is generally known, the alternator 14 is a generator that converts mechanical energy into electricity in the form of alternating current. As is further known, an alternator uses permanent magnets for its magnetic field, which is called a magnetic generator.

[0040] The alternator 14 is communicatively coupled to the voltage regulator 18 and operates to rectify the AC load to a DC voltage output before it is delivered to the battery assembly 2. This occurs through each of the stator field 20 and the rotor field 22 represented within the alternator 14, which interface with the voltage regulator 18 and operate to supply the AC output to the rectifier component 24 for conversion to DC, which is then transmitted to the EV battery 2 of the vehicle 1 via the output line 26. Therefore, it should be understood that the rectifier component 24 is communicatively coupled to the EV battery 2 of the vehicle 1 via the output line 26. Without limitation, the depicted alternator 14 can be replaced by a "DC" type alternator that is capable of regulating voltage via its own internal regulator. Therefore, the EV 1 is charged directly with the DC output voltage generated by the charging device 10 (e.g., the AC load generated by the alternator 14 and converted by the rectifier 24 / voltage regulator 18), without the need for a charging station.

[0041] The engine control unit 28 is arranged to be two-way or bidirectionally communicatively coupled to communicate with the engine / generator 12 via a communication line 30. The ECU 28 may in turn be arranged to be two-way or bidirectionally communicatively coupled to communicate with a charge controller 32 via a communication line 34, which in turn may be similarly arranged to be two-way or bidirectionally communicatively coupled to communicate with the vehicle BMS 3 via a communication line 36.

[0042] The engine control unit 28 is an electronic control unit (ECU), a central processing unit (CPU), etc., which is used to perform the functions described herein. For example, the engine control unit 28 can be configured to receive, analyze and process sensor data and / or image data, perform calculations and mathematical functions, convert data, fuse data or information, control the engine / generator 12, etc. The engine control unit 28 may include one or more processors and other components, such as one or more memory modules that store logic that can be executed by one or more processors. Each of the one or more processors can be a controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a central processing unit, or any other computing device. One or more memory modules can be non-transitory computer-readable media, and can be configured as RAM, ROM, flash memory, a hard disk drive, and / or any device capable of storing computer executable instructions so that the computer executable instructions can be accessed by one or more processors.

[0043] Also depicted is a communication line 37 that is communicatively coupled to and extends between the BMS 3 and the voltage regulator 18, which is a device used in a generator to automatically adjust the voltage level by smoothing any fluctuations in the voltage to a constant level. That is, the voltage regulator 18 can filter or smooth the sine / cosine waves to a repeating constant level. The communication line 37 allows the voltage regulator 18 to adjust the voltage to determine the charging rate based on the specifications of the BMS 3 of the vehicle 1.

[0044] A genset controller 38 is provided for operation of the generator 12 and the alternator 14 and facilitates each of the engine start, shutdown, data measurement, data display and fault protection functions in addition to generator power measurement, power display and power protection, and is provided to be communicatively coupled to the ECU 28 via a communication line 40, to the voltage regulator 18 via a communication line 42, and to the charge controller 32 via a communication line 44. A communication line 45 is also depicted established between the genset controller 38 and the charge controller 32 and communicatively coupling the genset controller and the charge controller.

[0045] The generator set controller 38 may be an electronic control unit (ECU), a central processing unit (CPU), etc., which is used to perform the functions described herein. For example, the ECU may be configured to receive, analyze and process data, perform calculations and mathematical functions, convert data, generate data, control various charging components, etc. The generator set controller 38 may include one or more processors and other components, such as one or more memory modules storing logic that can be executed by one or more processors. Each of the one or more processors may be a controller, an integrated circuit, a microchip, a central processing unit, or any other computing device. One or more memory modules may be non-transitory computer-readable media and may be configured as RAM, ROM, flash memory, a hard drive, and / or any device capable of storing computer-executable instructions so that the computer-executable instructions can be accessed by one or more processors. Computer-executable instructions may include logic or algorithms written in any programming language of any generation, such as a machine language that can be directly executed by a processor, or an assembly language, object-oriented programming, a scripting language, a microcode, etc. that can be compiled or assembled into computer-executable instructions and stored on one or more memory modules. Alternatively, computer executable instructions can be written in a hardware description language, such as logic implemented via a field programmable gate array (FPGA) configuration or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or all their equivalents. Therefore, the methods and / or processes described herein can be implemented in any conventional computer programming language, as pre-programmed hardware elements, or as a combination of hardware and software components.

[0046] The genset controller 38 may also include necessary components, software, firmware, hardware, etc. that are communicatively coupled to the BMS 3 so that data can be transferred between the devices in a bidirectional manner. The BMS 3 may transmit a plurality of battery-related data (such as data related to the current charge of the battery assembly 2, the total power requirement of the battery assembly 2, the engine efficiency map of the vehicle 1, the temperature of the battery assembly 2), and other data that may be sensed or stored on the vehicle and communicated via the BMS 3. Therefore, the genset controller 38 may receive a plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the BMS 3. In response, the genset controller 38 may provide commands or instructions to other components of the EV charging device 10 to change or modify the engine operating speed during charging of the battery assembly 2 based on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the BMS 3, thereby changing the DC voltage output to the battery assembly 2. Changing such an engine operating speed during charging is based on the total power requirement determined by the BMS 3 and utilizing the specific engine efficiency map of the vehicle 1 to optimize the charging efficiency. Therefore, a specific voltage regulation may be performed based on the data from the BMS 3, and the specific voltage regulation is performed by the genset controller 38 and the rectifier 24.

[0047] As described above, the voltage generated by the AC generator (such as 200V to 1000V AC) is provided in a single-phase or three-phase manner. However, this is non-limiting, and the phases can be more than three, such as five, seven, nine, etc. The generator 12 speed (or RPM) can be adjusted by the generator set controller 18 during the EV charging cycle, and the generator set controller further communicates with the BMS 3 in real time to adjust (usually reduce) the RPM of the generator 12 in response to the lookup table variables associated with the optimal charging rate of the battery 2 (as determined by the BMS 3) and taking into account factors such as battery temperature and current charging level, and so as to achieve an efficiency best point.

[0048] This engine type, or any other engine producing kinetic energy, is coupled to an alternator which will be able to produce 200 to 1000V AC single phase (based on energizing its voltage regulator accordingly), the AC being rectified to DC again at 24 using an additional power regulator, and will be connected directly to the vehicle, completely eliminating the need for expensive charging station units, such as described in FIG. 1 and other referenced prior art.

[0049] The BMS 3 will further communicate directly with a control panel (not shown) which will automatically control the voltage regulator to meet the output requirements and charging rate of the vehicle battery 2 (including various types as previously defined, and not limited to lithium-ion type batteries).

[0050] As also previously mentioned, the speed of the engine / generator 12 will not be limited to 1500 or 1800 rpm as the unit will be providing DC power to the vehicle, thereby achieving an "efficiency island sweet spot" by maximizing the potential of the unit.

[0051] As is further known, the power output of the engine 12 is a function of torque and RPM, wherein any limitation in RPM limits the maximum output of the unit. By way of non-limiting example, a 6.2 liter displacement engine turning at 1800 rpm and producing 390 lbs of torque will output approximately 100 kW, the same engine running at 3000 rpm and producing the same 390 lbs of torque will output approximately 166 kW, translating into an additional 40% more power output.

[0052] By way of further description, the engine control unit 28, also commonly referred to as an engine control module (ECM), is an electronic control unit that controls a series of actuators on the internal combustion engine 12 to ensure optimal engine performance. This is accomplished by reading values ​​from a number of sensors within the engine compartment, interpreting the data using multi-dimensional performance maps (called lookup tables), and adjusting the engine actuators.

[0053] Thus, the advantage of the charging motor or generator 12 operating at a variable speed is critical to its ability to efficiently charge the EV 1, such that the charging rate is high when the battery 2 is at and / or below a predetermined threshold (e.g., nearly empty, empty, or in a depleted state), and the charging rate is significantly slowed as the temperature of the battery 2 sensed by the BMS 3 increases and the charge level of the battery 2 increases toward a predetermined fully charged "full" threshold. Thus, the present system and apparatus do not require the expensive equipment capacity of prior art charging stations, and the overall cost effectiveness of the system is better because it has a dynamic unit that adjusts according to the charging rate.

[0054] The present disclosure also addresses the need for multi-vehicle charging capabilities, as multiple alternators with separate coils and exciters can be coupled together, with each alternator having its own controller and voltage regulator to address the individual BMS needs of the vehicle. In such an arrangement, the engine control unit will take into account the power output needs and vary the speed and load of the engine / generator 12 to meet the efficient sweet spot for each individually charged EV. Typically, in a multi-vehicle charging unit, the speed of the engine 12 will be higher during the initial portion of the charge, and will be slowed down at a later point when consumption is lower, enabling rapid charging of multiple vehicles connected to the same generator.

[0055] refer to Figure 3 According to another variation of the EV charging device, based on Figure 2The teaching of the multi-alternator unit is generally shown at 10 '. The same parts refer to Figure 2 In this way, multiple alternator units can be operated by a single engine / generator to provide enhanced fast charging capabilities for more multiple BMS operated battery powered devices (again including but not limited to EVs).

[0056] Reference now Figure 4 , further shown at 22' is a charging device 10 according to another variation and incorporating a multi-phase AC generator unit. As illustrated, the multi-phase AC generator 22' includes three single-phase windings that are spaced such that the voltage induced in any one phase is displaced by one hundred and twenty degrees from the other two phases. Therefore, the multi-phase AC generator 22' is depicted as a three-phase AC generator. It should be understood that this is non-limiting and that the multi-phase AC generator unit 22' can be any number of phases, such as five phases, seven phases, nine phases, etc. In addition, Figure 4 The charging device is substantially as described above.

[0057] Reference now Figure 5 , which schematically depicts a topology for a power conversion circuit 50, the power conversion circuit comprising Figure 4 The engine / generator 12, the alternator 14, the voltage regulator 18 and the rectifier 24 are connected to provide an active rectifier boost converter on three phases and a buck converter that can apply a 0-24V voltage to the excitation coil 51. Therefore, it should be understood that in addition to the features described herein, the power conversion circuit 50 is communicatively coupled to and / or utilizes Figure 4 components, therefore, for the sake of brevity, these features will not be described again.

[0058] In a non-limiting example, the engine / generator 12 can be a 480V AC, 60 Hz synchronous machine having an excitation coil 51, which is separated from the engine / generator 12 driven at a nominal 12V DC. Further, the windings and exciter of the generator 12 can be electrically isolated from the chassis at least 2MΩ. Further, the vehicle 1 can target a 500V DC system with a plus / minus 5%, which can correspond to an electrical quantity of 250kW as a load. Thus, this can be greater than the engine / generator 12. Therefore, the arrangement of the present disclosure provides efficiency, flexibility and controllability. Thus, the AC generator 14 can include an excitation field of 0V-24V DC and 18-23.9Ω. The winding can be configured to have a 277V AC with a series delta connection and operate at 40-80Hz. Further, the load can be between 0 and 500V DC at 500ADC. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the devices in the alternator 14, including the windings and / or field fields, may be of other scopes, may be arranged in different configurations, and may be configured with different voltages without limitation.

[0059] The excitation coil 51 may include a 0V-24V DC power supply 64, a buck converter 61 including a capacitor 70 and an inductor 68, and a pair of MOSFETs 66 arranged such that at least one of the pair of MOSFETs 66 is arranged in parallel with the capacitor 70. Further, the generator 12 includes an inductor 72 and a resistor 73 arranged in series, and the inductor 72 and the resistor 73 are arranged in parallel with the capacitor 70 and the pair of MOSFETs 66.

[0060] The power conversion circuit 50 is communicatively coupled to the genset controller 28 and the charge controller 32 via the communication line 42 and / or the communication lines 34, 44, 45. Thus, in this embodiment, the rectifier booster 24, depicted as a plurality of transistors 52, is configured to switch between an energized state and an energized state based on a control signal received from the genset controller 28. Such control allows the active rectifier to control the direction of current in the coil, which in turn allows the active rectifier to produce a more efficient and controlled DC output. Thus, as described in detail herein, the genset controller 28 and / or the charge controller 32 provide control signals to the transistors 52 to switch between the energized and energized states. Thus, the rectifier booster 24 can be referred to as an active transistor, and the coils of the alternator 14 can be used by replacing conventional diodes with power transistors. Such control allows the active rectifier to control the direction of current in the coil, which in turn allows the active rectifier to produce a more efficient and controlled DC output.

[0061] In some embodiments, transistor 52 may be an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). In other embodiments, the transistor may be any semiconductor device. In other embodiments, a MOSFET may be used, and the MOSFET may be controlled between an on state and an off state by a control signal. Further, it should be understood that in some embodiments, a MOSFET may be used in conjunction or combination with an IGBT.

[0062] The individual transistors 52 are divided into transistor pairs 54', 54", 54'", and each pair of transistors 54', 54", 54'" is positioned in a parallel arrangement. Further, because the AC generator 14 is a multi-phase AC generator, the individual phases of the AC generator 14 are communicatively connected to the corresponding transistor pairs of the transistor pairs 54', 54", 54'" so that the output from the respective phases of the AC generator 14 can be controlled to be a smoothed or filtered sine wave compared to conventional systems. This arrangement produces a controlled and efficient DC current output from the rectifier 24 by using the transistors 52 to control the direction of the current and output a controlled DC current. Therefore, the power conversion circuit 50 is configured to convert the AC voltage from the AC generator 14 into a DC current before it is delivered to the battery assembly 2, and to control the direction of the current and output a controlled DC current.

[0063] The genset controller 28 and / or charge controller 32 are configured to be actively controlled via at least one control signal and / or data transmitted from the genset controller 28 and / or charge controller 32 to the transistor 52. For reasons discussed further herein, this is advantageous compared to conventional systems where the rectifier booster is passive. The power conversion circuit 50 described herein may provide advantages from conventional passive systems, such as being simpler or less complex to design using fewer components, no large magnetic passive components, the output voltage is controllable and may be any voltage at or above the alternator output voltage, the field excitation voltage is fully controllable, motor constants may be varied, the current and output of the generator 12 may be measured for control and limiting, contactors may allow for mechanical complete output disconnection, and the use of transistors rather than diodes allows for customized communications that boost the voltage and operate with an efficient mechanism.

[0064] In conventional alternators, the diodes in the rectifier assembly simply pass current in one direction, regardless of the polarity of the AC input. This arrangement causes problems such as voltage spikes and ripple, which can damage the electrical system of the vehicle 1. On the other hand, the power conversion circuit 50 with active rectifiers described herein controls the direction of the current, which allows a cleaner and better regulated DC output to be produced.

[0065] In addition to providing a cleaner DC output, the power conversion circuit 50 with active rectifiers described herein improves the efficiency of the AC generator 14 because the diodes in the conventional rectifier assembly have a voltage drop, which means that some of the energy from the AC generator is lost as heat, while on the other hand, the active rectifier of the power conversion circuit 50 has a much lower voltage drop, which means that more of the output of the AC generator is converted into usable DC power. Therefore, each phase (coil) of the AC generator 14 is used by a transistor 52 (active rectifier) ​​to generate an AC input current. The coils are arranged in three or more phases, and the active rectifier uses a switching circuit to control the current flowing through each phase, which allows the active rectifier to produce a more efficient and controlled DC output.

[0066] Further, the power conversion circuit 50 may include a contactor 56 to prevent undesirable consequences such as short circuits, overloads, unwanted current or voltage inrush, and the like.

[0067] Reference now Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, the output voltage from the alternator exciter 51 can be regulated using a rectifier 24 having a feedback loop 78 to control the DC output voltage via the communication line 26. The feedback loop 78 can be configured to compare the actual output voltage via the DC current sensor 82 and the current sensors 80a, 80b, 80c with the desired output voltage, which is determined by the BMS 3 and stored or calculated by the generator set controller 38. In response, the generator set controller 38 can adjust the duty cycle of the switch (e.g., the different transistors 52) to maintain the desired output voltage. The duty cycle can be the percentage of time that the switch (e.g., the different transistors 52) is in the energized state. A higher duty cycle can produce a higher output voltage, while a lower duty cycle can produce a lower output voltage. Therefore, the feedback loop is intelligent because it automatically adjusts the duty cycle so that the output voltage is always maintained at a desired level.

[0068] Thus, current sensors 80a, 80b, 80c are communicatively coupled to the output of alternator 14 and to ECU 28. DC current sensor 82 is communicatively coupled to communication line 26 and genset controller 38 so that feedback loop 78 can be configured to regulate the output DC voltage in view of the requirements required by BMS 3 and the actual and desired outputs of charging device 10 (such as charging rate, voltage, and current).

[0069] Further, the feedback loop 78 may allow the rectifier 24 to be active to precisely regulate the output voltage. This arrangement is advantageous in situations where constant charging is required, such as where the output voltage needs to remain constant, such as in power supplies and battery chargers.

[0070] Further, in other aspects of current regulation using information from the BMS 3, the rectifier 24 can also control the current by using a feedback loop 78 to control the duty cycle of the switch (e.g., the different transistors 52). The feedback loop 78 can provide data so that the generator set controller 38 can compare the actual current with the desired current and then adjust the duty cycle of the switch (e.g., the different transistors 52) to maintain the desired current. Therefore, the duty cycle is the percentage of time that the switch (e.g., the different transistors 52) is turned on. A higher duty cycle can produce a higher current, while a lower duty cycle can produce a lower current. Therefore, the feedback loop adjusts the duty cycle so that the current is always maintained at a desired level.

[0071] In addition to the described variations, the present EV charging apparatus is again understood to be not limited to EV-type fast charging, and the ability to charge any battery-containing device or appliance that includes a similar battery management system can be envisioned. This can also include, but is not limited to, telecommunications towers such as battery packs that include similar battery management systems operated by generators and which are subject to the same limitation issues as specific RPMs. The charging apparatus of the present disclosure also provides off-grid charging of any BMS-operated battery pack, and it can be used to shave peak demand from the grid during high usage times.

[0072] Having described the innovation, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The detailed description and accompanying drawings are also to be understood as supporting the disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the claims. While some best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the claimed teachings have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the disclosed disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0073] The foregoing disclosure is also understood not to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed or to the specific field of use. Therefore, it is contemplated that various alternative embodiments and / or modifications to the disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described the embodiments of the disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is limited only by the claims.

[0074] In the foregoing description, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, the various embodiments disclosed herein may be modified or otherwise implemented in various other ways. Therefore, this description should be considered illustrative, and is to teach those skilled in the art to make and use the various embodiments of the disclosure. It should be understood that the form of the disclosure shown and described herein should be considered as representative embodiments. Equivalent elements, materials, processes or steps may replace the elements, materials, processes or steps representatively illustrated and described herein. Moreover, some features of the disclosure may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art after benefiting from this description of the disclosure. Expressions used to describe and claim the disclosure (such as "including", "comprising", "incorporating", "consisting of ...", "having") are intended to be interpreted in a non-exclusive manner, i.e., allowing items, parts or elements not explicitly described to also exist. References to the singular are also interpreted as involving plural numbers.

[0075] Further, various embodiments disclosed herein should be understood in an illustrative and explanatory sense, and should not be interpreted as limiting the present disclosure in any way. All connection references (e.g., attaching, fixing, connecting, connecting, etc.) are only used to help readers understand the present disclosure, and may not produce restrictions, particularly with respect to the position, orientation or use of the system and / or method disclosed herein. Therefore, if any, the connection reference will be interpreted broadly. Moreover, this connection reference does not necessarily mean that two elements are directly connected to each other.

[0076] In addition, all numerical terms (such as but not limited to "first", "second", "third", "primary", "secondary", "primary" or any other general and / or numerical terms) should also be considered as identifiers merely to help the reader understand the various elements, embodiments, variations and / or modifications of the present disclosure, and may not create any limitations, especially regarding the order or priority of any element, embodiment, variation and / or modification relative to or over another element, embodiment, variation and / or modification.

[0077] It will also be understood that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings / figures may also be implemented in a more separate or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered inoperable in some cases, as is useful in certain applications. In addition, any signal hatching in the drawings / figures should be considered only as exemplary, not restrictive, unless otherwise specifically specified.

Claims

1. A charging assembly for use with a battery having a battery management system, the charging assembly comprising: an engine driving an alternator for producing either single-phase or multi-phase AC voltage; a voltage regulator in communication with the alternator; as well as a rectifier for converting the AC voltage from the AC generator into a DC voltage output before being delivered to the battery; and a processor communicatively coupled to the battery management system, the processor being configured to receive a plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system, wherein the battery is directly communicatively coupled to the alternator, and the engine is operated at a variable speed to vary the DC voltage output to the battery during charging of the battery based on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system.

2. The charging assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The engine operates at a variable speed during charging of the battery based on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system, including initially at a higher revolutions per minute corresponding to a maximum charging rate when the current charge of the battery is at or below a predetermined threshold level, followed by a decrease in revolutions per minute as the battery temperature increases and the current charge of the battery increases, during which the charging rate is slowed as indicated by the battery management system.

3. The charging assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of battery related data includes a total power requirement and an engine efficiency map.

4. A charging assembly according to claim 1, further wherein the voltage regulator operating in combination with the rectifier converts the AC voltage to the DC voltage output before it is delivered to the battery, the AC generator having each of the stator field and rotor field represented, the stator field and rotor field being interfaced with the voltage regulator and operating to supply the AC voltage to the rectifier for conversion to the DC voltage output, which is then transmitted to the battery via connecting lines.

5. The charging assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The processor further comprises: Facilitates each of engine starting, shutting down, data measurement, data display, and fault protection functions in addition to generator power measurement, power display, and power protection; and The processor is communicatively coupled to each of the engine control unit, the voltage regulator, and the charge controller.

6. The charging assembly of claim 1, further comprising the battery and the battery management system being incorporated into an EV type vehicle.

7. The charging assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The alternator also includes a plurality of alternators for charging a plurality of batteries.

8. The charging assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The alternator also includes a three-phase output.

9. A charging system comprising: A battery assembly comprising: a battery pack having at least one battery cell; and Battery management system; A releasably communicatively coupled charging assembly comprising: an engine driving a multiphase alternator for generating an alternating voltage; an engine control unit communicatively coupled to the engine; a voltage regulator communicatively coupled to the alternator; and a rectifier for converting the AC voltage from the multi-phase AC generator into a DC voltage output before being delivered to the battery assembly; a processor communicatively coupled to the battery management system, the processor being configured to receive a plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system, wherein the battery assembly is directly communicatively coupled to the AC generator, and the engine operates at a variable speed to vary the DC voltage output to the battery assembly based on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system during charging of the battery assembly.

10. The charging system according to claim 9, wherein: The engine control unit operates the engine at a variable speed during charging based on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system, including an initial higher revolutions per minute corresponding to a maximum charging rate when the battery assembly is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, followed by a reduction in revolutions per minute as the temperature of the battery assembly increases and the charge level of the battery assembly increases.

11. The charging system according to claim 9, wherein: The voltage regulator operating in combination with the rectifier is configured to rectify the AC voltage to the DC voltage output before it is delivered to the battery assembly, the multi-phase AC generator having each of the stator field and rotor field represented, which are connected to the voltage regulator interface and operate to supply the AC voltage to the rectifier for conversion to the DC voltage output, which is then transmitted to the battery assembly via the connecting line.

12. The charging system according to claim 9, wherein: The processor facilitates each of engine start, shutdown, data measurement, data display and fault protection functions in addition to generator power measurement, power display and power protection, and the processor is communicatively coupled to each of the engine control unit, the voltage regulator and the charge controller.

13. The charging system according to claim 9, wherein: The battery assembly is incorporated into an EV type vehicle.

14. The charging system according to claim 9, wherein: The multi-phase alternator also includes a plurality of multi-phase alternators for charging a plurality of battery assemblies.

15. A charging system comprising: A battery assembly comprising: a battery pack having at least one battery cell; and Battery management system; a charging assembly releasably communicatively coupled to the battery assembly, the charging assembly comprising: A power conversion circuit having: Polyphase alternator; a voltage regulator communicatively coupled to the polyphase alternator; and a rectifier for converting the AC voltage from the multi-phase AC generator into a DC voltage output before being delivered to the battery assembly, the rectifier comprising a pair of transistors for each phase of the multi-phase AC generator, each of the pair of transistors being configured to switch between an energized state and an energized state to control the direction of current flow and output a controlled DC current; a processor communicatively coupled to the power conversion circuit and the battery management system, the processor configured to receive a plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system, the processor configured to provide a control signal to the rectifier to switch each of the pair of transistors between the energized state and the de-energized state based at least in part on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system; an engine that drives the AC generator for generating a multi-phase AC voltage; and wherein the battery assembly is directly communicatively coupled to the AC generator, the engine operating at a variable speed during charging of the battery assembly to vary the DC voltage output to the battery assembly based at least in part on the plurality of battery-related data transmitted from the battery management system.

16. The charging system according to claim 15, further comprising: an engine control unit communicatively coupled to the engine, wherein the engine control unit operates the engine at a variable speed during charging, including an initial higher revolutions per minute corresponding to a maximum charging rate when the battery assembly is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, followed by a reduction in revolutions per minute as the temperature of the battery assembly increases and the charge level of the battery assembly increases.

17. The charging system according to claim 15, wherein: Each transistor of the pair of transistors coupled to a respective phase of the multi-phase alternator is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

18. The charging system according to claim 15, wherein: The power conversion circuit is configured to rectify the multi-phase AC voltage into the DC voltage output before it is delivered to the battery assembly, and the DC voltage output is then transmitted to the battery assembly via a connecting line.

19. The charging system according to claim 15, wherein: The processor is further configured to: In addition to generator power measurement, power display and power protection, each of the engine starting, shutdown, data measurement, data display and fault protection functions are facilitated.

20. The charging system according to claim 15, wherein: The battery assembly is incorporated into an EV type vehicle.

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