Method for charging a high-voltage battery of an electrically powered watercraft and watercraft

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for charging a high-voltage battery of an electrically powered watercraft and to a watercraft. The watercraft has a high-voltage system, wherein the high-voltage system comprises a charger, the high-voltage battery, and an electric drive unit.The watercraft has a charging management control unit for controlling the charging device, wherein the watercraft has a bus system, wherein communication with the charging management control unit is enabled via the bus system, wherein information regarding an actual charge state of the high-voltage battery is sent via the bus system, wherein a central control unit is set up to compare the actual charge state with a desired charge state, wherein if an actual charge state corresponding to the desired charge state is present, the central control unit transmits a boundary condition via the bus system, wherein this boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system to carry out processes which lead to a reduction of the voltage in the high-voltage system to a value of less than or equal to 60 volts.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for charging a high-voltage battery of an electrically powered watercraft. Furthermore, the invention relates to a watercraft.

[0002] It is generally known that prolonged storage (e.g., several weeks) of a high-voltage battery with a high state of charge (SOC) can negatively impact its service life. Conversely, however, storing a completely discharged high-voltage battery can also negatively impact its service life. Therefore, during planned storage of an electrically powered watercraft, for example, over the winter months, it is desirable to charge the high-voltage battery to a target charge level below 100%, and to automatically terminate the charging process when the target charge level is reached.

[0003] DE 10 2022 127 368 A1 discloses a method for charging a battery of a motor vehicle, in which a usage prediction is made regarding the use of the motor vehicle after the charging process. If it is predicted that the battery will not be used for a longer period of time, the charging process is aborted at a specified target charge level, for example, at 80% SOC. WO 2018 / 080237 A2 discloses a method for charging a battery of an electric vehicle, in which a control unit aborts a charging process when a target charge level is reached. An input unit for the driver is provided, in which the boundary condition can be set.

[0004] JP 2013-31310 A discloses a watercraft, the watercraft having a battery system, the battery system having a main battery, an auxiliary battery, and a control unit, the control unit being configured to control a charging process of the main battery. A charging process can be controlled via the control unit such that a target charge level of the main battery is reached and maintained. US 2018 / 0 257 492 A1, DE 10 2015 208 758 A1, DE 10 2014 119 355 A1, US 2013 / 0 221 916 A1, and WO 2014 / 119 049 A1 disclose further prior art.

[0005] It is problematic with regard to charging a high-voltage battery if the charging management control unit provided in the watercraft is not designed to terminate the charging process at a variable target charge level and / or is not programmable in such a way as to implement such functionality.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a watercraft that overcomes the aforementioned problems.

[0007] These problems are solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments are the subject matter of dependent claims.

[0008] The method according to the invention relates to a method for charging a high-voltage battery of an electrically powered watercraft, in particular with regard to terminating the charging process at a desired target SOC. The watercraft has a high-voltage system, wherein the high-voltage system has a charger, the high-voltage battery, and an electric drive unit, wherein the charger is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery for charging the high-voltage battery via a charging device external to the watercraft that can be connected to the charger, wherein the watercraft has a charging management control unit for controlling the charging unit, wherein the watercraft has a central control unit, wherein the watercraft has a bus system, wherein communication with the charging management control unit is enabled via the bus system, wherein the central control unit is configured toto receive information regarding an actual charge level of the high-voltage battery via the bus system, wherein the central control unit is configured to compare the actual charge level with a desired charge level, wherein, if an actual charge level corresponding to the desired charge level is present, the central control unit transmits a boundary condition via the bus system, wherein this boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system, in particular the charger and / or the charge management control unit, to carry out processes that lead to a reduction of the voltage in the high-voltage system to a value of less than or equal to 60 volts, preferably to a shutdown of the high-voltage system, wherein the boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system to carry out processes that lead to an emergency shutdown of the high-voltage system.

[0009] Such functionalities for reducing the voltage in the high-voltage system to a value less than or equal to 60 volts or for switching off the high-voltage system are generally already stored in the watercraft's system, for example in the form of an emergency shutdown of the high-voltage system in the event of a fault. Such functionalities serve to ensure the safety of the surroundings and / or the people in the watercraft, in particular to ensure that components of the high-voltage system are safe from contact. In this case, these functionalities are advantageously used to end the charging process at the desired target charge level, since when the high-voltage system is switched off, the charging process is automatically terminated via the charger. These functionalities are therefore used for purposes other than those intended to abort the charging process at a desired target charge level.

[0010] As a rule, the central control unit is programmable, so that the method according to the invention can be implemented easily and even retrospectively in existing watercraft.

[0011] The target charge level can be a predefined target charge level. For example, it may be useful to specify a target charge level of 80% for a planned storage of the vessel. For example, it is conceivable that a storage mode can be activated via the central control unit, with the storage mode specifying a target charge level of 80%.

[0012] However, it is also conceivable that the target charge level can be set by a user, for example via a suitable user interface.

[0013] It can be provided that the central control unit has the user interface, whereby the target charge level is or can be set by a user via the user interface.

[0014] In a preferred development, the central control unit has a user interface, wherein one of several planned usage intentions of the watercraft can be selected via the user interface after completion of the charging process, wherein different target charge levels are associated with the different usage intentions. This simplifies operation for the end user. One of the several usage intentions can, for example, be storage of the watercraft, i.e., a prolonged non-use of the watercraft, wherein this usage intention (storage mode) is associated with a target charge level of less than 100%, for example, a target charge level of 80%.

[0015] Preferably, the watercraft comprises a battery management controller, wherein the battery management controller is configured, among other things, to detect the actual charge state of the high-voltage battery and to transmit it to the central control unit via the bus system.

[0016] In one embodiment, the charging management control unit cannot be controlled directly by the central control unit. Especially in such a configuration, the "detour" via sending the boundary condition is particularly advantageous, since otherwise the charging process could not be automatically terminated prematurely.

[0017] The bus system is preferably a CAN bus.

[0018] The watercraft according to the invention has a high-voltage system, wherein the high-voltage system has a charger, a high-voltage battery, and an electric drive unit, wherein the charger is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery for charging the high-voltage battery via a charging device external to the watercraft that can be connected to the charger, wherein the watercraft has a charging management control unit for controlling the charging process via the charger, wherein the watercraft has a central control unit, wherein the watercraft has a bus system, wherein communication with the charging management control unit is enabled via the bus system, wherein the central control unit is configured to receive information regarding an actual charge state of the high-voltage battery via the bus system, wherein the central control unit is configured to compare the actual charge state with a desired charge state,Wherein, if an actual charge level corresponding to the target charge level is present, the central control unit transmits a boundary condition via the bus system. This boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system to execute processes that lead to a reduction of the voltage in the high-voltage system to a value less than or equal to 60 volts. The boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system to execute processes that lead to an emergency shutdown of the high-voltage system. This causes, among other things, the charging management control unit to terminate the charging process via the charger.

[0019] The charger is preferably an AC / DC charger and accordingly the charger includes an AC / DC converter.

[0020] The watercraft is in particular an electric boat, preferably a sports boat.

[0021] The statements regarding the advantages and embodiments of the method apply accordingly to the watercraft and vice versa.

[0022] The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment in the following figures. They show: Fig. 1 Components of a watercraft in a schematic representation.

[0023] The Fig.1 shows components of a watercraft and a watercraft-external charging device 10 in the form of a direct current source. The watercraft comprises a high-voltage system 20, wherein the high-voltage system 20 has a charger 21, a high-voltage battery 22, and an electric drive unit 23 for driving the watercraft. The electric drive unit can, for example, have a drive motor and an inverter connected to the high-voltage battery 22, wherein the inverter provides a three-phase AC voltage to the drive motor. For example, a drive propeller of the watercraft can be driven via the electric drive unit 23. The charger 21 is connected to the high-voltage battery 22 via a first electrical connection 24, and the high-voltage battery 22 is connected to the electric drive unit 23 via a second electrical connection 25.In the present case, the charger 21 is connected to the charging device 10 via a third electrical connection 26. The third electrical connection 26 can be established and disconnected as needed, for example, via a cable with a plug that is detachably connected to the charger 21.

[0024] The watercraft further comprises a charging management control unit 31 for controlling the charging process via the charging device 21, wherein the charging management control unit 31 is connected to the charging device 21 via a first communication connection 34. Furthermore, the watercraft comprises a battery management controller 32 for controlling the high-voltage battery 22, wherein the battery management controller 32 is connected to the high-voltage battery 22 via a second communication connection 35. The watercraft comprises a bus system 40, wherein the charging management control unit 31 and the battery management controller 32 are connected to the bus system 40.The watercraft further comprises a central control unit 50, wherein the central control unit 50 is configured to receive, via a unidirectional communication connection 51 with the bus system 40, information regarding an actual state of charge of the high-voltage battery 22, which is sent by the battery management controller 32 via the bus system 40. The central control unit 50 is configured to compare the actual state of charge with a desired state of charge. If an actual state of charge corresponding to the desired state of charge is present, the central control unit 50 transmits a boundary condition via the bus system 40. This boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system 40, including the charging management control unit 31, to execute processes that lead to a shutdown of the high-voltage system 20, so that when the desired state of charge is reached, the charging management control unit 31 terminates the charging process via the charging device 21.For this purpose, the central control unit 50 sends the corresponding boundary condition to an HPC module 52, which forwards the boundary condition via the bus system 40, among others, to the charging management control unit 31.

[0025] The watercraft further includes a user interface 60 associated with the central control unit 50, wherein a user of the watercraft can directly or indirectly set the target charge level via the user interface 60. The user interface 60 may, for example, be a touchscreen.

Claims

[1] A method for charging a high-voltage battery (22) of an electrically powered watercraft, wherein the watercraft has a high-voltage system (20), wherein the high-voltage system (20) has a charger (21), the high-voltage battery (22), and an electric drive unit (23), wherein the charger (21) is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery (22), for charging the high-voltage battery (22) via a charging device (10) external to the watercraft that can be connected to the charger, wherein the watercraft has a charging management control unit (31) for controlling the charging unit (21), wherein the watercraft has a central control unit (50), wherein the watercraft has a bus system (40), wherein communication with the charging management control unit (31) is enabled via the bus system (40), wherein the central control unit (50) is configured to receive information regarding an actual charge state of the high-voltage battery (22) via the bus system (40),wherein the central control unit (50) is configured to compare the actual charge state with a desired charge state, wherein, if an actual charge state corresponding to the desired charge state is present, the central control unit (50) transmits a boundary condition via the bus system (40), wherein this boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system (40) to carry out processes that lead to a reduction of the voltage in the high-voltage system (20) to a value of less than or equal to 60 volts, wherein the boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system (40) to carry out processes that lead to an emergency shutdown of the high-voltage system (20). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system (40) to carry out operations that lead to a shutdown of the high-voltage system (20). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the central control unit (50) has a user interface (60), wherein the desired charge state is set by a user via the user interface (60). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central control unit (50) has a user interface (60), wherein one of several planned usage intentions of the watercraft can be selected via the user interface (60) after completion of the charging process, wherein different target charging states are associated with the different usage intentions. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the watercraft has a battery management controller (32), wherein the battery management controller (32) is configured, among other things, to detect the actual state of charge of the high-voltage battery (22) and to transmit it to the central control unit (50) via the bus system (40). [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bus system (40) is a CAN bus. [7] Watercraft, wherein the watercraft has a high-voltage system (20), wherein the high-voltage system (20) has a charger (21), a high-voltage battery (22), and an electric drive unit (23), wherein the charger (21) is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery (22) for charging the high-voltage battery (22) via a charging device (10) external to the watercraft that can be connected to the charger (21), wherein the watercraft has a charging management control unit (31) for controlling the charging process via the charging device (21), wherein the watercraft has a central control unit (50), wherein the watercraft has a bus system (40), wherein communication with the charging management control unit (31) is enabled via the bus system (40), wherein the central control unit (50) is configured to receive information regarding an actual charge state of the high-voltage battery (22) via the bus system (40), wherein the central control unit (50) is configured toto compare the actual charge level with a desired charge level, wherein, if an actual charge level corresponding to the desired charge level is present, the central control unit (50) transmits a boundary condition via the bus system (40), wherein this boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system (40) to carry out processes that lead to a reduction of the voltage in the high-voltage system (20) to a value of less than or equal to 60 volts, wherein the boundary condition causes the components communicating with the bus system (40) to carry out processes that lead to an emergency shutdown of the high-voltage system (20). [8] A watercraft according to claim 7, wherein the charger (21) is an AC / DC charger.

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