MOTOR VEHICLE WITH 800V OR 400V CHARGING ARCHITECTURE, INCLUDING A DC CONNECTOR MODULE EQUIPPED WITH A DISABLEABLE CAPACITY BRANCH
The motor vehicle's DC connector module with a deactivable capacity branch addresses the inefficiencies of existing 800V battery load architectures when charging at 400V stations, enhancing autonomy and reducing component usage for efficient dual-voltage charging.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023011569
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-25
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing automotive vehicle load architectures for 800V batteries are not optimized for use with 400V charging stations, leading to increased component usage, reduced vehicle autonomy, and space congestion.
A motor vehicle with a DC connector module featuring a deactivable capacity branch, allowing for configuration changes between 800V and 400V charging scenarios, thereby reducing the number of components used during 400V charging.
This solution enables efficient charging at both 800V and 400V stations by minimizing component usage, enhancing vehicle autonomy, and optimizing space, while maintaining quick charging capabilities.
Smart Images

Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE WITH 800V OR 400V CHARGING ARCHITECTURE, COMPRISING A DC CONNECTOR MODULE EQUIPPED WITH A DEACTIVABILABLE CAPACITANCE BRANCH
[0001] The invention relates to the field of 800V motor vehicle charging architectures suitable for both 400V and 800V charging stations.
[0002] A prior art architecture is illustrated in [Fig. 1].
[0003] The conventional architecture includes a motor M connected to a converter module MI, a DC box module MDC connected to the converter module MI, and a battery module connected to the DC box module MDC.
[0004] The MI converter module comprises an AC / DC converter connected to a DCL (or "DC-Link" in English) DC connector module.
[0005] The AC / DC converter receives a three-phase alternating current from the motor M and transmits it to the battery at 800V LV via the DC connector module DCL, then the DC box module MDC. A high-voltage circuit is provided for this purpose, comprising a positive branch at 800V (denoted HV+) in bold solid line in [Fig.l], and a negative branch in broken line (denoted HV-).
[0006] Branches of these branches are provided in the DC housing module MDC to connect to a charging station BC.
[0007] In the case of charging on a 400V terminal, a specific circuit (in thin broken line) is used in the DC housing module MDC and the converter module MI, with a specific capacitance module D provided in the converter module MI, to reduce the ripple effects of fast charging. In this case, the current flows through the ripples of the motor M.
[0008] For new electric vehicles, the voltage of the LV traction battery is not fixed, there are vehicles with a 400V battery and others with an 800V battery.
[0009] But, on the streets, there are more 400V chargers than 800V chargers. It is therefore very important, for vehicles with an 800V battery, to have the possibility of being charged with 400V chargers.
[0010] The solution of the prior art is to use the inductance of the motor M to perform the function of fast charging from a 400V station to an 800V vehicle battery, but it is necessary to add the capacitance D and a contactor E as shown in [Fig.l].
[0011] This prior art architecture is not optimized because the car has many elements that will only be used when loading the vehicle on a 400V terminal. These elements contribute to reducing the vehicle's autonomy and take up significant space in the vehicle.
[0012] An objective of the present invention is to remedy the defects of the prior art, and in particular to propose a solution making it possible to limit the number of components used when charging on a 400V terminal so as to limit the size and increase the autonomy of the vehicle.
[0013] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle with an electric traction motor, comprising: - an engine; - a converter module connected to the motor; - a DC box module connected to the converter module; - a battery module connected to the DC housing module, comprising an 800V battery; - a high voltage circuit connecting the converter module to the DC housing module, and to the 800V battery, comprising a negative branch and a positive branch; - a charging connector receiving a first branch from the negative branch, and a second branch from a 400V circuit branch connected to the motor, the converter module comprising an AC / DC converter connected to a DC connector module, the AC / DC converter receiving a three-phase alternating current from the motor and transmitting it to the battery at 800V via the DC connector module and then the DC housing module, characterized in that the DC connector module comprises at least one first deactivatable capacitance branch, which comprises a capacitance module, in that the second branch of the 400V circuit branch is connected to said first branch of deactivatable capacity, and in that said first deactivatable capacity branch can take: - either an activated configuration in which the second branch is connected to the capacity module; - or a disabled configuration in which the capacity module is short-circuited and the second branch is connected to the positive branch at 800V.
[0014] Connecting the second branch to the capacity module allows charging in boost topology from 400V to 800V.
[0015] Advantageously, the invention makes it possible to remove the branch of the high voltage circuit and its switch C, as well as the capacitance module D of the prior art, which limits the size and weight of the architecture.
[0016] The arrangement of the invention uses the same components in fast charging with an 800V station or in charging with a 400V station, with respectively deactivation or activation of the capacity module.
[0017] In addition, the system allows for fast charging by reusing part of the DC connector module in direct current for charging with a 400V or 800V charging station to an 800V battery.
[0018] According to a variant, the DC connector module further comprises a second capacitance branch. This makes it possible to have additional capacitance in the DC connector module.
[0019] According to a variant, the first capacitance branch and the second capacitance branch are connected to two distinct points of the positive branch, and are connected together to the same point of the negative branch.
[0020] This allows for an optimized circuit in the DC connector module.
[0021] According to a variant, when the first capacity branch is in the deactivated configuration, the capacity module is placed in parallel with the second capacity branch. This makes it possible to stimulate rapid recharging.
[0022] According to a variant, the second branch comprises a first switch, and the first capacitance branch comprises a second switch.
[0023] This allows the 400V circuit branch to be deactivated in a simplified manner.
[0024] Another object of the invention relates to a method of charging a motor vehicle according to the invention, comprising the following steps: - in case of charging with a 400V station, an activation step in which the second branch is connected to the capacity module; and / or - when charging with an 800V station, a deactivation step in which the capacity module is short-circuited and the second branch is connected to the positive branch at 800V.
[0025] The invention further relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the charging method according to the invention, when said program operates on a computer.
[0026] The invention will be further detailed by the non-limiting description of variants, and on the basis of the appended figures, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a fast-charging vehicle electronic architecture according to the prior art for charging at 800V or 400V; and - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a fast-charging vehicle electronic architecture according to the invention for charging at 800V or 400V.
[0027] The invention relates to a motor vehicle with an electric traction motor, the architecture of which is illustrated in [Fig.2]. The motor vehicle comprises: - an M engine; - an MI converter module; - a DC MDC housing module; and - an MB battery module including an 800V BT battery.
[0028] The converter module MI is connected to the motor M. The converter module MI comprises an AC / DC converter connected to a DCL DC connector module. The AC / DC converter receives a three-phase alternating current from the motor M, and transmits it to the battery at 800V LV via the DCL DC connector module and then the DC MDC box module.
[0029] For this purpose, the DC box module MDC is connected to the converter module MI, and the battery module MB is connected to the DC box module MDC.
[0030] The motor vehicle further comprises an 800V HV high voltage circuit connecting the MI converter module to the MDC DC housing module, and to the 800V BT battery. The HV high voltage circuit comprises a negative branch (denoted HV-) in a broken line in [Fig.2]; and a positive branch (denoted HV+) in a bold solid line.
[0031] The motor vehicle further comprises a charging connector CX, configured to connect the DC connector module MDC to a charging terminal BC at 400V or 800V.
[0032] A connector CX receives a first branch DI of the negative branch at 800V. The motor vehicle further comprises a 400V circuit branch LV connecting the connector CX of the DC connector module MDC, to the motor M, here, via the converter module ML
[0033] The 400V LV circuit branch is shown in thin broken line in [Fig.2].
[0034] According to the invention, the DC connector module DCL comprises at least a first deactivatable capacitance branch B1, and preferably a second capacitance branch B2. These capacitance branches B1, B2 each comprise a capacitance module G1, G2.
[0035] In particular, the first capacitance branch B1 and the second capacitance branch B2 are connected to two points of the positive branch HV+, and they are connected together to the same point of the negative branch HV-.
[0036] In addition, the second branch D2 here comprises a first switch F1, and the first capacitance branch B1 comprises a second switch F2. These are in particular semiconductors. The second switch F2 is arranged between the positive branch at 800V and the capacitance module G1 of the first capacitance branch B1. The second branch D2 is connected to the first capacitance branch B1 between the positive branch and the second switch F2.
[0037] Furthermore, according to the invention a second branch D2 of the 400V LV circuit branch is connected to said first deactivatable capacitance branch B1, in particular by means of the first and second switches F1, F2.
[0038] Furthermore, said first deactivatable branch can take two different configurations, namely an activated configuration or a deactivated configuration.
[0039] In the activated configuration, the second branch D2 is connected to the capacity module Gl, in particular by opening the second switch F2, and closing the first switch Fl. This makes it possible to charge the battery at 800V BT on a charging station BC at 400V.
[0040] In the deactivated configuration, the capacity module Gl is short-circuited and the second branch D2 is connected to the positive branch at 800V. In particular, this is done by closing the first switch Fl and the second switch F2. This allows the battery to be charged at 800V BT on a charging station BC at 800V.
[0041] In the illustrated variant, the second branch of capacity B2 does not include a switch.
[0042] The vehicle may include direct current filtering modules such as modules G and H. The vehicle may further include a safety function module S (for example those called CHAdeMO in the trade), and various other switches, such as in particular switches A, B. Switch A is for example a 300 A DC-Boost type contactor. The maximum power of the system is 150 kW, with a voltage of 500 V, and a current of 300 A.
[0043] The battery can be controlled by a BMS battery management system. Reference I relates to a current measuring device.
[0044] In use, in the case of fast charging with an 800V station, the capacity module Gl is short-circuited by closing the switches Fl, F2. We can talk about deactivation. Furthermore, and the second branch D2 is connected to the positive branch at 800V. This is done by closing the first switch Fl and the second switch F2.
[0045] In the case of fast charging with a 400V station, the capacity module Gl is reactivated by opening the second switch F2, and by closing the first switch FL. We can speak of activation. Thus, the second derivation D2 is connected to the capacity module GL
[0046] The invention further relates to a computer program such as a control program, for controlling the switches F1 and F2, in the manner described above.
Claims
Claims
1. Motor vehicle with electric traction motor, comprising: - a motor (M); - a converter module (MI) connected to the motor (M); - a DC housing module (MDC) connected to the converter module (MI); - a battery module (MB) connected to the DC housing module (MDC), comprising an 800V battery (BT); - a high voltage circuit (HV) connecting the converter module (MI) to the DC housing module (MDC), and to the 800V battery (BT), comprising a negative branch and a positive branch; - a charging connector (CX) receiving a first branch (Dl) of the negative branch, and a second branch of a 400V circuit branch (LV) connected to the motor (M), the converter module (MI) comprising an AC / DC converter connected to a DC connector module (DCL),the AC / DC converter receiving a three-phase alternating current from the motor (M) and transmitting it to the 800V battery (BT) via the DC connector module (DCL), then the DC housing module (MDC), characterized in that the DC connector module (DCL) comprises at least one first deactivatable capacity branch (Bl), which comprises a capacity module (Gl), in that the second branch (D2) of the 400V circuit branch (LV) is connected to said first deactivatable capacity branch (Bl), and in that said first deactivatable capacity branch (Bl) can take: - either an activated configuration in which the second branch (D2) is connected to the capacity module (Gl); - or a deactivated configuration in which the capacity module (Gl) is short-circuited and the second branch (D2) is connected to the positive 800V branch.,
2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the DC connector module (DCL) further comprises a second capacitance branch (B2).
3. Motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the first capacity branch (Bl) and the second capacity branch (B2) are connected to two distinct points of the positive branch, and are connected together to the same point of the negative branch.
4. Motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that when the first capacity branch (B1) is in the deactivated configuration, the capacity module (G1) is placed in parallel with the second capacity branch (B2).
5. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second branch (D2) comprises a first switch (Fl), and the first capacitance branch (Bl) comprises a second switch (F2).
6. Method for charging a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the following steps: - in the case of charging with a 400V station, an activation step in which the second branch (D2) is connected to the capacity module (Gl); and / or - in the case of charging with an 800V station, a deactivation step in which the capacity module (Gl) is short-circuited and the second branch (D2) is connected to the positive branch at 800V.
7. A computer program comprising program code instructions for performing the steps of the charging method according to claim 6, when said program is running on a computer.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
vehicle electrical system with inverter, energy storage, electric machine and direct current transmission connection
DE102016209898A1
Backward compatable battery DC charger and methods using an on-board charger
US20200304026A1
Multi-function DC-DC converter for battery electric vehicles
US20230150378A1