Energy conversion devices and vehicles

Abstract

Energy conversion device and vehicle. The energy conversion device (100) includes a first battery pack (1), a first inductor (L1), a first end of the first inductor (L1) connected to a positive electrode of the first battery pack (1), a first bridge arm (2), a midpoint of the first bridge arm (2) connected to a second end of the first inductor (L1) and a first end of the first bridge arm (2) connected to a negative electrode of the first battery pack (1), a first bridge arm (2), and a second battery pack (3), a positive electrode of the second battery pack (3) connected to the first bridge arm (2). a second battery pack (3) connected to a second end of the first bridge arm (2), the negative pole of the second battery pack (3) being connected to the first end of the first bridge arm (2), and a controller (4) connected to the first bridge arm (2) and configured to control the first bridge arm (2) in a first state so that the first battery pack (1) and the second battery pack (3) are alternately charged and discharged to enable heating of the first battery pack (1) and the second battery pack (3). In the energy conversion device (100), the first battery pack (1) and the second battery pack (2) function in coordination to enable high system stability, and vibration heating is performed on the first battery pack (1) and the second battery pack (2) at low temperatures to ensure battery charge and discharge performance.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202211493632.7, entitled "ENERGY CONVERSION DEVICE AND VEHICLE," filed on November 25, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of electric vehicles, and more particularly to energy conversion devices and vehicles. [Background technology]

[0003] With the development of electric vehicles, people's demands for electric vehicles are increasing. To ensure optimal all-weather performance and strong performance even at low temperatures, low-temperature batteries must be heated to ensure they operate at their optimum temperature. When a power battery is in a low-temperature environment below -10°C, the activity of the battery's positive and negative electrode materials and electrolyte decreases, significantly reducing its charge and discharge performance. Therefore, how to improve the charge and discharge performance of power batteries in low-temperature environments is an urgent technical issue that needs to be resolved. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The objective of the present disclosure is to provide an energy conversion device in which a first battery pack and a second battery pack work in coordination and are redundant with each other, enabling extremely high system robustness, and the first battery pack and the second battery pack have different chemical properties, thus enabling a vehicle to meet the requirements of fast acceleration and long range. Vibration heating is performed on the battery at low temperatures to ensure the battery's charge and discharge performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve the object, according to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a power supply comprising: a first battery pack; a first inductor, a first end of which is connected to a positive electrode of the first battery pack; a first bridge arm, a midpoint of which is connected to a second end of the first inductor and a first end of which is connected to a negative electrode of the first battery pack; a first bridge arm, a second battery pack, a positive electrode of the second battery pack connected to the first inductor; An energy conversion device is provided, including: a second battery pack connected to a second end of the bridge arm, with a negative pole of the second battery pack connected to the first end of the first bridge arm; and a controller connected to the first bridge arm, the controller configured to control the first bridge arm in a first state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery pack and the second battery pack, thereby heating the first battery pack and the second battery pack.

[0006] In the energy conversion device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery pack and the second battery pack work in coordination to enable high system stability. The first battery pack and the second battery pack are vibration-heated at low temperatures, thus ensuring the charge and discharge performance of the batteries.

[0007] In addition, the energy transforming device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure may further have the following additional technical features:

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured, in a first state, to control the first bridge arm in a first half period of a control period to discharge the first battery pack and charge the second battery pack, and to control the first bridge arm in a second half period of the control period to charge the first battery pack and discharge the second battery pack.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured, in a first state, to control the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be turned on during a first time period of a first half cycle to discharge the first battery pack and store energy in the first inductor, and to control the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be turned on and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be turned off during a second time period of the first half cycle to discharge the first battery pack, cause the first inductor to release the stored energy, and charge the second battery pack.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured, in a first state, to control the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be turned on and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be turned off during a first time period of a second half cycle to discharge the second battery pack, store energy in the first inductor, and charge the first battery pack, and to control the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be turned on during a second time period of the second half cycle to discharge the stored energy in the first inductor and charge the first battery pack.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second battery pack includes a first battery module and a second battery module connected in series, wherein a positive electrode of the first battery module is connected to a second end of the first bridge arm and a negative electrode of the second battery module is connected to a first end of the first bridge arm. The energy conversion device further includes at least one second bridge arm of one phase, wherein a first end of the second bridge arm is connected to a negative electrode of the second battery module and a second end of the second bridge arm is connected to a positive electrode of the first battery module, and at least one second inductor of one phase, wherein a first end of the second inductor is connected to a midpoint of a corresponding second bridge arm and a second end of the second inductor is connected to a midpoint of the first battery module and the second battery module. A controller is connected to the second bridge arm, and the controller is configured to control the second bridge arm in a second state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery module and the second battery module to heat the first battery module and the second battery module.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the second state, the controller is configured to control the second bridge arm in a first half period of the control period to discharge the first battery module and charge the second battery module, and to control the second bridge arm in a second half period of the control period to charge the first battery module and discharge the second battery module.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured, in the second state, to control the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be turned on and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be turned off during a first time period of the first half cycle, thereby discharging the first battery module and storing energy in the second inductor, and to control the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be turned on during a second time period of the first half cycle, thereby discharging the stored energy in the second inductor and charging the second battery module.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in the second state, the controller is configured to: control the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be turned on during a first time period of the second half cycle, thereby discharging the second battery module and storing energy in the second inductor; and control the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be turned on and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be turned off during a second time period of the second half cycle, thereby discharging the stored energy in the second inductor and charging the first battery module.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bridge arm of the motor controller is reused as a second bridge arm, and a coil of the motor is reused as a second inductor.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery pack further includes a DC charging port and a switching circuit, a first end of the switching circuit connected to a positive terminal of the DC charging port and a second end of the switching circuit selectively connected to a positive terminal of the first battery pack and a positive terminal of the second battery pack.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a controller is connected to the switching circuit, and the controller is configured, in a third state, to control the switching circuit to be connected to the positive terminal of the first battery pack to charge the first battery pack and to control the first bridge arm to supply power to the second battery pack.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a controller is connected to the switching circuit, and the controller is configured, in a fourth state, to control the switching circuit to be connected to the positive terminal of the second battery pack to charge the second battery pack and to control the first bridge arm to supply power to the first battery pack.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery pack is an energy-type battery and the second battery pack is a power-type battery, and the charge / discharge rate of the power-type battery is greater than the charge / discharge rate of the energy-type battery.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion device further includes a switching element, a first end of the switching element being connected to a midpoint of the first battery module and the second battery module, and a second end of the switching element being connected to an N line drawn from the motor.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured to control the motor controller to store braking feedback energy in the second battery pack or control the motor controller and the first bridge arm to store braking feedback energy in the first battery pack.

[0022] To achieve the object, according to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a vehicle including an energy conversion device provided in the embodiment of the present invention according to the first aspect.

[0023] In the energy conversion device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first and second battery packs may be heated alternately in a low-temperature environment, thereby realizing simultaneous heating of the first and second battery packs. The second battery pack may also be self-heated, thereby ensuring the charging and discharging performance of the batteries by heating the first and second battery packs in a low-temperature environment. To overcome the drawbacks of all types of power batteries when supplying power to a vehicle, the first and second battery packs are of different chemical types, thereby providing the vehicle with good power performance and meeting range requirements. The first and second battery packs work in coordination and are redundant with each other. If one battery fails, the system can still operate normally, thus improving system stability and achieving extremely high robustness. The first and second battery packs may supply power to the load individually or jointly depending on the load input requirements. The loads may feed back energy to the first battery pack and the second battery pack individually or simultaneously according to the actual situation. The high-voltage loads are powered through different power sources (the first battery pack and the second battery pack). [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an energy-transforming device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of an energy-transforming device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3(a)] 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a first battery pack and a second battery pack are alternately heated relative to one another, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3(b)] 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a first battery pack and a second battery pack are alternately heated relative to one another, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3(c)] 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a first battery pack and a second battery pack are alternately heated relative to one another, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3(d)] 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a first battery pack and a second battery pack are alternately heated relative to one another, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4(a)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a second battery pack is self-heated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4(b)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a second battery pack is self-heated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4(c)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a second battery pack is self-heated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4(d)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a second battery pack is self-heated, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram for connecting a DC charging port to a first battery pack and a second battery pack according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6(a)] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a first battery pack is charged, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6(b)] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a first battery pack is charged, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6(c)] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a first battery pack is charged, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7(a)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a second battery pack is charged, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7(b)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process by which a second battery pack is charged, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a high voltage load feeds energy back to a second battery pack, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a high voltage load feeds energy back to a first battery pack, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10(a)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a second battery pack is discharged at high power, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10(b)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a second battery pack is discharged at high power, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11(a)] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a first battery pack is discharged at high power, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11(b)] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a process in which a first battery pack is discharged at high power, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025]

[0023] The embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar reference numerals in all the accompanying drawings represent the same or similar components, or components having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present disclosure, and should not be construed as limitations on the present disclosure.

[0026] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Energy conversion devices and vehicles according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below in combination with the accompanying drawings and specific implementations herein.

[0027] 1 is a circuit diagram of an energy conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the energy conversion device 100 includes a first battery pack 1, a first inductor L1, a first end of which is connected to the positive electrode of the first battery pack 1, a first bridge arm 2, a midpoint of which is connected to the second end of the first inductor L1 and a first end of which is connected to the negative electrode of the first battery pack 1, a second battery pack 3, a second battery pack 4, a third battery pack 5, a fourth battery pack 6, a fifth battery pack 7, a sixth battery pack 8, a sixth battery pack 9, a sixth battery pack 10, a seventh battery pack 11, a eighth battery pack 12, a eighth battery pack 13, a eighth battery pack 14, a eighth battery pack 15, a eighth battery pack 16, a eighth battery pack 17, a eighth battery pack 18, a eighth battery pack 19, a eighth battery pack 20, a eighth battery pack 21, a eighth battery pack 22, a eighth battery pack 23, a eighth battery pack 24, a eighth battery pack 25, a eighth battery pack 26, a eighth battery pack 27, a eighth battery pack 28, a eighth battery pack 29, a eighth battery pack 30, a eighth battery pack 31, a eighth battery pack 32, a eighth battery pack 33, a eighth battery pack 34, a eighth battery pack 35, a eighth battery pack 36, a eighth battery pack 37, a eighth battery pack 38, a eighth battery pack 39, a eighth battery pack 40, a eighth battery pack 41, a eighth battery pack 42, a eighth battery pack 43, a eighth battery pack 44, a eighth battery pack 45, a eighth battery pack 46, a eighth battery pack 47, a eighth battery a second battery pack 3, the negative electrode of which is connected to the second end of the first bridge arm 2 and the negative electrode of the second battery pack 3 is connected to the first end of the first bridge arm 2; and a controller 4, the controller 4 connected to the first bridge arm 2 and configured to control the first bridge arm 2 in a first state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3, thereby heating the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are power batteries of different chemical types. For example, the power batteries of different chemical types are a power-type battery and an energy-type battery. A power-type battery can provide high instantaneous energy output. To ensure the rapid movement of lithium ions, the power-type battery has a low packing density and surface density, thereby instantly releasing large amounts of energy. However, at the same time, the overall energy of a power-type battery is reduced for the same volume. An energy-type battery often has a high packing density and surface density to store more energy for the same volume. However, at the same time, this also means that the internal resistance is large. The rapid movement ability of lithium ions is limited, which means that the ability to instantly release large currents is also limited.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first battery pack 1 and a second battery pack 3 of different chemical types are adopted, and a first inductor L1 and a first bridge arm 2 are utilized to realize energy transmission between the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 of different chemical types, to overcome the shortcomings of all types of power batteries when supplying power energy to a vehicle, and thus make the vehicle have good power performance and meet the requirements for driving range.

[0030] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion device 100 employing the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 of different chemical types can simultaneously realize the advantages of the power type battery and the energy type battery, which can not only meet the instantaneous high-power electrical demand of the load, but also have an ultra-long driving range (the energy type battery has an ultra-large capacity).

[0031] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the power-type second battery pack 3 and the energy-type first battery pack 1 function in coordination and are redundant with each other. The first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 may supply power to the load individually or jointly depending on the load input requirements. The load may feed back energy to the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 individually or simultaneously depending on the actual situation.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery pack 1 is an energy type battery and the second battery pack 3 is a power type battery, and the charge / discharge rate of the power type battery is greater than the charge / discharge rate of the energy type battery.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first battery pack 1 is an energy-type battery, and the second battery pack 3 is a power-type battery. If the voltage of the second battery pack 3 is higher than the voltage of the first battery pack 1, the first bridge arm 2 may adopt a boost DC (direct current) circuit, as shown in Figure 1. The first bridge arm 2 shown in Figure 1 is a boost circuit, and its topology is not limited to the circuit structure shown in Figure 1.

[0034] It should be noted that the voltage of the second battery pack 3 may be higher or lower than the voltage of the first battery pack 1. If the voltage of the second battery pack 3 is lower than the voltage of the first battery pack 1, the first bridge arm 2 may adopt a step-down DC circuit, as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the first bridge arm 2 is connected to a third inductor L3. The first bridge arm 2 shown in FIG. 2 is a step-down circuit, and its topology is not limited to the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 2. Other circuit forms that can realize the above step-up and step-down functions are also acceptable.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 4 is configured, in a first state, to control the first bridge arm 2 in a first half period of a control period to discharge the first battery pack 1 and charge the second battery pack 3, and to control the first bridge arm 2 in a second half period of the control period to charge the first battery pack 1 and discharge the second battery pack 3.

[0036] In some embodiments, when the temperatures of the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are too low, the energy conversion device 100 may be controlled to enter a first state, in which the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are alternately heated by controlling the on and off of the upper switch group S1 and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 so as to heat the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 simultaneously.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 3( a) and 3(b), in the first state, the controller 4 may be configured to: control the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 to be turned off and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 to be turned on during a first time period of a first half cycle, thereby discharging the first battery pack 1 and storing energy in the first inductor L1; and control the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 to be turned on and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 to be turned off during a second time period of the first half cycle, thereby discharging the first battery pack 1, releasing the energy stored in the first inductor L1, and charging the second battery pack 3.

[0038] When the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are heated simultaneously, in a first time period of a first half cycle, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned off, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned on, causing the first battery pack 1, the first inductor L1, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 to form a loop (see FIG. 3(a)), discharging the first battery pack 1 and storing energy from the first battery pack 1 in the first inductor L1. In a second time period of the first half cycle, after the first inductor L1 completes storing energy, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned on, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned off, causing the first battery pack 1, the first inductor L1, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2, and the second battery pack 3 to form a loop (see FIG. 3(b)), and the current in the loop may charge the second battery pack 3 through the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 3( c) and FIG. 3(d), in the first state, during a first time period of a second half cycle, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 is controlled to be turned on and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 is controlled to be turned off, thereby discharging the second battery pack 3, storing energy in the first inductor L1, and charging the first battery pack 1; and during a second time period of the second half cycle, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 is controlled to be turned off and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 is controlled to be turned on, thereby releasing the energy stored in the first inductor L1 and charging the first battery pack 1.

[0040] When the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are heated simultaneously, during the first time period of the second half cycle, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned on, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned off, causing the second battery pack 3, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2, the first inductor L1, and the first battery pack 1 to form a loop (see FIG. 3(c)), discharging the second battery pack 3 and causing the first inductor L1 to store energy and charge the first battery pack 1 at the same time. In a second time period of the second half cycle, after the first inductor L1 completes storing energy, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned off, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned on, causing the first inductor L1, the first battery pack 1, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 to form a loop (see FIG. 3(d)), and causing the first inductor L1 to transfer the stored energy to the first battery pack 1.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1 , the second battery pack 2 further includes a first battery module 31 and a second battery module 32 connected in series, and the positive pole of the first battery module 31 is connected to the second end of the first bridge arm 2, and the negative pole of the second battery module 32 is connected to the first end of the first bridge arm 2. The energy conversion device 100 further includes at least one phase second bridge arm 5, a first end of which is connected to a negative electrode of the second battery module 32 and a second end of which is connected to a positive electrode of the first battery module 31, and at least one phase second inductor L2, a first end of which is connected to a midpoint of a corresponding second bridge arm 5 and a second end of which is connected to midpoints of the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32. A controller 4 is connected to the second bridge arm 5 and is configured to control the second bridge arm 5 in a second state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32 to heat the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32. FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram with a three-phase second bridge arm 5 and a three-phase second inductor L2.

[0042] In some embodiments, when the temperatures of the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are too low, only the second battery pack 3 may be heated, and the energy conversion device 100 may be controlled to enter the second state when only the second battery pack 3 is heated, and the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32 are alternately heated by controlling the on and off of the upper switch group S3 and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 to realize self-heating of the second battery pack 3.

[0043] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32 may be different battery modules or may be the same battery module formed by splitting it into two.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), in the second state, the controller 4 may be configured to control the second bridge arm 5 in a first half period of the control period to discharge the first battery module 31 and charge the second battery module 32, and to control the second bridge arm 5 in a second half period of the control period to charge the first battery module 31 and discharge the second battery module 32.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 4( a), 4(b), 4(c), and 4(d), in the second state, the controller 4 is configured to control the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned on and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned off during a first time period of a first half cycle, thereby discharging the first battery module 31 and storing energy in the second inductor L2, and to control the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned off and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned on during a second time period of the first half cycle, thereby releasing the energy stored in the second inductor L2 and charging the second battery module 32.

[0046] When self-heating of the second battery pack 3 is implemented, during a first time period of the first half cycle, the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned on, and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned off, causing the first battery module 3, the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5, and the second inductor L2 to form a loop (see FIG. 4(a)), discharging the first battery module 31 and storing energy from the first battery module 31 in the second inductor L2. During a second time period of the first half cycle, after the second inductor L2 completes storing energy, the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned off, and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned on, causing the second inductor L2, the second battery module 32, the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5, and the second battery module 32 to form a loop (see FIG. 4(b)), and causing the second inductor L2 to charge the second battery module 32.

[0047] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 4( c) and FIG. 4(d), in the second state, the controller 4 may be configured to control the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned off and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned on during a first time period of the second half cycle, thereby discharging the second battery module 32 and storing energy in the second inductor L2, and to control the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned on and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 to be turned off during a second time period of the second half cycle, thereby releasing the energy stored in the second inductor L2 and charging the first battery module 31.

[0048] When the self-heating of the second battery pack 3 is performed, in the first time period of the second half cycle, the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned off, and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned on, causing the second battery module 32, the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5, and the second inductor L2 to form a loop (see FIG. 4(c)), discharging the second battery module 32 and storing the energy released by the second battery module 32 in the second inductor L2; In the second time period of the second half cycle, after the second inductor L2 completes storing energy, the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned on, and the lower switch group S4 of the second bridge arm 5 may be controlled to be turned off, causing the second inductor L2, the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5, and the first battery module 31 to form a loop (see FIG. 4(d)), and causing the second inductor L2 to release the stored energy to the first battery module 31 through the upper switch group S3 of the second bridge arm 5.

[0049] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the bridge arm of the motor controller may be reused as the second bridge arm 5, and the coil of the motor may be reused as the second inductor L2. The three phases of the second bridge arm 5 in FIG. 1 may be equivalent to the reuse of the motor controller. The three phases of the second inductor L2 in FIG. 1 may be equivalent to the motor.

[0050] In the energy conversion device 100 of this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 may be heated by each other in a low temperature environment, and the second battery pack 3 may also be self-heated, thus ensuring the charging and discharging performance of the power battery in a low temperature environment and also ensuring the optimal power output of the battery in all weather conditions.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Fig. 5, the energy conversion device 100 may further include a DC charging port 6 and a switching circuit. A first end of the switching circuit is connected to the positive electrode of the DC charging port 6. A second end of the switching circuit is selectively connected to the positive electrode of the first battery pack 1 and the positive electrode of the second battery pack 3.

[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5 , the switching circuit may include a first switch 7 and a second switch 8. A first end of the first switch 7 and a first end of the second switch 8 are both connected to a second end of the DC charging port. A second end of the first switch 7 is connected to a positive terminal of the first battery pack 1. A second end of the second switch 8 is connected to a positive terminal of the second battery pack 3. A controller is connected to the control ends of the first switch 7 and the second switch 8, respectively, and is configured to control the on / off of the first switch 7 and the second switch 8 to charge the first battery pack 1 and / or the second battery pack 3.

[0053] In some embodiments, DC charging port 6 may be connected to other external charging equipment, such as a charging station. After DC charging port 6 is connected to other external charging equipment, first switch 7 or second switch 8 may be controlled to be turned on or off according to whether first battery pack 1 or second battery pack 3 needs to be charged first, so that first battery pack 1 or second battery pack 3 is charged first.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 6(a), 6(b), and 6(c), the controller 4 is connected to the switching circuit, and the controller 4 is configured to, in a third state, control the switching circuit to be connected to the positive electrode of the first battery pack 1 to charge the first battery pack 1, and control the first bridge arm 2 to supply power to the second battery pack 3.

[0055] When the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 have a charging request, the energy conversion device 100 may be controlled to enter a third state, i.e., the first switch 7 is controlled to be turned on and the second switch 8 is controlled to be turned off, causing the external charging equipment and the first battery pack 1 to form a charging loop (see FIG. 6(a)), and allowing the external charging equipment to charge the first battery pack 1. When the first battery pack 1 is being charged, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned off, and the upper switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned on, causing the external charging equipment to charge the first battery pack 1 and simultaneously storing energy in the first inductor L1 (see FIG. 6(b)). After the first inductor L1 has completed storing energy, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned on, and the upper switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be turned off, allowing the external charging device to charge the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 at the same time (see FIG. 6(c)).

[0056] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the controller 4 is connected to the switching circuit, and in the fourth state, the controller 4 is configured to control the switching circuit to be connected to the positive electrode of the second battery pack 3 to charge the second battery pack 3, and to control the first bridge arm 2 to supply power to the first battery pack 1.

[0057] When the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 have a charging requirement, the energy conversion device 100 may be controlled to enter a fourth state, i.e., the first switch 7 may be controlled to be off and the second switch 8 may be controlled to be on, causing the external charging equipment and the second battery pack 3 to form a charging loop (see FIG. 7(a)), and allowing the external charging equipment to charge the second battery pack 3. At the same time that the external charging equipment charges the second battery pack 3, the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be on, and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 may be controlled to be off, causing the external charging equipment to charge the second battery pack 3 and, at the same time, charge the first battery pack 1 through the first inductor L1 (see FIG. 7(b)).

[0058] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion device 100 may further include a switching element 9. A first end of the switching element 9 is connected to the midpoint between the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32. A second end of the switching element 9 is connected to the N line drawn from the motor.

[0059] In some embodiments, a switching element 9 may be disposed between the motor's N point and the midpoint between the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32 to distinguish between a self-heating state and a non-self-heating state of the second battery pack 3. By controlling the on and off of the switching element 9, the self-heating state and the non-self-heating state of the second battery pack 3 may be distinguished. When the switching element 9 is turned off, the first battery module 31 and the second battery module 32 may be alternately heated to realize the self-heating of the second battery pack 3.

[0060] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 4 is configured to control the motor controller to store braking feedback energy in the second battery pack 3 (see FIG. 8) or to control the motor controller and the first bridge arm 2 to store braking feedback energy in the first battery pack 1 (see FIG. 9).

[0061] In some embodiments, when the vehicle is in a braking feedback state, the high voltage load 10 may feed back energy directly to the second battery pack 3, or may feed back energy to the first battery pack 1 via the second bridge arm 2 and the first inductor L1. Referring to FIG. 8 , the motor controller may be controlled to cause the high voltage load 10 and the motor controller to feed back energy directly to the second battery pack 3. Referring to FIG. 9 , the motor controller may be controlled such that the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 is controlled to be on and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 is controlled to be off, causing the high voltage load 10 and the motor controller to feed back energy to the first battery pack 1 via the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2.

[0062] It should be noted that the above two feedback methods may be freely combined at the same time or at different times.

[0063] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy conversion device 100 may further include a high-voltage load 10. A first end of the high-voltage load 10 is connected to the positive electrode of the first battery module 31. A second end of the high-voltage load 10 is connected to the negative electrode of the second battery module 32. The controller 4 is further configured to control the second battery pack 3 to supply power to the high-voltage load, or to control the upper switch group S1 of the second bridge arm 2 to turn on and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 to turn off, thereby causing the second battery pack 3 to charge the first battery pack 1, and to control the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2 to turn on and the lower switch group S2 of the first bridge arm 2 to turn off, thereby causing the first battery pack 1 to supply power to the high-voltage load or charge the second battery pack 3 via the upper switch group S1 of the first bridge arm 2.

[0064] In some embodiments, when the vehicle requires high power discharge, the second battery pack 3 may be discharged directly to a high voltage load and the illustrated rechargeable motor (see FIG. 10(a)). The second battery pack 3 may also charge the first battery pack 1 (see FIG. 10(b)). Note that the above two functions may be freely combined simultaneously or at different times.

[0065] It should be noted that the first battery pack 1 and / or the second battery pack 3 may be selected to supply power to the load depending on the load situation.

[0066] In some embodiments, when the vehicle requires high power discharge, the first battery pack 1 may discharge to a high voltage load 10 via the first inductor L1 and the second bridge arm 2 (see FIG. 11(a)). The first battery pack 1 may also charge the second battery pack 3 via the first inductor L1 and the second bridge arm 2 (see FIG. 11(b)). Note that the above two functions may be freely combined simultaneously or at different times.

[0067] It should be noted that the self-heating function of the second battery pack 3 may be realized simultaneously with the charging function and the driving function, i.e., the vehicle may realize self-heating while charging and self-heating while driving (running), which will not be repeated here.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the voltage of the second battery pack 3 is lower than the voltage of the first battery pack 1, the first bridge arm 2 may adopt a step-down DC circuit as shown in FIG.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 2 , the energy conversion device includes a first battery pack 1, a first bridge arm 2, a first end of which is connected to the positive electrode of the first battery pack 1 and a second end of which is connected to the negative electrode of the first battery pack 1, a third inductor L3, a first end of which is connected to the midpoint of the first bridge arm 2, and a second battery pack 3, a second end of which is connected to the midpoint of the second battery pack 3. a second battery pack 3, the positive electrode of which is connected to the second end of the third inductor L3 and the negative electrode of the second battery pack 3 is connected to the second end of the first bridge arm 2; and a controller 4, the controller 4 connected to the first bridge arm 2 and configured to control the first bridge arm 2 in a first state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3, thereby heating the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3.

[0070] It should be noted that the operating mode of the energy conversion device 100 using the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 2 when the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are alternately heated, the second battery pack 3 is self-heated, and the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 perform high-power discharge is similar to the operating mode of the energy conversion device 100 shown in FIG. 1 and will not be repeated here.

[0071] In the energy conversion device provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 may be heated alternately in a low-temperature environment, thereby realizing simultaneous heating of the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3. The second battery pack 3 may also be self-heated, thereby ensuring the charging and discharging performance of the batteries by heating the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 in a low-temperature environment. To overcome the shortcomings of all types of power batteries when supplying power energy to a vehicle, the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are employed with different chemical types, thereby providing the vehicle with good power performance and meeting the range requirements. The first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 work in coordination and are redundant with each other. If one battery fails, the system can still operate normally, thus improving system stability and achieving extremely high robustness. The first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 may supply power to the load individually or jointly depending on the load input requirements. The load may feed back energy to the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 individually or simultaneously depending on the actual situation. The high-voltage load is supplied with power via different power sources (the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3).

[0072] The present disclosure further provides a vehicle.

[0073] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 12, a vehicle 1000 may include an energy conversion device 100.

[0074] The vehicle 1000 provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure uses the above-described energy conversion device 100 to supply power to vehicle loads. As a result, in the vehicle 1000 equipped with the energy conversion device 100, the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 may be heated simultaneously in a low-temperature environment. The second battery pack 3 may also be self-heated in a low-temperature environment to heat the battery pack, thus ensuring the charging and discharging performance of the battery of the vehicle 1000. To overcome the shortcomings of all types of power batteries when powering the vehicle 1000, the first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 are employed with different chemical types, thus providing the vehicle 1000 with good power performance and meeting the vehicle 1000's requirements for range. The first battery pack 1 and the second battery pack 3 work in coordination and are redundant with each other. If one battery fails, the vehicle 1000 can still operate normally, thus improving the stability of the vehicle 1000 and achieving extremely high robustness.

[0075] It should be noted that the logic and / or steps shown in the flowcharts or otherwise described herein, e.g., ordered listings that may be considered executable instructions used to implement logical functions, may be implemented in any computer-readable medium used by, or in combination with, an instruction execution system, device, or apparatus (e.g., a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or another system that can obtain instructions from and execute instructions with the instruction execution system, device, or apparatus). As used herein, a "computer-readable medium" may be any device that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit a program used by, or in combination with, an instruction execution system, device, or apparatus. More specific examples (non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable media may include an electrical connection having one or more wires (electronic device), a portable computer diskette (magnetic device), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), fiber optic devices, and portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM). In addition, the computer-readable medium may be paper or other suitable medium on which the program may be printed, since the program may be obtained electronically, for example, by optically scanning paper or other medium, then editing, interpreting, or otherwise suitable processing as needed, and then storing it in computer memory.

[0076] It should be understood that portions of the present disclosure may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above implementations, steps or methods may be implemented using software or firmware stored in a memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, when hardware is used for the implementation, as with other implementations, the implementation may be performed using any one or combination of techniques known in the art, such as discrete logic circuitry including logic gate circuits for implementing logical functions of data signals, dedicated integrated circuits including appropriate combinations of logic gate circuits, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0077] In the description herein, the use of terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "one example," "particular example," and "some examples" means that the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in any combination of embodiments or examples are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, exemplary references to the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more of the embodiments or examples.

[0078] In describing the present disclosure, it should be understood that orientations or positions indicated by terms such as “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circumferential” are based on the orientations or positions shown in the accompanying drawings and are used solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present disclosure, and do not indicate or suggest that the referred-to devices or components must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Accordingly, such terms should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

[0079] Additionally, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed to denote or imply relative importance or quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature qualified by "first" or "second" may explicitly denote or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this disclosure, "plurality" means at least two, e.g., two or three, unless explicitly specified.

[0080] In this disclosure, the terms "attach," "connect," "connection," and "secure" are understood broadly unless expressly specified and limited otherwise. For example, unless expressly specified otherwise, a connection may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection, or a connection may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, or a connection may be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediary, or an internal communication or an interactive relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the terms in this disclosure based on the specific situation.

[0081] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified or defined, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature via an intermediary. In addition, a first feature being "above," "over," or "on" a second feature may indicate that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or may simply indicate that the horizontal position of the first feature is higher than the horizontal position of the second feature. A first feature being "below," "under," or "beneath" a second feature may indicate that the first feature is directly below the second feature or at the slanted bottom of the second feature, or may simply indicate that the horizontal position of the first feature is lower than the horizontal position of the second feature.

[0082] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as limitations on the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art may make changes, modifications, substitutions, or variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1. First battery pack 2. First Bridge Arm 3 Second Battery Pack 4 Controller 5 Second Bridge Arm 6 DC charging ports 7 First Switch 8 Second Switch 9 Switching Elements 10 High voltage load 31 First Battery Module 32 Second Battery Module 100 Energy Conversion Devices

Claims

1. a first battery pack; a first inductor, a first end of the first inductor connected to a positive terminal of the first battery pack; a first bridge arm, wherein a midpoint of the first bridge arm is connected to the second end of the first inductor and a first end of the first bridge arm is connected to a negative terminal of the first battery pack; a second battery pack, a positive terminal of the second battery pack connected to the second end of the first bridge arm and a negative terminal of the second battery pack connected to the first end of the first bridge arm; a controller connected to the first bridge arm, the controller configured to control the first bridge arm in a first state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery pack and the second battery pack to heat the first battery pack and the second battery pack; An energy conversion device comprising:

2. The controller: In the first state, controlling the first bridge arm in a first half period of a control period to discharge the first battery pack and charge the second battery pack; Controlling the first bridge arm during a second half of the control period to charge the first battery pack and discharge the second battery pack. The energy conversion device according to claim 1 , configured as follows:

3. The controller: in the first state, controlling the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be turned on during a first time period of the first half cycle to discharge the first battery pack and store energy in the first inductor; During a second time period of the first half cycle, controlling the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be on and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be off to discharge the first battery pack, cause the first inductor to release the stored energy, and charge the second battery pack. The energy conversion device according to claim 2 , configured as follows:

4. The controller: in the first state, controlling the upper switches of the first bridge arm to be turned on and the lower switches of the first bridge arm to be turned off during a first time period of the second half cycle to discharge the second battery pack, store energy in the first inductor, and charge the first battery pack; During a second time period of the second half cycle, the upper switches of the first bridge arm are controlled to be turned off and the lower switches of the first bridge arm are controlled to be turned on, causing the first inductor to release the stored energy and charge the first battery pack. The energy conversion device according to claim 2 , configured as follows:

5. the second battery pack comprises a first battery module and a second battery module connected in series, a positive terminal of the first battery module connected to the second end of the first bridge arm and a negative terminal of the second battery module connected to the first end of the first bridge arm; The energy transforming device is at least one phase second bridge arm, a first end of the second bridge arm connected to the negative terminal of the second battery module and a second end of the second bridge arm connected to the positive terminal of the first battery module; at least one phase second inductor, a first end of the second inductor connected to a midpoint of a corresponding second bridge arm, and a second end of the second inductor connected to a midpoint of the first battery module and the second battery module; Furthermore, 2. The energy conversion device of claim 1, wherein the controller is connected to the second bridge arm, and the controller is configured to control the second bridge arm in a second state to alternately charge and discharge the first battery module and the second battery module to heat the first battery module and the second battery module.

6. The controller: In the second state, controlling the second bridge arm in a first half period of a control period to discharge the first battery module and charge the second battery module; Controlling the second bridge arm during a second half of the control period to charge the first battery module and discharge the second battery module. The energy conversion device according to claim 5 , configured as follows:

7. The controller: in the second state, controlling the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be on and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be off during a first time period of the first half cycle to discharge the first battery module and store energy in the second inductor; During a second time period of the first half cycle, controlling the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be turned on to cause the second inductor to release the stored energy and charge the second battery module. The energy conversion device according to claim 6 , configured as follows:

8. The controller: in the second state, controlling the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be turned off and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be turned on during a first time period of the second half cycle to discharge the second battery module and store energy in the second inductor; During a second time period of the second half cycle, controlling the upper switches of the second bridge arm to be on and the lower switches of the second bridge arm to be off causes the second inductor to release the stored energy and charge the first battery module. The energy conversion device according to claim 6 , configured as follows:

9. 6. The energy conversion device of claim 5, wherein a bridge arm of a motor controller is reused as the second bridge arm and a coil of a motor is reused as the second inductor.

10. A DC charging port, a switching circuit, a first end of the switching circuit connected to a positive terminal of the DC charging port and a second end of the switching circuit selectively connected to the positive terminal of the first battery pack and the positive terminal of the second battery pack; 10. The energy transformation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

11. 11. The energy conversion device of claim 10, wherein the controller is connected to the switching circuit, and the controller is configured to, in a third state, control the switching circuit to be connected to the positive terminal of the first battery pack to charge the first battery pack and control the first bridge arm to supply power to the second battery pack.

12. 11. The energy conversion device of claim 10, wherein the controller is connected to the switching circuit, and the controller is configured to, in a fourth state, control the switching circuit to be connected to the positive terminal of the second battery pack to charge the second battery pack and control the first bridge arm to supply power to the first battery pack.

13. 2. The energy conversion device of claim 1, wherein the first battery pack is an energy type battery and the second battery pack is a power type battery, and the charge / discharge rate of the power type battery is greater than the charge / discharge rate of the energy type battery.

14. 10. The energy conversion device according to claim 9, further comprising a switching element, a first end of the switching element being connected to a midpoint of the first battery module and the second battery module, and a second end of the switching element being connected to an N line drawn from the motor.

15. 10. The energy conversion device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor controller to store braking feedback energy in the second battery pack or to control the motor controller and the first bridge arm to store braking feedback energy in the first battery pack.

16. A vehicle comprising an energy conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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