Multiport Energy Routing System

Abstract

One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a flexible multi-port energy routing system including a first port configured to connect to an AC grid, a plurality of second ports configured to connect to a plurality of devices, a step-down transformer, a power converter stack, a step-down transformer, a power converter stack, and a third port. The step-down transformer may have a high-voltage side electrically connected to the first port and a low-voltage side. The power converter stack may include a plurality of power converter modules, each having a first converter bridge connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer and a second converter bridge connected to one or more of the plurality of second ports. Each of the power converter modules may have a converter transformer connected between the first and second converter bridges. The first and second converter bridges can manage the flow of AC and DC power bidirectionally between the first, second, and third ports.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - reference to related applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 112,043, filed on November 10, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth below.

[0002] (Technical Field) Various embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to electrical energy systems, and more specifically, to multi - port energy routing systems and methods of operating the same.

Background Art

[0003] A typical power company's power transformer converts medium - voltage high - voltage AC power of 13 - 34 kV into AC power of 120 - 480 V (about 575 V in Canada) for final customers to use. AC voltage is required for the operation of the transformer, and it cannot process DC power in the same way. As a result, power companies have conventionally been limited to supplying "standard" AC voltage to customers, and customers have routed (and adjusted if necessary) electricity before using it in devices such as motors, lighting, rectifiers, motor drives, etc. Transformers provide protection against lightning strikes on the grid and protection against faults, ensuring a safe power supply to the final load. Conventional transformers are themselves uncontrollable, and a very large current flows during a fault, so special protection devices are required, which is the case not only at the medium - voltage level (usually fuses or breakers) but also at the low - voltage level. Because the needs of individual customers are diverse, low - voltage safety measures have been realized by complying with the National Electric Code (NEC) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) in the United States.

[0004] For the past 100 years, electricity has generally been consumed as AC power, and the practices described above have become mainstream. The power company's jurisdiction has stopped at the "point of common coupling (PCC)" of the electric meter, and there are no control devices between the meter and the transformer. Therefore, all protective devices on the customer side of the meter had to be designed to suit the specific conditions of the particular location, and a high level of design customization and expense was required to ensure the safety of the system under all worst-case scenarios regarding operating and failure conditions.

[0005] However, in recent decades, the number of loads that inherently consume or generate DC power has exploded. These new loads / power sources include solar power arrays, battery energy storage, data centers, DC fast charging for electric transport, and hydrogen production by electrolysis. The introduction of these new loads / power sources is expected to exceed 100 gigawatts per year, with individual installations reaching capacities of 0.1 to over 100 MW. Such DC loads / power sources account for perhaps more than 90% of the new load increases experienced by power companies, and currently, the only way to address these loads is to use the paradigms designed for AC loads.

[0006] Figure 1 is a single-line diagram of a typical conventional DC fast-charging station serving multiple vehicles. The elements include a transformer, a circuit breaker capable of interrupting any fault currents that may occur at its location, and a rectifier that provides a high power factor and generates an intermediate DC bus voltage, which is supplied to an additional power converter that generates the galvanically isolated DC power required to charge one vehicle. Each vehicle should ideally have its own charger, isolated for safety and with independent control managed by the vehicle. This configuration also allows for the integration of additional inputs and outputs, such as PV (photovoltaic) panels or batteries, to reduce electricity costs. In such cases, the power must flow bidirectionally, requiring different types of converters to accommodate bidirectional power flow, either isolated at the converter level as shown in the conventional implementation in Figure 2, or isolated at the system level through multiple power frequency transformers as shown in the conventional implementation in Figure 3.

[0007] While multi-port operation is desired, conventional converters are designed to operate as single-port converters, each with a specific function (unidirectional / bidirectional, isolated / non-isolated, DC / DC or AC / DC conversion, etc.), requiring extensive coordination between converters. Each converter is designed with protection devices, and system-level coordination is also necessary, including transient and steady-state operation. Similar use cases can be created in PV, energy storage, and other high-power DC applications. Thus, this is a very complex system with layers of protection, often requiring coordination of equipment from different vendors. Specialized engineers are used to ensure that the system complies with protection and national standards. This is a very cumbersome and costly process requiring a high degree of customization, and can take a very long time to complete the project.

[0008] Furthermore, because power companies have traditionally supplied nothing but AC power, they have been unable to provide added value to customers who require DC power. Also, because DC power / load control is handled by entities separate from the power company, coordination with grid operations is extremely difficult, requiring a high level of reserve to deal with unforeseen circumstances. This results in very high costs for end-users and society. Given that the introduction of these new DC loads / power sources is often linked to the growth of renewable energy resources, this also impacts the slowdown in growth rates. Looking at the fundamentals of power supply, there are no constraints on power companies supplying DC power. They simply lacked a "universal" transformer structure that is multi-port, bidirectional, fully protected, flexible, economical, widely deployable, and capable of supplying both AC and DC power. While electric utilities have long recognized the value that "DC as a Service" could offer, they have been unable to implement an economically and technically viable solution.

[0009] Therefore, an improved energy routing system is desired that can connect to both the AC utility grid and multiple other AC / DC loads and power supplies, and can route energy between various loads / power supplies. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0010] This disclosure relates to a multiport energy routing system and a method of operating the same. Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible multiport energy routing system comprising a first port, a plurality of second ports, a step-down transformer, a power converter stack, and a third port. The first port may be configured to be electrically connected to an AC utility grid. The plurality of second ports may be configured to allow power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second ports. The step-down transformer may have a high-voltage side and a low-voltage side. The high-voltage side may be electrically connected to the first port. The power converter stack may comprise a plurality of power converter modules. Each of the plurality of power converter modules may comprise a first converter bridge, a second converter bridge, and a power converter transformer. The power converter transformer may have a first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge and a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge. The first converter bridge may be electrically connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer. The second converter bridge may be electrically connected to one or more of the multiple second ports. The third port may be electrically connected to one or more of the first converter bridges and one or more of the second converter bridges in the multiple power converter modules. The first and second converter bridges may be configured to manage the flow of AC and DC power bidirectionally between the first, second, and third ports.

[0011] In any embodiment disclosed herein, the power converter stack may further include one or more second converter bridges and a control circuit configured to route power between a predetermined set of devices from the set of devices.

[0012] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the control circuit may comprise at least one multiplexer.

[0013] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the control circuit may comprise at least one switch and / or relay.

[0014] In any embodiment disclosed herein, the third port may be electrically connected to the first converter bridge in one or more of the plurality of power converter modules. The third port may be configured to transmit power between an AC / DC power source / load connected to the third port and another AC / DC power source / load connected to another port of the multiport energy system.

[0015] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the third port may be a dynamic port.

[0016] In any embodiment disclosed herein, the system may include a fourth port electrically connected to a second converter bridge in one or more of the plurality of power converter modules. The fourth port may be configured to transmit power between an AC / DC power source / load connected to the fourth port and another AC / DC power source / load connected to another port of the multiport energy system.

[0017] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the fourth port may be a dynamic port.

[0018] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the ground of the fourth port may be electrically independent from the ground of the step-down transformer.

[0019] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the plurality of second ports may be dynamic ports configured to supply AC or DC power to the plurality of devices and / or to receive AC or DC electrical energy from the plurality of devices.

[0020] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the plurality of second ports may be configured to allow power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a first device among the plurality of devices at a first maximum power level, and to allow power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a second device among the plurality of devices at a second maximum power level greater than the first power level.

[0021] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, each of the plurality of power converter modules may be a soft-switching solid-state transformer converter.

[0022] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the first port, the plurality of second ports, the third port, the step-down transformer, and the power converter stack may be integrated within a housing.

[0023] In any embodiment disclosed herein, the system may further include a controller configured to select from among the plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second dynamic ports a device to which electrical energy from the multiport energy routing system is supplied at a predetermined time.

[0024] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the controller may comprise one or more multiplexers.

[0025] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second ports may include an electric vehicle charging station.

[0026] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second ports may include photovoltaic modules.

[0027] In any of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second ports may include a battery.

[0028] In any of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second ports may include an electrolytic cell.

[0029] In any of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the multi-port energy routing system can be configured among N + 1 independent grounding methods, where N is the number of power converter modules in the plurality of power converter modules.

[0030] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a multi-port energy routing system including a static AC port, a plurality of DC ports, a step-down transformer, a power converter stack, and one or more multiplexers. The static AC port may be configured to be electrically connected to an AC utility grid. The plurality of DC ports may be configured to allow DC power to flow between the multi-port energy routing system and a plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of DC ports. The step-down transformer may have a high voltage side and a low voltage side. The high voltage side may be electrically connected to the static AC port. The power converter stack may include a plurality of power converter modules. Each of the plurality of power converters may include a first converter bridge, a power converter transformer, and a second converter bridge. The first converter bridge may be electrically connected to the low voltage side of the step-down transformer. The one or more multiplexers may be configured to receive DC power from the second converter bridges in the plurality of power converter modules and supply DC power to one or more selected devices among the plurality of devices electrically connected to the dynamic DC ports.

[0031] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the one or more multiplexers may be further configured to receive DC power from one or more selected devices from the plurality of devices electrically connected to a dynamic DC port and to supply DC power to a second converter bridge in the plurality of power converters.

[0032] In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, the power converter transformer may comprise a first side electrically connected to a first converter bridge of each power converter module and a second side electrically connected to a second converter bridge of each power converter module.

[0033] These and other aspects of the Disclosure are described below in the detailed description and accompanying drawings. Other aspects and features of the embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art by considering the following descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments together with the drawings. Features of the Disclosure may be discussed in relation to specific embodiments and drawings, but all embodiments of the Disclosure may include one or more of the features discussed herein. Furthermore, one or more embodiments may be discussed as having particular advantageous features, and one or more such features may also be used in conjunction with the various embodiments discussed herein. Similarly, exemplary embodiments may be described below as embodiments of apparatus, systems, or methods, but it should be understood that such exemplary embodiments may be carried out in various apparatus, systems, and methods of the Disclosure.

[0034] The following detailed description of specific embodiments of this disclosure will be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For illustrative purposes, specific embodiments are shown in the drawings. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the exact arrangement and means of the embodiments shown in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0035] [Figure 1]Figure 1 shows a single-line diagram of a conventional DC fast-charging station that provides services to multiple vehicles.

[0036] [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows a single-line diagram of a conventional DC fast-charging station serving multiple vehicles, integrating PV and battery storage with additional, isolated, dedicated DC / DC converters and bidirectional rectifiers.

[0037] [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a single-line diagram of a conventional DC fast-charging station serving multiple vehicles, integrating PV and battery storage with additional, unisolated, dedicated rectifiers and power frequency transformers.

[0038] [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] [Figure 5A] Figure 5A shows a schematic diagram of a power converter module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] [Figure 5B] Figure 5B shows a schematic diagram of a power converter module comprising a multiplexer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, comprising six power converter modules having one to four multiplexers to realize dynamic second ports of varying capacities.

[0042] [Figure 7]Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a potential grounding scheme for power sources and loads enabled by a multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of a multi-port energy routing system that interfaces with a higher AC / DC voltage system through a series connection of two static ports having a definable ground point, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] [Figure 9A] Figure 9A shows a use case of a 900A multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9B] Figure 9B shows an example use case of a 900A multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9C] Figure 9C shows a use case of a 900A multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9D] Figure 9D shows a use case of a 900A multiport energy routing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows a use case of a multiport energy routing system demonstrating grid formation operations from PV and battery power sources with vehicle-to-grid capabilities, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0046] As described above, conventional power company transformers connected to AC utility grids cannot be directly connected to DC loads / power sources. Therefore, this disclosure provides a novel multi-port energy routing system for routing power between an AC utility grid connected to a system and multiple AC and / or DC power sources / loads. The disclosed system can provide a unique, flexible, scalable, and dynamically reconfigurable solution for providing AC and / or DC as a service, and is expected to reduce costs and complexity compared to conventional concepts and solutions due to its high level of interoperability, flexibility, and integration.

[0047] To facilitate understanding of the principles and features of this disclosure, various exemplary embodiments are described below. The components, steps, and materials described below as constituting various elements of the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not limiting. Many suitable components, steps, and materials that perform the same or similar functions as those described herein are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Other such components, steps, and materials not described herein may include, but are not limited to, similar components or steps developed after the development of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0048] Some embodiments of the multi-port energy routing systems disclosed herein utilize soft-switching solid-state transformer (S4T) converters previously invented by the inventors. S4T converters are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 1,0491,098 and PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO2020023471, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety, as fully described below. However, this disclosure is not limited to the use of S4T converters. Rather, various embodiments of this disclosure can utilize many different power converters known in the art. S4T topologies have unique characteristics: multi-port operation, soft switching, current source characteristics, and galvanic isolation. These characteristics make S4T solutions very attractive for applications such as solar power plants with integrated energy storage. An S4T can be operated with a high-frequency (HF) transformer having three-phase AC ports on one side and two DC ports for PV and batteries on the other side. As long as the maximum energy transferred over the entire switching cycle is limited, the number of ports can be expanded as needed.

[0049] This disclosure describes how to implement large-scale, standardized AC and DC systems that still offer flexibility to target not only AC applications in a variety of end-uses, but also emerging DC applications, including PV, batteries, hydrogen electrolysis, EV fast charging, and other applications using the concept of providing the safe, isolated, and controlled DC voltage / current required for power companies (or equivalent private providers) to interface with target DC loads / power sources. Generally, the entire multiport energy routing system may include standard medium-voltage step-down transformers with upstream protection against fault currents and lightning strikes, which are integrated with a properly interconnected multiport power converter stack (in-plant or field). The multiport converters can accommodate multiple AC and / or DC ports with power flow in any direction, while meeting safety and isolation requirements, by being dynamically configured by software.

[0050] The S4T topology is inherently modular and can provide single-stage conversion of AC / DC power and load with high frequency isolation. As an isolated current source converter, this topology helps to scale power as needed through virtually unlimited parallel connections without introducing circulating current problems. Building on this inherent modularity and flexibility, this disclosure adds dedicated hardware and technology to the basic S4T technology to realize a truly flexible, integrated, self-protected, multi-port energy routing system with multiple independently controlled, isolated, dynamic AC and / or DC ports capable of dynamic capacitance adjustment.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multiport energy routing system (MERS). The MERS may comprise a first port 110 configured to be electrically connected to a medium-voltage AC utility grid. The MERS may further comprise a plurality of second ports 120a, 120b, 120c, configured to allow energy to flow between the MERS and a plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of second ports. The MERS may comprise an integrated power frequency step-down transformer 105 (60Hz, 50Hz) that provides required step-down and basic-insulation-level (BIL) control functions and a first layer of galvanic isolation. The step-down transformer 105 may have a high-voltage side 106 connected to the first port 110. The low-voltage side 107 (typically 480-575 Vrms) of the step-down transformer 105 is supplied to the power converter stack 115. The power converter stack 115 may comprise multiple power converter modules 125a, 125b, 125c (e.g., S4T converters) that can be configured in parallel. The converter modules 125a, 125b, 125c may have inherent limitations on the maximum current they can source or sink, including under fault conditions, allowing for a significant simplification of the protection mechanism facing the grid. This can be utilized in the disclosed MERS, where the protection mechanism relies on the power frequency step-down transformer 105 for isolation adjustment, and the connection to the MV AC grid consists of a simple MV fuse or fused disconnector and a set of overvoltage protection devices such as MOV. If necessary, a clover containing high-current pulse-resistant devices, such as a set of thyristors in an antiparallel configuration, can be added to the low-voltage secondary side 107 of the power frequency step-down transformer 105 to help trigger in a fault condition to enable MV fuse protection (open the fuse). The power converter stack 115 can be connected to the low-voltage side 107 of the transformer 105 via a contactor (3-pole or 4-pole) to isolate the stack from the grid when not in operation.The aforementioned protective hardware and circuitry can be integrated into the step-down transformer 105 within the MERS to provide a fully protected device that directly interfaces with the MV grid. Compared to solutions using power electronics directly connected to the grid, the MERS eliminates the need for external high-interruption capacity switches, complex protection adjustments, and BIL management mechanisms, simplifying installation and reducing costs.

[0052] Each power converter module within the MERS can be made identical for ease of manufacture and provides at least one controlled AC and / or DC output isolated from the AC side by high-frequency galvanic isolation, thereby providing a second discrete-dispersive isolation layer within the MERS. Power converter modules 125a, 125b, and 125c are capable of single-stage AC / DC conversion, eliminating the need for further DC converters in the DC ports 120a, 120b, and 120c. This is particularly advantageous in DC fast charging of EVs, completely eliminating the need for separate charging "heads" that control and isolate the power flow at the EV connection point. The number of power converter modules per MERS can be adjusted to meet the target installation capacity in order to achieve a truly modular structure.

[0053] An exemplary power converter module is shown in Figure 5A. As shown in Figure 5A, each of the power converter modules 125a, 125b, and 125c may comprise a first converter bridge 126, a second converter bridge 127, and a power converter transformer 128. The power converter transformer 128 may have a first side 128a electrically connected to the first converter bridge 126 and a second side 128b electrically connected to the second converter bridge 127. The first converter bridge 126 may further be electrically connected to the low-voltage side 107 of a step-down transformer 105. The second converter bridge 127 may further be electrically connected to a plurality of second ports 120a, 120b, and 120c (for example, via a control circuit 116 such as a multiplexer or a combination of switches and / or relays). Each of the first and second converter bridges 126 and 127 may have a plurality of connection points, each capable of supplying AC or DC power. For illustrative purposes only, step-down transformers are not shown in Figures 5A and 5B, but in various embodiments of this disclosure, the first converter bridge of the power converter module may be electrically connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer.

[0054] For example, to further leverage the modularity of the power converter modules, an integrated multiplexer structure can be used to interface the power converter modules to multiple dynamic ports provided by MERS, as shown in Figure 4. The multiplexer 140 can be integrated into the power converter modules 125a, 125b, and 125c to select the ports 120a, 120b, and 120c to which the modules are connected, as shown in detail in Figure 5B, for example, in the exemplary implementation shown in the figure, there are 1:4 multiplexers per module. Since the converter modules 125a, 125b, and 125c do not have fault current capacity or inrush current issues, the multiplexer 140 can be implemented with a simple contactor of a size that can carry the load current without requiring fault current tolerance or interruption functions. The multiplexer 140 allows the controlled outputs of the converter modules 125a, 125b, and 125c to be connected to a fixed subset of dynamic ports determined by the trade-off between the target level of flexibility and the cost of redundancy. All dynamic ports formed in this manner may be capable of bidirectional AC or DC power conversion. For example, in the implementation based on the converter module shown in Figure 5B and detailed in Figure 6, each converter module can be connected to four different ports, namely the first port 110, the second ports 120a, 120b, and 120c, the third port 130, and the fourth port 135. MERS can then arrange individual converter modules into, for example, a total of 10 “dynamic” ports, which can be used as charging portals for electric vehicle charging stations or connected to multiple PV strings, battery cells, electrolytic cells, AC motors, etc. These “dynamic” ports can have various ratings, for example, 900 amps for charging trucks and buses, 450 amps for ultrafast charging, and further 300 amp and 150 amp ports. It may be desirable to have more dynamic ports to provide the flexibility to dynamically reconfigure the load / power being served at any given moment and the maximum power flow that can be maintained.This is in comparison to conventional methods, which require dedicated, fully rated power converters with fixed and sometimes isolated maximum power flow capacities for each power source and load, making them expensive, bulky, and inflexible.

[0055] As used herein, the term “dynamic port” refers to an electrical connection whose maximum available power flow through that port can be dynamically adjusted at any given time by a control circuit, such as a multiplexer. For example, the utilization rate of MERS can be maximized by dynamically adjusting the power flow capacity of a “dynamic port.” That is, if a device is connected to a particular dynamic port, MERS can, for example, use a multiplexer or other controller or control circuit to select the power flow capacity, or maximum allowable power flow, between itself and the device through that port. Note that the port capacity can be set to 0, meaning that the device connected to this dynamic port can be dynamically disconnected from MERS. In this specification, the term “static port” means an electrical connection whose maximum available power flow through that port, i.e., the port capacity, cannot be dynamically selected by MERS. For example, the first port connected to the AC utility grid in Figure 4 would be considered a static port because MERS does not selectively control the power flow capacity, i.e., the maximum power flow, that is allowed through the first port between the grid and MERS. Instead, it is fixed to the capacity set during the design of the MERS system.

[0056] By avoiding direct and permanent connection of converter modules to designated dynamic ports, the power converter stack can be dynamically reconfigured, allowing the required number of converter modules to be connected in parallel to each dynamic port of the MERS to meet the individual voltage and power needs of each port. This can be done while maintaining complete galvanic isolation between all dynamic ports at all times without circulating current. Considering the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 6, all six converter modules can be connected simultaneously to dynamic port "A" to achieve a total capacity of 900A. Two separate sets of three converter modules can be further connected to ports "B" and "C" to simultaneously generate two independently controlled and isolated ports with a capacity of 450A. The same principle can be applied to ports "D" through "H", allowing up to two converter modules to be connected in parallel to achieve five independently controlled and isolated ports capable of supplying up to 300A. A single converter module can be placed at ports "I" and "J" to provide two additional 150A connection points. While it is understood that not all ports can be powered at full capacity simultaneously, this unique level of flexibility and dynamic reconfiguration allows for more efficient use of the installed converter module capacity and resources by positioning converter modules from underutilized dynamic ports to ports requiring more power.

[0057] At the stack level, the central controller 116 collects the necessary power and voltage for each dynamic port via a communication link (wireless, wired, etc.) and can reconfigure the stack using a multiplexer 140 or a set of multiplexers to place the required number of converter modules per port. The controller 116 can be one of many different controllers or control circuits known in the art and may comprise one or more multiplexers, switches, relays, or combinations thereof. Note that load switching may not be necessary under normal conditions, which further simplifies the design of the multiplexer. The multiplexer can also manage the necessary isolation for individual dynamic ports and isolate the dynamic ports in the event of a failure.

[0058] The flexibility and value of MERS can be further enhanced by adding “static” AC and / or DC ports. For example, it is increasingly desirable to power loads from renewable sources such as PV or to manage peak grid demand using energy storage. In this case, additional converters for PV panels and batteries are typically required, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and further integration with the charging portal is necessary. MERS can provide the full functionality of an integrated transmission line connection system including PV, energy storage, DC loads (e.g., EV charging), and AC loads / power sources, enabling advanced features such as demand reduction, grid assistance, and bidirectional power flow (AC and DC) between all ports, unlocking further value flows without significantly adding costs or sacrificing flexibility. This can be achieved completely isolated from dynamic ports and the grid using an integrated power frequency step-down transformer, with the same converter modules as shown in Figures 5A and 5B. For these “static” ports, multiplexing may not be necessary, and as shown in the exemplary implementation of MERS in Figure 6, a suitable number of converter modules can be permanently connected in parallel to meet the required power levels. These additional power sources can be utilized using the same converter without requiring separate power electronics as was necessary in conventional solutions. MERS can also accommodate generators or fuel cells in a floating configuration if integration of a generator or fuel cell is required, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B. MERS's ability to provide two levels of isolation—from the step-down transformer within the converter module and from the power converter transformer—allows it to provide unique configurations for loads and power sources that may require grounding or safety grounding. Furthermore, each converter module can have its own isolation, so even if "output" ports are configured (see Figure 6), they can all maintain galvanic isolation from one another. This allows MERS to power multiple loads (e.g., EVs and hydrogen electrolysis cells) while providing independent safety grounding to each load. This flexibility is crucial to enabling a wide range of potential applications in which MERS can assist in the field for many years to come.

[0059] The double isolation provided by MERS also enables flexible grounding methods for power supplies and loads. In fact, as shown in Figure 7, in addition to the first port and multiple second ports, MERS can further include additional static and / or dynamic ports electrically connected to one or more first converter bridges or one or more second converter bridges. For example, as shown in Figure 7, MERS may further include a third port (e.g., a static port) electrically connected to one or more of the first converter bridges of the PV array and multiple power converter modules. MERS may further include a fourth port (e.g., a static port) electrically connected to one or more of the second converter bridges of the battery and multiple power converter modules. Also, as shown in Figure 7, MERS can be configured to independently define the positive or negative DC grounds of the PV array and battery storage system. Static DC ports can also be left floating if necessary. Furthermore, the double isolation allows for "series" connection of two static ports via a power converter transformer, doubling the voltage capability of the port. As shown in Figure 8, this can be used to connect (interface) with high-voltage PV systems in the range of 1.5kV to 2kV, for example.

[0060] Constructed of N converter modules, each with its own dedicated / individual electrical isolation, MERS can accommodate up to N+1 grounding schemes. The ground of the first converter bridge can be freely / flexibly defined using the isolation provided by the grid transformer, and the ground of the second converter bridge can be independently defined N times at the individual converter module level.

[0061] Finally, the converter modules used in the various embodiments disclosed herein can be fully bidirectional, allowing AC or DC power to flow from any port to any other, and to and from the grid. This is of great interest for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications and for providing grid assistance and microgrid functionality.

[0062] To further demonstrate the unique level of flexibility offered by the various MERS disclosed herein, four use cases examining exemplary MERS used in fast-charging applications are shown in Figures 9A–9D. The MERS examined use a configuration similar to that in Figure 6 and have a 900A capacity shared among the dynamic ports. Furthermore, these use cases assume that six vehicles are connected to six of the dynamic ports. Of the six vehicles, five are electric vehicles (or EVs) capable of charging at various speeds and requiring different DC or AC charging voltages, such as 350Vdc to 850Vdc and 208Vac, and one is an electric truck requiring the highest power and voltage in this example, such as 1000Vdc. It is important to note that the four use cases presented in this example can use the exact same MERS platform and hardware.

[0063] As shown in Example I of Figure 9A, the entire capacity of the MERS can be dedicated to charging electric trucks, providing a charging capacity of 900kW with a DC current of 900A at 1000Vdc. In this example, the other ports are in "standby" mode, and the MV AC grid supplies all of the required 900kW of power. Once the truck is fully charged, or according to some higher level of power supply control strategy, the truck's charging DC port can be disabled, as shown in Example II of Figure 9B, and the 900A current capacity can be dynamically routed to the other five dynamic ports in use. This can be achieved independently by utilizing the multiplexer and dynamic port principles described above. Note that in this example, the MERS supplies both AC and DC power through multiple dynamic ports. In Example II of Figure 9B, each port is controlled independently to meet the power and voltage requirements of each vehicle. Here again, the MV grid alone supplies the required power, 561kW in this example. While Cases I and II are presented as two separate illustrative examples, it should be noted that all combinations of power distribution among six vehicles are possible; that is, within the capabilities of MERS, trucks and cars can be charged simultaneously at different rates.

[0064] Case III (Figure 9C) and Case IV (Figure 9D) again use the exact same MERS platform and hardware, utilizing additional static ports provided by MERS to connect PV power sources and battery storage elements to the system. If required by the application, AC generators can also be connected using the static ports. Case III is similar to Case I, where the entire dynamic port capacity of MERS is dedicated to charging the truck. However, here, 700 kW of the required power is partially supplied by additionally connected PV (300 kW) and battery systems (400 kW). This reduces the grid power demand from the original 900 kW to 200 kW, providing a very high level of grid assistance. Achieving this additional level of functionality would have required a complete redesign of the converter system using existing conventional methods, which is essentially provided by the MERS architecture, and the additional static ports provided can be used in such applications during the initial commissioning of the system or during subsequent field upgrade activities. Case IV, Figure 9D, shows a similar charging capacity to Case II, with the addition of PV and battery systems. In this example, 300kW of power from the PV system and 461kW of power from the MV grid are combined to provide 561kW of power needed to charge the vehicle, with the remaining 200kW used to charge the battery system.

[0065] The four exemplary use cases shown in Figures 9A to 9D demonstrate the unique level of flexibility enabled by MERS, where power can be routed between any port and any other, multiple static ports can be used to add distributed energy sources and storage to the system (AC or DC), and dynamic ports can be independently controlled and dynamically reconfigured to accommodate target voltage and power levels.

[0066] Finally, all MERS ports can be fully bidirectional, and MERS can also operate in grid-forming mode, assisting black start or microgrids as needed. Case V, Figure 10, shows a typical MERS use case where power is drawn from a PV system (300kW) and a battery system (300kW) and injected into the grid. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) assistance is also possible and is utilized in Case V. In this case, the truck's battery supplies an additional 300kW of power, for a total of 900kW injected into the AC grid. This, too, can be achieved using the same MERS platform and hardware as Cases I-IV.

[0067] It should be understood that the embodiments and claims disclosed herein are not limited in their application to the structural and arrangement details of the components described in the specification and shown in the drawings. Rather, the specification and drawings provide examples of conceivable embodiments. The embodiments and claims disclosed herein are also capable of further embodiments and can be practiced and implemented in various ways. Furthermore, it should be understood that the expressions and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered to limit the scope of the claims.

[0068] Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that the concepts underlying this application and its claims can be readily used as the basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems to accomplish the embodiments and some of the objectives of the claims presented herein. It is therefore important that the claims be considered to include such equivalent configurations.

[0069] Furthermore, the purpose of the aforementioned abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the general public, including those skilled in the art who are not particularly familiar with patent and legal terminology and expressions, to quickly grasp the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of this application by simply glancing at it. The abstract is not intended to define or limit the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-port energy routing system, A first port electrically connected to the AC utility grid, One or more second ports, configured to allow power to flow between the multi-port energy routing system and a plurality of devices electrically connected to one or more of the second ports, The third port and A power converter stack comprising multiple power converter modules, wherein each of the power converter modules is First converter bridge, The second converter bridge, and Equipped with a power converter transformer, The power converter transformer has a first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge and a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge. The second converter bridge is electrically connected to one or more of the second ports. A power converter stack, The first port is configured to allow power to flow from the AC utility grid to the power converter stack. A multi-port energy routing system in which the third port is electrically connected to one of the first converter bridges and one of the second converter bridges in one or more of the power converter modules.

2. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, further comprising a step-down transformer having a high-voltage side electrically connected to the first port and a low-voltage side electrically connected to the first converter bridge.

3. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second converter bridges of at least one power converter module are configured to simultaneously manage the flow of AC and DC power bidirectionally between the first, second and third ports.

4. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second converter bridges are configured to manage the flow of AC and DC power bidirectionally between at least the first and second ports.

5. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 2, wherein the first converter bridge is electrically connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer.

6. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the power converter stack further comprises one or more control circuits for routing power between one or more of the second converter bridges and a predetermined set of the plurality of devices.

7. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the control circuits comprises at least one multiplexer.

8. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the control circuits comprises at least one switch and / or relay.

9. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the third port is electrically connected to the first converter bridge in one or more of the plurality of power converter modules.

10. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the third port is capable of transmitting power between an AC / DC power supply / load connected to the third port and another AC / DC power supply / load connected to another port of the multiport energy routing system.

11. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the third port is a dynamic port.

12. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth port electrically connected to the second converter bridge in one or more of the plurality of power converter modules.

13. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 12, wherein the fourth port is capable of transmitting power between an AC / DC power supply / load connected to the fourth port and another AC / DC power supply / load connected to another port of the multiport energy routing system.

14. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 12, wherein the fourth port is a dynamic port.

15. The step-down transformer further comprises a high-voltage side electrically connected to the first port and a low-voltage side electrically connected to the first converter bridge, The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 12, wherein the ground of the fourth port is electrically independent from the ground of the step-down transformer.

16. One or more of the second ports are The plurality of devices are supplied with DC power and / or, DC power is received from the aforementioned multiple devices. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the DC dynamic port is configured as described above.

17. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the second ports enable power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a first device among the plurality of devices at a first power level, and enable power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a second device among the plurality of devices at a second power level greater than the first power level.

18. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein each of the power converter modules is a soft-switching solid-state transformer converter.

19. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 2, wherein the first port, the second port, the step-down transformer, and the power converter stack are integrated within a housing.

20. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to select one or more devices from among the plurality of devices electrically connected to the second port, to which electrical energy from the multiport energy routing system is supplied for a predetermined time.

21. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 20, wherein the controller comprises one or more multiplexers.

22. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of devices are selected from the group consisting of electric vehicle charging stations, solar power generation modules, batteries, electrolytic cells, and combinations thereof.

23. The multi-port energy routing system can be configured between N+1 grounding schemes. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 1, wherein N is the number of power converter modules in the power converter stack.

24. A multi-port energy routing system, A first port configured to be electrically connected to an AC utility grid, One or more second ports, configured to allow power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and one or more devices electrically connected to the multiport energy routing system, The low-voltage side electrically connected to the first port, and High voltage side A step-down transformer having, A power converter stack comprising multiple power converter modules, wherein each of the power converter modules is A first converter bridge electrically connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer, A second converter bridge electrically connected to one or more of the second ports, and Equipped with a power converter transformer, The power converter transformer in question The first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge, Having a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge, Power converter stack and The device comprises one or more of the first converter bridges and a third port electrically connected to one of the one or more of the second converter bridges, The first and second converter bridges are configured to manage the flow of AC and DC power bidirectionally between the first, second, and third ports. The third port is electrically connected to the first converter bridge in one or more of the plurality of power converter modules, and The third port is configured to transmit power between an AC / DC power supply / load electrically connected to the third port and another AC / DC power supply / load electrically connected to another port of the multi-port energy routing system. A multiport energy routing system, which is one or more of these things.

25. The power converter stack further comprises one or more control circuits for routing power between one or more of the second converter bridges and a predetermined set of the plurality of devices. At least one of the control circuits comprises at least one multiplexer. At least one of the control circuits comprises at least one switch and / or relay, The third port is a dynamic port. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 24, which is one or more of the above.

26. The system further comprises a fourth port electrically connected to the second converter bridge in one or more of the plurality of power converter modules, The multiport energy routing system according to claim 24, wherein the fourth port is configured to transmit power between an AC / DC power supply / load electrically connected to the fourth port and another AC / DC power supply / load electrically connected to another port of the multiport energy routing system.

27. One or more of the second ports are AC or DC power is supplied to the aforementioned plurality of devices and / or, Receiving AC or DC power from the aforementioned multiple devices The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 24, wherein the dynamic ports are configured as follows.

28. One or more of the second ports are configured to allow power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a first device among the plurality of devices at a first maximum power level, and to allow power to flow between the multiport energy routing system and a second device among the plurality of devices at a second maximum power level greater than the first maximum power level. Each of the aforementioned power converter modules is a soft-switching solid-state transformer converter. One or more of the aforementioned devices include an electric vehicle charging station. One or more of the aforementioned devices include a photovoltaic module. One or more of the aforementioned devices include a battery, and One or more of the aforementioned devices include an electrolytic cell. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 24, which is one or more of the above.

29. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 24, wherein each of the first port, the second port, the third port, the step-down transformer, and the power converter stack is integrated within a housing.

30. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 24, further comprising a controller configured to select one or more devices from among the plurality of devices electrically connected to the second port, to which electrical energy from the multiport energy routing system is supplied at a maximum power flow capacity for a predetermined time.

31. The multi-port energy routing system can be configured among N+1 independent grounding schemes. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 24, wherein N is the number of power converter modules in the power converter stack.

32. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 26, wherein the fourth port is a dynamic port.

33. The multi-port energy routing system according to claim 26, wherein the ground of the fourth port is electrically independent from the ground of the step-down transformer.

34. A multi-port energy routing system, A plurality of second device ports configured to be electrically connected to a plurality of devices, the multi-port energy routing system and the plurality of second device ports configured to control the flow of power between the plurality of devices, The high-voltage side, configured to be electrically connected to the AC utility grid, and Low voltage side A step-down transformer having, Multiple power converter modules, and One or more multiplexers A power converter stack comprising, Each of the power converter modules is, A first converter bridge electrically connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer, A second converter bridge electrically connected to the plurality of second device ports, and Power converter transformer Equipped with, The power converter transformer has a first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge and a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge. At least one of the one or more multiplexers is configured to receive power from at least one of the second converter bridges and to supply power to one or more of the plurality of devices. A multi-port energy routing system in which the third port is electrically connected to the first converter bridge in one or more of the power converter modules.

35. Further comprising a first static AC port configured to be electrically connected to an AC utility grid, The low-voltage side of the step-down transformer is electrically connected to the first static AC port. One or more of the plurality of second device ports is a dynamic DC port configured to allow DC power to flow between the multi-port energy routing system and the plurality of devices. Each power converter module is equipped with a power converter transformer, The power converter transformer is, The first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge, The multiport energy routing system according to claim 34, further comprising a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge.

36. Each of the second device ports is a dynamic DC port, Each of the aforementioned multiplexers is The plurality of power converter modules are configured to receive DC power from the second converter bridge and to supply DC power to one or more of the plurality of devices electrically connected to the dynamic DC port. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 35, configured to receive DC power from one or more of the plurality of devices electrically connected to the dynamic DC port, and to supply DC power to the second converter bridge in the plurality of power converter modules.

37. The multi-port energy routing system can be configured among N+1 independent grounding schemes. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 35, wherein N is the number of power converter modules in the power converter stack.

38. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 36, wherein at least one of the plurality of devices is selected from the group consisting of an electric vehicle charging station, a solar power generation module, a battery, an electrolytic cell, a data center, a hydrogen generation unit by electrolysis, and combinations thereof.

39. A multi-port energy routing system, A static AC port configured to be electrically connected to an AC utility grid, A plurality of DC ports, wherein the plurality of DC ports are configured to allow DC power to flow between the multi-port energy routing system and a plurality of devices electrically connected to the plurality of DC ports, A step-down transformer having a high-voltage side and a low-voltage side, the high-voltage side being electrically connected to the static AC port, A power converter stack comprising a plurality of power converter modules, each of which comprises a power converter transformer having a first converter bridge, a second converter bridge, a first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge, and a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge, wherein the first converter bridge is electrically connected to the low-voltage side of the step-down transformer, An additional port electrically connected to one of the first converter bridges and one of the second converter bridges in one or more of the power converter modules, A multiport energy routing system comprising: one or more multiplexers configured to receive DC power from the second converter bridge in the plurality of power converter modules and to supply DC power to one or more selected devices from the plurality of devices electrically connected to the DC ports.

40. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 39, wherein the one or more multiplexers are further configured to receive DC power from one or more selected devices from the plurality of devices electrically connected to the DC port and to supply DC power to the second converter bridge in the plurality of power converter modules.

41. The multiport energy routing system according to claim 39, wherein each of the plurality of power converter modules comprises a power converter transformer having a first side electrically connected to the first converter bridge of each power converter module and a second side electrically connected to the second converter bridge of each power converter module.

Images