HV Bus Bar Isolation for Fast Vehicle Short-Circuit Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuse systems in high-power electric power distribution systems, particularly in vehicles with large energy storage capacity, fail to effectively manage short circuit currents, leading to potential thermal degradation due to either insufficient or delayed fuse activation.
Innovation Solution
An electric power distribution system incorporating a positive and negative polarity bus bar, a current sensor integrated circuit, an igniting agent operated device, and an ASIC without a central processing unit, directly coupled to rapidly detect and respond to excessive current, severing bus bars to prevent damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fuse systems are used in high-power electric power distribution systems, then the system structure is simple, but the response time is delayed and thermal degradation occurs due to insufficient fuse activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical fuse system with an electronic protection system comprising current sensor integrated circuits, ASICs, and igniting agent operated devices. This substitution enables much faster detection and response to short circuit conditions, eliminating the delayed thermal response of conventional fuses while improving reliability through direct electrical coupling and rapid actuation of isolation devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces current sensor integrated circuits as intermediaries between the power distribution system and the control system. These sensors directly detect short circuit conditions and transmit signals to the ASIC, which then activates the igniting agent operated devices. This intermediary sensing mechanism enables faster and more reliable detection compared to conventional fuse systems.
2Reliability
If conventional fuse systems are used, then the device complexity is low, but the system cannot respond to wide range of short circuit currents effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protection system into distinct functional modules: current sensor integrated circuits for detection, ASICs for signal processing and control logic, and igniting agent operated devices for physical isolation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling effective handling of wide ranges of short circuit currents while maintaining manageable overall system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by using an igniting agent operated device that transforms an electrical signal from the ASIC into a rapid physical action (ignition/expansion) to isolate the short circuit. This parameter transformation enables the system to respond effectively to varying short circuit current magnitudes by converting electrical detection into immediate mechanical/electrical isolation.
3Reliability
If a microcontroller with central processing unit is used, then processing capability is enhanced, but response time increases due to processing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the central processing unit from the control system, eliminating it entirely in favor of a dedicated ASIC. This extraction removes the processing delays inherent in microcontroller architectures while retaining the necessary control functionality through hardware-based logic in the ASIC, thereby achieving faster response times for current detection and short circuit mitigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a current sensor integrated circuit that directly copies or replicates the short circuit current signal and transmits it to the ASIC without processing delays. This direct signal copying mechanism, combined with the ASIC's hardware-based response logic, enables rapid detection and response that bypasses the sequential processing bottlenecks of microcontroller-based systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system quickly and reliably mitigates short circuit conditions, reducing the risk of system degradation by swiftly decoupling power sources and consumers, allowing continued vehicle operation.
Implementation Method 1
an igniting agent operated device configured to sever the bus bar
Implementation Method 2
an igniting agent operated device configured to sever the bus bar
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for controlling electric power flow through an electric power distribution system of a vehicle are described. In one example, the electric power distribution system includes a plurality of batteries and a plurality of electric machines that are electrically coupled via a positive polarity bus bar and a negative polarity bus bar. One or both of the bus bars may be severed via an igniting agent operated device to reduce a possibility of degradation of the electric power distribution system.