Dual DC/DC Safety Connection for Vehicle Traction Power Buses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high voltage traction systems face challenges related to safety, reliability, and efficiency, particularly in managing multiple power packs and loads under various operating conditions, with electrical faults potentially propagating and affecting other components.
Innovation Solution
A high voltage traction system with a common traction voltage bus and parallelly arranged battery packs, featuring separate first and second connection lines for the low voltage system, each connected to DC/DC converters with protection fuses, and individual load connectors with protection fuses, ensuring redundancy and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple battery packs are parallelly connected to a common traction voltage bus to meet higher power requirements and provide redundancy, then the power supply capability and system redundancy are improved, but the complexity of managing multiple power packs and loads increases, and electrical faults may propagate through the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrical system into distinct high voltage and low voltage domains with separate connection paths. The high voltage traction system (battery packs, traction motor) is separated from the low voltage system (accessories, control systems) through individual connection lines and isolation devices. This segmentation prevents fault propagation between systems while maintaining management complexity at acceptable levels by organizing components into functional groups.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If individual connection lines with isolation devices are provided for each load and the low voltage system to the common traction voltage bus, then the protection against electrical faults and system safety are improved, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces isolation devices (contactors, fuses, circuit breakers) as intermediary components between the high voltage common traction voltage bus and the low voltage system. These isolation devices act as mediators that can disconnect fault conditions while maintaining the electrical connection architecture. The individual connection lines with isolation devices provide controlled access points that protect against fault propagation while managing the number of components through strategic placement of isolation devices at critical junctions.
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
Enhances the reliability and safety of the low voltage system by providing redundancy and protection against electrical faults, aligning with automotive safety standards and maintaining operation even in the event of a fault, while ensuring efficient power distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a first connection line comprising a first safety connector connected in series with a first DC/DC converter, and a second connection line arranged separately and in parallel to the first connection line, the second connection line comprising a second safety connector connected in series with a second DC/DC converter
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A high voltage traction system (101) for a vehicle (1), comprising: a common traction voltage bus (135); a plurality of battery packs (131, 132, 133) connectable to the common traction voltage bus (135); at least one load (110a, 110b) connected to, and powered by, the battery packs (131, 132, 133) via the common traction voltage bus (135); a low voltage system (105) being connected to, and powered by, the battery packs (131, 132, 133) via the common traction voltage bus (135), the low voltage system (105) being connected to the common traction voltage bus (135) by an individual safety connection (106) comprising a first connection line (106a) including a first safety connector (107a) connected in series with a first DC/DC converter (108a), and a second connection line (106b) arranged separately and in parallel to the first connection line (106a), the second connection line (106b) including a second safety connector (107a) connected in series with a second DC/DC converter (108b).