EV Charging Station Tapping High Voltage Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
In rural and semi-urban areas, the existing electrical distribution systems are weak or non-existent, making it challenging to install electric vehicle charging stations without a domino effect of upsizing the local low voltage network, which is inefficient and costly, and existing solutions do not effectively bypass the medium voltage network when connecting to high or extra high voltage transmission lines.
Innovation Solution
A power supply electric vehicle charging station system that directly taps into high or extra high voltage transmission lines (60 kV to 800 kV) using power voltage transformers, bypassing the medium voltage network, and comprising a charging station tap, substation, and park, with equipment for safe connection, protection, automation, and communication to remotely operate and monitor the charging stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the local low voltage network is upsized to receive an electric vehicle charging station, then the charging station can be powered, but this initiates a domino effect requiring successive upsizing of upstream network levels at medium voltage, increasing infrastructure costs and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the charging station power supply directly from the high voltage transmission line (60-800 kV) by bypassing the medium voltage distribution network. This is achieved through a dedicated tap connection on the transmission line and a power voltage transformer that steps down to low voltage (below 1 kV), eliminating the need to upscale the entire medium voltage network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the voltage dimension by introducing a direct high voltage to low voltage transformation path. Instead of following the conventional hierarchical voltage levels (high voltage → medium voltage → low voltage), the system creates a direct connection at the high voltage level and transforms directly to low voltage using a power voltage transformer, effectively skipping the medium voltage dimension.
2Power
If the local low voltage network is upsized to receive an electric vehicle charging station, then the charging station can be powered, but additional investment and infrastructure development are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts power directly from the existing high voltage transmission line infrastructure that already crosses rural and semi-urban areas. By tapping into this existing infrastructure and using a power voltage transformer for direct high voltage to low voltage transformation, the system avoids the costly upsizing and expansion of medium voltage distribution networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The power voltage transformer serves as an intermediary device that enables direct power extraction from high voltage transmission lines. This specialized transformer bridges the gap between high voltage (60-800 kV) and low voltage (below 1 kV) systems, making it possible to power charging stations without developing medium voltage infrastructure.
3Ease of manufacture
If power voltage transformers are used to supply low voltage directly from high or extra high voltage transmission lines, then medium voltage network distribution is bypassed reducing infrastructure costs, but specialized equipment and safety measures are required
Solution Approach 1:
The power voltage transformer acts as a specialized intermediary that safely bridges the extreme voltage difference between high voltage transmission lines (60-800 kV) and low voltage distribution (below 1 kV). This single specialized piece of equipment handles the voltage transformation in one step, replacing what would conventionally require multiple transformation stages through medium voltage infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The power voltage transformer performs multiple functions in a single device: voltage transformation from high to low voltage, power extraction from the transmission line, and providing a controlled interface between the high voltage transmission system and low voltage charging infrastructure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized equipment.
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
Enables efficient and reliable power supply to electric vehicle charging stations by limiting power availability only by the transformers' nominal power and short-circuit capacity, reducing infrastructure costs and maintaining network reliability and availability.
Implementation Method 1
one or more power voltage transformers for transforming the high or extra high voltage to a low voltage for feeding electric vehicle chargers
Data Source
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Figure 3(a)~3(d)
Figure 4
AI summary
An electric vehicle charging station for connecting to a span of a high or extra high voltage transmission line, comprising: a tap for connecting to the span of the transmission line; a substation comprising one or more power voltage transformers; a plurality of electric vehicle chargers. The power voltage transformers are station service voltage transformers, auxiliary service voltage transformers, or power VTs. Said power voltage transformers may be star-delta transformers or star-star transformers. Said tap may comprises, for each phase of the transmission line: an insulator for linking a first and a second interrupted conductor points of an interrupted transmission line conductor; a drop conductor connected between the first interrupted conductor point and said substation; a shunt connector connected between the second interrupted conductor point and a point of the drop conductor or connected between the first and second interrupted conductor points.