Shared Power Converter Topology for High-Current EV Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plug-in electric vehicles face increased cost and weight due to dedicated components for battery charging, and limited charging current capacity, which restricts the efficiency of recharging their on-board electrical storage devices.
Innovation Solution
A power electronic energy conversion system that utilizes shared power electronics among vehicles to augment the charging current, allowing a remote power supply to charge the vehicle's energy storage device, thereby reducing the need for dedicated components and increasing the charging current capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated battery charging components are used in plug-in electric vehicles, then the vehicle can recharge its traction battery from external sources, but the cost and weight of the vehicle increase due to additional dedicated components
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage converter is designed to perform multiple functions: it can convert voltage from the energy storage device to drive the electric motor, and it can also convert voltage from external power supplies to charge the energy storage device. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated charging components, thereby reducing vehicle weight while maintaining full charging capability.
2Productivity
If the on-board battery charging circuitry is designed to supply higher total current for rapid charging, then the charging speed increases, but the size and capacity of the circuitry components must be increased, adding additional cost and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage converter serves dual purposes as both a motor drive and a charging circuit. By utilizing the same power electronic components for both propulsion and charging functions, the system achieves rapid charging capability without requiring oversized dedicated charging components, thus avoiding additional weight and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the motor drive function and the charging function into a single integrated voltage converter system. This merging of functions allows the sharing of power electronic components (such as switches, inductors, and capacitors) between the drive and charging operations, enabling rapid charging without proportionally increasing component size and weight.
3Reliability
If dedicated components are used for transferring energy between the on-board electrical storage device and external sources, then energy transfer is reliable, but the number of components increases, adding cost and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage converter is designed to reliably perform both motor drive and charging functions using the same set of components. The controller manages the switching between these functions, ensuring reliable energy transfer whether the system is propelling the vehicle or charging the battery, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing component count.
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
This solution enables rapid charging of electric vehicles by sharing power electronics, reducing the number of dedicated components and increasing the charging current, thus enhancing charging efficiency and reducing costs and weight.
Implementation Method 1
a first voltage converter configured to transform a stored voltage from the first energy storage device into a first voltage configured to drive an electric motor
Implementation Method 2
The first voltage converter is also configured to transform a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.