Switchable Charging Circuit for High-Voltage Battery Pack Charging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric vehicle charging systems are limited by long charging times and the inability to increase voltage during charging, restricting the capacity of electrical energy storage systems to below 50 kWh, and necessitating the development of methods to shorten charging times to match those of internal combustion engine vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A charging circuit and method that utilize switches to create an increased voltage level during charging, allowing at least twice the normal voltage between the input and output, enabling doubled charging power while maintaining existing component compatibility and flexibility in connecting energy storage units in series or parallel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the charging voltage is increased to reduce charging time, then the charging power is improved, but the existing energy storage system circuitry cannot accommodate the voltage increase due to hard-wired series or parallel connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the circuit configuration changeable through switching elements. The energy storage units can be dynamically reconfigured from a permanent hard-wired arrangement to a flexible switchable arrangement, allowing the system to adapt its voltage output based on charging requirements. This enables the same physical components to provide both normal operating voltage and elevated charging voltage as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (voltage) by using switching elements to reconfigure the series/parallel connections of energy storage units. Instead of being fixed at a single voltage level, the system can switch between different voltage configurations (e.g., series connection for higher voltage during charging, parallel connection for normal operation), thereby achieving both high charging power and compatibility with existing components.
2Productivity
If the charging time is reduced by increasing voltage, then the productivity is improved, but the complexity of the charging circuit increases due to additional switching elements
Solution Approach 1:
The switching elements serve multiple functions: they enable voltage reconfiguration for fast charging, maintain normal operating voltage levels, and provide flexibility in connecting energy storage units. By making these components multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate dedicated fast-charging circuitry, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while achieving high charging speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the energy storage system into individually controllable units that can be selectively connected through switching elements. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high voltage for fast charging by connecting units in series only when needed, rather than requiring a completely separate high-voltage charging system, thus managing complexity through modular organization.
3Quantity of substance
If the energy storage capacity is increased to more than 50 kWh, then the energy storage capability is improved, but the charging time becomes excessively long without voltage increase capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic voltage adjustment capability in energy storage systems with large capacity (50+ kWh). By using switching elements to reconfigure series/parallel connections during charging, the system can operate at elevated voltage levels to accept higher charging power, thereby reducing the excessively long charging times that would otherwise result from charging large-capacity systems at standard voltage and power levels.
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 significantly reduces charging times by increasing voltage levels during charging operations, allowing for higher capacity electrical energy storage systems to be charged efficiently without requiring new technologies for existing components, and ensuring safety and flexibility in energy storage unit connections.
Implementation Method 1
The charging circuit is configured to connect the electrical energy storage units in series to a voltage level which is increased relative to a normal operating voltage level of the electrical energy storage system
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a charging circuit (200) for an electrical energy storage system (100) having n electrical energy storage units (R1, R2). The charging circuit (200) comprises at least a first input (E1) and a second input (E2) for electrically connecting to an energy source, at least a first output (A1) and a second output (A2), and at least n first pole connections (P1) and n second pole connections (P2), wherein the pole connections can be connected in an electrically conductive manner to corresponding pole connections of the electrical energy storage units. In addition, the charging circuit comprises at least n first switches (S11, S12), at least n second switches (S21, S22), and at least n third switches (S31), wherein the first output (A1) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first first switch (S11), the second output (A2) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first second connection, the first input (E1) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the nth first switch, the second input (E2) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first second switch, and the first second and third switches are connected in such a way that, by means of an energy source connected to the first input (E1) and the second input (E2), a voltage level at least twice as high as the voltage level between the first output (A1) and the second output (A2) is present between the first input (E1) and the second input (E2) during charging operation. The invention further relates to a charging method for the charging operation of an electrical energy storage system, to such an electrical energy storage system (100), and to a use of a charging circuit (200) according to the invention.