Two-Phase Electric Drivetrain With Cell-Level Inverter Strings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric vehicles using three-phase electric motors and integrated converters are costly to produce.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a two-phase electric drivetrain with cell-level control units, each comprising battery cells, an h-bridge, and a DC/DC converter, arranged into control unit strings, and utilizing leg switches for power supply and end switches for charging, reducing hardware requirements and enabling higher voltages with fewer cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional three-phase electric motors with integrated converters are used, then the vehicle can achieve standard propulsion performance, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery system into modular cell-level control units, where each unit independently manages a subset of battery cells. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the overall power conversion system by distributing control functions across multiple independent modules, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining propulsion performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the inverter function from the traditional integrated converter and implements it at the cell-level through h-bridge circuits in each control unit. This extraction simplifies the overall system architecture by separating power conversion functions, reducing hardware complexity and production costs
2Device complexity
If conventional integrated converters are used, then power conversion can be achieved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The converter system is segmented into distributed cell-level control units, each handling a portion of the power conversion independently. This segmentation reduces system complexity by breaking down the monolithic converter into manageable modular units that are easier to manufacture and assemble
Solution Approach 2:
Each cell-level control unit is designed as a universal module that can perform multiple functions including DC-DC conversion, DC-AC inversion, and battery management. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby reducing system complexity and production costs
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
Reduces production costs and increases efficiency by minimizing hardware, achieving higher voltages with fewer cells, and improving electromagnetic compatibility through balanced current phases.
Implementation Method 1
a DC/DC converter, in parallel with the h-bridge, that converts battery cell voltage to an output voltage
Implementation Method 2
an h-bridge operable as a cell-level inverter
Data Source
AI summary
Vehicle propulsion using a two-phase electric machine (e.g., using a computerized tool) is enabled. For example, a two-phase electric drivetrain can comprise a plurality of cell-level control units. Each cell-level control unit of the plurality of cell-level control units can respectively comprise one or more battery cells, an h-bridge operable as a cell-level inverter, and a DC/DC converter, in parallel with the h-bridge, that converts battery cell voltage to an output voltage. The plurality of cell-level control units can be arranged into a pair of control unit strings comprising a first control unit string and a second control unit string.