DESC:METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CHARGING SWAPPABLE BATTERY PACKS
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICTIONS
The present application claims priority from Indian Provisional Patent Application No. c filed on 19/03/2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to a charging system. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a battery charging system. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method for operating a battery charging system. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a modular battery swapping station.
BACKGROUND
Recently, with increasing usage of electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle, the network of a battery swapping stations are expanding. The battery swapping stations enable quick battery replacement, reducing EV downtime compared to conventional charging. Furthermore, the battery swapping station supports the fleet operations, such as taxis and delivery services, by ensuring continuous mobility. These stations help manage grid load by charging batteries during off-peak hours and distributing them as needed.
Generally, the battery swapping stations are built to drastically reduce EV downtime by enabling quick battery replacement instead of the battery charging. The battery swapping station are beneficial to extend the battery lifespan through controlled charging environments, optimizing thermal management and reducing degradation. Also, the battery leasing models at the battery swapping station lowers the upfront costs, making EV adoption more affordable for users. Additionally, the battery swapping station helps to manage the grid demand by charging batteries during off-peak hours, improving energy efficiency and grid stability. However, there might have issue comes when an AC/DC converter fails in the battery swapping station which disrupts the conversion of grid-supplied alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC), preventing proper battery charging and potentially shutting down the entire station. Such failures often result due to overheating, component aging, power surges, or internal short circuits in rectifiers and capacitors, leading to power factor degradation, harmonic distortions, and voltage fluctuations that affect grid stability. Also, there may be a DC/DC converter failure may occur which impacts the regulation and optimization of DC power delivery, causing incorrect voltage or current output, which can damage EV batteries or make charging ineffective. Since DC/DC converters manage voltage step-up (boost) or step-down (buck) functions, the failure of DC/DC converter may lead to excessive current flow, overheating, or even thermal runaway in the batteries. The common issues may arise due to AC/DC or DC/DC converter failure includes a MOSFET/IGBT degradation, inductor failures, or control circuit malfunctions, which can result in erratic State of Charge (SoC) readings and improper power delivery. While AC/DC failures impact the entire charging station, DC/DC issues are often localized but harder to diagnose immediately.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved battery swapping station arrangement to overcome the one or more problems associated as set forth above.
SUMMARY
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery charging system.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for operating a battery charging system.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a modular battery swapping station.
In accordance with first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a battery charging system comprising a three-phase power input, a plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters, wherein each of the plurality of AC/DC converter is connected to a respective phase of the three-phase power input, a plurality of DC/DC converters, wherein each of the plurality of DC/DC converter is connected to the respective AC/DC converter through a DC link, a plurality of battery slots connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter. A plurality of configurable interconnection circuits comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the interconnection circuits are connected between DC links of corresponding AC/DC converters and a control unit configured to monitor operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input, detect charging status of batteries in the battery slots and control the interconnection circuits to selectively interconnect DC links based on the operational status and charging status.
The present disclosure discloses a battery charging system. The battery charging system as disclosed by present disclosure is advantageous in terms of providing an optimized power utilization and enhanced charging reliability. Beneficially, the system ensures uninterrupted charging even in the event of a phase failure by redistributing power from operational phases. Furthermore, the system dynamically monitors both the power supply status and the battery charging levels, thereby enabling efficient power sharing and load balancing across multiple charging modules. Additionally, the system significantly helps to reduce downtime and enhances the battery charging efficiency. Furthermore, the system beneficially ensures the continuous operation and improved energy management by enabling selective interconnections between charging modules. Furthermore, the system enhances reliability, reduces energy wastage, and provides a scalable solution for high-demand battery charging applications without interruption of the power supply in case of failure.
In accordance with second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating a battery charging system. The method comprising receiving power from a three-phase power input via a plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters, converting, at each of the plurality of AC/DC converter, the received AC power to DC power, providing the DC power through respective DC links to a plurality of DC/DC converters, monitoring operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input, detecting charging status of batteries connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter and controlling interconnection circuits interconnecting the DC links based on the operational status and charging status.
In accordance with third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided modular battery swapping station comprising three independent charging modules, each comprising a single-phase bi-directional AC/DC converter connected to one phase of a three-phase power supply, a DC/DC converter connected to the AC/DC converter through a DC link and multiple battery slots connected to the DC/DC converter, two sets of interconnection circuits, wherein a first set of the interconnection circuits are connected between DC links of first and second charging modules and a second set of interconnection circuits are connected between DC links of second and third charging modules and a controller configured to monitor operational status of each charging module, detect charging status of batteries in each module and control the interconnection circuits to enable power sharing between modules based on the operational status and charging status.
Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments constructed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a battery charging system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method for operating a battery charging system, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a battery charging system in case of the failure of any one of the single-phase power supply and AC/DC converter, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a battery charging system in case of the failure of any one of the single-phase power supply, the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of a modular battery swapping station, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure.
In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognise that other embodiments for carrying out or practising the present disclosure are also possible.
The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of a vehicle diagnostic system configured to perform remote diagnostic of a vehicle and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilised. The description sets forth the various structures and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimised to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.
As used herein, the terms “electric vehicle”, “EV”, and “EVs” are used interchangeably and refer to any vehicle having stored electrical energy, including the vehicle capable of being charged from an external electrical power source. This may include vehicles having batteries which are exclusively charged from an external power source, as well as hybrid-vehicles which may include batteries capable of being at least partially recharged via an external power source. Additionally, it is to be understood that the ‘electric vehicle’ as used herein includes electric two-wheeler, electric three-wheeler, electric four-wheeler, electric pickup trucks, electric trucks and so forth.
As used herein, the term “battery charging system” and “system” are used interchangeably and refer to a system configured to receive electrical power from an input power source and regulate the supply of electrical energy to one or more batteries to facilitate charging. The system typically comprises the power conversion circuits, such as AC/DC and DC/DC converters, to modify input power characteristics to meet battery charging requirements. Additionally, the system may include control circuits, sensors, and communication interfaces to monitor battery status, manage charging parameters, ensure safety, and optimize power distribution.
As used herein, the term “three-phase power input” refers to an electrical power supply system comprising three alternating current (AC) voltage waveforms that are phase-shifted by 120 degrees relative to each other. The three-phase power input provides a balanced and continuous power delivery, reducing voltage fluctuations and enhancing energy efficiency. The three-phase power input typically includes three active phase conductors and may optionally include a neutral conductor, depending on the system configuration.
As used herein, the term “plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters”, “single-phase AC/DC converters” and “AC/DC converters” are used interchangeably and refer to an electrical power conversion device configured to receive an alternating current (AC) input from a single-phase power source and convert into a direct current (DC) output. The AC/DC converter comprises rectification and regulation circuits, which may include diodes, thyristors, or semiconductor switching elements such as MOSFETs or IGBTs, to facilitate controlled power conversion.
As used herein, the term “plurality of DC/DC converters” and “DC/DC converters” are used interchangeably and refer to an electronic power conversion device configured to convert a direct current (DC) voltage from one level to another. The converter regulates and modifies the input DC voltage to produce a stable and controlled output DC voltage, suitable for the requirements of the connected load or system.
As used herein, the term “DC link” and “DC links” are used interchangeably and refer to an intermediate direct current (DC) connection between two power conversion stages in an electrical system. The DC link serves as a conduit for transferring DC power between components such as the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter. The DC link typically consists of conductors, capacitors, and other circuit elements that stabilize voltage levels, filter ripples, and enable controlled power flow.
As used herein, the term “plurality of battery slots” and “battery slots” are used interchangeably and refer to two or more physical or electrical interfaces configured to receive, hold, and electrically connect batteries for charging, discharging, or power management within a battery charging system.
As used herein, the term “plurality of configurable interconnection circuits”, “interconnection circuit” and “configurable interconnection circuits” are used interchangeably and refer to two or more electrical circuits that are selectively operable to establish or modify electrical connections between multiple DC links, DC/DC converters, or other power distribution components, wherein the configuration of the circuits is controllable based on predefined conditions such as power availability, charging status, or system faults.
As used herein, the term “plurality of switches” and “switches” are used interchangeably and refer two or more switching elements that are configured to control electrical connections within a system. The switches may be implemented using mechanical, electromechanical, or solid-state components such as relays, transistors, MOSFETs, or IGBTs, depending on the application.
As used herein, the term “control unit” and “controller” are used interchangeably and refer to an electronic processing system comprising one or more processors, microcontrollers, or programmable logic devices configured to execute predefined instructions. The control unit includes associated memory storing executable instructions, operational parameters, and data necessary for system control. The control unit is operatively connected to various system components, such as sensors, switches, power converters, and communication interfaces, to monitor real-time operational conditions and execute control actions based on predetermined logic. Optionally, the control unit includes, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a micro-controller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processing circuit. Furthermore, the term “processor” may refer to one or more individual processors, processing devices and various elements associated with a processing device that may be shared by other processing devices. Furthermore, the control unit may comprise ARM Cortex-M series processors, such as the Cortex-M4 or Cortex-M7, or any similar processor designed to handle real-time tasks with high performance and low power consumption. Furthermore, the control unit may comprise custom and/or proprietary processors.
As used herein, the term “at least one interconnection circuit” and “interconnection circuit” are used interchangeably and refer to one or more electrical circuits configured to selectively establish an electrical connection between two or more DC links, power conversion units, or battery charging modules. The interconnection circuit comprises a plurality of switches, relays, or semiconductor-based switching elements that are controlled to enable or disable power flow based on predefined operational conditions, such as phase failure, power redistribution, or battery charging status. The interconnection circuit may be positioned between AC/DC converters and DC/DC converters or between DC/DC converters and battery slots, allowing dynamic power sharing, fault tolerance, and load balancing within the system.
As used herein, the term “modular battery swapping station” refers to a battery exchange system designed with independent, interchangeable charging and storage modules that facilitate quick replacement of depleted batteries with fully charged ones. The modular battery swapping station comprises multiple charging modules, each configured to operate autonomously or in coordination with other modules, enabling efficient power management and scalability. Each module typically includes a dedicated AC/DC converter, a DC/DC converter, and multiple battery slots for charging and storage. The modular battery swapping station integrates interconnection circuits and a control system to dynamically monitor power availability, charging status, and operational conditions, thereby optimizing power distribution and ensuring uninterrupted battery swapping operations.
As used herein, the term “failed phase” refers to a phase of a three-phase power supply that is unable to deliver the expected electrical power due to a fault condition, which may include but is not limited to, voltage drop beyond a predefined threshold, phase disconnection, asymmetry in power delivery, or malfunction in the upstream power source or distribution network.
As used herein, the term “operational status” refers to the real-time condition or functional state of a system, component, or subsystem, indicating whether the system is operating normally, experiencing a fault, or undergoing a change in state. It encompasses parameters such as power availability, voltage levels, current flow, fault detection, load conditions, and overall system health.
As used herein, the term “charging status” refers to the real-time condition of a battery or a group of batteries during the charging process, characterized by parameters such as state of charge (SoC), charging current, charging voltage, temperature, and charging phase (e.g., constant current, constant voltage, trickle charging). The charging status may also indicate whether the battery is actively charging, fully charged, disconnected, or experiencing a fault condition. The charging status can be dynamically monitored and used to optimize power distribution, prevent overcharging, balance loads, and ensure safe and efficient battery operation in a charging system.
As used herein, the term “load distribution requirements” refers to the criteria and conditions that determine how electrical power or energy is allocated, balanced, or shared among different components of a system to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, and stability. The load distribution requirements may include power availability from Phases, battery charging status, fault handling, thermal Management, load balancing across DC links, dynamic reconfiguration.
Figure 1, in accordance with an embodiment describes a battery charging system 100 comprising a three-phase power input 102, a plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c, wherein each of the plurality of AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c is connected to a respective phase of the three-phase power input 102, a plurality of DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c, wherein each of the plurality of DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c is connected to the respective AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c through a DC link 108a, 108b, 108c, a plurality of battery slots 110 connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c. A plurality of configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c comprising a plurality of switches 114, wherein the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c are connected between the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c of corresponding AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c and a control unit 116 configured to monitor operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input 102, detect charging status of batteries in the battery slots 110 and control the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c to selectively interconnect the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c based on the operational status and charging status.
The present disclosure discloses the battery charging system 100. The battery charging system 100 as disclosed by present disclosure is advantageous in terms of providing an efficiency, reliability and adaptability of the system 100. Beneficially, by utilizing the plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c, the system 100 effectively distributes the power across different phases of a three-phase power input 102. Moreover, the effective distribution of power across different phases of the three-phase power input 102 significantly ensures the balanced power utilization, thereby reduces the risk of overloading any single phase of the system 100. Furthermore, the configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c of the system 100 advantageously enables the dynamic power redistribution throughout the system 100. Moreover, in the event of a phase failure, the control unit 116 detects the failure and intelligently reroutes the power from operational phases to maintain uninterrupted charging, thereby ensuring reliability of the system 100. Additionally, the system 100 facilitates the power sharing between the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c when certain battery slots 110 are fully charged, thereby maximizes the energy utilization and reduces the charging time for the remaining batteries. Furthermore, the modularity of the system 100 makes suitable for the modular battery swapping stations 300, where independent charging modules may operate autonomously or collaborate for improved efficiency. Furthermore, the use of bi-directional AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c beneficially enhances the energy recovery and grid interaction.
In an embodiment, the control unit 116 is configured to detect a failure of power supply in the at least one phase of the three-phase power input 102, open the interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c connected to the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c associated with the failed phase and redistribute power from operational phases to charge batteries connected to the DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c associated with the failed phase. After detecting the impact of the failure, the control unit 116 actuates the associated interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c to disconnect the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c corresponding to the failed phase. The action of the control unit 116 prevents power instability and ensures that the failure may not affect other components of the system 100. Furthermore, the control unit 116 dynamically redistributes power from the remaining operational phases to the DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c associated with the failed phase. Beneficially, the power redistribution helps to establish the new power-sharing configuration between the other active DC links.
In an embodiment, the control unit 116 is configured to detect when all batteries connected to a first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c are fully charged, close at least one interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c to connect the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c of the first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c to the at least one adjacent DC link 108a, 108b, 108c and enable power sharing to charge batteries connected to adjacent DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. The control unit 116 dynamically manages the charging process by monitoring the status of batteries connected to the plurality of DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. Upon detecting the battery condition by monitoring the status of batteries, the control unit 116 actuates the at least one interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c to establish the connection between the specific DC link of the fully charged DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c and at least one adjacent DC link to enable the power sharing to charge batteries connected to adjacent DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. Beneficially, the selective interconnection between the charging modules ensures that the available power is efficiently redistributed to the charge batteries in adjacent slots connected to other DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c.
In an embodiment, each single-phase AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c comprises an AC input connected to one phase of the three-phase power input 102, a DC output connected to the respective DC link 108a, 108b, 108c and unidirectional or bi-directional switching elements configured to enable power flow in one direction or in both directions, respectively. The unidirectional switching elements enable the power conversion in a single direction from AC to DC, ensuring controlled rectification. In contrast, the bi-directional switching elements facilitate two-way power flow, allowing the rectification as well as feedback of excess or unused energy back to the power grid or another battery. Beneficially, the selection of unidirectional or bi-directional switching elements provides design flexibility, enabling the system 100 to be optimized for various applications such as conventional battery charging, regenerative energy recovery, or grid-interactive energy management.
In an embodiment, the configurable interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c is positioned between the AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c and the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c or between the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c and the battery slots 110. The strategic placement of the configurable interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c between the AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c and the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c facilitates the controlled power exchange between the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c before voltage regulation occurs at the DC/DC stage. Beneficially, the placement of the configurable interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c allows seamless power transfer between each phase, ensures the operational stability in the event of the phase failure while maintaining the consistent charging operations for connected battery slots 110. Alternatively, the configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c may be positioned between the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c and the battery slots 110. The system 100 enables direct load balancing at the battery level, permitting efficient redistribution of charging power to battery slots 110 with lower charge levels. Beneficially, the strategic placement of the the configurable interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c optimizes energy utilization and minimizes the charging time by dynamically reallocating power to battery slots 110 that require additional energy input.
In an embodiment, the battery charging system 100 comprising the three-phase power input 102, the plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c, wherein each of the plurality of AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c is connected to a respective phase of the three-phase power input 102, the plurality of DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c, wherein each of the plurality of DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c is connected to the respective AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c through the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c, the plurality of battery slots 110 connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c. The plurality of configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c comprising the plurality of switches 114, wherein the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c are connected between the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c of corresponding AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c and the control unit 116 configured to monitor operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input 102, detect charging status of batteries in the battery slots 110 and control the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c to selectively interconnect the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c based on the operational status and charging status. Furthermore, the control unit 116 is configured to detect the failure of power supply in the at least one phase of the three-phase power input 102, open the interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c connected to the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c associated with the failed phase and redistribute power from operational phases to charge batteries connected to the DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c associated with the failed phase. Furthermore, the control unit 116 is configured to detect when all batteries connected to the first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c are fully charged, close at least one interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c to connect the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c of the first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c to the at least one adjacent DC link 108a, 108b, 108c and enable power sharing to charge batteries connected to adjacent DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. Furthermore, each single-phase AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c comprises the AC input connected to one phase of the three-phase power input 102, the DC output connected to the respective DC link 108a, 108b, 108c and unidirectional or bi-directional switching elements configured to enable power flow in one direction or in both directions, respectively. Furthermore, the configurable interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c is positioned between the AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c and the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c or between the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c and the battery slots 110.
Figure 2, describes a method 200 for operating a battery charging system. The method 200 starts at step 202 and completes at step 212. At step 202, the method 200 comprises receiving power from a three-phase power input 102 via a plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c. At step 204, the method 200 comprises converting, at each of the plurality of AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c, the received AC power to DC power. At step 206, the method 200 comprises providing the DC power through respective DC links 108a, 108b, 108c to a plurality of DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. At step 208, the method 200 comprises monitoring operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input 102. At step 210, the method 200 comprises detecting charging status of batteries connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c. At step 212, the method 200 comprises controlling interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c interconnecting the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c based on the operational status and charging status.
In an embodiment, the method 200 comprising detecting a failure of power supply in at least one phase, opening an interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c connected to the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c associated with the failed phase and enabling power sharing from operational phases to the DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c associated with the failed phase.
In an embodiment, the method 200 comprising detecting completion of charging for all batteries connected to a first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c, closing at least one interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c to connect the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c of the first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c to at least one adjacent DC link 108a, 108b, 108c and sharing power to charge batteries connected to the adjacent DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c.
In an embodiment, controlling the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c comprises selectively connecting or disconnecting adjacent DC links 108a, 108b, 108c based on power availability from each phase, charging status of batteries in each DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c and load distribution requirements.
In an embodiment, the method 200 for operating the battery charging system. The method 200 starts at step 202 and completes at step 212. At step 202, the method 200 comprises receiving power from the three-phase power input 102 via the plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c. At step 204, the method 200 comprises converting, at each of the plurality of AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c, the received AC power to DC power. At step 206, the method 200 comprises providing the DC power through respective DC links 108a, 108b, 108c to the plurality of DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. At step 208, the method 200 comprises monitoring operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input 102. At step 210, the method 200 comprises detecting charging status of batteries connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c. At step 212, the method 200 comprises controlling interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c interconnecting the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c based on the operational status and charging status. Furthermore, the method 200 comprising detecting the failure of power supply in at least one phase, opening an interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c connected to the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c associated with the failed phase and enabling power sharing from operational phases to the DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c associated with the failed phase. Furthermore, the method 200 comprising detecting completion of charging for all batteries connected to the first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c, closing the at least one interconnection circuit 112a, 112b, 112c to connect the DC link 108a, 108b, 108c of the first DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c to the at least one adjacent DC link 108a, 108b, 108c and sharing power to charge batteries connected to the adjacent DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. Furthermore, controlling the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c comprises selectively connecting or disconnecting adjacent DC links 108a, 108b, 108c based on power availability from each phase, charging status of batteries in each DC/DC converter 106a, 106b, 106c and the load distribution requirements.
It would be appreciated that all the explanations and embodiments of the portable device 100 also applies mutatis-mutandis to the method 200.
Figure 3, describes an operational scenario in case of the failure of any one of the single-phase power supply and AC/DC converter. The battery charging system 100 is connected to a three-phase power supply 102 with each phase feeding the plurality of single-phase AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c. If a failure occurs in one of the single-phase power supply or the corresponding AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c, the control unit 116 detects the failure by continuously monitoring the voltage and current at the affected DC link 108a, 108b, 108c. Once the failure is identified, the system 100 initiates a recovery response using the configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c. The control unit 116 opens the interconnection circuit linked to the failed DC link to isolate the faulty phase or converter from the rest of the system 100. The configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c are positioned between the AC/DC converters 104a, 104b, 104c and the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c. The placement of the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c enables intelligent power redistribution across the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c before the voltage is further regulated by the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c.
Figure 4, describes an operational scenario in case of the failure of any one of the single-phase power supply, the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter. The battery charging system 100 is connected to the three-phase power supply 102 with each phase feeding a dedicated single-phase AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c. If a failure occurs in one of the single-phase power supply or the corresponding AC/DC converter 104a, 104b, 104c and the DC/DC converter, the control unit 116 detects the failure by continuously monitoring the voltage and current at the affected DC link 108a, 108b, 108c. Once the failure is identified, the system 100 initiates a recovery response using the configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c. The control unit 116 opens the interconnection circuit linked to the failed DC link to isolate the faulty phase or AC/AC converter or DC/DC converter from the rest of the system 100. The configurable interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c are positioned between the DC/DC converters 106a, 106b, 106c and the battery slots 110. The placement of the interconnection circuits 112a, 112b, 112c enables intelligent power redistribution across the DC links 108a, 108b, 108c.
Figure 5, describes a modular battery swapping station 300. The modular battery swapping station 300 comprising three independent charging modules 302, each comprising a single-phase bi-directional AC/DC converter 304 connected to one phase of a three-phase power supply 306, a DC/DC converter 308 connected to the AC/DC converter 304 through a DC link 310 and multiple battery slots 312 connected to the DC/DC converter 308, two sets of interconnection circuits 314a, 314b wherein a first set of the interconnection circuits 314a are connected between DC links 310 of the first and second charging modules and a second set of interconnection circuits 314b are connected between DC links 310 of second and third charging modules and a controller 316 configured to monitor operational status of each charging module 302, detect charging status of batteries in each charging module 302 and control the interconnection circuits 314a, 314b to enable power sharing between the charging modules 302 based on the operational status and charging status.
In the description of the present invention, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms “disposed,” “mounted,” and “connected” are to be construed broadly, and may for example be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, either mechanically or electrically. They may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Modifications to embodiments and combination of different embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non- exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural where appropriate.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A battery charging system (100) comprising:
- a three-phase power input (102);
- a plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters (104a, 104b, 104c), wherein each of the plurality of AC/DC converter (104a, 104b, 104c) is connected to a respective phase of the three-phase power input (102);
- a plurality of DC/DC converters (106a, 106b, 106c), wherein each of the plurality of DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c) is connected to the respective AC/DC converter (104a, 104b, 104c) through a DC link (108a, 108b, 108c);
- a plurality of battery slots (110) connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c);
- a plurality of configurable interconnection circuits (112a, 112b, 112c) comprising:
- a plurality of switches (114), wherein the interconnection circuits (112a, 112b, 112c) are connected between the DC links (108a, 108b, 108c) of corresponding AC/DC converters (104a, 104b, 104c); and
- a control unit (116) configured to:
- monitor operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input (102);
- detect charging status of batteries in the battery slots (110); and
- control the interconnection circuits (112a, 112b, 112c) to selectively interconnect the DC links (108a, 108b, 108c) based on the operational status and charging status.
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (116) is configured to:
- detect a failure of power supply in the at least one phase of the three-phase power input (102);
- open the interconnection circuit (112a, 112b, 112c) connected to the DC link (108a, 108b, 108c) associated with the failed phase; and
- redistribute power from operational phases to charge batteries connected to the DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c) associated with the failed phase.
3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit (116) is configured to:
- detect when all batteries connected to a first DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c) are fully charged;
- close at least one interconnection circuit (112a, 112b, 112c) to connect the DC link (108a, 108b, 108c) of the first DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c) to the at least one adjacent DC link (108a, 108b, 108c); and
- enable power sharing to charge batteries connected to adjacent DC/DC converters (106a, 106b, 106c).
4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each single-phase AC/DC converter (104a, 104b, 104c) comprises:
- an AC input connected to one phase of the three-phase power input (102);
- a DC output connected to the respective DC link (108a, 108b, 108c); and
- unidirectional or bi-directional switching elements configured to enable power flow in one direction or in both directions, respectively.
5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configurable interconnection circuit (112a, 112b, 112c) is positioned:
- between the AC/DC converters (104a, 104b, 104c) and the DC/DC converters (106a, 106b, 106c); or
- between the DC/DC converters (106a, 106b, 106c) and the battery slots (110).
6. A method (200) for operating a battery charging system (100), the method comprising:
- receiving power from a three-phase power input (102) via a plurality of single-phase AC/DC converters (104a, 104b, 104c);
- converting, at each of the plurality of AC/DC converter (104a, 104b, 104c), the received AC power to DC power;
- providing the DC power through respective DC links (108a, 108b, 108c) to a plurality of DC/DC converters (106a, 106b, 106c);
- monitoring operational status of each phase of the three-phase power input (102);
- detecting charging status of batteries connected to each of the plurality of DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c); and
- controlling interconnection circuits (112a, 112b, 112c) interconnecting the DC links (108a, 108b, 108c) based on the operational status and charging status.
7. The method (200) as claimed in claim 6, comprising:
- detecting a failure of power supply in at least one phase;
- opening an interconnection circuit (112a, 112b, 112c) connected to the DC link (108a, 108b, 108c) associated with the failed phase; and
- enabling power sharing from operational phases to the DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c) associated with the failed phase.
8. The method (200) as claimed in claim 6, comprising:
- detecting completion of charging for all batteries connected to a first DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c);
- closing at least one interconnection circuit (112a, 112b, 112c) to connect the DC link (108a, 108b, 108c) of the first DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c) to at least one adjacent DC link (108a, 108b, 108c); and
- sharing power to charge batteries connected to the adjacent DC/DC converters (106a, 106b, 106c).
9. The method (200) as claimed in claim 6, wherein controlling the interconnection circuits (112a, 112b, 112c) comprises:
- selectively connecting or disconnecting adjacent DC links (108a, 108b, 108c) based on:
- power availability from each phase;
- charging status of batteries in each DC/DC converter (106a, 106b, 106c); and
- load distribution requirements.
10. A modular battery swapping station (300) comprising:
- three independent charging modules (302), each comprising:
- a single-phase bi-directional AC/DC converter (304) connected to one phase of a three-phase power supply (306);
- a DC/DC converter (308) connected to the AC/DC converter (304) through a DC link (310); and
- multiple battery slots (312) connected to the DC/DC converter (308);
- two sets of interconnection circuits (314a, 314b), wherein:
- a first set of the interconnection circuits (314a) are connected between DC links (310) of first and second charging modules (302); and
- a second set of interconnection circuits (314b) are connected between DC links (310) of second and third charging modules (302); and
- a controller (316) configured to:
- monitor operational status of each charging module (302);
- detect charging status of batteries in each charging module (302); and
- control the interconnection circuits (314a, 314b) to enable power sharing between the charging modules (302) based on the operational status and charging status.