EP2736757A2

EP2736757A2 - Electric battery charging installation and method

Info

Publication number: EP2736757A2
Application number: EP12735914.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eric Stempin
Original assignee: Evtronic SAS
Current assignee: Evtronic SAS
Priority date: 2011-07-29
Filing date: 2012-07-20
Publication date: 2014-06-04
Also published as: SG2014006688A; CN104093590A; WO2013017443A3; KR20140114330A; FR2978624B1; WO2013017443A2; CA2844356A1; FR2978624A1; CA2844356C; MX2014001177A; US20140167697A1; BR112014002236A2; ZA201401399B; US9676287B2

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation and a method for charging an electric battery for an electric vehicle, said electric vehicle comprising an on-board computer, said installation comprising a main power source (3) able to deliver a charging power Pc₁. According to this charging method, the following steps are carried out: the charging power Pc to be delivered to the electric battery of said vehicle is determined in relation to a charging voltage and/or current setpoint demanded at an instant t by said onboard computer, this charging power is compared against the charging power Pc₁that a main power source (3) is capable of delivering, if Pc > Pc₁, use is made in addition to said main source (3), of at least one auxiliary power source (8) able to deliver a charging power Pc₂ such that the sum of the charging powers delivered by said power sources is equal to the required charging power Pc.

Description

Installation and charging method for electric battery

The present invention relates to an installation and charging method for electric battery, and more particularly to a fast charge terminal for vehicles equipped with at least one electric battery and an on-board computer.

Since the electric car is essentially urban, recharging of its electric battery (s) requires existing energy outlets and / or new infrastructure (charging stations), to be installed on public roads or in easily accessible places (car parks). , work places, ...).

Two charging methods are currently being considered:

• by direct connection (normal or fast charging),

• without touching.

The simplest recharging is done using a direct connection, on a so-called normal socket, delivering a current of 16 A at 220 to 240 V, or about 3.7 kVA. The alternating current is converted into direct current by the on-board charger of the car. A full recharge takes place in 6 to 10 hours.

The advantage of this type of load, which can be performed from a conventional home outlet, lies in the absence of the need for any new infrastructure, at least for individuals with a garage or a parking space. This type of load also has the advantage of offering the possibility of recharging the vehicle at night during hours, when energy consumption is lowest.

Charging by fast direct connection requires a dedicated charging terminal, delivering a direct current of a hundred amps, at a voltage currently between 20 and 500 V, directly applied to the batteries of the electric vehicle. The installed power is of the order of 50 kVA.

This type of charging provides, in principle, a range of 3 to 5 km per minute of charge, provided that the batteries are able to absorb high currents without damage. Co-management of the load by intelligent elements present, on the one hand on the electric vehicle and on the other hand, on the fast charging terminal is necessary.

The fast charging station has a charger-rectifier powered by a three-phase network.

With regard to contactless charging, two different charging processes are the subject of intense research:

• energy transfer by microwave,

• induction coupling.

In the latter method, energy travels from a primary winding, usually on the ground, to a secondary winding mounted on the vehicle.

With these devices, the user no longer has connections to make.

The increase in the number of electric cars will inevitably pose a problem of management of the electric energy available for the load in the short term.

The amount of energy consumed by the electric car depends mainly on its performance and the distance it travels. Designed for an average of 40 km per day, the electric car requires between 4 and 25 kWh per 24 hours, which gives an annual consumption of between 1,500 and 9,000 kWh. According to the various sources given by GI FAM (Inter-professional group of manufacturers of household equipment) and INSEE, in France, the average domestic consumption of potential users of the electric car would be 8,000 kWh and this consumption would be 1 000 kWh in the United States.

Thus, the electric car could increase family consumption by 20 to 50%. If most people recharge their cars during the day, the installed power of the power plants will grow beyond reasonable.

In addition, fast charging, generally requiring 50 kVA, for tens of minutes, will lead not only to over-size power plants, but also to a change in power lines.

On the other hand, night charging would require a power of about 3 kW (recharge for 6 to 10 hours), easily supported by existing installations.

However, it is found that the charging terminals for electric vehicles are all currently powered by a single source of energy: generally the electrical distribution network.

The energy consumed and the power demanded by the simultaneous charging of a large number of electric batteries could lead not only to oversizing of the power plants, but also to a modification of the power lines.

This additional demand for electricity will therefore have negative impacts on:

- the CO ₂ content of the electric kWh (depending on the mode of production of electricity: nuclear, hydro, thermal ...);

- management, architecture and control of electricity distribution networks;

- the management of the peak electricity consumption and in particular the impact of fast charging;

- local reinforcement of the electricity network.

The present invention aims to overcome these various disadvantages by proposing an installation and a charging method, simple in their design and in their operating mode, to ensure the charging of an electric battery quickly and economically.

Another object of the present invention is such an installation and such a charging method making it possible to reduce the impact of the electricity demand on the network by reducing the power demands on the electrical distribution network. They will have the effect:

- to reduce the CO ₂ content of the electric kWh necessary for recharging electric vehicles; - smooth the consumption of electrical energy and thus facilitate the production forecast

- offer the possibility of connecting a fast charging terminal to more point of connection to the electricity distribution network than it could have been because the power of connection to the network is diminished.

The object of the invention is to reduce the power of the connection point to the power distribution network without reducing the performance of the fast charging terminal.

For this purpose, the subject of the present invention is an installation for charging an electric battery for a vehicle, said installation comprising a main power supply source capable of delivering a charging power Pci and a first circuit for converting the current. or the supply voltage supplied by said main source in a charging current or voltage for said electric battery.

According to the invention, this installation comprises

at least one auxiliary source of power supply capable of delivering a charge power Pc ₂ ,

at least one second circuit for converting the current or the supply voltage delivered by said auxiliary source into a charging current or voltage for said electric battery, said at least one second circuit being connected in parallel with said first circuit,

a management system controlling said at least one auxiliary source so as to activate at least one of said auxiliary sources when the charging power Pc required for charging said battery is greater than the charging power Pci likely to be delivered by said main source .

"Vehicle" means a motorized vehicle of the terrestrial, nautical or air type, that is to say, and for purely illustrative purposes, a boat, an aircraft, an automobile, a truck, a bus or a quadricycle. .

The object of the invention is to reduce the impact of electricity demand on the network by reducing the power demand on the electrical distribution network. It will have the effect of:

- smooth the consumption of electrical energy; - facilitate the forecast of electric power production because the consumption of electrical energy is smoothed over time;

- Decrease the C0 ₂ content of the electric kWh necessary for charging electric vehicles because the consumption of electrical energy is smoothed over time;

- Do not require local reinforcement of the electricity network because the power consumed on the power grid is lower;

- reduce the overall cost of using a fast charging station because the cost of connection to the network and subscription is reduced;

- offer the possibility of connecting a fast charging terminal to more charging point than it could have been because the connection power to the network is reduced (ease of installation);

- maintain the charging performance of the electric vehicle.

In different particular embodiments of this charging installation, each having its particular advantages and susceptible to many possible technical combinations:

the main source of power supply is the power supply network delivering a mains voltage or a sector current,

said at least one auxiliary source comprises a power supply unit chosen from the group comprising a battery, a supercapacitor, a flywheel, a fuel cell, a generator, photovoltaic solar panels and combinations of these. items

said vehicle comprising an on-board computer controlling said battery to be charged, said installation comprises a communication system for enabling the real-time transfer of information between said installation and said on-board computer, said information comprising at least one setpoint value of load provided by said onboard computer.

This charge reference value is a value of charging current and / or charging voltage.

Preferably, the management system then comprises a calculation unit for determining the charging power Pc corresponding to the charging current and / or charge voltage values required by said on-board computer. Advantageously, the charging power Pci likely to be delivered by said main source of power supply being variable as a function of time, said installation comprises a unit of measurement in real time of said charging power Pc-i, said unit of measurement sending information to said computing unit.

This can be particularly the case when in the course of the day, several users consume energy by being connected on the same connection point.

the installation comprises programmable means for limiting the charging power delivered by said main source so that

Pci <Pc _max , where Pc _ma x is the maximum load power that can be delivered by said main power source,

said first circuit for converting the supply current or voltage delivered by said main source into a charging current or voltage for said electric battery comprises a control circuit of a current supply switch to a primary winding of a transformer, said control circuit operating in isolated switching mode at a high frequency or at a low frequency,

said installation comprises a circuit for charging said at least one auxiliary source, connected to said main source of power supply for recharging said at least one auxiliary source,

Preferably, this installation comprising several auxiliary sources connected to said load circuit by switches, said management system controls the charge level of each of said auxiliary sources and controls said switches to independently recharge each of said auxiliary sources.

The present invention also relates to a method for charging an electric vehicle battery, in which a main power supply source capable of delivering a charging power Pci and at least one auxiliary source of power supply is implemented. capable of delivering a charging power Pc ₂ so that the sum of the charging powers delivered by said sources to the electric battery is equal to a charging power Pc.

According to the invention, each of said auxiliary power supply sources is implemented with a circuit for converting the supply current or voltage delivered by said corresponding auxiliary source into a charging current or voltage for said electric battery, said circuit being placed between said corresponding auxiliary source and the connection node of the different power supply sources.

This advantageously eliminates the voltage delivered by each auxiliary source, which allows any auxiliary power supply source to be connected to the load installation without having to know its voltage.

Such a circuit for converting the current or the supply voltage delivered by said at least one auxiliary power supply source therefore allows greater flexibility in the selection and sizing of this auxiliary source, and allows, for example to overcome the disadvantages associated with the implementation of a battery (voltage that changes depending on the state of charge, ...).

In addition, this paralleling of the circuits for converting the supply current or voltage advantageously makes it possible to upgrade an existing system by adding modules without compromising the first equipment deployed in the charging installation.

In various particular embodiments of this charging method, each having its particular advantages and capable of many possible technical combinations:

the load power delivered by said main source of power supply is measured in real time and a maximum power value Pc _max to be outputted from said main source is defined.

It is thus possible to continuously control the charging power from said main source so that it does not exceed a predetermined set value, the complement of charge power for charging the electric battery being obtained by said at least one source. auxiliary power supply.

the charging power Pci likely to be delivered by said main source of power supply being variable as a function of time, said charging power Pc-i is measured. It is advantageously determined from the value Pc _max or Pc-i, the load power Pc ₂ that must provide said at least one auxiliary power supply source to ensure the charging of said battery.

- Said charge power Pc required being strictly lower than Pc-i, simultaneously charging said electric battery, said at least one auxiliary power supply source with a charging power Pc ₄ such that Pc ₄ <Pc Pc.

This embodiment thus makes it possible to recharge the auxiliary source of power supply simultaneously with the charging of the electric battery. It is thus possible to be able to directly charge another electric battery after completing the charging of the first electric battery.

said vehicle comprising an on-board computer and the charging power Pc delivered to said battery to be charged being less than a desired charging power value, said onboard computer communicating said charge value Pc,

- Charging one electric battery at a time, sequentially charging several electric batteries.

Preferably, each of said batteries is charged during a charging time T less than the charging time required to charge an electric battery at one time.

The present invention further relates to a method of charging an electric vehicle battery, said vehicle comprising an on-board computer, wherein:

the load power Pc to be delivered to the electric battery of said vehicle during a DC voltage charge of said battery is determined with respect to a charging instruction requested at a time t by said on-board computer,

this load power is compared with the load power Pci that can be delivered by a main source of power supply,

- If Pc> Pc-i, is implemented in addition to said main source, at least one auxiliary power supply source capable of delivering a charging power Pc ₂ so that the sum of the load powers delivered by said sources equal to the required charging power Pc. This charging setpoint is a value of charging current and / or charging voltage.

Preferably, said main source of power supply is the power supply network delivering a mains voltage.

Advantageously, the value of the load power is determined.

PCI with respect to a maximum load power Pc _{max that} can be delivered by the main source of power supply.

Preferably, the charging power Pci likely to be delivered by said main source of power supply being variable as a function of time, it is advantageous to measure, in real time, said charging power Pc-i.

Advantageously, the load power Pc required being strictly lower than Pc-i, said battery is simultaneously charged with said at least one auxiliary power supply source with a charging power Pc ₄ such that Pc ₄ <Pc at least one auxiliary power supply source with a charging power Pc ₄ such that Pc ₄ <Pc Pc.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an electrical charge installation of a battery according to a particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the circuits for converting the supply voltage delivered by the primary source and the voltage or current delivered by the secondary source of the installation of FIG. 1, in a charging current or voltage for an electric battery;

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows the circuits for converting the supply voltages or currents delivered by main and auxiliary sources of an electric charging installation into a charging current or voltage for a battery according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a comparison of the power consumed on the main source between a charging terminal of the state of the art (in black solid line) and an installation (solid gray line) according to a mode of implementation of FIG. the present invention, this main source being the supply network electrical, the x-axis representing the time and the y-axis representing the power consumed in kVA;

Figures 1 and 2 show an electric charger 1 for battery including an electric vehicle 2 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. This charger 1 is adapted to quickly charge such a battery, for example in about 30 minutes.

The present battery charger 1 comprises a frame connected to the power supply network 3 delivering a mains voltage V _s . This power supply network 3 constitutes a primary energy source for this terminal 2 in order to recharge the battery of the electric vehicle 2. The charging power Pci delivered by the electrical network 3 is here equal to 36 kW, it is that is, a standard connection point.

The frame comprises a first conversion circuit 4 for converting the mains voltage delivered by the power supply network 3 into a charge current or voltage for the electric battery to be charged.

This first conversion electric circuit 4 comprises a control circuit of a current supply switch to a primary winding of a transformer, said control circuit operating in an isolated switching mode at a high frequency, typically 80,000 Hz.

The electric vehicle 2 comprising an on-board computer 5 controlling the battery to be charged, the charging terminal 1 comprises a communication system 6 to enable the real-time transfer of information between this charging terminal 1 and the on-board computer 5 of the car 2.

In particular, this communication system which comprises here is a wired communication 7 such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, a line carrier (CPL) or a pilot wire communication (ISO 61851 SAE J1772) or a line K / L (ISO 9141), either a radio link such as Zigbee, Wifi, or Bluetooth, allows the charging terminal 1 to receive from the on-board computer 5 the charging setpoint (current and / or charging voltage ) required to charge the battery, this charging setpoint being variable in time.

In particular, there are two phases of charge: a charging phase called "BOOST": restitution of a maximum of the battery capacity, generally from 0% to 50% of the state of charge of the battery, in a minimum of time, generally 10 minutes,

an equalization phase, also called "ABSORPTION", during which additional progressive charging is performed up to 100% of the battery capacity. This phase is generally of the order of 30 minutes.

The frame also comprises a secondary source 8 of internal power supply capable of delivering a charge power Pc ₂ . This secondary source is here an electrochemical battery.

The sizing of this secondary source 8 is performed to ensure the first phase of the charge of the battery, called "BOOST", when the charging power Pc required by the on-board computer 5 of the electric car to charge its battery is greater than the load power Pci likely to be supplied by the electricity network 3.

As an illustration, the useful energy supplied by the secondary source is 5 to 10 kW.h, the charging power Pc ₂ being 20 kW. This dimensioning can of course be increased as needed, for example, to ensure one or more loads successively without having to recharge the secondary source.

The frame comprises a second circuit 9 for converting the current or the supply voltage delivered by said auxiliary source 8 into a charging current or voltage for said electric battery, said at least one second circuit being connected in parallel with said first circuit 4 The first and second conversion circuits 4, 9 are connected in parallel so as to provide the charging setpoint (current and / or charging voltage) required by the onboard computer 5 of the electric car to charge the battery.

The charging terminal 1 comprises a management system 10 controlling the secondary supply source 8 so as to activate it when the charging power Pc required for charging said battery is greater than the charging power Pci that can be delivered. by the primary energy source 3.

Thus, and while the power consumed on the electrical network is almost constant throughout the vehicle load (0% to 100% state of charge - SOC), the additional energy required during the first phase of the load , said phase of "Boost" is provided by the energy source secondary. During the second charging phase, called "Absorption", the energy delivered to the vehicle decreases in time. The energy delivered to the vehicle 2 comes from the main energy source 3 and the secondary energy source 8 as Pc> Pc-i. As soon as Pc <Pc-i, the energy delivered to the vehicle 2 comes exclusively from the primary energy source 3 while the secondary energy source 8 is recharged by the primary energy source 3.

If, however, at the end of the second phase of the vehicle charge, the secondary energy source 8 is not fully recharged, it can be recharged by the primary energy source 3.

When the secondary source 8 is exhausted and a load is requested, the charging terminal 1 can provide a load by providing a power that does not exceed the power supplied by the power supply network 3 alone, for example 36 kW .

The charging terminal 1 accordingly comprises a charging circuit

1 1 of the secondary source 8, this charging circuit 1 1 being connected directly to the power supply network 3. This charging circuit 1 1 here comprises a filter 12, a converter 13 and a power factor correction device 14.

The battery charger 1 also includes cooling means for lowering the temperature of its electrical circuits and electronic components, thus preventing the charger from becoming too hot during the rapid charging of a battery. These cooling means here comprise one or more fans (not shown) as well as heat exchange structures such as cooling fins (not shown).

FIG. 3 schematically shows the circuits for converting the supply currents or voltages delivered by main source 3 and auxiliary source 8 of an electric charging installation into a charging current or voltage for a battery according to another embodiment. .

The first circuit 4 for converting the supply current or voltage delivered by the main source into a charging current or voltage for the electric battery comprises a control circuit of a current supply switch to a primary winding of a transformer, this control circuit operating in isolated switching mode at a low frequency, typically 20,000 Hz.

The load circuit 1 5 of the auxiliary source reuses the input stage of the first circuit 4, this input stage comprising a filter 1 6 and a power factor correction device 1 7. The charging circuit 1 5 comprises after this stage, a converter 1 8.

Claims

1. Charge installation of an electric battery for a vehicle, said installation comprising a main source (3) of power supply capable of delivering a charging power Pci and a first circuit (4) for converting the current or the voltage of power supply from said main source (3) in a charging current or voltage for said electric battery, characterized in that it comprises

at least one auxiliary source (8) for supplying power capable of delivering a charging power Pc ₂ ,

at least one second circuit (9) for converting the current or the supply voltage delivered by said auxiliary source (8) into a charging current or voltage for said electric battery, said at least one second circuit (9) being connected in parallel with said first circuit (4),

a management system (10) controlling said at least one auxiliary source (8) so as to activate at least one of said auxiliary sources when the charging power Pc required for charging said battery is greater than the charging power Pci likely to be delivered by said main source (3).

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said main source (3) of power supply is the power supply network delivering a mains voltage or a mains current.

3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said at least one auxiliary source (8) comprises a power supply unit selected from the group consisting of a battery, a supercapacitor, a flywheel, a battery fuel, a generator, photovoltaic solar panels and combinations of these elements.

4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said vehicle (2) comprising an onboard computer (5) controlling said battery to be charged, said installation comprises a communication system (7) to enable the real-time transfer of information between said installation and said on-board computer (5), said information comprising at least one charge reference value provided by said on-board computer.

5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that said management system (10) comprises a calculation unit for determining the load power Pc corresponding to the load current and / or charge voltage values required by said computer. edge (5).

6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the load power Pci likely to be delivered by said main power supply source (3) being variable as a function of time, said installation comprises a unit of measurement in time. actual said load power Pc-i, said measurement unit sending information to said computing unit.

7. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises programmable means for limiting the load power delivered by said main source (3) so that Pci <Pc _max , where Pc _my x is the maximum load power likely to be delivered by said main power source (3).

8. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said first circuit (4) for converting the current or the supply voltage supplied by said main source (3) into a charging current or voltage for said electric battery comprises a control circuit of a current supply switch to a primary winding of a transformer, said control circuit operating in an isolated switching mode at a high frequency or at a low frequency.

9. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said installation comprises a charging circuit (1 1, 15) of said at least one auxiliary source (8), connected to said main source (3) supplying power to recharge said at least one auxiliary source (8).

10. Installation according to claims 2 and 9, characterized in that said charging circuit comprises a filter, a converter and a power factor correction device.

1 1. Method for charging an electric vehicle battery, in which a main power supply source (3) capable of delivering a charging power Pci and at least one auxiliary power source (8) is implemented capable of delivering a charging power Pc ₂ so that the sum of the load powers delivered by said sources to the electric battery is equal to a charging power Pc, characterized in that

- for each of said auxiliary power supply sources (8), a circuit is implemented for converting the supply current or supply voltage supplied by said corresponding auxiliary source (8) into a charge current or voltage for said electric battery, said circuit being placed between said corresponding auxiliary source (8) and the connection node of the different power supply sources.

12. The method of claim 1 1, characterized in that realizes the load power delivered by said main power supply source (3) and defines a maximum power value Pc _ma x to debit from said main source (3).

13. The method of claim 1 1, characterized in that the charging power Pci likely to be delivered by said main power supply source (3) being variable as a function of time, said load power Pc- i.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it determines from the value Pc _max or Pc-i, the load power Pc ₂ that must provide said at least one auxiliary power source (8). in energy to ensure the charge of said electric battery.

15. Method according to any one of claims 1 1 to 14, characterized in that said charging power Pc required being strictly lower than Pc-i, simultaneously charging said electric battery, said at least one auxiliary source (8) power supply with a charging power Pc ₄ such that Pc ₄ <Pc Pc.

16. Method according to any one of claims 1 1 to 15, characterized in that said vehicle comprising an on-board computer (5) and the charging power Pc delivered to said battery to be charged being less than a charge power value. If desired, said onboard computer is communicated with said load value Pc.

17. Method according to any one of claims 1 1 to 16, characterized in that charging only one electric battery at a time, sequentially charging several electric batteries.

18. The method of claim 17, characterized in that each of said batteries charging for a charging time τ less than the charging time required to charge an electric battery at one time.

A method of charging an electric vehicle battery, said vehicle comprising an onboard computer (5), wherein

this load power is compared with the load power Pci that can be delivered by a main source (3) of power supply,

- If Pc> Pc-i, is implemented in addition to said main source (3), at least one auxiliary power supply source (8) capable of delivering a charge power Pc ₂ so that the sum of charge powers delivered by said sources is equal to the required charging power Pc.

20. The method of claim 19, characterized in that said main source (3) of power supply is the power supply network delivering a mains voltage.

21. Method according to Claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the value of the charging power Pci is determined with respect to a maximum charging power Pc _{max that} can be delivered by the main power supply source (3). .

22. Method according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the load power Pci likely to be delivered by said main power source (3) being variable as a function of time, said charging power Pc-i.

23. A method according to any one of claims 19 to 22, characterized in that said charging power Pc required being strictly lower than Pc-i, simultaneously charging said electric battery, said at least one auxiliary source (8) d power supply with a charging power Pc ₄ such that Pc ₄ <Pc Pc.