GB2576719A

GB2576719A - Electrical vehicle charging apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: GB2576719A
Application number: GB1813954.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Linton Howe Andrew
Original assignee: WELSENGEN Ltd
Current assignee: WELSENGEN Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-28
Filing date: 2018-08-28
Publication date: 2020-03-04
Also published as: GB201813954D0

Abstract

An electrical vehicle charging apparatus 10 recharges a battery arrangement of an electric vehicle 60 (EV) and includes: a power outlet unit 20 that is coupled, in operation, to an electrical power grid 30; and a smart charging cable 40 that is connected, in operation, between the power output unit and a charging socket 50 of the EV. The charging cable incorporates a device 100 that includes; a sensing arrangement, a data processing arrangement and a wireless communication arrangement. The sensing arrangement senses properties of power flow (e.g. DC power, AC power, reactive power flows, multiphase AC power flows, real-time alternating frequency of power flows) occurring along the charging cable when recharging the EV and/or when the EV is providing response back to the electrical power grid. The data processing arrangement performs local data processing at the device, on data generated from measurements made by the sensing arrangement. The wireless communication arrangement communicates data, representative of measurements of power flow data occurring in the charging cable, to a remote database 180 for fiscal accounting purposes and/or for controlling operation of the electrical power grid. The device may be retrofitted to a pre-existing charging cable.

Description

- 1 ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING APPARATUS AND METHOD

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electrical vehicle charging apparatus; for example, the present disclosure relates to electrical vehicle charging cables, implemented as smart charging cables that couple, when in operation, a given electrical vehicle to a source of charging power, and that are capable of providing an enhanced degree of functionality; such functionality includes, for example, managing or monitoring power flow into or from a rechargeable battery arrangement of a given electrical vehicle for providing grid response services (for example, national and distribution services) to an electrical power grid that is coupled via the charging apparatus to the given electrical vehicle. Moreover, the present disclosure relates to methods of (namely, to methods for) using aforesaid electrical vehicle charging apparatus to recharge the electrical vehicles. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to software products stored on non-transitory (non-transient) machine-readable data storage carrier and executable upon computing hardware for implementing aforesaid methods. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to apparatus that include current and voltage sensing arrangements that allow for power flows into and out from of a given vehicle or power-consuming system to be monitored, and an availability of ancillary service to be determined (for example, real power flows, reactive power flows and voltage). Additionally, the present disclosure relates to smart charging cables or leads that, when in operation, perform electrical power grid measurements such as (for example, real-time) grid frequency and grid voltage to allow the smart charging cables or leads control, when in operation, power flows to provide various services, for example response services; optionally, the smart charging cables or leads include communication arrangements to enable parameters describing a state of the aforesaid various services to be communicated remotely from the cables or leads (for example, for fiscal accounting purposes), and to

-2enable the charging cables or leads to receive remote instructions that control their operation (for example, received from a grid operator). Additionally, the present disclosure concerns aforesaid smart cables and leads for use with air conditioning equipment, heat pumps, storage heaters and water pumps.

Background

Electrical vehicles, whether employing a hybrid combination of electrical drive train and internal combustion drive train or employing merely an electrical drive train, are contemporarily rechargeable by couple them to electrical power grids. Although resonant inductive coupling of electrical power from a given charging apparatus to a given electrical vehicle for battery recharging purposes is known, it is more contemporarily usual to couple electrical vehicles via charging cables to charging apparatus, wherein the charging apparatus is further coupled to an electrical power grid. Furthermore, it will be appreciated for electrical vehicles including battery arrangement that it is feasible to have bi-directional energy flows therefrom or thereto; however, in a case of heat pumps and other similar loads, only one direction of energy flow is feasible when in operation.

A contemporary problem arising is that when many electrical vehicles are coupled simultaneously to a given electrical power grid, for recharging purposes, the electrical vehicles can represent a considerable power load. When fast charging of the many electrical vehicles is employed, for example at rates of 5C (namely, 12 minutes for full battery recharge) or even IOC (namely, 6 minutes for full battery recharge) wherein C is an Amp-hour capacity of battery arrangements of the electrical vehicles, the given electrical power grid can experience extreme peaks of electrical power consumption, that makes management and control and the given electrical power grid difficult, especially when the electrical power grid is provided with power from renewable energy sources that can be temporally unpredictable. In a given local area of an electrical power grid,

-3effects that are experienced when in operation include voltage variations and, at a national level, the grid frequency freai-time can change as a result of varying loading or varying power generating capacity affecting the electrical power grid.

Electrical supply grids are employed to provide power connections from one or more generators to one or more consumers. Power consumed by the one or more consumers corresponds to a power demand placed upon the one or more generators via the grids. In order to keep operation of the grids stable, it is desirable that there is a balance between power generated by the one or more generators and the power demand. However, both the power demand and the power generated are susceptible to fluctuating as a function of time, as aforementioned. For example, the one or more generators include one or more renewable energy sources, for example tidal power and/or wind power for wind turbines. Moreover, the power demand includes one or more users connecting up their electrical vehicles at an end of a working day to recharge their batteries, for example in a situation of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Presently, UK distribution network operators are considering utilization of a turn-off” arrangement as one method of managing local power demand. Such a turn-off” technique is used in various countries such as Germany and is referred to as being Rundsteuerung (namely, ripple control) and allows a central utility to shed loads based upon prearranged addresses, by employing a cut-off relay on a non-essential power bus within a given home.

It is known to include smart control arrangements in relation to electrical vehicle battery recharging apparatus. For example, in a published US patent application US2017/0050529 Al (Bidirectional charging system for electric vehicle, Hydro Quebec), there is described a bidirectional charging system for an electrical vehicle including a bidirectional terminal connected to an electrical power grid, a cable for connecting to the electric

-4vehicle, a control panel accessible from the bidirectional terminal and a communication arrangement coupled a control system of the electrical grid, wherein the vehicle includes a bidirectional charger, wherein the bidirectional charger allows for a transfer of electrical energy from the terminal to a battery of the vehicle and vice versa, wherein a user of the electrical vehicle can specify a minimum level of charge of the battery through the terminal of the control panel.

In a published Japanese patent application JP2012039749, there is described a device and its associated vehicle power feeding cable, wherein the vehicle power feeding cable is arranged to connect, when in operation, between a power output port and a charging port of a given electrical vehicle. The vehicle power feeding cable, when in operation, is used to supply power from the power output port via the charging port to a battery of the electrical vehicle. A registration information acquiring unit is included that acquires registration information from a storage unit in which registration information including user information is stored a priori·, moreover, a registration information acquisition unit is included that acquires the registration information from the information input unit. There is also included a utilization judging section for judging whether or not use of the vehicle power feeding cable is permitted by verification.

Although it is known to increase a functionality of charging cables for use to charge electrical vehicles, there are remaining many desired functionalities that are not hitherto addressed.

Summary

The present disclosure seeks to provide an improved electrical vehicle charging apparatus that, when in operation, provides an enhanced degree of functionality, for example for correcting or managing stored energy, for example when providing a frequency response service to electrical power grids.

-5Moreover, the present disclosure seeks to provide an improved method of providing improved electrical vehicle charging, for example providing an enhanced degree of functionality from an electrical vehicle charging apparatus, for example to correct or manage stored energy, for example when providing a frequency response service to electrical power grids.

Furthermore, the present disclosure seeks to provide an improved method of (for) measuring a service provided by a given loads including energy storage therein, which can be financially rewarded for an owner of the given load, for example an automobile owner. Additionally, the present disclosure seeks to provide an improved method of (for) allowing an availability measurement of a given ancillary service to be communicated via a smart network and to be recorded centrally, thereby enabling a given owner of an electrical vehicle to be rewarded for a given ancillary service provided to a given electrical power grid. Such functionality is incorporated into a smart lead or cable of the present disclosure, thus allowing easy retrofit for users.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical vehicle charging (and, optionally, discharging) apparatus that, when in operation, recharges a battery arrangement of an electrical vehicle, wherein electrical vehicle charging apparatus includes a power output unit that is coupled in operation to an electrical power grid, a charging cable that is connected when in operation between the power output unit an charging socket of the electrical vehicle, characterized in that the charging cable incorporates (namely, includes) a device therealong, wherein:

(I) the device includes a sensing arrangement that senses properties of power flow (for example, computed from voltage and current measurements, namely either d.c. or a.c. measurements, or both)

-6occurring along the charging cable when recharging the electrical vehicle and/or when the electrical vehicle is providing response back to the electrical power grid;

(ii) the device includes a data processing arrangement that performs local data processing at the device on data generated from measurement made by the sensing arrangement, when in operation; and (Hi) the device includes a wireless communication arrangement that communicates, when in operation, with a remote database arrangement to communicate data representative of measurements of power flow data occurring in the charging cable to the remote database arrangement for fiscal accounting purposes and/or for purposes of controlling operation of the electrical power grid.

The invention is of advantage in that it provides a particularly convenient and advantageous way to provide electrical vehicle recharging infrastructure, while also assisting electrical power grids to cope more effectively with temporal fluctuations in load caused by many electrical vehicles recharging simultaneously from the electrical power grids, for example fast charging electrical vehicles from the electrical power grids at rates of 5C or greater.

Optionally, the wireless communication arrangement of the device communicates, when in operation, to an on-board energy storage arrangement of the electrical vehicle, namely for allowing a state of the energy storage arrangement to be determined

Optionally, the device includes a control communication path that provides for a charge/discharge power flow provided via the charging cable to be modulated under control of a computing arrangement, for example in response to sensed changes in the electrical power grid or, optionally, instructions communicated to the device of the charging cable from an

-7external party (for example, from an operator of the electrical power grid).

Optionally, the device of the charging cable senses, when in operation, a local voltage applied to the charging cable and to modulate a power flow drawn or delivered via the charging cable. Such a functionality provides for local voltage control, for example. Similarly, the charging cable may optionally sense power factor, and assist to control an inverter included in the electrical vehicle to provide power factor correction of power flows occurring in operation to the electrical vehicle or power flows provided from the electrical vehicle.

Optionally, the charging cable and its associated device may include an additional communication arrangement in addition to that used for sensing grid parameters, namely to provide a standard demand response capability. It will be appreciated that a system that is soley based on grid sensed parameters is autonomous and is reasonably cyber-secure, namely not relying on real-time communications, and less likely to suffer a single point of failure when in operation.

Optionally, the device of the charging cable communicates, when in operation, with a given smart meter, that allows for ancillary service data to be communicated to a remote database arrangement, for example to a centralised database of a grid operator. For purposes of providing frequency-dependent response services, the service data pertains to an ... availability to store power, measured in Watts, in a half hour market slot, sent as a kWh reading, and availability to deliver power. Thus, optionally, the device of the charging cable communicates each half hour an indication of service availability to deliver response power in relation to a change in frequency of the electric power grid; in other words, there is communicated information that allows for an operator of the electrical power grid to determine a real-time measure of energy storage inertia

-8of the electrical power grid. It is the availability of such inertia that is financially rewarded, rather than a given response power itself. The availability to delivered power is known as low frequency response (namely, known as regulation in USA) and availability to absorb power is known as high response. Additionally, the device optionally measures actual power delivered to provide verification data, for example for fiscal accounting purposes; however, providing such information may be accomplished by considering a sample population or a type validation.

Optionally, for the electrical vehicle charging apparatus, the device is fabricated to be retrofitted to a pre-existing charging cable to increase a functionality of the pre-existing charging cable to sense power flows occurring in the charging cable when in operation, and to communicate data representative of the power flows to the remote database arrangement

Optionally, for the electrical vehicle charging apparatus, the device includes a power switch arrangement that, when in operation, selectively interrupts power flow occurring through the charging cable.

Optionally, for the electrical vehicle charging apparatus, the sensing arrangement, in cooperation with the data processing arrangement is capable of sensing at least one of:

(i) d.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable;

(ii) a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable;

(iii) reactive power flows occurring along the charging cable (i.e. where current and voltage of a given phase are not angularly aligned, for example deviated by more than 20° angular error)·, and (iii) multiphase a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (e.g. a conventional 3-phase electrical supply with 120° phase angle between the 3-phases);

(iv) real-time alternating frequency (freai-time) of the power flows.

-9Optionally, for the electrical vehicle charging apparatus, the device is implemented using a custom-designed integrated circuit or integrated circuit module with on-board data processing, wireless communication and sensing functionalities provided therein.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of (for) operating an electrical vehicle charging apparatus that, when in operation, recharges a battery arrangement of an electrical vehicle, wherein electrical vehicle charging apparatus includes a power output unit that is coupled in operation to an electrical power grid, a charging cable that is connected when in operation between the power output unit an charging socket of the electrical vehicle, characterized in that the method includes:

(i) incorporating (namely, including) a device in the charging cable and/or at one or more ends of the charging cable;

(ii) using a sensing arrangement of the device to sense properties of power flow occurring along the charging cable when recharging the electrical vehicle and/or when the electrical vehicle (is providing response back to the electrical power grid;

(ii) using a data processing arrangement of the device to perform local data processing at the device on data generated from measurement made by the sensing arrangement, when in operation; and (ill) using a wireless communication arrangement of the device to communicate, when in operation, with a remote database arrangement to communicate data representative of measurements of power flow data occurring in the charging cable to the remote database arrangement (for fiscal accounting purposes and/or for controlling operation of the electrical power grid.

- 10Optionally, the method includes retrofitting the device to a pre-existing charging cable to increase a functionality of the pre-existing charging cable to sense power flows occurring in the charging cable when in operation, and to communicate data representative of the power flows to the remote database arrangement.

Optionally, the method includes arranging for the device to include a power switch arrangement that, when in operation, selectively interrupts power flow occurring through the charging cable.

Optionally, the method includes arranging for the sensing arrangement, in cooperation with the data processing arrangement to sense at least one of:

(I) d.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable;

(ii) a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable;

(ill) reactive power flows occurring along the charging cable (i.e. where current and voltage of a given phase are not angularly aligned, for example deviated by more than 20° angular error)·, and (iii) multiphase a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (e.g. a conventional 3-phase electrical supply with 120° phase angle between the 3-phases); and (iv) real-time alternating frequency (freai-time) of the power flows.

Optionally, the method includes implementing the device using a customdesigned integrated circuit or integrated circuit module with on-board data processing, wireless communication and sensing functionalities provided therein.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a software product recording on machine-readable data storage media, characterized in that the software product is executable upon computing

- 11 hardware for implementing a method of the second aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect, there is provided an electrical power grid including an apparatus pursuant to the first aspect, for providing in operation a response service to the electricity grid.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that implementing the charging cable as an a.c. lead is advantageous in that grid parameters are directly discernible from a.c. power flows occurring through the charging cable, for example real-time grid frequency freai-time. In the case of the charging cable arranged in operation to handle d.c. power flows, the electrical power grid needs to be connected via a sensor arrangement to the device of the charging cable (namely, smart cable), for example to be communicated further to the remote database arrangement and/or to an operator of the electrical power grid.

Similarly, it is desirable that the device of the charging cable is able to estimate stored energy state, for example a stator-of-charge (SOC) of a battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle. In the event of the battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle is monitored via an internal control system of the electrical vehicle, the internal control system can communicate wirelessly with the device of the charging cable, or even communicate directly with the aforementioned remote database arrangement or the operator of the electrical power grid. Likewise, a state of heat pumps and storage heaters can be estimated using physically sensed parameters such as temperature, pressures, times of power being applied and so forth.

- 12It will be appreciated that features of the invention are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Description of the diagrams

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an electrical vehicle charging apparatus of the present disclosure, wherein the electrical vehicle charging apparatus includes a charging lead for connecting to an electrical vehicle, and wherein the charging lead includes a device that increases functionality of the electrical vehicle charging apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of elements of the device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an illustration of steps of a method of using the electrical vehicle charging apparatus of FIG. 1, to provide a synergistic functionality of managing electrical vehicle recharging as well as providing response to an electric power grid providing in operation power for the electrical vehicle recharging.

In the accompanying diagrams, 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.

Description of embodiments of the disclosure

In overview, with reference to FIG.s 1 and 2, an electrical vehicle recharging apparatus is indicated generally by 10. The electrical vehicle recharging apparatus 10 includes a power outlet unit 20 that is connected to an electrical power grid 30. Moreover, the apparatus 10 includes a

- 13charging cable 40 that couples in operation from the power outlet unit 20 to a charging input socket 50 of an electrical vehicle 60. The electrical vehicle 60 is optionally a pure electrical vehicle having an electrical drive train that solely propels the electrical vehicle 60 when being driven, alternatively, the electrical vehicle 60 is optionally a hybrid electrical vehicle having both an electrical drive train and a combustion engine drive train that propel, either alternatively or concurrently, the electrical vehicle 60 when being driven. The charging cable 40 is a flexible heavy-duty cable that is capable of conducting many ten's of Amperes current when in operation, and potentially supporting voltages as high as 500 Volts, even optionally 1000 Volts. Electrical power flowing via the charging cable 40 can be (alternating current) a.c., (direct current) d.c. or a mixture of a.c. and d.c., depending upon a configuration that is utilized for the apparatus

10.

Along the charging cable 40, there is included a device 100 that includes, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a wireless communication arrangement 110 for receiving and/or sending wireless communication, a power flow measuring arrangement 120, a power flow frequency measurement arrangement 130, a data processing arrangement 140 and a power supply arrangement 150 for providing local operating power to the device 100; such elements 110 to 150 cooperate the enable the device 100 to monitor power flows into and out of the charging socket of the electrical vehicle 60, as well as exchanging data with a remote database arrangement 180 (for example, a remote server arrangement hosted in the Internet®. Operation of the device 100 will be elucidated in greater detail below.

Optionally, the device 100 is included along the charging cable 40, for example integrally within the charging cable 40 (for example in a robust flexible plastics material housing, for example fabricated from Nylon, silicone rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene or such like), alternative at

- 14an end of the cable 40, for example in a form of an adapter (for example, in a manner of a plug-in adapter), either where the charging cables 40 connects to the electrical vehicle 60 or where the charging cable 40 is attached to the power outlet unit 20. Optionally, the device 100 is included as an integral part of the apparatus 10 at its initial manufacture; alternatively, the device 100 is provided as a retrofit item that is installed into pre-existing charging leads to enhance their functionality when in operation charging electrical vehicles.

The aforementioned elements 110 to 150 of the device 100 will next be further elucidated. Firstly, the wireless communication arrangement 110 is implemented to provide wireless communication, for example via at least one of near-field wireless communication (for example, Bluetooth®, Internet of Things (loT) near-field wireless link), long-distance wireless communication (for example 4G® mobile telephony, 5G® mobile telephony and similar). Such near-field wireless communication can, for example, be used to communicate to a wireless communication relay device of the electrical vehicle 60 and/or to a wireless communication relay of the power outlet unit 20, for example for communicating in operation with the aforesaid remote database arrangement 180. For example, the remote database arrangement 180 includes a control centre for coordinating operation of the electrical power grid 30, for example for controlling response services required to stabilize the electrical power grid 30, and/or for assisting the electrical power grid 30 to recover after a major event such as a black-out or brown-out event. Moreover, the remote database arrangement 180 includes a fiscal accounting system for collecting data pertaining to how much power has been delivered to recharge a given electrical vehicles (namely, for customer invoicing purposes), how much response service has been provided to the electric power grid 30 by power flow back from the electrical vehicle 60 back to the electrical power grid 30 to assist stabilizing its operation. It will be appreciated that when the device 100 is used to monitor charging of the

- 15electrical vehicle 60 and also to monitor how much power is provided back to the electrical power grid 30 in a form of response services, for financially charging a user of the electrical vehicle 60 regarding how much battery recharging power the user has consumed, and also financially compensating the user for response services supplied back to the electric power grid 30 to stabilize its operation. Thus, during recharging of the electrical vehicle 60, a situation can arise that power flows back and forth, namely bidirectionally, in the charging cable 40, wherein a temporal measure of power flow is monitored using the device 100 and communicated to the aforesaid remote database arrangement 180.

Next, the power flow measuring arrangement 120 includes a voltage sensor arrangement and a current sensor arrangement (for example, implemented using a Hall-effect semiconductor sensor, a transformer coupled sensor). Moreover, the power flow frequency measurement arrangement 120 is used when the charging cable 40 is providing, when in operation, a.c. power for battery recharging purposes to the electrical vehicle 60, or (optionally) when the electrical vehicle 60 is providing a.c. power momentary back to the electrical power grid 30 (namely, when providing response services to assist to stabilize operation of the electrical power grid 60 as imbalances between generating capacity supplying power to the electrical power grid 30 and power demand applied by consumers to the electrical power grid 30 temporally fluctuate). The device 100 further includes data processing arrangement 140, for example implemented using a microcontroller or custom-designed digital hardware (for example, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)), or a combination thereof. The data processing arrangement 140 beneficially executes a plurality of types of data processing tasks at the device 100, for example determines a power factor from a phase difference between measured current signals and voltage signals of a given phase of the charging cable 40 when charging power is provided in a.c. form; it will be appreciated that the charging cable 40 optionally

- 16supports a plurality of a.c. phases, for example 3-phase a.c., and the data processing arrangement 140 is then operable to compute power factor for each of the plurality of phases. In general, operators of the electrical power grid 30 prefer users to be manifest as resistive loads applied to the electrical power grid 30, because coping with reactive loads coupled to the electrical power grid 30 can be technically problematic for the operator of the electrical power grid 30. The data processing arrangement 140 also beneficially performs filtering of noise from current and voltage measurements acquired by the device 100, for example by performing a plurality of measurements at similar cycles times when a.c. measurements are being considered, or by performing a temporal rolling average (for example, using a FIFO buffer for providing a rolling set of measurements and then computing an average of measurements in the FIFO buffer) when the charging cable 40 is coupling d.c. power flows. Furthermore, the data processing arrangement 140 also includes an internal clock that enables it to measure an instantaneous frequency fi-eaitime of a.c. power being delivered from electric power grid 30 via the power outlet unit 20; given that a nominal operating frequency fnom of the electrical power grid 30 is known a priori to the device 100 and/or is communicated wirelessly from the remote database arrangement 180 to the device 100, the data processing arrangement 140 is capable of recording a measure of a magnitude of power flow occurring via the charging cable 40 as a function of the instantaneous frequency f-eal-time Of a.c. power, and communicating this back to the remote database arrangement 180 for fiscal accounting purposes; for example, the nominal grid frequency fnom in Europe is 50.0 Hz, but can vary between 49.5 Hz when the electrical power grid 30 is heavily loaded relative to its available generating capacity, and 50.5 Hz when the electrical power grid 30 is lightly loaded relative to its available generating capacity. For example, it is particularly beneficial for the operator of the electrical power grid 30 to have power delivered back from the electrical vehicle 60 back into the electrical power grid 30 when the instantaneous frequency /real-time IS

- 17relatively lower, for example approaching 49.5 Hz, and it is particularly beneficial for the operator of the electrical power grid 30 to have power consumed at a greater rate when the instantaneous frequency /real-time IS relatively higher, for example approaching 50.5 Hz. Thus, use of the device 1OO in combination with the aforesaid remote database arrangement 180 is especially beneficially for incentivizing the user to provide a response service to the electrical power grid 30 when recharging the electrical vehicle 60. By performing data processing locally at the device 100, there is thereby very greatly reduced an amount of data to be communicated back to the remote database arrangement 180, thereby resulting in frugal use of data communication network bandwidth, for example Internet® and mobile telephone communication network bandwidth/capacity.

Optionally, the device 100 includes a power switch 200 for interrupting power flow between the power outlet unit 20 and the electrical vehicle 60, for example in an event that the instantaneous frequency f-eal-time experiences an excursion below a lower frequency limit, for example 49.4 Hz, or even below 49.5 Hz. The power switch 200 is optionally implemented as a solid-state power device or an electromechanical relay. Such disconnection is optionally achieved in an event that the remote database arrangement 180 is organizing a controlled recovery from a brownout event, or even a blackout event. Beneficially, the device 100 includes a small local rechargeable battery therein, for example a rechargeable button cell, so that the data processing arrangement 140 is able to continue to function in an event that power from the electrical power grid 30 is momentarily lost. The device 100 is also capable of protecting against dangerous power consumption, or unexpected power consumption, occurring at the electrical vehicle 60, for example in an event of a battery short circuit occurring or other form of battery failure.

- 18Optionally, the device 100 is implemented using a custom-designed integrated circuit that has many of the elements 110 to 150 incorporated integrally therein, or in a form of a compact hybrid integrated circuit module.

The power supply arrangement 150 that provides power to the device 100 optionally employs a combination of light emitters, for example one or more LEDs to generate light, and one or more photocells to generate low-power d.c. supply potential, to provide optical isolation between the charging cable internal wires connected to the electrical power grid 30 on a first part, and the elements 110 to 140 of the device 100 on a second part. Alternatively, or additionally, the power supply arrangement 150 can be implemented using a ferrite coupling transformer for isolation, in a manner akin to a contemporary switch-mode power supply.

Optionally, the device 100 includes a GSP or GPRS position determining sensing arrangement so that it is able, when in operation, to determine its geographical position. The device 100 is then operable to communicate such a geographical position to the remote database arrangement 180, for example for fiscal accounting purposes. For example, it may be more costly for the operator of the electrical power grid 30 to provide power grid connections at certain geographically remote locations, for example in remote rural areas, such that the cost of recharging the electrical vehicle 60 at such geographically remote locations is taken into account for fiscal accounting purposes by the device 100 communicating its geographical location to the remote database arrangement 180, namely via wireless communication as aforementioned.

Referring next to FIG. 3, there are shown steps of a method of using the aforementioned electrical vehicle recharging apparatus 10. The steps of the method are indicated generally by 300.

- 19In a first step 310 of the method 300, the step 310 concerns including, namely incorporating, the device 100 in the charging cable 40, or at one or more ends of the charging cable 40.

In a second step 320 of the method 300, the step 320 concerns using a sensing arrangement (for example implemented using the aforementioned power flow measuring arrangement 120 and the aforementioned power flow frequency measurement arrangement 130) of the device 100 to sense properties of power flow occurring along the charging cable 40 when recharging the electrical vehicle 60 and/or when the electrical vehicle 60 is providing response back to the electrical power grid 30.

In a third step 330 of the method 300, the step 330 concerns using the data processing arrangement 140 of the device 100 to perform local data processing at the device 100 on data generated from measurement made by the aforesaid sensing arrangement, when in operation.

In a fourth step 340 of the method 300, the step 340 concernsusing the wireless communication arrangement 110 of the device 100 to communicate, when in operation, with the aforesaid remote database arrangement 180 to communicate data representative of measurements of power flow data occurring in the charging cable 40 to the remote database arrangement 180 for fiscal accounting purposes and/or for controlling operation of the electrical power grid 30.

The steps 320 to 340 of the method 300 are repeated as required.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention are especially useful when existing street lamp posts are being adapted to function also as electrical vehicle recharging facilities, wherein the street lamp posts then correspond to the aforementioned power outlet unit 20. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention are useful in domestic

-20promises, taxi parking bays, for electrically-propelled light aircraft, for electrically propelled boats moored along harbour fronts for recharging purposes, and so forth. Embodiments of the present disclosure can also be used in carparks for electrical vehicle recharging purposes, and similar.

When providing frequency response, the device 100 of the charging cable 40 needs to be able to sense the grid frequency freai-time and then compute a desired power flow, either supplied to the electrical vehicle or received from the electrical vehicle 60. Additionally, the device 100 of the charging cable 40 needs to be able to estimate or measure a stored energy state of a battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle 60. Moreover, the device 100 of the charging cable 40 needs to be able to estimate a given energy or power that is available to be delivered in respect of the electrical vehicle 60, for example within a given 30-minute market slot, for example for electrical power response or stabilization purposes (for example, for coping with an overload, such as a momentary brown out of the electrical power grid 30); for example, such data pertaining to energy or power includes information indicative of the electrical vehicle 60 including therein a 10 kWh battery arrangement that is rated up to 2C charging rate during recharging. For example, if the battery arrangement is at a state of charge SOC = 50%, then roughly the device 100 can employ the electrical vehicle 60 to deliver (or absorb) 5 kWh energy. In a given 30minute market slot, the availability power is 10 kW high-response and 10 kW low-response, at that instant of time the battery arrangement SOC is 50%. As the SOC varies, then the availability power for high-response and low-response will also vary. Embodiments of the present disclosure are therefore potentially capable of increasing, for example maximizing, the service availability allowed by the SOC at a given time. Moreover, embodiments of the present disclosure are able to monitor and compute such availability of grid frequency as it temporally varies (namely, wanders}, and the SOC temporally varies. Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure are able to deliver the electrical vehicle 60 to its

-21 user with the battery arrangement at a practical and workable state of charge (SOC) for achieving reliable vehicle operation; it will be appreciated that when a user of the electrical vehicle 60 desire to drive to his/her place of work in a regular predictable time, it is desirable that the SOC of the battery arrangement is in an range of, for example, 70% to 100%. The device 1OO in the charging cable 40 beneficially employs computer learning (namely Al, computer based adaptive learning, artificial intelligence) and also pre-programmed parameters to achieve a highest grid response availability commensurate with goals of the car user wanting to have a charged battery, while ensuring extended battery arrangement life (for example, maximising battery arrangement life by operating the battery arrangement within operating ranges that do not stress electrodes and/or electrolyte of the battery arrangement). Thus, for example, an operator of the electrical power grid 30 may require highest frequency response during a night-time period. As a subsequent morning ramp in power demand from the electric power grid 30 develops, a need for the device 100 to provide response services using the battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle 60 may potentially diminish. An important feature of the charging cable 40 and its associated device 100 is to control power flows, as well as measuring a service availability of response power that can be delivered from the battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle 60, for which an owner (or charger owner) for the electrical vehicle 60 can be fiscally rewarded (via information provided by the device 100 of the charging cable 60, as aforementioned).

Embodiments of the present disclosure are susceptible to being used with other type of energy storage devices and energy-dissipating loads. Similarly, voltage sensing of supply from the electrical power grid 30 can be optionally employed when providing ancillary services, as aforementioned, for example grid response.

-22Embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of providing automatic and autonomous control of charging of battery arrangements, at a lowest capital cost and complexity, in respect of an operator of the electric power grid 30, while also providing a high degree of security, for example cyber security. The charging cable 60 and its associated device 100 are potentially useful for providing self-healing to electrical power grids that may be islanded. Furthermore, if service parameters are optimised to provide short-durations responses, a possibility arises to provide inertia services when peak power demand on the electrical power grid 30 occurs, thereby increasing fiscal rewards that are possible. For example, if response power is required for 5 minutes, then the peak power availability would increase six time (x 6), compared to response power for a 30minute duration service. However, it will be appreciated that a battery arrangement with SOC = 80%, with 20% energy storage capacity remaining, could provide in a range of 4 to 6 times its 1C rating, which for a 10 kWh battery is a significant response power that can be provided to the electric power grid 30, namely in a range of 40 kWh to 60 kWh. It will be appreciated that such operating characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure are very attractive for providing a fast response, inertial service to the electrical power grid 30. However, it will be appreciated that there are many slower generation services that can potentially be dispatched to provide net average power response to the electrical power grid 30, but the device 100 is capable of enabling a particularly valuable type of fast response to be provided to the electrical supply grid 30.

With voltage sensing, energy storage provided in the battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle 60 can be used to boost a geographically local grid voltage magnitude, if the voltage magnitude falls, and vice versa. For example, electrical energy provided from photovoltaic devices (i.e., solar panels) can be stored in the battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle 60 for future consumption, which is advantageous to local electrical power

-23grids, as it avoids electrical power generated using photovoltaic devices having to flow extensively in the electrical power grid 30 before being consumed, wherein such extensive flow has associated therewith energy losses arising from electrical grid component parts such as distribution transformers and lengthy grid cables. Moreover, it will be appreciated that reactive power and real power can be used to undertake voltage control functions and correct phase to phase imbalances within the electrical power grid 30, by employing the device 100 and its charging cable 60 in association with the battery arrangement of the electrical vehicle 60.

Modifications to embodiments of the invention described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as including, comprising, incorporating, consisting of, have, is used to describe and claim the present invention are intended to be construed in a nonexclusive 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. Numerals included within parentheses in the accompanying claims are intended to assist understanding of the claims and should not be construed in any way to limit subject matter claimed by these claims.

Claims

1. An electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) that, when in operation, recharges a battery arrangement of an electrical vehicle (60), wherein electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) includes a power output unit (20) that is coupled in operation to an electrical power grid (30), a charging cable (40) that is connected when in operation between the power output unit (20) an charging socket (50) of the electrical vehicle (60), characterized in that the charging cable (40) incorporates a device (100) therealong, wherein:

(I) the device (100) includes a sensing arrangement (120, 130) that senses properties of power flow occurring along the charging cable (40) when recharging the electrical vehicle (60) and/or when the electrical vehicle (60) is providing response back to the electrical power grid (30);

(II) the device (100) includes a data processing arrangement (140) that performs local data processing at the device (100) on data generated from measurement made by the sensing arrangement (120, 130), when in operation; and (ill) the device (100) includes a wireless communication arrangement (110) that communicates, when in operation, with a remote database arrangement (180) to communicate data representative of measurements of power flow data occurring in the charging cable (40) to the remote database arrangement (180) for fiscal accounting purposes and/or for purposes of controlling operation of the electrical power grid (30).

2. An electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) of claim 1, characterized in that the device (100) is fabricated to be retrofitted to a pre-existing charging cable to increase a functionality of the pre-existing

-25charging cable to sense power flows occurring in the charging cable (40) when in operation, and to communicate data representative of the power flows to the remote database arrangement (180).

3. An electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the device (100) includes a power switch arrangement (200) that, when in operation, selectively interrupts power flow occurring through the charging cable (40).

4. An electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) of claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the sensing arrangement (120, 130), in cooperation with the data processing arrangement (140) is capable of sensing at least one of:

(i) d.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (40);

(ii) a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (40);

(Hi) reactive power flows occurring along the charging cable (40) (i.e. where current and voltage of a given phase are not angularly aligned, for example deviated by more than 20° angular error)·, and (Hi) multiphase a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (40) (e.g. a conventional 3-phase electrical supply with 120° phase angle between the 3-phases); and (iv) real-time alternating frequency (freai-time) of the power flows.

5. An electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the device (100) is implemented using a customdesigned integrated circuit or integrated circuit module with on-board data processing, wireless communication and sensing functionalities provided therein.

6. A method of operating an electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) that, when in operation, recharges a battery arrangement of an electrical vehicle (60), wherein electrical vehicle charging apparatus (10) includes a

-26power output unit (20) that is coupled in operation to an electrical power grid (30), a charging cable (40) that is connected when in operation between the power output unit (20) an charging socket (50) of the electrical vehicle (60), characterized in that the method includes:

(i) incorporating a device (100) in the charging cable (40) or at one or more ends of the charging cable (40);

(ii) using a sensing arrangement (120, 130) of the device (100) to sense properties of power flow occurring along the charging cable (40) when recharging the electrical vehicle (60) and/or when the electrical vehicle (60) is providing response back to the electrical power grid (30);

(ii) using a data processing arrangement (140) of the device (100) to perform local data processing at the device (100) on data generated from measurement made by the sensing arrangement (120, 130), when in operation; and (ill) using a wireless communication arrangement (110) of the device (100) to communicate, when in operation, with a remote database arrangement (180) to communicate data representative of measurements of power flow data occurring in the charging cable (40) to the remote database arrangement (180) for fiscal accounting purposes and/or for controlling operation of the electrical power grid (30).

7. A method of claim 6, characterized in that the method includes retrofitting the device (100) to a pre-existing charging cable to increase a functionality of the pre-existing charging cable to sense power flows occurring in the charging cable (40) when in operation, and to communicate data representative of the power flows to the remote database arrangement (180).

8. A method of claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the method includes arranging for the device (100) to include a power switch arrangement (200) that, when in operation, selectively interrupts power flow occurring through the charging cable (40).

9. A method of claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the method includes arranging for the sensing arrangement (120, 130), in cooperation with the data processing arrangement (140) to sense at least one of:

(I) d.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (40);

(ii) a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (40);

(ill) reactive power flows occurring along the charging cable (40) (i.e. where current and voltage of a given phase are not angularly aligned, for example deviated by more than 20° angular error)·, and (iii) multiphase a.c. power flows occurring along the charging cable (40) (e.g. a conventional 3-phase electrical supply with 120° phase angle between the 3-phases); and (iv) real-time alternating frequency (freai-time) of the power flows.

10. A method of claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the method includes implementing the device (100) using a custom-designed integrated circuit or integrated circuit module with on-board data processing, wireless communication and sensing functionalities provided therein.

11. A software product recording on machine-readable data storage media, characterized in that the software product is executable upon computing hardware for implementing a method as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 10.