WO2022023020A1

WO2022023020A1 - Electric charging system for charging an electric accumulator

Info

Publication number: WO2022023020A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/069446
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank Petershagen; Ulrich DÜSTERHAUS; Sven BÜRIG; Eva-Maria Kleinemas
Original assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2020-07-30
Filing date: 2021-07-13
Publication date: 2022-02-03
Also published as: CN116056944A; DE102020209653A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric charging system (1) for charging an electric accumulator (7, 8, 9, 22), comprising a master charging unit (2) and a slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6), wherein the master charging unit (2) has a master control unit (14), by means of which the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) can be controlled. For this purpose, the master charging unit (2) and the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) can be coupled together. The master charging unit (2) can be directly connected to an electric energy supply grid (16), and the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) can be indirectly connected to the electric energy supply grid (16) via the master charging unit (2).

Description

description

Electrical charging system for charging an electrical accumulator

According to patent claim 1, the invention relates to an electrical charging system for charging an electrical accumulator, in particular for electromobility applications.

As the electrification of mobility, particularly individual mobility, continues to progress, there is an increasing need for charging units that can be used to efficiently and regularly charge electrical accumulators associated with electromobility applications. Such an electric accumulator associated with electromobility applications is, for example, an electric traction accumulator of a motor vehicle designed to be at least partially electrically drivable.

One approach to being able to charge as many electrical accumulators as possible at the same time is, for example, to set up so-called charging hubs that have a large number of electrical charging units. For example, charging hubs are known which are or have been erected by a corresponding automobile manufacturer at service areas, for example on freeways, these charging hubs comprising a large number of rapid charging units (HPC: high-power charger). On a smaller scale, for example in an urban environment, a large number of loading units are also required, for example in residential and/or commercial areas. However, due to the currently inconsistent strategy of the car manufacturers, other charging units are required in addition to the fast charging units, such as medium-fast direct current charging units that provide 22 kilowatts (kW) to 150 kW of electrical charging energy. There is also a need for AC charging units that provide 3.7 kW to 22 kW of electrical charging energy. The current efforts to equip urban areas and commercial areas with the charging units described lead to a need to change or upgrade the local energy supply network or power grid. Because of the high performance, which at least the DC charging units require, there are massive, selective energy demand peaks, for which the local energy supply network is often not yet designed.

Most conventional loading units work independently of each other; that is, the conventional loading units do not communicate with each other and are further often not controllable. This further exacerbates the problem of energy demand peaks, since in extreme cases the charging units that can be operated autonomously from one another or are operated independently of one another all draw maximum electrical energy from the power supply network at the same time, which can lead to an overload of the power supply network, at least in certain areas.

The object of the present invention is to create a particularly simple and particularly inexpensive option for particularly efficient charging of an electrical accumulator associated with an electromobility application.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by an electrical charging system having the features specified in patent claim 1 .

An electric charging system according to the invention is provided for charging an electric accumulator, in particular for electromobility applications. The electric accumulator, which is associated with electromobility applications, is in particular a traction accumulator of a motor vehicle designed to be at least partially electrically drivable. The electrical charging system, which can be designed as a charging hub, for example, has a master charging unit and at least one slave charging unit, with the master charging unit having a master control unit, by means of which the (at least one) slave charging unit can be controlled. For this purpose, the master charging unit and the slave charging unit can be coupled or are coupled to one another. The electrical cal charging system or the charging hub thus has the master charging unit and the slave charging unit or more than one slave charging unit. Furthermore, it is provided that the electrical charging system has only a single master charging unit, which is designed to control the slave charging units of the same electrical charging system. This means that the slave charging units of the electrical charging system and the master charging unit of the electrical charging system are coupled to one another or at least can be coupled to one another.

The master charging unit, in particular the master control unit, is therefore designed to provide the slave charging unit or slave charging units with a (respective) control signal, with the slave charging unit or slave charging units being/are designed to accept control signal provided by the master control unit as control input. In other words, the respective slave charging unit is designed to be controlled by the master charging unit or by the master control unit. The master charging unit and the respective slave charging unit are or can be coupled to one another wirelessly and/or by cable, for example by means of a data transmission element, with the control signal generated and provided by the master control unit being able to be delivered to the slave charging unit via the data transmission element. The data transmission element can be, for example, a wireless data communication connection and/or a data transmission cable etc.

In the electrical charging system, it is further provided that the slave charging unit does not have its own control unit, so that the respective slave charging unit of the same electrical charging system's can only be controlled via the master charging unit or its master control unit; without the master control unit or without the master charging unit, the respective slave charging unit cannot be operated as intended. Nevertheless, an emergency control device can be provided for emergency operation in the respective slave charging unit in order to provide a user of the electrical charging system or the slave charging unit with a charging option if the master control unit has failed or is not functioning properly.

In the electrical charging system, which has the master charging unit and the at least one slave charging unit, only the master charging unit can be connected or connected directly to an electrical energy supply network, for example a municipal power grid, with the at least one slave charging unit being connected indirectly, in particular can only be connected or connected indirectly via the master charging unit to the electrical energy supply network. This means that the slave charging unit, in that it can be or is coupled to the master charging unit, can be connected or is connected to the electrical energy supply network via the master charging unit. In particular, there is no provision for the slave charging unit to be able to be connected directly, ie without an interposed master charging unit, to the electrical power supply network. The electrical charging system accordingly has an energy transmission element, via which the master charging unit and the respective slave charging unit can be or are connected to one another. The electrical energy transmission element is, for example, a power cable, a busbar, etc. This means that the electrical charging system has both the energy transmission element and the data transmission element. It is conceivable here that the data transmission element and the energy transmission element are combined to form a data and energy transmission cable, for example. However, it is preferred if the data transmission element and the energy transmission element are spatially at least so far apart that inducing voltage by means of the energy transfer transmission element is prevented in the data transmission element when the data transmission element is designed as a data transmission cable. In order to prevent such an induction of voltage, provision can furthermore be made for the energy transmission element and/or the data transmission element to be appropriately shielded.

Since the slave charging units are only indirectly connected or can be connected to the electrical energy supply network, a particularly simple and particularly inexpensive option is created for charging the electrical accumulator particularly efficiently. In particular, a large number of electrical accumulators can be charged simultaneously by means of the charging system, with energy management or charging management being taken over by the master charging unit for the entire electrical charging system. This means that the master control unit is an energy management unit or a charging management unit. In other words, the master control unit provides energy or charging management functions, in particular both for the master charging unit and for the slave charging unit or for the slave charging units. Since the master control unit takes over the energy management or charging management for the entire electric charging system in a particularly efficient manner, the problem of energy demand peaks can be countered in a particularly efficient manner. Furthermore, the electric charging system makes it possible to use an existing infrastructure of the local energy supply network in a particularly efficient manner and in a way that is appropriate to the situation, in which case a complex upgrade or conversion of the energy supply network can be dispensed with. In other words, a capacity of the existing energy supply network can be used particularly efficiently by means of the electrical charging system. Because it is conceivable, for example, that the master control unit allocates or provides electrical energy from the power supply network to the slave charging units of the electrical charging system as required.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the charging system, it is provided that the master charging unit can be operated in a first charging operating mode, in which electrical energy of a first power level is made available to the electric accumulator by means of the master charging unit. Furthermore, the slave charging unit can be operated in a second charging operation, in which the electric accumulator is provided with electrical energy of a second power level, which is different from the first power level, by means of the slave charging unit. Since it can generally be provided in the charging system that by means of which several electric accumulators can be charged at the same time, for example by a first electric vehicle being connected to the master charging unit Charging is connected and a second electric vehicle is connected to the slave charging unit for charging, the respective electrical accumulator, which is connected to the charging system, the electrical energy based on a respective performance level are provided. For example, an electrical accumulator is connected to the master charging unit, which can be charged using a high power level or a high charging power, for example with 50 kW. On the other hand, the other of the electric accumulators is connected to the slave charging unit, wherein this additional electric accumulator can be charged using a lower power level or a lower charging power, for example the second power level (for example with 11 kW).

Accordingly, the master charging unit and the slave charging units of the same charging system are designed differently from one another, on the one hand because only the master charging unit has the master control unit and on the other hand because the first power level can be provided using the master charging unit, whereas using the Slave charging unit, the second level of performance can be provided.

In this context, it is particularly preferred if the master control unit can be used to set the second charging operating mode and consequently the second power level that can be provided by the slave charging unit as a function of the electrical accumulator that can be connected or is connected to the slave charging unit for electrical charging. For this purpose, it is provided in particular that the charging system and the accumulator, which is to be charged or is being charged by means of the charging system, communicate with one another in terms of data technology. For example, the charging system and the electric accumulator have a respective data transceiver, so that the charging system and the electric accumulator can be coupled to one another in terms of data technology via the data transceiver. For example, it is conceivable that the electrical accumulator or the device having the electrical accumulator, for example the electric vehicle, provides technical data, such as operating parameters, of the electrical accumulator to the charging system. This can take place before the actual charging process, that is to say before the electrical accumulator is connected to the charging system, and/or by connecting the electrical accumulator to the charging system. In other words, it can be provided that the electrical accumulator is registered with the charging system before the electrical accumulator is physically connected to the charging system.

The technical data or operating parameters of the accumulator are, for example, a charging capacity, a maximum charging power, by means of which the electric accumulator can be charged, a state of charge (SOC: state of charge), etc. The The master control unit is now designed to use the technical data or the operating parameters of the electrical accumulator, which is to be charged via the slave charging unit, to provide this electrical energy of the second power level via the slave charging unit and to regulate or regulate the second power level . If the charging system, for example using the master control unit, detects that the electric accumulator to be charged using the slave charging unit can only be charged with 3.7 kW, the second power level is regulated to this 3.7 kW. This is because the full power of the second power level (11 kW) is then not required to efficiently charge the electric accumulator. It is also conceivable, for example, for the second power level to be reduced even further, for example if the charge status (SOC) of the accumulator to be charged using the slave charging unit is over 80%. This is because the electric accumulator is then only charged slowly, that is to say with particularly low charging energy, so that it is then provided that the second power level is regulated accordingly by means of the master control unit. The “excess” electrical energy that can be made available by means of the slave charging unit can then be conveyed to another of the slave charging units of the electrical charging system and/or to the master charging unit by means of the master control unit.

In this way, on the one hand, the electrical charging system can be operated particularly efficiently, since it taps only the currently required energy from the energy supply network via the master charging unit as required or appropriate to the situation. On the other hand, it is conceivable that when all charging stations or charging units of the electrical charging system are connected to accumulators to be charged, the "excess" electrical energy is routed from a first of the slave charging units to another of the charging units in order to use the one connected to it Accumulator particularly efficient, for example faster to load.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided in the charging system that the master control unit can be used to set the second charging operating mode and consequently the second power level that can be provided by the slave charging unit, depending on the electrical accumulator that can be connected or is connected to the master charging unit for electrical charging. For example, charging of the accumulator that is connected to the slave charging unit can be throttled if the charging system, in particular by means of the master control unit, detects that the accumulator connected to the master charging unit is too slow or otherwise inefficient is loaded, since a maximum energy that can be tapped by means of the charging system from the power supply network is distributed to the slave charging units in such a way that a maximum efficient Working of the master loading unit is prevented. The charging of all accumulators that are connected to the charging system can then be made particularly efficient, for example by reducing the charging operation of the slave charging units by a small proportion and assigning this proportion to the master charging unit, thereby reducing the overall charging time or charging duration of the accumulators connected to the charging system is particularly low or is falling.

A further advantageous embodiment of the charging system provides that it is equipped with a rectifier unit so that the master charging unit can be operated in a rectified operating mode. For this purpose, the rectifier unit can be controlled by the master control unit, so that in the rectified operating mode, the master charging unit provides the slave charging unit with rectified electrical energy - i.e. direct current or direct voltage - which can be provided by the slave charging unit for charging the accumulator is. This is advantageous insofar as the respective slave charging unit then has multifunctionality, namely at least—firstly—electrical accumulators can be charged by means of the respective slave charging unit, which require alternating electrical energy, i.e. alternating current or alternating voltage, and—secondly—are by means of the respective slave charging unit, electrical accumulators can be charged that require rectified electrical energy for charging.

In this context, it has also proven to be advantageous if the master charging unit, in particular the master control unit, has a measuring device for measuring an amount of electrical energy delivered via the slave charging unit in accordance with calibration law. This enables the amount of electrical energy provided to be billed in accordance with the applicable legal provisions, so that the electrical charging system can be used in publicly accessible places without having to forego correct billing of the power provided (the rectified energy delivered to charge the accumulator).

Because the master control unit includes this measuring device, the charging system has a particularly simple structure or construction, as a result of which the charging system can be produced particularly efficiently and economically. Because the master control unit then has a multifunctionality, namely the master control unit takes over at least - firstly - the charging or energy management functions and - secondly - the calibration law-compliant measurement, in particular billing, of the amount of electrical energy that has been used to charge an accumulator . It is also conceivable that the measuring device is designed to measure or bill the amount of electrical energy delivered via the master charging unit in accordance with calibration law.

Furthermore, it is advantageous in the charging system, in particular in the measuring device, if this is designed to measure a quantity of electrical energy provided to the rectifier unit in accordance with calibration law in order to indirectly measure a quantity of the rectified electrical energy delivered via the slave charging unit in accordance with calibration law . For example, an efficiency of the rectifier unit could be taken into account in order to ensure a particularly reliable measurement of this rectified amount of energy. In the charging system, both alternating electrical energy and rectified electrical energy can be billed or measured in a particularly efficient manner, which particularly takes into account the idea of a particularly wide availability of charging units that can be used flexibly. Because measuring in accordance with calibration law means that the charging system can be operated publicly, with the amount of energy being individually billable.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the charging system, the master charging unit can be operated in a fast-charging operating mode and for this purpose comprises an internal, stationary electrical accumulator, with electrical energy being supplied to the accumulator to be charged in the fast-charging operating mode from the internal accumulator and - in particular at the same time - directly from the electrical Power supply network is provided. This means that the charging system, in particular the master charging unit, has its own electrical accumulator, which is designed to be immobile or stationary. For example, the internal electrical accumulator can be part of the master charging unit and, in particular, can be physically arranged in a housing of the master charging unit.

It is provided, for example, that the charging system, when this is operated in a rest mode in which no electric accumulator to be charged or no electric vehicle is connected to the charging system for charging, this free capacity is used to charge the internal or stationary to charge or continue charging the electric accumulator. This applies in an analogous manner to partial-load operation of the charging system, in which only some of the charging units are used at the same time to charge electrical accumulators.

The master charging unit, which includes the internal accumulator, is then designed to, at least in the rapid charging operating mode, charge the master charging unit connected NEN accumulator or the accumulators connected to the master charging unit to provide electrical energy from the electrical power supply network and electrical energy from the internal accumulator, the electrical energy from the power supply network being provided directly to the accumulator or accumulators to be charged, for example without beforehand to be stored in the internal accumulator. Thus, in the fast-charging operating mode, the charging power is added from a first charging power, which is taken directly from the electrical energy supply network, and from a second charging power, which is taken from the internal accumulator.

Accordingly, a particularly efficient possibility is created by means of the charging system to charge correspondingly designed accumulators particularly quickly, without having to upgrade or convert the energy supply network in a complex manner.

In connection with the fast charging operating mode or with the internal electrical accumulator of the charging system, it has also proven to be advantageous if the master charging unit can be operated in an internal charging operating mode in which the internal electrical accumulator of the master charging unit is electrically charged directly via the electrical power supply network is loaded. As already described, this preferably takes place during idle operation or partial-load operation of the charging system.

Finally, according to a further embodiment of the charging system, it is provided that the master control unit can be used to deactivate or activate and/or control the first charging mode, the second charging mode and/or the internal charging mode according to a predetermined or specifiable prioritization sequence. Furthermore, when prioritizing the charging operating modes, the rectified operating mode can also be taken into account—if this is provided for in the corresponding configuration of the charging system.

The prioritization sequence according to which the first charging mode, the second charging mode and the internal charging mode and, if applicable, the rectification mode can be prioritized or are prioritized is preferably as follows:

The highest priority (priority 1) is assigned to the first charging operating mode of the master control unit, in particular to the rapid charging operating mode, with the accumulator connected to the master charging unit drawing electrical energy directly from the energy supply network and at the same time electrical energy from the internal accumulator is provided. Subsequent priority (priority 2) is assigned to the slave charging units or the respective second charging mode. In this case, the accumulator connected to the respective slave charging unit is supplied with rectified or inverted electrical energy, with the charging power being lower than in the first charging operating mode or in the fast charging operating mode of the master charging unit. Priority 3 is assigned to the internal charging mode, so that the internal or stationary electrical accumulator of the master charging unit is only charged when the charging system has free capacity. The same applies to the slave charging units that can be operated according to priority 2, it being conceivable that these can be operated according to an available residual capacity of the charging system, which is still available when the master charging unit is used or operated.

In this way, the electrical energy that is tapped from the power supply network via the master charging unit can be distributed particularly efficiently between the charging units, in particular between the individual operating modes of the charging system or the charging units. Consequently, with an existing or given energy supply network, its power is used particularly efficiently without having to redesign or convert the energy supply network for particularly efficient operation of the charging system.

Although here in connection with the charging of the respective electric accumulator or the respective electric vehicle there is talk of connecting the electric accumulator or the electric vehicle to the charging system, it is to be understood that the charging system or the respective charging unit can have means by means of which a corresponding accumulator can be charged in the absence of a mechanical connection to the charging system, for example inductively. Accordingly, what has been stated above applies analogously to cordless or wireless, in particular inductive, charging.

The invention also includes combinations of features of the described embodiments.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below. For this purpose, the only figure shows a schematic representation of an electrical charging system with a master charging unit and a large number of slave charging units. The exemplary embodiment explained below is a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the exemplary embodiment, the described components of the embodiment each represent individual features of the invention to be considered independently of one another, which also develop the invention independently of one another and are therefore also to be regarded as part of the invention individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the embodiment described can also be supplemented by other features of the invention that have already been described.

In the single figure, elements with the same function are each provided with the same reference symbols.

The only figure shows a schematic representation of an electrical charging system 1 with a master charging unit 2 and a large number of slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6. The electrical charging system 1 therefore has the master charging unit 2 and at least one slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 up. In the present example, four slave loading units 3, 4, 5, 6 are shown, it being understood that the loading system 1 can alternatively have more than four slave loading units 3, 4, 5, 6 or fewer than the four slave loading units 3, 4, 5, 6 may have.

The electrical charging system 1 is designed to charge an electrical accumulator 7, 8, 9. For this purpose, the respective accumulator 7, 8, 9 can be electrically connected or coupled to the charging system 1, in particular to one of the charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, so that by means of the charging system 1, if this is connected to the corresponding accumulator to be charged

7, 8, 9 is at least electrically connected, the corresponding accumulator 7, 8, 9 is provided with electrical energy for charging the corresponding accumulator 7, 8, 9. It is conceivable here for the electrical energy to be provided wirelessly, for example inductively. It is provided here that the corresponding accumulator 7,

8, 9 and the charging system 1 are electrically and mechanically coupled or connected to one another for charging, for example by means of a respective charging cable unit 10.

The respective accumulator 7, 8, 9, which can be charged or recharged by means of the charging system 1, is designed for use in the field of electromobility. In particular, the respective electric accumulator 7, 8, 9 is a traction accumulator of an at least partially electrically driven motor vehicle 11, 12, 13. It is also conceivable that the respective accumulator 7, 8, 9 can alternatively be used as one of a traction accumulator of different accumulator is formed, for example as a buffer accumulator, which is not in direct connexion with a propulsion of a motor vehicle. Because such a buffer accumulator is also related to electromobility applications, for example to absorb peaks in energy demand and/or absorb an oversupply of electrical energy in times of low demand in order to release it again in times of high demand. It is conceivable, for example, that free charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ie when no motor vehicle 11, 12, 13 to be charged is connected, can be used to charge the buffer battery.

The charging system 1 has a single master charging unit, namely the master charging unit 2 . This is the only one of the charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 that has a master control unit 14, by means of which the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 can be controlled. For this purpose, the master charging unit 2 and the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are coupled to one another or at least can be coupled to one another, in this case via a data transmission element 15. The single figure shows that the slave charging units 3, 4, 5 , 6 and the master charging unit 2 are topologically serially connected to each other. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that some or all of the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 and the master control unit 2 are connected to one another or coupled to one another in a star topology. For example, the data transmission element 15 can be a bus line, so that the charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are then considered bus subscribers. In any case, the data transmission element 15 is designed to, in particular bidirectionally, transmit data, for example control signals, between the master control unit 14 and the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 and/or between the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 to transfer. For this purpose, the master control unit 14 is designed, for example, to provide a control signal which is delivered to the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 via the data transmission element 15. Accordingly, the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are designed to accept the control signal transmitted by means of the data transmission element 15 as an input control signal. Accordingly, the slave charging units 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 can be controlled by the master control unit 14 .

In the only figure, an electrical energy supply network 16 is also shown schematically, which is, for example, a municipal power network. The charging system 1 and the energy supply network 16 can be coupled to one another and are coupled to one another when the charging system 1 is ready for use. This means that the charging units 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 are connected or can be connected to the power supply network 16 . It is provided here that only the master control unit 2 is directly connected or connectable to the power supply network 16 , while the slave charging units 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 are indirectly connected or connectable to the power supply network 16 . It can be seen in the only figure that the slave loading units 3, 4, 5, 6 are connected to the master control unit 2 via an energy transmission element 17, in particular via a distribution element 18 of the master control unit 2. This means that the distribution element 18 is connected directly to the energy supply network 16, while the slave charging units 3, 4 , 5, 6 - by being connected to the master control unit 2 - are connected to the distribution element 18 and consequently via the distribution element 18 exclusively indirectly to the supply network 16 Energieversor are connected. The slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are designed in particular in such a way that when the charging system 1 is set up ready for operation, there is no direct connection between the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 and the energy supply network 16.

Since only the master control unit 2 has the master control unit 14 and the charging system 1 exclusively includes a master charging unit 2, the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are free of the master control unit 14 and free of a respective one and own control unit to be equated with the master control unit 14 . Instead, the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 has an emergency control unit 19, which has a particularly simple structure compared to the master control unit 14 and, for example, has a makeshift charging function or emergency charging function for the respective slave loading unit 3, 4, 5, 6 or for the respective slave loading unit 3, 4, 5, 6. In any case, the emergency control unit 19 is not able to control the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 independently of the master control unit 14 in such a way that the corresponding slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 uses the full provides the intended range of functions. As a result, the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 has a particularly simple structure compared to the master charging unit 2 and can accordingly be produced particularly cheaply and with little effort.

The master control unit 14 forms (at least partially) an energy management unit or charging management unit, so that the energy management unit or charging management unit - i.e. the master control unit 14 - supplies the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 via the distribution element 18 with electrical Energy from the power supply network 16 is allocated. For this purpose, it is provided that the master control unit 14 and the distribution element 18 are or can be coupled to one another in terms of data technology, for example via the data transmission element 15.

The respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 and the master control unit 2 differ from one another not only in the respective control units 14, 19, but also in the different charging operating modes in which the respective charging unit 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6 is operable. So the master charging unit 2 is designed to be in a first loading to be operated drive mode, in which the electrical accumulator 7, which is connected to the master charging unit 2, electrical energy of a first power level is provided. In contrast, the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are designed to be operated in a second charging mode, in which the electrical accumulator, which is connected to the corresponding one of the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6, electrical energy a second level of performance is provided. In the present example, the electrical accumulator 8 is connected to the slave charging unit 3 and the electrical accumulator 9 is connected to the slave charging unit 5. This means that in the second charging operation, in which the slave charging units 3, 5 can be operated or are operated are, the accumulators 8, 9 electrical energy of the second power level is provided. The power levels differ here in particular by a charging power with which the corresponding accumulator 7, 8, 9 is charged. The first power level or the first charging power is higher than the second power level or the second charging power. Example values for the first power level or the first charging power are 150 kW (in fast charging mode, which is described in more detail below) and/or 50 kW, whereas the second power level or the second charging power is 11 kW. Referring again to the only figure, this means that the electrical accumulator 7 is designed to be charged with 50 kW or 150 kW. In contrast, the accumulators 8, 9 are designed to be charged with 11 kW.

At least the respective second charging operating mode, which is provided by the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6, can be set as a function of the electrical accumulator 8, 9 connected to the corresponding slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6. For example, if the accumulator 8 only allows a charging power of 3.7 kW due to an excessive charge status (SOC: state of charge) and/or due to other properties inherent in the accumulator 8, this is detected by the charging system 1 and the second charging mode or The second power level is throttled accordingly, for example to the previously mentioned 3.7 kW. For this purpose, it is provided that, in order to charge the electric accumulator 8, it is registered on the charging system 1, in particular on the slave charging unit 3, for example when the corresponding motor vehicle 12 is approaching and/or when the electric accumulator 8 is coupled to the charging system 1 For example, the electric accumulator 8, in particular the motor vehicle 12, has a first data transceiver and the charging system 1 has a second data transceiver corresponding to the first data transceiver, with the data transceiver being used when the motor vehicle 12 starts moving towards the charging system 1 and / or when connecting the battery 8 to the charging system 1 of the current charge status and / or the conditions limiting the maximum charging power are/will be provided to the charging system 1, in particular to the slave charging unit 3.

It is further provided that the master control unit 14 can be used to set the second charging mode of the slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 depending on the electrical accumulator 7 connected to the master charging unit 2 for electrical charging.

For example, if the electric accumulator 7 requires a large part of the charging energy or charging power that can be provided by the charging system 1 for particularly efficient charging, the charging power that can be provided by the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 can be throttled, for example to To load the electric accumulator 7 with 150 kW charging power as part of the fast charging operating mode. This means that in the charging system 1 it can be provided that the master charging unit 2 can only provide the 150 kW charging power if at least one of the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 is throttled with regard to the corresponding charging power . This results in a particularly efficient charging operation of the charging system 1, since the accumulator 7 of the motor vehicle 11 is sufficiently charged again particularly quickly, so that the motor vehicle 11 can be decoupled from the charging system 1 again after only a particularly short period of time in order to charge another electrically drivable Motor vehicle to provide the master charging unit 2 for loading.

Alternatively or additionally, the case is conceivable that the first charging mode, i.e. the master charging unit 2, is throttled by means of the master control unit 14 in order to achieve maximum charging power in the second charging mode by the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 for Charging the accumulators 8, 9 provide.

In the present example, the charging system 1, in particular the master charging unit 2, also has a rectifier unit 20, which in the present case is embodied as a structural unit together with the distribution element 18. This means that the rectifier unit 20 - like the distribution element 18 - and the master control unit 14 are coupled to one another via the data transmission element 15 or can be coupled. As a result, the rectifier unit 20 can be controlled by the master control unit 14, so that the master charging unit 2 can be operated in a rectified operating mode in which the master charging unit 2 supplies the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 with rectified electrical energy - That is, direct current or DC voltage - is provided, which can be provided by means of the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 for charging the accumulator 8, 9. In this way, the charging system 1 comprises at least one charging unit, by means of which rectified electrical energy can be provided for charging a correspondingly designed accumulator. is cash. In the present case, this applies at least to the master charging unit 2. Furthermore, the charging system 1 then has at least one charging unit, by means of which alternating electrical energy can be provided for charging a correspondingly designed accumulator. In the present example, this applies to at least one of the slave loading units 3, 4, 5, 6, in particular to the slave loading unit 3, 4, 5, 6.

In the present example, the master charging unit 2 has two charging cable units 10, each of which can also be referred to as a charging point. The master charging unit 2 can use these charging points or charging cable units 10 to provide rectified electrical energy for charging accumulators, for example the accumulator 7 and/or other accumulators. In this case, the master charging unit 2 or the charging cable units 10 of the master charging unit 2 are designed for short charging times, ie for fast charging, for example (possibly in connection with higher electricity prices). The master charging unit 2 can also be referred to as the main column 2.

The slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6, which can also be referred to as secondary columns 3, 4, 5, 6, each have two charging points, i.e. two charging cable units 10, via which 11 kW of alternating charging power can be provided. This is particularly beneficial for slow charging, for example overnight or during normal working hours. Optionally, rectified electrical energy can be provided via the respective charging cable unit 10 of the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6, in particular with a charging capacity of 3 to 11 kW.

In charging system 1, provision can also be made for rectified electrical energy to be distributed to slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 by means of distribution element 18 and/or by means of rectifier unit 20, if these are controlled accordingly by master control unit 14 or alternating electrical energy is provided, so that the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 can then be used as direct current charging units and/or as alternating current charging units.

The master charging unit 2 has a measuring device 21, which is designed to measure an amount of electrical energy delivered via the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 in accordance with calibration law. In the present case, the measuring device 21 and the master control unit 14 are designed together as a structural unit. The measuring device 21 is preferably designed to measure the amount of rectified electrical energy delivered via the respective slave charging unit 3, 4, 5, 6 in accordance with calibration law. This means that the measuring device 21 then corresponds to applicable calibration law regulations, in order to ensure a particularly reliable measurement and, as a result, billing of the rectified electrical energy delivered for charging the correspondingly designed accumulator. It is also conceivable that the measuring device 21 is designed to measure the amount of electrical energy provided to the rectifier unit 20 in accordance with calibration law in order to indirectly measure the amount of rectified electrical energy delivered by the respective slave charging unit in accordance with calibration law. For this purpose, for example, an efficiency of the rectifier unit 20 can be taken into account, since this is usually provided from the energy supply network 16 with alternating-directed electrical energy, that is to say alternating current or alternating voltage.

The master charging unit 2 also has an internal or stationary electrical accumulator 22 which is stationary, ie immobile. In particular, the internal accumulator 22 of the master charging unit 2 is not a traction accumulator, which is why the internal accumulator 22 is not provided or designed directly for moving an electrically driven motor vehicle. In the present case, the internal or stationary electrical accumulator 22 is enclosed by a housing of the master charging unit 2, so that the internal electrical accumulator 22 and the other components of the master charging unit 2 are formed together as a structural unit. Due to the internal electrical accumulator 22, the master charging unit 2 can be operated in the rapid charging operating mode, in which the accumulator 7 to be charged, which is (externally) connected to the master charging unit 2, receives electrical energy from the internal accumulator 22 and - in particular at the same time - electrical energy can be provided directly from the power supply network 16 . The quick-charging operating mode is characterized in particular by the fact that the accumulator 7 that can be charged in the quick-charging operating mode can be or can be electrically charged with a particularly high charging power. However, if energy supply network 16 is designed in such a way that charging system 1 can draw a charging power from energy supply network 16 that is less than the charging power that is to be provided using the quick-charging operating mode, internal electric accumulator 22 comes into play here, which in addition to the charging power that can be taken from the energy supply network 16 provides a further charging power. In simplified terms, the electrical charging power from the power supply network 16 and the electrical charging power from the internal accumulator 22 are then combined, for example added, in order to provide the particularly high charging power of the fast charging operating mode. If, for example, only 50 kW can be taken from the energy supply network 16 by means of the charging system 1 and if the internal accumulator 22 provides an additional charging capacity of 100 kW, the master Charging unit 2 connected accumulator 7 are loaded in fast charging mode with 150 kW.

The internal accumulator 22 is also designed to support the energy supply network 16, for example by means of grid-supportive buffering, with provision being made for the internal accumulator 22 to be charged at times when the energy supply network 16 is underutilized, in order to use electrical energy again at peak load times to feed into the power supply network 16. Furthermore, an advantageous peak load capping (“peak shaving”) is possible, in which a consumer connected to the energy supply network 16 temporarily throttles its energy consumption in order to avoid a load peak. In relation to the charging system 1, this means that in order to provide the user of the charging system 1 with as much charging power as possible, preferably the full charging power, electrical energy can be provided from the previously charged internal accumulator 22 during peak load shaving of the charging system 1.

In an advantageous embodiment of the charging system 1, it is provided that the internal accumulator 22 has a capacity which enables at least one complete charging of the accumulator 7 in the rapid charging operating mode. It is even more preferred if the internal electrical accumulator 22 has a larger capacity, so that several rapid charging processes are possible one after the other. Times in which no rapid charging process is then carried out are then used to charge the internal electric accumulator gate 22 from the power supply network 16 or recharge or recharge the. For this purpose, it is provided that the master charging unit 2 can be operated in an internal charging mode, in which the internal electrical accumulator 22 is electrically charged directly via the electrical energy supply network 16 .

Furthermore, a scenario is conceivable in which several motor vehicles—including motor vehicles 11, 12, 13—are connected to charging system 1. If this is the case, for example, overnight, and if the motor vehicles, in particular the motor vehicles 11, 12,

13, fully charged, but the internal electrical accumulator 22 is not yet fully charged, provision can be made for the fastest possible charging of the internal electrical accumulator 22 to use electrical energy that is stored in the accumulators 7, 8, 9.

The master control unit 14 is also designed to use the first charging mode, the second charging mode, the internal charging mode and, if necessary, the rectified operating mode according to a predetermined or specifiable prioritization priority. deactivate or activate and/or regulate accordingly. Such a prioritization sequence has in particular a priority 1, which represents the highest priority within the prioritization sequence. This priority 1 is assigned to the master charging unit 2 and its first charging operating mode, in particular rapid charging operating mode. The master control unit 14 is thus designed to operate the master charging unit 2 preferably, for example preferably to allocate electrical energy from the energy supply network 16 to the master charging unit 2 via the distribution element 18 .

Priority 2, which is hierarchically subordinate to priority 1, is assigned to the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 or their second charging operating mode. For example, due to priority 2, it is provided that the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are only assigned the maximum charging power that can be provided by means of the energy supply network 16 if this is not due to a charging power requirement of the first charging operating mode or of the master charging unit 2 - which has a higher priority - is prevented.

Priority 3, which is assigned to the internal charging operating mode, is hierarchically downstream of priority 1 and priority 2. This means that the master charging unit 2 is only operated in the internal charging operating mode when charging power is not required by the first charging operating mode and/or by the second charging operating mode.

Since the charging system 1 provides a large number of charging options, for example in that the charging system 1 comprises a large number of charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, it is also conceivable that the charging operating modes mentioned, i.e. the operating modes of the charging system 1, be executed simultaneously according to priorities 1, 2, 3. The slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 are then supplied with electrical energy from the energy supply network 16 for operation in the second charging operating mode to the extent that this is not required for operating the first charging operating mode, in particular fast charging operating mode, of the master charging unit 2. This applies analogously to the internal charging operating mode: electrical energy from the energy supply network 16 is allocated to this insofar as this is not required for executing the first charging operating mode and/or the second charging operating mode. The master control unit 14 is responsible for the assignment, in particular in connection with the distribution element 18.

Furthermore, an information unit 23 is provided in the charging system 1, which has at least one color display 24 in the present example. The information unit 23 or the color display 24 is designed to provide information about the operation of the charging system 1 . For example, a current charging status of at least one or more of the accumulators 7, 8, 9 connected to the charging system 1 can be provided via the color display 24, so that, for example, the respective charging status can be read by a (human) user of the charging system 1 and/or the corresponding motor vehicle 11, 12, 13 can be easily read. In a further embodiment, the color display 24 includes a touchscreen, so that the human user of the charging system 1 and/or the corresponding motor vehicle 11, 12, 13 can provide user inputs to the charging system 1 via the touchscreen or the color display 24.

The information unit 23, in this case the color display 24 with the touchscreen, is arranged on one of the charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, in particular only on the master charging unit 2. In other words, the slave charging units 3, 4, 5 , 6 free of a display or touchscreen, and a user input intended for operating/controlling the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 is made via the touchscreen or color display 24 in. arranged on the master charging unit 2 entered the charging system 1. Compared to conventional displays/touch screens that are attached to a conventional charging unit, it is provided that the color display 24 is larger in order to promote particularly simple and efficient use or operation by the user and particularly efficient information provision for the user.

Overall, the invention shows how, for a given electrical energy supply infrastructure, i.e. for a given energy supply network 16, as many accumulators 7 as possible,

8, 9 can be loaded particularly efficiently, in particular simultaneously. With a conventional charging system and/or charging units that work autonomously from one another, a flexible direct current charging unit would have a connection requirement of 50 kW and ten alternating current charging units would have a connection requirement of a total of 110 kW, which means a total connection requirement of 160 kW, for which the given power supply network 16 often not trained.

Furthermore, the following boundary conditions apply when charging electrical accumulators 7, 8, 9 or the corresponding motor vehicles 11, 12, 13: some of the motor vehicles are not designed to be charged with 11 kW alternating current, but only designed to be charged with 3 .7 kW AC to be charged. However, this means that these motor vehicles require a particularly large amount of time when charging the corresponding accumulators. If the correspondingly designed motor vehicles are charged with direct current or direct voltage, comparatively higher ones can be charged Charging currents are fed into the traction accumulators. Motor vehicles or accumulators 7, 8, 9, which have reached a charging status of more than 80%, are now only charged slowly and therefore do not require the full charging power. Accordingly, the charging unit to which that motor vehicle is connected can be turned down and the "released" charging energy can be routed to another of the charging units 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 and/or to the internal accumulator 22 . Hybrid vehicles often have a traction battery that only has a low capacity. These hybrid vehicles can therefore be charged particularly quickly, so that it often happens that hybrid vehicles block the corresponding charging unit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 even though charging has already ended. Provision can then be made, for example, for the corresponding charging unit 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to be operated in a maintenance charging operating mode in order to counteract discharging of the hybrid vehicle, at least as long as the hybrid vehicle is connected to the corresponding charging unit 2, 3,

4, 5, 6 is connected to the charging system 1. Since this trickle charging operating mode requires particularly little charging power, "freed up" charging power can then be directed to another of the charging units 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 and/or to the internal accumulator 22 .

If a user of the charging system 1, in particular a driver of the motor vehicle 11, attaches particular importance to a particularly fast charging process, it can be provided in the charging system 1 that the charging of the motor vehicle 11 - for example at an additional cost - takes place more quickly, for example by the master Charging unit 2 is switched to the fast charging mode. Since it can then happen that the charging energy that can be drawn from the energy supply network 16 is not sufficient to ensure the rapid charging operating mode of the master charging unit 2 on the one hand and the second charging operating mode of the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 on the other, the Slave load units 3, 4, 5, 6 throttled (see above in connection with prioritization). In this case it can then be provided that at least for the time during which the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 were throttled, the users of the corresponding slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 receive a corresponding monetary compensation .

The charging system 1 described here allows the respective charging power requirement of the charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to be controlled or regulated particularly efficiently, in particular by means of the master control unit 14, so that with the given infrastructure, in particular with the given energy supply network 16, 30 Implement % to 50% more real charging power. Here, the power supply network 16 is relieved and a construction / conversion of charging infrastructure Structure for electromobility applications becomes cheaper, since considerable infrastructure tasks can be omitted.

The charging system 1, in particular the master control unit 14, therefore provides a complete energy management system that is particularly capable of handling a large number of charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, which can be configured as so-called wall boxes, for example , to control and to carry out a central service billing for them. There is also the possibility of supplying the charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 with direct current, which can be billed publicly and in particular in accordance with calibration law.

In this case, the master charging unit 2 acts, in particular due to the master control unit 14, as an intelligent master control device, by means of which the slave charging units 3, 4, 5, 6 which are capable of communication and can be controlled or regulated. There is also the advantage that a large number of charging units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 can be operated in a resource-saving manner via a single connection point on the energy supply network 16.

In summary, the potential of the main column 2 or the master charging unit 2 is used for the entire charging system 1. The structure and operation of the charging system 1 are cost-optimized and more economical. The user experiences a gain in comfort when using the charging system 1 compared to conventional charging systems or their conventional charging units. The particularly large and optionally high-resolution color display 24, as well as the data connection between the charging units 2,

3, 4, 5, 6 at. Furthermore, the connection costs to the power supply network are particularly low due to the internal accumulator 22 or due to the energy management of the charging system 1 .

List of reference symbols Charging system Master charging unit Slave charging unit Slave charging unit Slave charging unit Slave charging unit Accumulator Accumulator Accumulator Charging cable unit Motor vehicle Motor vehicle Motor vehicle Master control unit Data transmission element Energy supply network Energy transmission element Distribution element Emergency control unit Rectifier unit Measuring device Internal accumulator Information unit Color display

Claims

patent claims

1. Electrical charging system (1) for charging an electrical accumulator (7, 8, 9), with a master charging unit (2) and a slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6), the master charging unit (2 ) has a master control unit (14) by means of which the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) can be controlled, for which purpose the master charging unit (2) and the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) can be coupled to one another, and the master charging unit (2) can be connected directly to an electrical energy supply network (16) and the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) can be connected indirectly via the master charging unit (2 ) can be connected to the electrical power supply network (16).

2. Charging system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the master charging unit (2) can be operated in a first charging mode, in which the electrical accumulator (7, 8, 9) by means of the master charging unit (2) electrical energy of a first power level is provided, and the slave charging unit (3, 4,56) can be operated in a second charging mode, in which the electrical accumulator (7, 8, 9) by means of the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) electrical energy a second level of service, different from the first level of service, is provided.

3. Charging system (1) according to claim 2, wherein by means of the master control unit (14) the second charging operating mode and consequently the second power level that can be provided by the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) depending on the slave Charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) for electrical charging connectable electric Akkumu lator (7, 8, 9) is adjustable.

4. Charging system (1) according to Claim 2 or 3, the second charging operating mode and consequently the second power level that can be provided by the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) being selected by means of the master control unit (14) as a function of the Master charging unit (2) for electrical charging can be connected to an electrical accumulator (7, 8, 9) that can be adjusted.

5. Charging system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the master charging unit (2) can be operated in a rectified operating mode and for this purpose comprises a rectifier unit (20) which can be controlled by the master control unit (14), so that in the rectified operating mode rectified electrical energy is provided to the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) by means of the master charging unit (2), which is used by the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) to charge the accumulator (7, 8, 9) can be provided.

6. Charging system (1) according to claim 5, wherein the master charging unit (2) has a measuring device (21) for measuring a quantity of electrical energy delivered via the slave charging unit (3, 4, 5, 6) in accordance with calibration law.

7. Charging system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the measuring device (21) is designed to measure a quantity of electrical energy provided to the rectifier unit (20) in accordance with calibration law, in order to indirectly measure a quantity of the energy supplied via the slave charging unit (3, 4 , 5, 6) to measure the rectified electrical energy emitted in a legally compliant manner.

8. Charging system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the master charging unit (2) is operable in a fast charging operating mode and for this purpose comprises an internal electrical accumulator (22), wherein in the fast charging operating mode the accumulator (7, 8, 9) electrical energy from the internal accumulator (22) and directly from the electrical power supply network (16) is provided be.

9. Charging system (1) according to claim 8, wherein the master charging unit (2) can be operated in an internal charging operating mode in which the internal electrical accumulator (22) of the master charging unit (2) is electrically powered directly via the electrical energy supply network (16). is loaded.

10. Charging system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 8 and claim 9, wherein the master control unit (14) can be used to deactivate/activate the first charging mode, the second charging mode and the internal charging mode according to a predetermined prioritization sequence and/or are adjustable.