WO2024104708A1

WO2024104708A1 - Modular battery system for an electric boat

Info

Publication number: WO2024104708A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/079222
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cyril BALLU
Original assignee: Exel Industries
Priority date: 2022-11-14
Filing date: 2023-10-20
Publication date: 2024-05-23
Also published as: FR3141894A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a boat (1) comprising: • a shell (10); • a casing (12) in which a plurality of racks (14) are arranged; • a plurality of extractable batteries (16) adapted to be plugged into the racks (14) of the casing (12); • a control module (18) configured to control the power supplied to items of electrical equipment (20) on the boat (1) from the batteries (16); the batteries (16) of the plurality of batteries (16) being controlled to supply power to the items of electrical equipment (20) sequentially, one after the other, or in combination, several batteries (16) simultaneously supplying power according to a selectable operating mode from among an economical operating mode, a manoeuvring operating mode and a supercharged operating mode.

Description

Modular battery system for electric boat

The present invention relates to the field of boats with electric or hybrid propulsion and is more particularly aimed at a modular battery system.

STATE OF THE ART

As with all resources on board a means of naval transport of people or goods, energy on board a boat presents strong constraints on its management on board, whether for all the systems contributing to navigation. or the safety of the boat, or for systems intended for passenger comfort. It is thus known to power electrical equipment by a set of on-board batteries.

It is also common, in the case of a sailing boat, to compensate for the intermittency of the propulsion carried out by the force of the wind by secondary mechanical propulsion using a motor, by transforming a energy stored and on-board in the form of fuel or battery. The engine of a sailboat is also generally used for maneuvering in a port or for anchoring at anchor.

It is known for sailboats with hybrid electric motors to pool the electric motor and the battery system intended to power the boat's electrical equipment. The batteries then provide electrical energy simultaneously to an electric motor to propel the boat, but also to all electrical equipment. It is thus known to use as an electric motor a reversible electric machine configured to recharge the set of batteries by driving the propulsion propeller, during navigation phases where the sailboat is propelled by the force of the wind . The electric motor is then in so-called “hydro-generator” operation.

Despite a possible recharge of the set of batteries by a hydro-generator, propulsion by wind force is inherently intermittent and there is a significant risk of seeing all of the batteries discharged in the absence of sufficiently powerful wind. to support propulsion. If this situation persists, it may require external assistance for the boat. A similar situation can occur for a boat powered solely by electricity.

To remedy this drawback, it is desirable to increase the capacity of the batteries carried on the boat, which inevitably leads to an increase in the mass and especially the volume occupied by all the batteries, the size already being a restrictive parameter when designing a ship.

In addition, the useful power provided by the set of batteries is, in the state of the art, almost constant and not controllable, which means that there is no prioritization possible for the captain. 'a boat between the allocation of electrical power to functions essential to navigation and to mainly comfort functions, for example for passengers.

Finally, battery charging operations, particularly when parked in a port, require an electrical infrastructure for connection to the network near the boat, which limits the possible stopping places for a supply of electrical energy, for example as part of long-term transport.

The invention thus aims to remedy, at least in part, these drawbacks of the state of the art.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

une coque ;
un caisson dans lequel sont disposés une pluralité de racks ;
une pluralité de batteries extractibles adaptées pour être branchées dans les racks du caisson ;
un module de commande configuré pour commander l’alimentation d’équipements électriques du bateau à partir des batteries ;

les batteries de la pluralité de batteries étant commandées pour fournir l’énergie aux équipement électriques de façon séquentielle, l’une après l’autre, ou de façon combinée, plusieurs batteries fournissant de l’énergie simultanément, suivant un mode de fonctionnement sélectionnable parmi un mode de fonctionnement économique, un mode de fonctionnement de manœuvre et un mode de fonctionnement suralimenté.More precisely, the object of the invention is the installation of extractable batteries, in particular by proposing a boat comprising:

a shell ;
a box in which a plurality of racks are arranged;
a plurality of extractable batteries adapted to be plugged into the racks of the box;
a control module configured to control the power supply of the boat's electrical equipment from the batteries;

the batteries of the plurality of batteries being controlled to supply energy to the electrical equipment sequentially, one after the other, or in combination, several batteries providing energy simultaneously, according to an operating mode selectable from an economical operating mode, a shunting operating mode and a supercharged operating mode.

The boat also includes a keel located under the hull, the box being waterproof and contained in the keel, the racks being vertical and extending in a volume of the keel. The boat further comprises a retractable hatch allowing access to the waterproof box from inside the boat, the batteries of the plurality of batteries being elongated and adapted to be plugged into the racks of the waterproof box.

Thanks to such a combination of characteristics, such a plurality of batteries allows a user to replace a battery, for example discharged, with a charged battery, or a defective battery with a functional battery. Thus, it is possible to charge all the batteries remotely from the boat, which broadens the possible locations for refueling during delivery. In addition, such a control module makes it possible to control the electrical power supplied by the plurality of batteries, depending on the chosen operating mode and the current charge of the batteries.

In such a configuration, the plurality of batteries and the racks participate in the stabilization of the boat by participating in the ballast of the keel, in the part also called keel fin particularly in the case of a monohull boat such as a sailboat, allowing to lower the center of gravity of said sailboat to increase its canvas stiffness. In addition, when the batteries are arranged in the volume delimited by the submerged parts of the boat, designated "live works", a thermal flow circulates between the batteries and the water through the living works of the boat, to cool the batteries and guarantee operation in optimal conditions.

In the economical operating mode, the electrical power is mainly supplied sequentially, battery by battery. The control module also favors the allocation of power to electrical equipment essential to navigation including at least the electric motor in the case of an electric propulsion boat for example, and guaranteeing the supply of electrical energy to the measuring instruments navigation conditions such as a GPS receiver or communication instruments such as a very high frequency radio transponder.

In the maneuvering operating mode, the electrical power is supplied sequentially battery by battery or in a combined manner, depending on the mechanical power that the electric motor must develop, for example during an emergency maneuver, to develop a significant mechanical torque making it possible to avoid an obstacle. Essential electrical equipment is also powered in the shunting mode of operation.

In the supercharged operating mode, the electrical power is in particular mainly supplied in a combined manner by several batteries of the plurality of batteries, to power, in addition to the electric motor and essential electrical equipment, non-essential electrical equipment mainly for comfort. passengers, for example an electrical resistance of a thermodynamic water heater.

The selection of an operating mode by a user allows maximum adequacy of electrical energy consumption according to the need for a given use. In addition, the extractable batteries can, in the three operating modes, each temporarily operate in a reinforced regime, that is to say a regime in which each battery can temporarily provide a power greater than its nominal power.

Additionally, such extractable batteries can be removed when no crew member is on board the vessel, preventing attempted theft using the boat's engine. Batteries are preferably removable manually and without tools.

Advantageously, all of the batteries of the plurality of batteries are identical. In such a configuration, each battery can be interchanged in an undifferentiated manner, and the entire electrical network of the boat adopts the same behavior in a sequenced battery use mode. Preferably, the plurality of batteries comprises at least 4 batteries, each battery having a storage capacity preferably between 0.5 kWh and 3kWh. Each battery preferably weighs between 7.5kg and 20kg, so that it can be extracted and transported by a single user.

Advantageously, the batteries are elongated and arranged longitudinally in the racks. In such a configuration, the box is accessible from inside the boat, for example in a hold of the boat. The batteries are then extracted from the racks by a horizontal longitudinal movement. The box can advantageously be positioned according to various arrangements of the boat's hold, so as to further ballast the bow or stern of the boat, for example, and modify the longitudinal trim angle of the boat.

Advantageously, the boat includes a selector allowing you to switch to the next battery when a battery is discharged. Thus, during sequential use of the batteries, the operation of switching from a charged battery to a discharged battery is carried out without interruption of the power supply to the electrical equipment for the same given operating mode.

Advantageously, the selector is manual or automatic. Preferably, the selector is located near the helm station, so that the boat's helmsman can manually select the battery(ies) available, as well as decide which operating mode to engage.

Advantageously, the boat includes a visual indicator of the charge level of the battery(ies) in use.

Advantageously, the boat includes a level indicator for each of the batteries.

Advantageously, the boat includes at least one reserve battery.

Advantageously, the electrical equipment comprises at least one electric motor. In such a configuration, the engine rotates a propeller to generate thrust propelling the boat. In particular, the engine and the propeller can be contained in the volume of the keel.

Advantageously, the electric motor is reversible to operate as a generator. In such a configuration, the generator transforms mechanical energy resulting from the rotation of the propeller into electrical energy to charge the plurality of batteries, in particular during a sailing phase of a sailboat. The batteries then have an additional operating mode called recharge operating mode.

According to another aspect of the invention, it relates to a method of using a boat as described above, comprising the determination by a user of a selectable operating mode from an economical operating mode , a maneuvering operating mode and a supercharging operating mode; the method further comprising powering electrical equipment with a plurality of batteries sequentially, one after the other, or in a combined manner depending on the selected operating mode.

Of course, in addition to extractable batteries, as briefly described above, the boat may include batteries not configured to be extractable. In this case, only part of the batteries installed on the boat are configured to be extractable and to be recharged after being transported outside the boat.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example, and referring to the appended drawings given by way of non-limiting examples, in which identical references are given to similar objects. and on which:

There is a schematic representation of a boat according to a first embodiment of the invention.

There is a schematic representation in isometric perspective of a boat keel according to the same embodiment.

It should be noted that the figures set out the invention in detail to enable the invention to be implemented; although not limiting, said figures serve in particular to better define the invention where applicable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In Figures 1 and 2 a boat 1 is illustrated according to one embodiment of the invention. Boat 1 here is a monohull sailboat, but can alternatively be a motorboat such as a yacht or a speedboat.

The boat 1 comprises a hull 10 configured to ensure the buoyancy of the boat 1 and whose external walls are in contact with water. The hull 10 delimits an interior volume of the boat 1 comprising a hold accessible from the deck of the boat 1 and a keel 22 accessible from the hold. In the case of a motor boat, the keel 22 designates the lowest axial part of the hull 10. Here, the keel 22 projects axially under the hull 22 and has a general fin shape. The keel 22 delimits an interior volume accessible from the hold via a retractable hatch 24.

In the embodiment shown, the interior volume of the keel 22 contains a watertight box 12, in which vertical racks 14 extend to which are connected a plurality of batteries 16 extractable from the racks 14. The batteries 16 are preferably prismatic long parallelepipeds, that is to say that the height of a battery 16 is significantly greater with regard to the dimensions of a base section of said battery 16. The batteries 16 are all identical. And their placement in racks 14 is undifferentiated. The electrical network thus adopts the same behavior in a sequenced mode of use of the batteries 16. Each battery 16 preferably has a storage capacity of between 0.5 kWh and 3 kWh. Each battery 16 preferably weighs between 7.5 kg and 20 kg, so that it can be extracted and transported by a single user. Such extractable batteries 16 can be removed when no member of the crew is on board the vessel, which prevents theft attempts by wearing out the boat's engine. The batteries 16 are manually extractable, without tools, disconnecting from the racks when the material contact between a battery 16 and its associated rack 14 is broken. The box 12 also includes reserve batteries 28 disconnected from the racks 14 for additional replacement, in the event, for example, of a malfunction observed by a battery 16 during conveying. Also, it is possible to charge all the batteries remotely from the boat, which broadens the possible locations for refueling during delivery.

The plurality of batteries 16 is controlled by a control module 18 to power electrical equipment 20 of the boat 1. The control module 18 is located in the box 12, in the immediate vicinity of the racks 14.

The batteries 16 are controlled to supply energy to the electrical equipment 20 sequentially, one after the other, or in combination, several batteries 16 providing energy simultaneously, according to an operating mode selectable from a mode economical operating mode, a shunting operating mode and a supercharged operating mode.

In the economical operating mode, the electrical power is notably supplied battery 16 by battery 16 sequentially. The control module 18 further favors the allocation of power to electrical equipment 20 essential to navigation including at least one electric motor to drive a propeller 26 in the case of an electric propulsion boat, and guaranteeing the energy supply electrical instruments for measuring navigation conditions such as a GPS receiver or communication instruments such as a very high frequency radio transponder.

In the maneuvering operating mode, the electrical power is in particular supplied battery 16 by battery 16 sequentially or in a combined manner, depending on the mechanical power that the electric motor 20 must develop, for example during a maneuver. emergency, develop a significant mechanical torque to avoid an obstacle. Essential electrical equipment is also powered in the shunting mode of operation.

In the supercharged operating mode, the electrical power is mainly provided in a combined manner by the plurality of batteries 16, to power, in addition to the electric motor 20 and the essential electrical equipment, non-essential electrical equipment (not illustrated) mainly for passenger comfort, for example an electric resistance for a thermodynamic water heater.

By being arranged in the volume delimited by the submerged parts of the boat, designated "live works", a thermal flow circulates between the batteries 16 and the water through the living works of the boat, to cool the batteries 16 and guarantee operation in optimal conditions.

In the embodiment described, the plurality of batteries 16 and the racks 14 participate in the stabilization of the boat 1 by serving as ballast in the keel, also called centerboard particularly in the case of a monohull boat such as a sailboat, in lowering the center of gravity of the boat 1 to increase its stiffness to the canvas. By stiffness of the canvas, we mean the vertical distance separating the barycenter of the points of application of the forces exerted by winds on each of the sails, designated sail center, from the barycenter of the points of application of the forces due to the pressure of the sail. water on the living structures of the boat 1 and the forces generated by the movement of the boat 1 in the water due to the living structures behaving like a profile in a fluid flow.

The control module 18 is connected to a selector (not illustrated), preferably located near a helm station of the boat, so that the helmsman of the boat can manually select the battery(ies) available, as well as decide on the operating mode to be engaged. The selector switches by default to a battery 16 charged, at least partially, when one of the batteries currently in use falls below a critical discharge threshold, for example 3% of its nominal capacity. The control module 18 ensures combined use of the batteries 16, even transient within sequential use, so as to guarantee the continuity of the electrical energy supply to the electrical equipment 20. The control module 18 is also connected to a level indicator (not illustrated) for each of the batteries 16, the level indicator being visible to the helmsman of the boat 1 from the helm station.

It should also be noted that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It will indeed appear to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the embodiment described above, in light of the teaching which has just been disclosed to them.

For example, the electric motor 20 is reversible to operate as a generator. In such a configuration, the generator 20 transforms mechanical energy resulting from the rotation of the propeller 26 during the movement of the boat 1 into electrical energy to charge the plurality of batteries 16, in particular during a sailing phase. The batteries 16 then have an additional operating mode, designated recharge operating mode.

According to another embodiment (not shown), the batteries 16 are elongated and arranged longitudinally in the racks 14 of the box 12. In such a configuration, the box 12 is arranged directly in the hold of the boat 1. The batteries 16 are then extract racks 14 by a horizontal longitudinal movement. The box 12 can be positioned according to various arrangements of the hold of the boat 1, so as to further ballast for example the bow or the stern of the boat 1, or even so as to modify the longitudinal trim angle of the boat. By positioning for example the box 12 towards the stern of the boat 1, the vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest point of the hull at the level of the stern, designated rear draft, is greater than the distance vertical between the waterline and the lowest point of the hull at the bow, designated forward draft. In this configuration, the longitudinal trim angle of the boat is increased, which notably improves its maneuverability as well as its seaworthiness, for example in the event of unfavorable weather conditions.

In the detailed presentation of the invention which is made previously, the terms used should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to the embodiment set out in the present description, but must be interpreted to include all the equivalents for which the prediction is within the reach of those skilled in the art by applying their general knowledge to the implementation of the teaching which has just been disclosed to them.

Claims

Boat (1) including:

a shell (10);

a box (12) in which a plurality of racks (14) are arranged;

a plurality of extractable batteries (16) adapted to be plugged into the racks (14) of the box (12);

a control module (18) configured to control the power supply of electrical equipment (20) of the boat (1) from the batteries (16);

the batteries (16) of the plurality of batteries (16) being controlled to supply energy to the electrical equipment (20) sequentially, one after the other, or in combination, several batteries (16) providing energy simultaneously, following an operating mode selectable from an economical operating mode, a maneuvering operating mode and a supercharged operating mode,
the boat further comprising a keel (22) located under the hull (10), the box (12) being waterproof and contained in the keel (22), the racks (14) being vertical and extending in a volume of the keel (22),
the boat (1) further comprising a retractable hatch (24) allowing access to the watertight box (12) from inside the boat (1), the batteries (16) of the plurality of batteries (16) being elongated and adapted to be plugged into the racks (14) of the waterproof box (12).
Boat (1) according to claim 1, wherein all of the batteries (16) of the plurality of batteries (16) are identical.
Boat (14) according to one of claims 1 to 2, in which the batteries (16) are elongated and arranged longitudinally in the racks (14).
Boat (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a selector allowing switching to the next battery (16) when a battery (16) is discharged.
Boat (1) according to the preceding claim, the selector being manual or automatic.
Boat (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a visual indicator of the charge level of the battery(ies) (16) in use.
Boat (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a level indicator for each of the batteries (16).
Boat (1) according to any one of the preceding claims comprising at least one reserve battery (28).
Boat (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the electrical equipment (20) comprises at least one electric motor.
Method of using a boat (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising determining by a user a selectable operating mode from among an economical operating mode, a maneuvering operating mode and a mode of operation. supercharged operation; the method further comprising powering electrical equipment (20) with a plurality of batteries (16) sequentially, one after the other, or in combination depending on the selected operating mode.