System and method for selecting converters to pass non-zero current in distributed converter system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorXiaohong Nina Duan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes a traction battery comprising a plurality of cells. The vehicle also includes a plurality of power converters each electrically coupled between a corresponding group of cells and an electrical bus. A controller is programmed to satisfy a current demand of the electrical bus by operating a subset of the power converters to each draw a current that exceeds a threshold corresponding to a power converter efficiency exceeding a predetermined efficiency. Power converters not assigned to the subset are operated at zero current.
Claims17
A vehicle comprising:
- a traction battery comprising a plurality of cells;
- power converters, each electrically coupled between a corresponding group of cells and an electrical bus;
- and
- a controller programmed to
- satisfy a current demand of the electrical bus by operating a subset of the power converters to each draw a current exceeding a threshold corresponding to a power converter efficiency exceeding a predetermined efficiency, and operating remaining power converters at zero current, and
- responsive to each of the power converters of the subset drawing the current for a time exceeding a predetermined time, reassign the power converters to the subset and proportion the current demand among the power converters of the subset according to relative values of a parameter associated with each corresponding group of cells.
A vehicle electrical system comprising:
- a plurality of power converters each electrically coupled between a group of battery cells and an electrical bus;
- and
- a controller programmed to
- responsive to a current demand of the electrical bus, operate a subset of the power converters such that a current input to each exceeds a threshold corresponding to an efficiency exceeding a predetermined efficiency, and operate remaining power converters at zero current, and
- responsive to each of the subset drawing the current for a time exceeding a predetermined time, reassign the power converters to the subset.
A method comprising:
- operating, by a controller, power converters electrically coupled between corresponding groups of battery cells and an electrical bus to satisfy a current demand of the electrical bus so that a first subset of the power converters draws zero current and each of a second subset of power converters draws current exceeding a threshold corresponding to an efficiency exceeding a predetermined efficiency;
- and
- reassigning by the controller, the power converters between the first subset and the second subset responsive to the second subset drawing current for a time exceeding a predetermined time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.