Methods and apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine

For use with an internal combustion engine, an apparatus comprising:

• an electric starter operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine;
• a short-term energy storage device in circuit with the starter and storing energy for supplying the starter with power;
• a long-term energy storage device;
• a sensor for detecting a temperature of the internal combustion engine;
• a coupling circuit separating the short-term energy storage device from the long-term energy storage device, the coupling circuit being arranged to permit simultaneous withdrawal of energy from the short-term energy storage device and the long-term energy storage device for delivery to the electric starter during a starting operation, wherein the coupling circuit includes a voltage converter, the short-term energy storage device is maintained at a first voltage level, and the long-term energy storage device is maintained at a second voltage level, the first voltage level being different than the second voltage level;
• and
• a power flow controller in communication with the sensor and the coupling circuit to actively control an amount of at least one of energy and power withdrawn from at least one of the short-term energy storage device and the long-term energy storage device based on the sensed temperature to ensure at least one of sufficient energy and sufficient power is supplied to the electric starter to start the internal combustion engine.

A method for starting an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:

• charging a short-term energy storage device;
• measuring a temperature;
• determining a first amount of energy required to start the internal combustion engine at the measured temperature;
• determining if the short-term energy device contains more than the first amount of energy;
• if the short-term energy device contains more than the first amount of energy, responding to a command to start the internal combustion engine by delivering a second amount of energy from the short-term energy storage device to at least one consumer of electrical power;
• and
• starting the internal combustion engine using the energy remaining in the short-term energy storage device.

For use with an internal combustion engine, an apparatus comprising:

• an electric starter operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine;
• a short-term energy storage device in circuit with the starter and storing energy for supplying the starter with power;
• a long-term energy storage device;
• a sensor for detecting a temperature of the internal combustion engine;
• a coupling circuit separating the short-term energy storage device from the long-term energy storage device, the coupling circuit being arranged to permit simultaneous withdrawal of energy from the short-term energy storage device and the long-term energy storage device for delivery to the electric starter during a starting operation;
• an inverter in circuit with the electric starter for supplying energy thereto, the inverter having a dc intermediate circuit, the short-term energy storage device being located in the dc intermediate circuit;
• and
• a power flow controller in communication with the sensor and the coupling circuit to actively control an amount of at least one of energy and power withdrawn from at least one of the short-term energy storage device and the long-term energy storage device based on the sensed temperature to ensure at least one of sufficient energy and sufficient power is supplied to the electric starter to start the internal combustion engine.

For use with an internal combustion engine, an apparatus comprising:

• an electric starter operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine;
• a short-term energy storage device in circuit with the starter and storing energy fir supplying the starter with power;
• a long-term energy storage device;
• a coupling circuit separating the short-term energy storage device from the long-term energy storage device, the coupling circuit being arranged to permit simultaneous withdrawal of energy from the short-term energy storage device and the long-term energy storage device for delivery to the electric starter during a starting operation;
• and
• a power flow controller in communication with the coupling circuit to continuously actively adjust a ratio of at least one of energy and power withdrawn from the short-term energy storage device versus at least one of energy and power withdrawn from the long-term energy storage device to ensure sufficient energy is supplied to the electric starter to start the internal combustion engine.