DC-DC converter device and method for operating the dc-dc converter of a motor vehicle on-board electrical system
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorJochen Fassnacht
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A DC-DC converter system having a DC-DC converter including a power transistor and a control unit is provided, which control unit provides control signals for triggering the power transistor. The DC-DC converter is operable in two operating modes: in a first operating mode, the DC-DC converter operates at high efficiency; and in a second operating mode, the DC-DC converter operates at low efficiency. The high power loss released in the second operating mode is used in the warm-up phase after the start of a motor vehicle engine as an additional heating system.
Claims20
A DC-DC converter device, comprising:
- at least one power transistor;
- and
- a control unit which provides control signals for triggering the power transistor;
- wherein:
- the DC-DC converter device has:
- a first operating mode in which the DC-DC converter device operates at high efficiency, and a second operating mode in which the DC-DC converter device operates at low efficiency so that the converter device generates a high power loss in the second operating mode;
- and
- a thermal coupling to one of:
- a) a cooling water heating circuit of a motor vehicle;
- b) a passenger compartment heating circuit of a motor vehicle;
- and
- c) a separate heating system of a motor vehicle;
- and
- the DC-DC converter is used in the second operating mode as an additional electric heating element.
A method for operating a DC-DC converter device, comprising:
- providing, by a control unit, control signals for triggering at least one power transistor of the DC-DC converter device;
- operating the DC-DC converter device, in a first operating mode of the DC-DC converter device, at high efficiency;
- and
- operating the DC-DC converter device, in a second operating mode of the DC-DC converter device, at low efficiency so that the DC-DC converter device generates a high power loss in the second operating mode;
- wherein the DC-DC converter device:
- has a thermal coupling to one of:
- a) a cooling water heating circuit of a motor vehicle;
- b) a passenger compartment heating circuit of a motor vehicle;
- and
- c) a separate heating system of a motor vehicle;
- and
- is used in the second operating mode as an additional electric heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.