CONVERTER SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING POWER

Abstract

A converter system for transferring power, a vehicle including such a converter system and a method for transferring power in such a converter system. The converter system includes a first DC-DC module, a second DC-DC module and a first control unit. The first DC-DC module is connected to a first high voltage interface of a high voltage system and to a first low voltage interface of a low voltage system. The second DC-DC module is connected to a second high voltage interface of the high voltage system and to a second low voltage interface of the low voltage system. The first high voltage interface and the second interface are independent of each other. The first control unit is connected to the first DC-DC module and configured to supply power via the second DC-DC module in case of a failure in the first DC-DC module.

Claims

1. A converter system for transferring power, comprising: a first DC-DC module, a second DC-DC module, and a first control unit, the first DC-DC module being connected to a first high voltage interface of a high voltage system and to a first low voltage interface of a low voltage system, the second DC-DC module being connected to a second high voltage interface of the high voltage system and to a second low voltage interface of the low voltage system, the first high voltage interface and the second high voltage interface being independent of each other, and the first control unit being connected to the first DC-DC module and configured to supply power via the second DC-DC module in case of a failure in the first DC-DC module.

2. The converter system according to claim 1, the first low voltage interface and the second low voltage interface being independent of each other.

3. The converter system according to claim 1, further comprising a second control unit separated from the first control unit, the second control unit being connected to the second DC-DC module and configured to transfer power via the first DC-DC module in case of a failure in the second DC-DC module.

4. The converter system according to claim 1, the first DC-DC module comprising a first AC-DC unit and a first DC-AC unit and the second DC-DC module comprising a second AC-DC unit and a second DC-AC unit, each DC-AC unit being connected to each high voltage interface and each AC-DC unit being connected to each low voltage interface.

5. The converter system according to claim 4, the first DC-DC module further comprising a third AC-DC unit and the second DC-DC module further comprising a fourth AC-DC unit, and the third and fourth AC-DC units being connected to an AC interface via a power factor correction (PFC) unit and configured to supply power to the high voltage system and/or to supply power to the low voltage system.

6. The converter system according to claim 4, the first and the second DC-AC units being configured to supply power from the high voltage system to the low voltage system via first and second AC-DC units respectively.

7. The converter system according to claim 4, the first and the second AC-DC units being configured to keep turned-on to supply power to each low voltage interface.

8. The converter system according to claim 4, the first and the second AC-DC units being configured to supply power from the low voltage system to the high voltage system via the first and the second DC-AC units respectively.

9. The converter system according to claim 5, the third and the fourth AC-DC units being configured to supply power from the high voltage system to the AC interface.

10. The converter system according to claim 1, further comprising a first low power DC-DC unit and a second low power DC-DC unit, the first and second low power DC-DC units being configured to transfer power only in one direction.

11. A vehicle comprising the converter system according to claim 1, the vehicle being an electric vehicle.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, the converter system being configured to operate a first and/or second low power DC-DC units in a key-off state.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11, the converter system being configured to transfer power from a third AC-DC unit to a first AC-DC unit and a first DC-AC unit and/or to transfer power from a fourth AC-DC unit to a second AC-DC unit and a second DC-AC unit during a charging mode.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, the converter system being configured to transfer power from a high voltage system to a low voltage system via the first DC-AC unit and first AC-DC unit and/or the second DC-AC unit and the second AC-DC unit during a driving mode.

15. A method for transferring power in a converter system, comprising the following steps: connecting a first DC-DC module to a first high voltage interface of a high voltage system and to a first low voltage interface of a low voltage system, connecting a second DC-DC module to a second high voltage interface of the high voltage system and to a second low voltage interface of the low voltage system, connecting a first control unit to the first DC-DC module, and supplying power via the second DC-DC module in case of a failure in the first DC-DC module, the first high voltage interface and the second high voltage interface being independent of each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described in the following with reference to the following drawing.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a converter system for transferring power according to the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a converter system 1 for transferring power. The converter system 1 is configured to transfer power from a high voltage system to a low voltage system or from the low voltage system to the high voltage system. The high voltage system may have a voltage of 200V or 400V and the low voltage system may have a voltage of 12 V or 48V. The converter system 1 may be integrated in an electric vehicle to transfer power.

[0043] The converter system 1 includes a first DC-DC module 10 and a second DC-DC module 20. The first DC-DC module 10 includes a first AC-DC unit 14 and a first DC-AC unit 13 and the second DC-DC module 20 includes a second AC-DC unit 24 and a second DC-AC unit 23. The first DC-DC module 10 is connected to a first high voltage interface 11 of a high voltage system via the first DC-AC unit 13 and to a first low voltage interface 12 of a low voltage system via the first AC-DC unit 14. The second DC-DC module 20 is connected to a second high voltage interface 21 of the high voltage system via the DC-AC unit 23 and to a second low voltage interface 22 via the second AC-DC unit 24. The first AC-DC unit 14 and the second AC-DC unit 24 may be configured to keep turned-on to supply power to each low voltage interfaces 12, 22.

[0044] The first high voltage interface 11 and the second high voltage interface 21 operate independently of each other and the first low voltage interface 12 and the second low voltage interface 22 operate independently of each other. The high voltage system may include more than one battery unit. The first high voltage interface 11 and the second high voltage interface 21 may be connected to the same battery unit or different battery units. In contrast, the low battery system coupled with the first low voltage interface 12 and the second low voltage interface 22 may the same system, to ensure an operation of low voltage system loads in case of a failure of the first DC-DC module 10 or the second DC-DC module 20.

[0045] The first DC-DC module 10 further includes a third AC-DC unit 15 and the second DC-DC module 20 further includes a fourth AC-DC unit 25. The third AC-DC unit 15 and the fourth AC-DC unit 25 are connected to an AC interface 30 via a power factor correction (PFC) 31 unit and they are configured to supply power to the high voltage system and/or to supply power to the low voltage system. In other words, each of the first DC-DC module 10 and the second DC-DC 20 are connected to an on-board charger, which may provide a means to charge a battery system from an external AC power supply. Accordingly, the power factor correction 31 is connected to the AC interface 30 on one side. The other side of the PFC 31 is connected to the third AC-DC unit 15 and the fourth AC-DC unit 25, wherein the third AC-DC unit 15 and the fourth AC-DC unit 25 operate independently of each other.

[0046] Thus, the first AC-DC unit 14 converts the DC power supplied from the third AC-DC 15 unit and/or the second AC-DC unit 24 converts the DC power supplied from the fourth AC-DC unit 25 to provide power to the low voltage system loads via each low voltage interface 12, 22. Moreover, the first DC-AC unit 13 transfers the DC power supplied from the third AC-DC unit 15 to the first high voltage interface 11 and the second DC-AC unit 23 transfers the DC power supplied from the fourth AC-DC unit 25 to second high voltage interface 21. Hence, an independent power transfer during a charging process via the first DC-DC module 10 and the second DC-DC module 20 may be realised, such that even a failure in the first DC-DC module 10 or in the second DC-DC module 20 a reliable power transfer may be ensured.

[0047] The converter system 1 is further configured to transfer power bi-directionally, from the high voltage system to the low voltage system via the first DC-AC unit 13 and the first AC-DC unit 14 and/or the second DC-AC unit 23 and the second AC-DC unit 24 during a driving mode. The converter system 1 is also configured to supply power from the first high voltage interface 11 to the AC interface 30 via the third AC-DC unit 15 or from the second high voltage interface 21 to the AC interface 30 via the third AC-DC unit 25. The AC interface 30 may be further coupled with an electrical grid or any AC loads.

[0048] The converter system 1 further includes a first control unit 40 and a second control unit 50. The first control unit 40 and the second control unit 50 include a digital signal processor (DSP) 46, 56 with a dedicated CAN communication interface 47, 57. The first control unit 40 is connected to the first DC-DC module 10 and configured to supply power via the second DC-DC module 20 in case of a failure in the first DC-DC module 10. The second control unit 50 is separated from the first control unit 10. The second control unit 50 is connected to the second DC-DC module 20 and configured to transfer power via the first DC-DC module 10 in case of a failure in the second DC-DC module 20.

[0049] Accordingly, if the first control unit 40 detects a malfunction of the first DC-DC module 10, the first control unit 40 redirects the power supply via the second DC-DC module 50 instead of the first DC-DC module 10. In contrast, if the second control unit 50 detects a malfunction of the second DC-DC module 20, the second control unit 50 redirects the power supply via the first DC-DC module 10 instead of the second DC-DC module 20.

[0050] The converter system 1 further includes a first low power DC-DC unit 18 and a second low power DC-DC unit 28. The first low power DC-DC unit 18 is connected to the first high voltage interface 11 on one side and to the first low voltage interface 12 on the other side. The second low power DC-DC unit 28 is connected to the second high voltage interface 21 on one side and to the second low voltage interface 22 on the other side. The first low power DC-DC unit 18 and the second low power DC-DC unit 28 may be a low power isolated DC-DC converter.

[0051] The first low power DC-DC unit 18 and the second low power DC-DC units 28 are configured to transfer power only in one direction. Accordingly, the first low power DC-DC unit 18 transfers power from the first high voltage interface 11 to the first low voltage interface 12 and the second low power DC-DC units 28 transfers power from the second high voltage interface 21 to the second low voltage interface 22 to provide power to the low voltage system loads. Hence, the low voltage system loads may operate also in case of an emergency, in which the first and the second DC-DC modules 10, 20 fail. Accordingly, a high safety integrity level of the converter system may be achieved.

[0052] It has to be noted that embodiments of the disclosure are described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method type claims whereas other embodiments are described with reference to the device type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless otherwise notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination between features relating to different subject matters is considered to be disclosed with this application. However, all features can be combined providing synergetic effects that are more than the simple summation of the features.

[0053] While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing a claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the dependent claims.

[0054] In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items re-cited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are re-cited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.