Charging assembly for an electric vehicle on a medium voltage network, and method for operating same

Abstract

A charging arrangement for an electric vehicle having a traction battery includes a charging station connected to a medium-voltage grid and a charging cable to be coupled to the electric vehicle, wherein a medium-voltage transformer is arranged in the charging station, at which medium-voltage transformer the medium voltage is present on a primary side and at least one IT low-voltage grid and a TN low-voltage grid electrically isolated therefrom are formed on a secondary side.

Claims

1. A charging arrangement for an electric vehicle having a traction battery, the charging arrangement comprising: a charging station connected to a medium-voltage grid, the medium-voltage grid having a current between 5 kV and 25 kV; a charging cable having a charging plug to be coupled to the electric vehicle; a medium-voltage transformer arranged in the charging station, wherein the medium-voltage transformer comprises a primary side connected to the medium-voltage grid, and a secondary side; on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer, at least one IT (isolated earth) low-voltage grid, and a TN (earthed neutral) low-voltage grid isolated from the at least one IT low-voltage grid, wherein the at least one IT low-voltage grid comprises different IT low-voltage grids; at least n electric vehicles are configured to be charged simultaneously in the different IT low-voltage grids, wherein n≥2; a maximum available charging power on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer is less than a sum of required maximum charging powers of all the n electric vehicles; and when required charging powers of two or more electric vehicles added together at one time is greater than a charging power available on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer, temporarily reducing the charging power respectively made available to each of the two or more electric vehicles.

2. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the TN low-voltage grid is directly formed by at least one secondary winding of the medium-voltage transformer.

3. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the TN low-voltage grid is configured for AC charging.

4. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one IT low-voltage grid comprises different IT low-voltage grids formed by different secondary windings of the medium-voltage transformer.

5. The charging arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the IT low-voltage grids are isolated from each other.

6. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a charging management apparatus configured to regulate or control all of the IT and TN low-voltage grids.

7. The charging arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the medium-voltage transformer on the secondary side has a maximum charging power value less than or equal to 700 kW, and the charging management apparatus is configured to determine a charging power of each charging procedure for the electric vehicle, and communicate the determined charging power to a corresponding charging communication module for the charging procedure.

8. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the IT low-voltage grid has at least one of a converter or a compensation controller.

9. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the charging cable has a voltage converter arranged in the charging plug, the charging cable is configured to transmit a voltage of greater than 900 V, and the voltage converter is configured to convert the voltage of greater than 900 V to a smaller charging voltage.

10. The charging arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the charging plug has a communication module configured to communicate with at least one of the vehicle or the charging management apparatus.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum available charging power on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer is temporarily exceeded by up to 1.5 times.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: charging a further electric vehicle in the TN low-voltage grid at least temporarily simultaneously with the charging of an electric vehicle in one of the IT low-voltage grids.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum available charging power on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer is less than 1.5 times the required maximum charging power of an electric vehicle among the n electric vehicles.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum available charging power on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer is equal to the required maximum charging power of an electric vehicle among the n electric vehicles.

15. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the TN low-voltage grid comprises a low-voltage transformer, and the low-voltage transformer is arranged in a secondary circuit on the secondary side of the medium-voltage transformer.

16. The charging arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one IT low-voltage grid is configured for DC charging.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features, properties and aspects of the present disclosure are the subject matter of the following description. Various exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the schematic figures. These figures serve for ease of understanding of the disclosure and, in said figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a charging arrangement according to the prior art,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a charging arrangement according to the disclosure with an IT low-voltage grid and a TN low-voltage grid,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a design variant of the present disclosure having an additional low-voltage transformer for forming the TN low-voltage grid,

(5) FIGS. 4a and b each show a design variant of the charging arrangement according to the disclosure having 2 to n IT low-voltage grids and a TN low-voltage grid,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a design variant similar to FIG. 4, but with an additional low-voltage transformer,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a graph of power against time for the operation of a charging arrangement according to the disclosure in the case of a plurality of vehicles,

(8) FIGS. 7 to 9 show various graphs of power against time for the operation of a charging arrangement.

(9) The same reference signs are used for identical or similar components in the drawings, even when a repeated description is not given for the sake of simplicity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a charging arrangement 1 as is known from the prior art. To this end, a medium-voltage grid 2 is formed as well as a medium-voltage transformer 3 that is connected to the medium-voltage grid 2 on its primary side 4 and provides a TN low-voltage grid 6 on its secondary side 5. A plurality of individual and in each case separate charging stations 7 are then connected to this low-voltage grid 6, wherein the charging stations 7 are in turn coupled to a respective electric vehicle 10 via a respective charging cable 8 and a charging plug 9. The electric vehicle 10 has a traction battery 11 that is charged accordingly. The electric vehicle 10 furthermore has an on-board charging manager 12 that communicates with the charging column 7 and for example selects between an AC charging procedure and a DC charging procedure. A converter 13, here in the form of an active front end, is furthermore provided in the charging column, as is galvanic isolation 14 and a compensation controller 15 in the form of a DC/DC converter. Electrical components should thus be accommodated in the charging column 7.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a charging arrangement 1 according to the disclosure. In this case, a medium-voltage transformer is likewise connected directly to a medium-voltage grid 2 on the primary side 4. The inventive difference from FIG. 1 is however on the secondary side 5 of the medium-voltage transformer 3. Secondary windings 16 are directly present and then form an IT low-voltage grid 17 or supply voltage to same. A converter 13 in the form of an active front end and a compensation controller 15 in the form of a DC/DC converter are then also provided in this IT low-voltage grid 17. The charging cable 8 is then however connected directly to the IT low-voltage grid 17 in order to perform the charging procedure. Complex charging columns that are large in terms of installation space may thus be dispensed with. The charging column itself or the charging station 7 is formed by the medium-voltage transformer 3 itself or the medium-voltage transformer 3 is integrated directly into the charging station 7. Further secondary windings 16 are provided and simultaneously form a TN low-voltage grid 6 on the secondary side 5. This is formed here directly on the secondary side 5 of the medium-voltage transformer 3. The TN low-voltage grid 6 may be coupled directly to the charging cable 8 in order to perform an AC charging procedure. A fuse or switch for isolating AC and DC charging procedures is not illustrated for the sake of simplicity. The on-board charging manager 12 may then select the corresponding charging procedure via the charging plug 9 and a communication module 20 that is present. The communication module 20 may in this case be arranged in the region of the charging cable, but also in the charging plug.

(12) One alternative design variant is illustrated in FIG. 3. An IT low-voltage grid 17 is likewise here formed directly on the medium-voltage transformer 3 on the secondary side 5. A low-voltage transformer 18 is however still provided and then forms the TN low-voltage grid 6. The subsequent structure in the direction of the electric vehicle 10 has a design similar to FIG. 2.

(13) FIG. 4a shows an inexpensive expansion option for the charging arrangement 1 according to the disclosure. In this case, two IT low-voltage grids 17.1 and 17.2 and, in theory n further IT low-voltage grids 17.n arranged between them, may be formed on the secondary side 5 of the medium-voltage transformer 3. Each IT low-voltage grid 17 is assigned a dedicated secondary winding 16. A TN low-voltage grid 6 is likewise formed and is likewise assigned a dedicated secondary winding 16.

(14) A charging management apparatus 19 is additionally provided and regulates or controls the charging procedure of the plurality of electric vehicles 10.1, 10.2 to be charged via the medium-voltage transformer 3. More detailed explanations in this regard may likewise be found in FIG. 6.

(15) FIG. 4a also illustrates that a third electric vehicle 10.3 is charged at least temporarily at the same time via the TN low-voltage grid 6, that is to say as an AC charging procedure. An AC charging procedure would also be possible for the electric vehicles 10.1 and 10.2, since these may also be connected to the TN low-voltage grid 6. The electric vehicles 10.1 and 10.2 are however charged in a DC charging procedure in the IT low-voltage grid 17.1, 17.2, as is described above.

(16) FIG. 4b shows a similar design variant, wherein each IT low-voltage grid 17.1, 17.n, 17.2 here forms a charging point 21. A charging point 21 is then for example a charging column. Each charging point 21 has up to three charging plugs 9. These may be split such that two charging plugs 9 for DC charging are provided in each charging point 21. A charging plug 9 may be designed for the DC-CCS standard and a further charging plug 9 may be designed for the DC-CHAdeMO standard. A third charging plug 9 may be provided for AC charging.

(17) Up to three charging plugs 9 may thus be formed at each charging point 21 via the connection to the medium-voltage transformer 3. It is thereby possible to provide different charging standards at a charging point 21, and therefore a charging column. By way of example, the upper electric vehicle 10.1 with respect to the image plane is charged in the DC-CHAdeMO standard and the lower electric vehicle 10.2 is charged in an AC charging procedure.

(18) It is however also possible within the scope of the disclosure to equip the individual charging points 21 differently from one another. This may mean that a charging point 21 may for example have only one DC charging plug. This may optionally be designed in accordance with the DC-CCS standard or in accordance with the DC-CHAdeMO standard or else another standard. A further charging point 21 of this charging station 7 may then have two or even three charging plugs 9. By way of example, two charging plugs 9 may be provided for DC charging, one for DC-CHAdeMO charging, and another one for DC-CCS charging. A third charging plug 9 would then be provided for an AC charging procedure. Any desired number of further charging points 21 may be connected to the charging arrangement 1. Each charging point 21 may then have an individual number of charging plugs 9. It may be defined individually for each charging point 21 whether this should be designed for DC charging, AC charging or combined DC and AC charging or for simultaneously providing DC and AC charging procedures.

(19) FIG. 5 shows a structure similar to FIG. 4, with the difference that the TN low-voltage grid 6 is formed by a low-voltage transformer 18 in the IT low-voltage grid 17.2. The charging management apparatus 19 is then likewise connected to the low-voltage transformer 18. According to FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of electric vehicles 10.1, 10.2 may thus be charged simultaneously in respective AC or DC charging procedures. In the case of AC charging procedures, all of the AC charging procedures are supplied with voltage via the TN low-voltage grid 6. In the case of a DC charging procedure, a respective electric vehicle 10 is then supplied with voltage from a respective IT low-voltage grid 17.

(20) The charging power required for the charging procedure is not constant over time. It initially increases from the start of the charging procedure until the maximum charging voltage is reached. The charging power then decreases again. This means that, at the time at which the maximum charging power has to be made available, the charging station 7 also has to make the maximum charging power available to this electric vehicle 10. In practice, however, two or more vehicles are not connected to the charging station 7 at exactly the same time with the same state of discharge of the traction battery 11, but rather at different times. If the maximum charging power is to be made available to each electric vehicle 10, this does not mean that the charging station 7 has to be designed to be able to make available n (n=number of connected electric vehicles) times the maximum charging power. In principle, the charging station 7 has to be able to make the maximum charging power available only once, or make a charging power slightly above, for example 2 times the maximum required charging power, available for an electric vehicle 10. This determines the design of the capacity of the medium-voltage transformer 3. The maximum charging power of an electric vehicle should be 350 kW within the scope of the disclosure, and therefore the maximum charging power of the medium-voltage transformer should be less than 700 kW. It is thus possible to simultaneously charge at least two, several electric vehicles 10 with the best possible charging power required at the respective charging time of an electric vehicle 10, which charging power does not however correspond to the respective maximum charging power at one time. In spite of the medium-voltage transformer 3 being dimensioned smaller than in the prior art, this thus does not have a negative impact on the charging time. Each electric vehicle 10 is thus able to be charged effectively in terms of time and therefore with the shortest possible charging time and the greatest possible required charging power in a time-dependent manner at a respective time. In this case, it is unimportant whether the electric vehicles are in AC and/or DC charging operation. Only the charging powers are relevant.

(21) This charging procedure is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 6. The electric vehicle 10.1 has a maximum charging power P 10.1 at the time t 10.1. The same is the case for the electric vehicles 10.2 and 10.3. The respective maximum required charging powers of a respective electric vehicle 10 differ from one another. The electric vehicle 10.3 requires the greatest charging power P 10.3 in relation to the other electric vehicles 10.1, 10.2. This may be due to two reasons. Firstly, the state of discharge of the traction battery 11 of the electric vehicle 10.3 is different from the electric vehicles 10.2 and 10.3 and/or the traction battery 11 or the on-board charging manager 12 of the electric vehicle 10.3 may process a greater charging power. It is apparent from the schematic graph of power against time in FIG. 6 that, at one time, a n-multiple value of the respective maximum charging power P10.1, P10.2, P10.3 is not required, but rather the respective maximum charging power is required at different times. It is thus sufficient, even in the case of the temporally overlapping charging of three electric vehicles 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, to provide a maximum charging power that corresponds for example to 1.5 times the maximum charging power P10.3 of the electric vehicle 10.3 via the charging station 7.

(22) The charging arrangement 1 according to the disclosure may be designed such that the maximum charging power required individually for the electric vehicle 10 at one time is tapped off at the secondary sides 5 of the medium-voltage transformer 3 in each IT low-voltage grid 17 and the TN low-voltage grid 6. If, at one time, the currently required charging powers P10.1, P10.2, P10.3 of all of the electric vehicles 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 together exceed the maximum power able to be made available by the medium-voltage transformer 3 on the secondary side 5, the charging management apparatus 19 may intervene and reduce the required charging powers and split the available charging power. Under some circumstances, however, such a temporary intervention is negligible or barely perceptible for the charging procedure of each electric vehicle 10.

(23) According to FIG. 4 or 5, a plurality of charging columns may be connected to a medium-voltage transformer 3, such that a plurality of electric vehicles 10 are able to be charged simultaneously with AC and/or DC charging.

(24) The charging power P, required during charging, of an electric vehicle 10 is not constant over the time t but rather initially increases from the start of charging until the maximum required charging voltage is reached. This is also the time at which the corresponding charging column has to make the maximum charging power P available for this electric vehicle. The charging power P then decreases again since the charging current is also reduced. In practice, two electric vehicles 10 are never connected at exactly the same time to a respective charging column and/or the electric vehicles 10 connected in parallel have different states of charge. The start of charging and/or the currently required charging power P are thus typically temporally offset.

(25) FIG. 7 now shows an example of a charging arrangement 1 with three electric vehicles 10. Different dot-and-dash lines are illustrated for the electric vehicles (=vehicle). The solid line corresponds to the respectively required overall power. The reference vehicle 1 is selected for the first electric vehicle 10.1, the reference vehicle 2 is selected for the second electric vehicle 10.2 and the reference vehicle 3 is selected for the third electric vehicle 10.3. The respective charging procedure of each electric vehicle 10 begins at different times. At the time t1, the first electric vehicle 10 starts with a maximum charging power P of 350 kW. This then also corresponds to the currently required overall power. At a later time t26, a second electric vehicle 10 is connected and likewise charged with a maximum of 350 kW. The third electric vehicle 10 is operated with AC charging at the time t41 (at a maximum for example of about 22 kW). The respectively currently required overall power on the secondary side 5 of the medium-voltage transformer 3 is illustrated in the curve with a solid line. In this example, it reaches a maximum of around 460 kW. The advantage of the disclosure comes to the fore here: It is possible to perform a plurality of charging operations each with a maximum required charging power P of an electric vehicle 10 of 350 kW on a charging arrangement 1, even though the medium-voltage transformer 3 is operated with a lower maximum charging power P on the secondary side 5 of less than twice the maximum charging power P required by the electric vehicles 10. The medium-voltage transformer 3 may thus have a maximum charging power P of for example 500 kW on the secondary side 5, instead of 2*350 kW=700 kW, which reduces manufacturing costs. If on the other hand the charging arrangement 1 is constructed in accordance with FIG. 1 according to the prior art, each charging column and thus each resonant converter has to be designed for 350 kW each, which correspondingly represents high costs.

(26) FIG. 8 furthermore shows how the overall power is split when the third electric vehicle 10 is also intended to be charged with 350 kW charging. The permissible overall power of 500 kW, for example, would then be exceeded between t41 and t46. The charging management apparatus 19 is then used here: This determines the respective currently required overall power of all of the charging procedures. At the time t41, it is determined that the charging power P must be limited. This is achieved by the charging management apparatus 19 intervening and for example temporarily reducing and/or limiting the available charging power P of the electric vehicle 10.3 via the corresponding charging communication module 20.

(27) By virtue of briefly reducing the maximum charging power P of the electric vehicle 10.3 through the charging management apparatus 19, the overall power of 500 kW is not exceeded on the medium-voltage transformer. The charging procedure of the third vehicle 10.3 is however only extended slightly.

(28) A further advantage of the disclosure is that the medium-voltage transformer 3 is able to be operated briefly (several minutes up to 30 minutes) at an increased overload of for example the factor 1.5. In order to monitor the overload of the medium-voltage transformer 3, the temperature of the transformer windings and/or the temperature of the transformer core may be monitored. The charging management apparatus 19 may thus increase the maximum overall power as required by monitoring the temperature. The increase is by a maximum of the factor 1.5.

(29) Within the scope of the disclosure, the overall power of the medium-voltage transformer 3 on the secondary side 5 may be dimensioned to less than or equal to the maximum charging power of an electric vehicle, for example less than or equal to (≤) 350 kW. A plurality of electric vehicles 10 may however be charged simultaneously with a maximum charging power P according to the abovementioned scheme. The charging management apparatus 19, in order to determine the respectively individually required maximum charging power P of an electric vehicle 10, has to have the information of the current charging power of the individual charging operations communicated thereto. This may be performed separately via the communication modules in a wired manner or wirelessly for each electric vehicle. As an alternative, the charging management apparatus 19 may also measure the current charging power P using sensors. The temperatures of the medium-voltage transformer 3 (core and/or windings) are measured and likewise communicated to the charging management apparatus 19. By virtue of these measurements, the charging management apparatuses 19 are able to evaluate the respective current charging powers P and define and possibly reduce the respective maximum charging powers P for each electric vehicle.

(30) The foregoing description of some embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The specifically described embodiments explain the principles and practical applications to enable one ordinarily skilled in the art to utilize various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.