METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A CONSUMER DEVICE WITH ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for supplying a consumer device with electrical energy from an industrial DC network. The method having includes establishing a connection between an energy storage and the industrial DC network and transferring electrical energy from the DC network to the energy storage. When the connection is established between the energy storage and the industrial DC network, a connection between the energy storage and the consumer device is disconnected and the consumer remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network. The method also includes establishing a connection between the consumer device and the energy storage and transferring electrical energy from the storage energy storage to the consumer device. When the connection is established between the consumer device and the energy storage, a connection between the energy storage and the industrial DC network is disconnected and the consumer device remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network. The disclosure also relates to a system and an apparatus for supplying a consumer device with electrical energy.

Claims

1. A method for supplying a consumer device with electrical energy from an industrial DC network, wherein the consumer device is galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network, the method comprising: establishing a connection between an energy storage and the industrial DC network and transferring electrical energy from the industrial DC network into the energy storage, wherein, when the connection is being established between the energy storage and the industrial DC network, a connection between the energy storage and the consumer device is disconnected and the consumer device remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network; and establishing a connection between the consumer device and the energy storage and transferring electrical energy from the energy storage to the consumer device, wherein, when the connection is being established between the consumer device and the energy storage, a connection between the energy storage and the industrial DC network is disconnected and the consumer device remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of an existing connection between the energy storage and the industrial DC network or between the energy storage and the consumer device, a power is exchanged at a C-rate of less than one with respect to a capacity of the energy storage, and/or in a case of an existing connection between the energy storage and a battery of a vehicle assigned to the consumer device, a power flows from the energy storage to the consumer device at a C-rate of greater than one with respect to a capacity of the battery of the vehicle.

3. A system comprising an industrial DC network, at least one energy storage, at least one consumer device and at least one apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured to: establish a connection between an energy storage and the industrial DC network and transferring electrical energy from the industrial DC network into the energy storage, wherein, when the connection is being established between the energy storage and the industrial DC network, a connection between the energy storage and the consumer device is disconnected and the consumer device remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network; and establish a connection between the consumer device and the energy storage and transferring electrical energy from the energy storage to the consumer device, wherein, when the connection is being established between the consumer device and the energy storage, a connection between the energy storage and the industrial DC network is disconnected and the consumer device remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network, wherein the apparatus comprises a DC/DC converter and a switching unit, wherein a first interface of the DC/DC converter is connected to the energy storage, and a second interface of the DC/DC converter is connected to a first connection of the switching unit, wherein the first connection of the switching unit in a first operating state is connected to a second connection of the switching unit to connect the energy storage to the industrial DC network, and wherein the first connection of the switching unit in a second operating state is connected to a third connection of the switching unit to connect the energy storage to the consumer device.

4. The system according to claim 3, further comprising a controller configured to control the apparatus with a control signal, wherein the apparatus is configured to assume the first operating state or the second operating state as a function of the control signal.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the energy storage comprises a plurality of sub-storages, the apparatus comprises a plurality of apparatuses, and the consumer device comprises a plurality of consumer devices, wherein each apparatus and consumer device is assigned to each sub-storage, respectively, so that the sub-storages are alternately or cumulatively connected to the industrial DC network.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the DC/DC converter has a rated power of at least 50 kW, and wherein a capacity of the energy storage is configured so that the energy storage is discharged at a C-rate of less than one when electrical power is drawn at a level of the rated power of the DC/DC converter.

7. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that the consumer is a charging apparatus for charging a battery of a vehicle, in particular a high-voltage battery of a vehicle having a capacity of greater than 50 kWh, preferably greater than 100 kWh.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein a rated power of the DC/DC converter is configured so that the battery of the vehicle can be charged at a C-rate of greater than 1.

9. The system according to claim 7, further comprising further charging apparatuses configured to charge further batteries of further vehicles, wherein the further charging apparatuses are connected in parallel with one another.

10. An apparatus, comprising: a DC/DC converter; and a switching unit, wherein a first interface of the DC/DC converter is configured to connect to an energy storage, and a second interface of the DC/DC converter is connected to a first connection of the switching unit, wherein a second connection of the switching unit is configured to connect to an industrial DC network, and a third connection of the switching unit is configured to connect to a consumer device, wherein the first connection of the switching unit in a first operating state is connected to the second connection of the switching unit to establish a connection between the energy storage and the industrial DC network, and wherein the first connection of the switching unit in a second operating state is connected to the third connection of the switching unit to establish a connection between the energy storage and the consumer device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a DC/DC converter without galvanic isolation.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a bidirectional converter.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, in the first operating state, the apparatus is configured to enable the exchange of electrical energy between the energy storage and the industrial DC network, wherein the charging of the energy storage from the industrial DC network and/or a stabilization of the industrial DC network is enabled by a power exchange with the energy storage.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus in the second operating state is configured to enable the energy supply to the consumer device from the energy storage.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0035] The disclosure is further explained and described below with reference to example embodiments illustrated in the figures.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a system for supplying a consumer with electrical energy in a first embodiment;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a system for supplying a consumer with electrical energy in a second embodiment; and

[0038] FIG. 3 shows acts of a method for supplying a consumer with electrical energy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a system 20 with an industrial DC network 22. The industrial DC network is connected via a rectifier 24 to an AC network 34, for example, a distribution network or transmission network of an energy supplier. The system 20 comprises devices connected to the industrial DC network 22 via DC/DC converters 26, such as lighting 32, robots 38, actuators, machines, air-conditioning units and the like. A photovoltaic system 30 is likewise connected via a DC/DC converter 26 to the industrial DC network 22 and feeds renewably generated electrical power into the industrial DC network 22. A plurality of energy storages is connected to the industrial DC network 22. An energy storage 18 is connected via an apparatus 10 to the industrial DC network 22, and an auxiliary storage 28 is connected via a DC/DC converter 26 to the industrial DC network 22. The energy storage 18 and the auxiliary storage 28 are used, inter alia, to temporarily store electrical energy and to cushion load peaks in the industrial DC network 22.

[0040] The apparatus 10 comprises a DC/DC converter 12 without a transformer and with a first interface 12.1, which is connected to the energy storage 18. The energy storage 18 can be divided into a plurality of sub-storages, or as a sub-storage can be part of a larger grouping, for example, a grouping of largely structurally identical energy storages 18.

[0041] The apparatus 10 further comprises a switching device 14 with a first connection 14.1, which is connected to the second interface 12.2 of the DC/DC converter 12. The switching device 14 is configured to connect the DC/DC converter 12 either to the industrial DC network 22 or to the consumer device 16. For this purpose, the switching device 14 has at least one contactor that, for example, can be a two-pole changeover contactor or a corresponding interconnection of a plurality of contactors.

[0042] In a first operating state BZ1, the first connection 14.1 of the switching unit 14 is connected to a second connection 14.2 of the switching unit 14 in order to connect the energy storage 18 to the industrial DC network 22. In a second operating state BZ2, the first connection 14.1 of the switching unit 14 is connected to a third connection 14.3 of the switching unit 14 in order to connect the energy storage 18 to the consumer device 16. In this case, the apparatus 10 is configured such that the consumer device 16 always remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network 22.

[0043] The consumer device 16, in one embodiment, comprises a charging station for batteries of electric vehicles and/or hybrid vehicles. The consumer device can also comprise a plurality of charging stations for batteries of electric vehicles and/or hybrid vehicles. This plurality of charging stations is then connected in parallel to the DC/DC converter 12 of the apparatus 10. As a result, a plurality of vehicles may be charged in parallel. Although these vehicles are then galvanically coupled to one another, they are in one embodiment galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network 22.

[0044] A controller S is configured to generate a control signal, by means of which the apparatus 10 is controlled, wherein the apparatus 10 is configured to assume the first operating state BZ1 or the second operating state BZ2 as a function of the control signal. In one embodiment, a superordinate operating control can interact with the controller S in order to integrate the operating states BZ1 and BZ2 of the apparatus 10 into the superordinate operating control.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a system 21 that is constructed like the system 20 of FIG. 1. In addition, the system 21 has a further energy storage 48, which is connected to the industrial DC network 22 via a further apparatus 40. The further energy storage 48 in one embodiment is divided into a plurality of sub-storages or, as a sub-storage, can be part of a larger grouping, for example, a grouping of largely structurally identical sub-storages, to which the energy storage 18 can also belong. A further consumer device 46 is also connected to the further apparatus 40. The further apparatus 40 is constructed like the apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 and, in addition to the apparatus 10, is connected to the industrial DC network 22. The further apparatus 40 has a further DC/DC converter 42, which is connected by means of a first interface 42.1 to the further energy storage 48. The further apparatus 40 further comprises a further switching device 44 with a first connection 44.1, which is connected to a second interface 42.2 of a further DC/DC converter 42. The further switching device 44 is configured to connect the further DC/DC converter 42 either to the industrial DC network 22 or to the further consumer device 46. For this purpose, the first connection 44.1 can be connected as required to the second connection 42.2 or the third connection 42.3 in order to connect the further energy storage 48 to the industrial DC network 22 or to the further consumer device 46 as required.

[0046] Analogous to the apparatus 10, the further apparatus 40 has the operating states BZ1 and BZ2. The controller S is configured to generate control signals both for the apparatus 10 and for the further apparatus 40 and thus to control the apparatuses 10 and 40 independently of one another and to operate them, in one embodiment, in a coordinated manner within the framework of a superordinate operating control. In this respect, the energy storage 18 and the further energy storage 48 may be considered as a sub-storage of a grouping that is connected to the industrial DC network via the further apparatus 40 disconnected from the apparatus 10 and is operated in a concerted manner by means of a suitable operating control.

[0047] In this embodiment, the energy storage 18 and 48 may be connected independently of one another via the apparatuses 10 and 40 either to the industrial DC network 22 or to the consumer device 16, 46. The energy storage 18, 48 coupled to the industrial DC network 22 is used, for example, as a buffer store for electrical energy of the industrial DC network 22 and can in turn contribute to the stabilization of the industrial DC network. The energy storage 18, 48 connected to the consumer device 16, 46 can be used for supplying energy to the consumer device 16, 46, i.e., for example, in order to charge batteries of vehicles after final assembly. In one embodiment, the assignment to the operating states BZ1, BZ2 can be changed flexibly via the controller S and/or the superordinate operating control, for example, when the charge state of the energy storage 18, 48 currently used for charging reaches a lower threshold value. Such partially discharged energy storages 18, 48 may subsequently be charged from the industrial DC network 22 with a charging power that is significantly lower than the charging power of the vehicles to be charged. As a result, the industrial DC network 22 is not loaded by the high charging currents of the vehicles, and load peaks in the industrial DC network 22 are reduced.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows acts S1 and S2 of a method for supplying a consumer device with electrical energy, which transfer an apparatus 10, 40 of a system 20, 21 from a first operating state BZ1 into a second operating state BZ2.

[0049] At S1, a connection is established between an energy storage 18, 48 and the industrial DC network 22, and the possibility of exchanging electrical energy between the industrial DC network 22 and the energy storage 18, 48 is created. This exchange of electrical energy comprises the transfer of electrical energy from the industrial DC network 22 to the energy storage 18, 48 and vice versa. In order to charge the energy storage 18, 48, electrical energy is transferred from the DC network 22 into the energy storage. The electrical power thereby transferred can, for example, be varied for supporting the industrial DC network 22 and optionally reversed, in order to feed it from the energy storage 18, 48 into the industrial DC network 22 as required. The connection between the DC network 22 and the energy storage 18, 48 is, for example, created in order to charge the energy storage 18, 48 and/or to feed a maintenance charge to the energy storage 18, 48 in order to prevent premature aging. When establishing the connection between the energy storage 18, 48 and the industrial DC network 22, a possibly existing connection between the energy storage 18, 48 and the consumer device 16, 46 is disconnected. The consumer device 16, 46 remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network 22.

[0050] By means of act S1, the apparatus 10, 40 is transferred from the first operating state BZ1 to the second operating state BZ2.

[0051] At S2, a connection is established between the consumer device 16, 46 and the energy storage 18, 48, and electrical power is transferred from the energy storage 18, 48 to the consumer device 16, 46, for example, in order to feed electrical energy via a charging station as a consumer device into a battery of a vehicle. In one embodiment, when the connection is being established between the consumer device 16, 46 and the energy storage 18, 48, a connection between the energy storage 18, 48 and the industrial DC network 22 is disconnected and the consumer device 16, 46 remains galvanically isolated from the industrial DC network 22.

[0052] By means of act S2, the apparatus 10, 40 is transferred from the second operating state BZ2 to the first operating state BZ1.