USOO90 13066B2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 9,013,066 B2

Kojori et al. (45) Date of Patent: Apr. 21, 2015
(54) HIGHVOLTAGE ELECTRIC (56) References Cited
ACCUMULATORS WITH INTERNAL
DISTRIBUTED DC-DC CONVERTERS FOR U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
SELF REGULATION AND PROTECTION
5,508,905 A * 4/1996 Reichard ......................... 363.71
5,982,645 A * 1 1/1999 Levran et al. ................... 363/37
(75) Inventors: Hassan Ali Kojori, Mississauga (CA); 6,867.987 B2 * 3/2005 Cheng et al. .................... 363.43
Harmohan N. Singh, Rockaway 6,985,799 B2 1/2006 Zalesski et al.
7,579,842 B2 8, 2009 Hunter et al.
Township, NJ (US); David Lazarovich, 7,808,125 B1 * 10/2010 Sachdeva et al. ............... 307/82
Thornhill (CA); Momcillo Tanic, Toronto 2010, 0133025 A1 6, 2010 Flett
(CA) 2010, 0133912 A1 6/2010 King et al.
2010, O136379 A1 6/2010 King et al.
(73) Assignee: Honeywell International Inc., 2011/0140663 A1* 6/2011 Tofigh et al. .................. 320,116
2012/0025618 A1 2/2012 Erickson et al. ................ 307/77
Morristown, NJ (US)
* cited by examiner
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Primary Examiner — Daniel Cavallari
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Shimokaji IP
U.S.C. 154(b) by 1211 days.
(57) ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 12/914,502 A power management system may employ a power source, a
distribution system between the power source and electrical
(22) Filed: Oct. 28, 2010 loads and an energy accumulator. The accumulator may com
prise a plurality of energy processing blocks. Each block may
(65) Prior Publication Data have a limited number of energy storage cells connected in
series to produce first Voltage. A second higher output voltage
US 2012/0104861 A1 May 3, 2012 from the accumulator may be achieved though integrated
DC-DC, DC-AC and AC-DC conversion with intermediate
(51) Int. C. boost of AC Voltage through high frequency transformers.
HIM I/46 (2006.01) Bidirectional power flow may be achieved with high effi
H02. 7/00 (2006.01) ciency during charge and discharge of the accumulator. Sec
(52) U.S. C. ondary windings of the transformers may be connected with
CPC. H0IM 10/46 (2013.01); H02J 7/00 (2013.01) one another in series so that the accumulator can transfer
(58) Field of Classification Search energy between the distribution system and any one or all of
CPC ...................................................... HO1M 10746 the energy processing units in a fault-tolerant and efficient
a.
USPC ............................................................ 307/82
See application file for complete search history. 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets

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WOLTACURRENT SENSE CONTROLLER VOLTACURRENT SENSE

36-1
U.S. Patent Apr. 21, 2015 Sheet 1 of 4 US 9,013,066 B2
U.S. Patent Apr. 21, 2015 Sheet 3 of 4 US 9,013,066 B2
U.S. Patent Apr. 21, 2015 Sheet 4 of 4 US 9,013,066 B2

O +7
 US 9,013,066 B2
1. 2
HGHVOLTAGE ELECTRIC system between the power source and electrical loads; an
ACCUMULATORS WITH INTERNAL energy accumulator comprising a plurality of energy process
DISTRIBUTED DC-DC CONVERTERS FOR ing blocks, the energy processing blocks individually com
SELF REGULATION AND PROTECTION prising: an energy storage unit; a bidirectional DC-AC con
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Verters; and a primary windings of a transformer; and wherein
secondary windings of the transformers are connected with
The present invention generally relates to electrical energy one another in series so that the accumulator can transfer
management systems. More particularly, the invention relates current to and from the distribution system through the trans
to energy accumulation systems for use in conjunction with formers.
10
generative power Sources. In another aspect of the present invention, an accumulator
Due to developments in power electronics and an increase for electrical energy may comprise: a plurality of energy
in the requirements for emergency and stored energy, higher processing blocks comprising: energy storage units; bidirec
voltages and power levels are required from batteries. Various tional DC-AC converters; and transformers; wherein second
electrical functions in aerospace and ground vehicles (tactical 15 ary windings of the transformers are connected with one
vehicles and automotive) may be performed with power sys another in series so that the accumulator can transfer current
tems which incorporate energy storage elements such as bat into and out of one or all of the energy storage units in a safe
teries, Supercapacitors and/or fuel cells. These applications and fault-tolerant manner.
may include aircraft APU and main engine start and ground
vehicle traction drives. Energy accumulators may be In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for
employed for effective harnessing or mitigation of bidirec managing power with an accumulator may comprise the steps
tional flow of electric energy and improving overall effi of producing a first quantity of direct current (DC) with a first
ciency. energy storage unit; producing a second quantity of DC with
Some large scale energy storage systems may also be a second energy storage unit; converting the first quantity of
employed to satisfy mobile power and distributed renewable DC into a first quantity of alternating current (AC); convert
applications for peak power shaving and/or effectively using 25 ing the second quantity of DC to a second quantity of AC:
stored energy to avoid high cost of electricity during higher Supplying the first quantity of AC to a primary winding of a
rates imposed by Smart metering. In many of these applica first transformer, Supplying the second quantity of AC to a
tions, elementary battery cells may be connected in series so primary winding of a second transformer, and combining the
that an output terminal Voltage equals a sum of elementary
Voltages. first and second quantities of AC within series connected
30 secondary windings of the first and second transformers.
In addition, many newer systems may employ lithium ion
(Li-ion) batteries which consist of multiple cells in series. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
Increased output Voltage may require an increased number of present invention will become better understood with refer
series connected cells. Conventional Li-ion systems require ence to the following drawings, description and claims.
charge/discharge control and equalization at the cell level
which may require considerable electronics, particularly in 35 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
the case of higher Voltage batteries.
It is known that for a particular power level, the current FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a power management system
required from a higher Voltage energy storage system is lower in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
than that of a low Voltage storage system. Thus high Voltage FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an energy accumulator in
systems provide improved efficiency and overall reduced 40 accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
weight, Volume and cost. Traditionally, high Voltage energy FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a DC-DC converter in accor
storage systems have been realized by a) connecting a large dance with an embodiment of the invention; and
number of energy storage cells in series; or, b) using a low FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for managing electrical
Voltage energy system and connecting it to an external DC power in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DC converter to boost the low-voltage voltage to the desired 45
high Voltage level. In the first instance, regulation, protection DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
and overall reliability and availability of the energy storage
system becomes a major issue and it becomes imperative to The following detailed description is of the best currently
assure that degradation of any one cell (e.g. excessive capac contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The
ity fading, Voltage imbalance, open cell) does not lead to the 50 description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made
failure of the entire energy storage system. In the second case merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of
the low Voltage battery system requires additional external
circuitry for its protection. Thus, overall energy storage sys the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined
tem weight, Volume and efficiency may be negatively by the appended claims.
impacted due to wide-variation of low-voltage range and Various inventive features are described below that can
various single point failures, both in the energy storage sys 55 each be used independently of one another or in combination
tem and cascaded DC-DC conversion. with other features.
As can be seen, there is a need for self regulated and self The present invention generally provides a bidirectional
protected high Voltage energy storage system with integrated power management system in which energy may be supplied
fault-tolerant power management system to reduce overall to electrical loads, when the accumulator is being discharged;
count of number of energy storage cells and to achieve high 60 or Supplied with energy from regenerative loads or other
reliability and availability of power by eliminating single Sources of energy during charging-mode. The accumulator
point failures may comprise a plurality of energy processing blocks inter
nally connected together for realizing a high energy storage
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION system. The energy processing blocks may deliver stored
65 energy to the electric power system through dedicated con
In one aspect of the present invention, a power manage Verters so that high output Voltages may be achieved with a
ment system may comprise; a power source: a distribution relatively low number of energy storage cells.
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3 4
Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of an and current of the accumulator and one or more internal
electric power management system 10 is shown in block control parameters such as individual energy storage cell
diagram form. The electric power management system 10 temperatures, Voltages, currents and state-of-charge, and
may be one example of a system that may employ a novel health status of functional power processing units.
energy storage accumulator 12 connected to a high Voltage The block 20-1 may comprise a battery unit 26-1 com
DC bus (for example 270 VDC or +270 VDC) of a more prised of battery cells or it may comprise a Supercapacitor unit
electric vehicle such as an aircraft or electric car. The system 28-1 comprised of supercapacitor cells. The units 26-1 or
10 may comprise various types of AC power sources such as 28-1 may be interconnected with a DC-DC converter 30-1.
a main engine generator or an auxiliary power unit (APU) Advantageously, the converter 30-1 may be a bi-directional
generator which may be connected to high-voltage DC side of 10 buck-boost converter which may provide an output of regu
the accumulator 12 through AC-DC converters and together lated DC voltage higher than the sum of voltages of individual
or individually may supply power to various types of AC cells in 26-1 or 28-1 to reduce the overall current in the next
and/or DC loads which in turn may require additional power conversion stage 32-1 and hence improving efficiency. The
conditioning from high Voltage DC bus of the accumulator or converter 30-1 may be interconnected with a DC-AC con
other sources of power. As an exemplary application, for 15 verter 32-1. Advantageously, the converter 32-1 may be a
purpose of simplicity, FIG. 1 only shows a power manage bi-directional push-pull converter at 50% duty cycle which
ment system which has a DC power source 14 and a DC may provide an output of regulated AC Voltage in one direc
electrical load 16 which may be connectable to the power tion for discharging energy from energy storage units 26-1
Source 14 and/or the accumulator 12 through a power distri and/or 28-1 to 26-n and/or 28-n of the accumulator 12; and
bution system 18. This concept could be easily expanded by regulated DC Voltage in an opposite direction for charging the
those skilled in the art to include other types of electric power energy storage units by transferring energy from high-voltage
system architectures including various AC Sources, AC loads side to low Voltage side.
and other required power electronics based bidirectional con A transformer 34-1 may have its primary winding 34-1-1
verters for transfer of energy between various AC and DC connected to the DC-AC converter 32-1. Additionally, the
buses. Power from the DC source 14 may be transferred in a 25 secondary winding 34-1-2 may be connected in series with
bidirectional manner directly to the electrical load 16 or to the secondary windings 34-2-2 through 34-2-n of the blocks 20-2
accumulator 12. In the charge-mode, power may be supplied through 20-m respectively. Alternatively, in another embodi
to the accumulator 12 and may be stored in the energy storage ment not shown here, each of the secondary windings 34-1-2
units of the accumulator 12. In the discharge-mode, stored to 34-1-n may be connected to individual synchronous recti
energy may be Subsequently used to Supply energy to the 30 fiers, hence achieving rectification through multiple synchro
electrical loads 16. In some circumstances, power may be nous rectifiers working in parallel and one for each energy
provided from the DC source 14 or the accumulator 12 indi processing block. This approach may be beneficial for a)
vidually or in combination to meet a higher peak-power reducing filtering requirements by interleaved PWM patterns
demand, as required. This may provide various beneficial of the synchronous rectifiers and b) eliminating single point
opportunities for starter/generator applications and also 35 failure of a single output synchronous rectifier. Benefits may
energy and power optimization to meet short-term higher be weighed against increased parts-count, controls complex
peak power demands resulting in reducing the overall weight, ity and overall cost.
Volume and cost of Some of the main components of the In operation, the blocks 20-1 through 20-n may be com
electrical power system (e.g., generators and power convert manded to deliver a desired output Voltage to the synchronous
ers) and may ultimately result in improving in fuel efficiency 40 rectifier 22, in a fault-tolerant manner. For example, if all of
and lowering life-cycle cost. the blocks 20-1 through 20-in were available, they could be
The accumulator 12 may comprise a plurality of energy commanded to provide equal output Voltage, then each block
processing blocks 20-1, 20-2 through 20-m interconnected would produce V/n; where V is a desired output Voltage
with a common AC-DC converter Such as a synchronous of the accumulator 12 and n is a number of the functional
rectifier 22. A controller 24 may control operation of the 45 blocks. On the other hand, if one of the blocks were to become
energy processing blocks 20-1 through 20-in. non-functional, then one or more of the remaining functional
Referring now to FIG. 2, the high voltage electric accumu blocks may be commanded to produce output Voltage of
lator 12 is shown in block diagram form. For the sake of V/(n-1). Advantageously, the blocks 20-1 through 20-n
simplicity input and output filters are not shown. The low may be floating with respect to each other so that any block
Voltage side may be comprised of multiple energy processing 50 may be allowed to alter or even cease its output without
blocks 20-1 to 20-in which may be configured for series con affecting the normal operation of the other blocks.
nection to secondary transformer windings to obtain a high One may consider these operational features in the context
Voltage AC output which may then go through a common of the block 20-1. The controller 24 may be provided with a
synchronous rectifier 22 to provide high voltage DC output measured volt/current signal 36-1 from the unit 26-1 or 28-1.
and bidirectional energy transfer. In FIG. 2, for purpose of 55 Additionally, the controller may be provided with a measured
simplicity, the controller 24 is shown interconnected only volt/current signal 38 from the synchronous rectifier 22. The
with the energy processing block 20-1. It is to be understood controller 24 may employ information from the signals 36-1
all of the blocks 20-1 through 20-n may be interconnected and 38 to provide a control signal 40-1 to the converter 30-1
with the controller 24 for a centralized control architecture. to control output voltage and current from the block 20-1.
Control function could also be achieved through distributed 60 Additionally or alternatively, the controller 24 may provide a
standalone controllers for each of the energy processing control signal 40-2 to the converter 32-1 to control output
blocks 20-1 through 20-m in master-slave mode as known to voltage and current from the block 20-1. It may be seen that
those skilled in the art. For purposes of illustration, only the accumulator 12 may, among other functions, provide
centralized control is shown and interaction between the Voltage boost for energy storage units 26-1 through 26-in or
block 20-1 and the master controller 24 are described here 65 28-1 through 28-n. Thus, for example, in the exemplary case
inbelow. The controller 24 may be responsive to one or more of the units 26-1 comprising a 7-cell Li-ion battery, the accu
external control parameters such as terminal output Voltage mulator 12 may boost output of the unit 26-1 to about 270
 US 9,013,066 B2
5 6
volts, even though the output voltage of the batteries may be command that the Supercapacitor-based energy storage units
only about 28 volts. This may be the result of voltage increase be discharged to meet the peak-power demand. Supercapaci
provided by the converters 30-1 and/or 30-2 and/or a voltage tors may be advantageously charged and discharged indepen
increase from the transformer 34-1. Additionally, part of this dently from batteries to higher and lower voltage levels and
Voltage boost may advantageously develop because the trans this may have the benefit of utilizing the maximum Superca
former secondary windings 34-2-1 through 34-2-n may be pacitor energy storage capacity. An energy demand period
connected together in series; therefore, Voltage to the rectifier may extend beyond the discharge time of the Supercapacitor
22 may be equal to a Sum of the Voltages at each of the based energy storage units. In that event, the controller 24
secondary windings. Thus the total number of energy storage may be provided with signals such as signals 36-1, advising
battery and/or Supercapacitor cells for a high Voltage electric 10 that the Supercapacitor-based energy storage units have
accumulator may be significantly reduced. For example, for a exhausted their charge. The controller 24 may then mitigate
typical high voltage electric accumulator having 270 VDC charge and discharge and duty-cycle of operation of the
output, the total number of energy storage cells in series may Supercapacitor energy storage units 28-1 through 28-n
be reduced by an order of magnitude and multiple units of through the battery-based energy storage units 26-1 through
Such energy storage units may be used independently from 15 26-in so that energy may be supplied to cyclic loads with
each other in parallel to meet the power and energy require intermittent higher peak-power demands in an optimized
ments expected from the electric accumulator 12. This may a.
result in a self regulated and self protected electric accumu Referring now to FIG.3, a detailed block diagram shows an
lator which is fault tolerant. Additionally, the complexity of alternate exemplary embodiment for an energy converter 40
electronic components that are required for cell overcharge? which may be employed in one or more of the energy pro
overdischarge monitoring and equalization may be reduced cessing blocks 20-1 through 20-in for achieving the task of
resulting in reduced weight, Volume and improved efficiency. DC-AC-DC conversion with galvanic isolation. The con
It should be noted that the blocks 20-2 through 20-n may be verter 40 may comprise a low-voltage filter 40-1 to minimize
constructed with: energy storage units 26-2 through 26-in or harmonics fed to energy storage units, a low Voltage DC-AC
28-2 through 28-n; DC-DC converters 30-2 through 30-m; 25 bridge 40-2 to boost the voltage and at the same time convert
DC-AC-DC converter 32-2 through 32-n and transformers DC to AC Voltage, a high-frequency planar magnetic trans
34-2 through 34-in respectively. former 40-3, a high-voltage AC-DC bridge 40-4 and a high
It should also be noted that the accumulator 12 may, voltage filter 40-5. The bridges 40-2 and 40-4 may receive
through use of the controller 24, retain full operability in the PWM gating and control signals through a common control
event of malfunction or deactivation of any one or more of the 30 ler/gate-driver unit 24-1. In this particular configuration the
blocks 20-1 through 20-in by redistributing the overall energy converter 40 may exhibit various desirable features such as
flow through the energy processing blocks which may remain bi-directional powerflow and high efficiency. High efficiency
functional or activated. Also the controller 24 may incorpo may be provided through optimized power topology using
rate embedded prognostics health management capabilities only one stage of conversion to generate AC from DC voltage
including but not limited to State of Charge calculation and 35 and utilizing resonant Switching to reduce the Switching
various protection functions such as overvoltage, undervolt losses. Use of high Switching frequency planar magnetic
age, overcurrent, or over-temperature at input or output, as transformers with integrated magnetics may be beneficial to
required. reduce overall weight and size of discrete and bulky inductive
The energy storage units 26-1 through 26-in and the energy filter components and may facilitate ease of packaging mul
storage units 28-1 through 28-n may be constructed with 40 tiple energy processing blocks into a higher energy/power
various exemplary configurations. The energy storage units electric accumulator end-unit.
26-1 through 26-n may comprise one or more batteries Such Referring now to FIG. 4, a flow chart 400 may illustrate an
as lithium ion cells or lead-acid cells connected in series or in exemplary method which may be employed for power man
parallel. The energy storage units 28-1 through 28-n may agement in accordance with an embodiment the invention. In
comprise a collection of Supercapacitors. Additionally, other 45 a step 402, unregulated low voltage DC may be produced by
types of electrical energy delivery systems such fuel cells a first energy storage unit (e.g., the battery-based unit 26-1
may be used. It may be advantageous to construct the accu may produce current at a voltage of about 28 volts DC).
mulator 12 with a combination of battery-based energy pro Similarly, in a step 404, unregulated low voltage DC may be
cessing blocks and Supercapacitor-based energy processing produced by a second energy storage unit (e.g., the battery
blocks. In Such a configuration, Supercapacitor-based energy 50 based unit 26-2 may produce current at a voltage of about 28
processing blocks may allow the accumulator 12 to effec volts DC). In a step 406, the DC from step 402 may be
tively absorb regenerative power which may be rapidly deliv converted to AC (e.g., the converter 32-1 may convert DC to
ered to the accumulator 12. Presence of battery and fuel-cell AC). Similarly, in a step 408, the DC from step 404 may be
based energy processing blocks may allow the accumulator converted to AC (e.g., the converter 32-2 may convert DC to
12 to deliver power to the distribution system 18, of FIG. 1, 55 AC). In a step 410, voltage of AC from step 404 may be
over an extended period of time, whereas Supercapacitor increased (e.g. the transformer 34-1 may increase the output
based blocks may be useful for quick charge and discharge of voltage of the converter 32-1). Similarly, in a step 412, volt
much larger amounts of electrical energy over Smaller periods age of AC from step 408 may be increased (e.g. the trans
of time. former 34-2 may increase voltage of current from the con
In an exemplary series of operations, the accumulator 12 60 verter 32-2). In a step 414, high voltage AC from steps 410
may be provided with a rapidly regenerated Surge of power. and 412 may be combined (e.g., as shown in FIG.2 secondary
The battery-based energy storage units 26-1 through 26-n windings 34-1-1 and 34-2-2 may be connected in series to
may not be able to absorb the Surge, but the Supercapacitor obtain a higher AC Voltage with the same current and then
based energy storage units 28-1 through 28-n may effectively connected to the synchronous rectifier 22) so that energy from
absorb and store the Surge of regenerated power. In a later 65 the blocks 20-1 and 20-2 may be combined and transferred at
stage of operation, power may be drawn from the accumulator a desired higher output Voltage). In a step 416, performance of
12 over an extended period of time. The controller 24 may the steps 406, 408, 410, 412 and 414 may be continuously
 US 9,013,066 B2
7 8
monitored and controlled so that regulated high voltage DC ing blocks producing individual output voltages in
may be provided by the accumulator 12. excess of Vout/n in the event of another one or more of
It may be noted that in another aspect of the present inven the energy processing blocks being incapable of pro
tion, a high Voltage energy accumulator may reuse some ducing individual output voltages of at least Vout/n:
power processing blocks and with additional circuitry includ and
ing tertiary transformer windings and AC-DC converters may wherein secondary windings of the transformers are con
provide a regulated low voltage (e.g., 28V or +28V DC) bus nected with one another in series so that the accumulator
with galvanic isolation and inherent self protection to supply can transfer current to and from the distribution system
energy to 28V or +28V DC loads, as required. Similarly, through the transformers.
much of the internal circuitry could be advantageously reused 10 2. The power management system of claim 1 wherein
to supply energy at 50/60 HZ. individual output voltages of the energy storage units are
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing lower than Voltage at an output terminal of the accumulator.
relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that 3. The power management system of claim 2:
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit wherein the energy storage units are Lithium-ion batteries
and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 15 with output voltages of about 28 volts; and
We claim: wherein the Voltage at the output terminal of the accumu
1. A power management system for producing a desired lator is about 270 volts.
output Voltage (Vout), the system comprising: 4. An accumulator for electrical energy with a desired
a power source: output Voltage (Vout), the accumulator comprising:
a distribution system between the power source and elec a plurality (n) of energy processing blocks each comprising
trical loads; at least one energy storage unit; and abidirectional buck
an energy accumulator comprising a synchronous rectifier boost converter;
and a plurality (n) of energy processing blocks, the a synchronous rectifier; and
energy processing blocks individually comprising: a controller having connections with:
a) an energy storage unit; 25 a) all of the energy storage units to receive a measured
b) a DC-AC converter; Voltage or current signal from each of the energy
c) a bidirectional buck-boost converter; and storage units,
d) a primary winding of a transformer; b) the synchronous rectifier to receive a measured volt
a controller having connections with: age or current signal from the synchronous rectifier
30 and
a) all of the energy storage units to receive a measured c) the buck-boost converters of each energy processing
Voltage or current signal from each of the energy block to provide control signals to the buck-boost
storage units, converters to control output voltage and current from
b) the synchronous rectifier to receive a measured volt each of the energy processing block responsively to
age or current signal from the synchronous rectifier the Voltage or current signals from the synchronous
and 35
c) the buck-boost converters of each energy processing rectifier and a corresponding one of the energy stor
block to provide control signals to the buck-boost age units of said energy processing block, said control
converters to control output voltage and current from signals resulting in one or more of the energy process
each of the energy processing block responsively to ing blocks to producing individual output voltages in
the Voltage or current signals from the synchronous 40 excess of Vout/n in the event of another one or more of
rectifier and a corresponding one of the energy stor the energy processing blocks being incapable of pro
age units of said energy processing block, said control ducing individual output voltages of at least Vout/n.
signals resulting in one or more of the energy process ck k k k k