Method and apparatus for charging multiple energy storage devices

1. An energy storage and management system (ESMS) comprising:

a plurality of energy ports, each being coupleable to a charging device or an energy storage device;

a plurality of DC electrical conversion devices selectively coupled to the plurality of energy ports;

a plurality of switching devices each selectively engaged to control a charging power provided to one or more of the plurality of energy ports; and

a controller configured to:

receive sensor feedback from each energy storage device coupled to an energy port of the plurality of energy ports;

receive sensor feedback from each charging device coupled to an energy port of the plurality of energy ports;

compare the sensor feedback from each energy storage device to the sensor feedback from each charging device; and

selectively control operation of the plurality of DC electrical conversion devices and plurality of switching devices based on the comparison.

2. The ESMS of claim 1 wherein the plurality of DC electrical conversion devices comprise a first buck-boost module, a second buck-boost module, and a third buck-boost module.

3. The ESMS of claim 2 wherein:

a first energy port of the plurality of energy ports comprises a high voltage port coupleable to a boosted voltage side of each of the buck-boost modules;

a second energy port of the plurality of energy ports is a low voltage port coupleable to a bucked voltage side of each of the buck-boost modules; and

at least one of a third and a fourth energy port of the plurality of energy ports is coupleable to a charging device.

4. The ESMS of claim 3 wherein the controller is configured to:

receive sensor feedback from a high voltage storage device coupled to the first energy port and from a low voltage storage device coupled to the second energy port;

compare the sensor feedback to operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage device;

determine, based on the comparison:

a total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device; and

a power split factor of the total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device; and

regulate a total power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the determination.

5. The ESMS of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to cause each of the plurality of switching devices to be selectively engaged or disengaged based on the determined total charging current and power split factor.

6. The ESMS of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to:

determine a voltage of each of the plurality of energy ports; and

determine the power split factor based on the determined voltages of each respective energy port.

7. The ESMS of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to:

continuously receive the sensor feedback from the high and from the low voltage storage devices;

compare the continuously received sensor feedback to the operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage devices;

revise the determined total charging current and the power split factor based on the comparison; and

regulate power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the revised determination.

8. The ESMS of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to direct power to only one of the high and low voltage energy storage devices.

9. The ESMS of claim 4 wherein the operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage devices comprise at least one of an electrical current limit and a temperature limit corresponding to each of the respective high and low voltage storage devices.

10. A vehicle propulsion system comprising:

an electric motor;

an energy storage system configured to provide power to the electric motor, the energy storage system comprising a plurality of energy storage devices;

a charger interface coupleable to a charging device configured to receive charging power therefrom for charging the energy storage system; and

an energy storage and management system (ESMS) coupled to the energy storage system and the charger interface to selectively transfer the charging power from the charger interface to the energy storage system, the ESMS comprising:

a plurality of energy ports, each coupleable to a respective one of the plurality of energy storage devices or the charger interface;

a plurality of buck-boost converters selectively coupled to the plurality of energy ports; and

a plurality of contactors each selectively engaged to control a charging power provided to one or more of the plurality of energy ports; and

a controller configured to:

receive sensor feedback from each energy storage device coupled to an energy port of the plurality of energy ports;

receive sensor feedback from the charging interface coupled to an energy port of the plurality of energy ports;

compare the sensor feedback from each energy storage device to the sensor feedback from the charging interface; and

selectively control operation of the plurality of buck-boost converters and plurality of contactors based on the comparison.

11. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of energy storage devices comprises a low voltage energy storage device, a high voltage energy storage device, and an ultracapacitor.

12. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 11 wherein:

the plurality of energy ports comprises a first energy port, a second energy port, a third energy port and a fourth energy port;

the plurality of buck-boost converters comprises a first buck-boost converter, a second buck-boost converter, and a third buck-boost converter; and

the high voltage storage device is coupled to the first energy port, the low voltage storage device is coupled to the second energy port, the charger interface is coupled to the third energy port, and the ultracapacitor is coupled to the fourth energy port.

13. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to:

receive sensor feedback from the high voltage storage device and from the low voltage storage device;

compare the sensor feedback to operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage devices, the operating limits comprising at least one of an electrical current limit and a temperature limit corresponding to each of the respective high and low voltage storage devices;

determine, based on the comparison:

a total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device; and

a power split factor of the total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device; and

regulate a total power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the determination.

14. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to cause each of the plurality of contactors to be selectively engaged or disengaged based on the determined total charging current and power split factor.

15. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to direct power to only one of the high and low voltage energy storage devices.

16. An energy storage and management system (ESMS) for a vehicle propulsion system, the ESMS comprising:

a plurality of energy storage devices including:

a first energy storage device; and

a second energy storage device;

a plurality of DC/DC conversion devices including:

a first DC/DC conversion device coupleable to an external charging device and configured to charge the plurality of energy storage devices;

a second DC/DC conversion device coupleable to an internal charging device and configured to charge the plurality of energy storage devices; and

a third DC/DC conversion device coupled to the second DC/DC conversion device;

a plurality of switching devices including:

a first switching device and a second switching device coupled to a common junction that has a common path to the first energy storage device:

the first switching device being between the common junction and the external charging device via a first path that does not include the second switching device; and

the second switching device being between the common junction and the internal charging device via a second path that does not include the first switching device; and

a third switching device coupled between the second energy storage device and the third DC/DC conversion device; and

a control system configured to:

selectively control operation of the first DC/DC conversion device and at least one switching device when charging the first and second energy storage devices from the external charging device; and

selectively control operation of the second and third DC/DC conversion devices and at least one switching device when charging the first and second energy storage devices from the internal charging device.

17. The ESMS of claim 16 wherein the first energy storage device comprises a first battery and the second energy storage device comprises a second battery, the first battery having a higher voltage than the second battery.

18. The ESMS of claim 16 wherein the control system is further configured to close the first switching device and open the second and third switching devices when charging the first and second energy storage devices from the external charging source.

19. The ESMS of claim 16 wherein the control system is further configured to open the first switching device and close the second and third switching devices when charging the first and second energy storage devices from the internal charging source.