Systems and methods for supplying power in a hybrid vehicle using capacitors, a battery and one or more DC/DC converters

1. A power management system for a hybrid vehicle including an engine, comprising:

a battery;

a vehicle power bus that distributes power from the battery to vehicle loads;

a capacitor, wherein the capacitor includes one of a plurality of supercapacitors and a plurality of ultracapacitors;

a starter/generator controller that communicates with the capacitor and the battery;

a power management module configured to:

supply power from the capacitor to the starter/generator controller during cranking of the engine; and

supply power from the battery to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine,

wherein the power supplied by the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine; and

a battery and capacitor assembly including:

a cooling plate assembly;

a heat spreader;

zoned thermoelectric devices; and

mounting brackets,

wherein the battery includes pouch-type battery cells and the capacitor includes pouch-type capacitor cells, and

wherein the pouch-type battery cells and the pouch-type capacitor cells are arranged between the mounting brackets and in thermal contact with the heat spreader and the zoned thermoelectric devices.

2. The power management system of claim 1 , wherein the battery has a current/capacity ratio that is less than or equal to 6.

3. The power management system of claim 1 , wherein a capacity of the battery is less than or equal to 20 Ah.

4. The power management system of claim 1 , wherein current from the battery is controlled to less than or equal to 100 amps during cranking.

5. The power management system of claim 1 , further comprising an overvoltage protection circuit connected to the battery.

6. The power management system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first current detector circuit connected in series with the battery; and

a second current detector circuit connected in series with the capacitor.

7. The power management system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a DC/DC converter connected between the capacitor and the vehicle power bus,

wherein the DC/DC converter controls the current flowing from the battery to the starter/generator controller during cranking of the engine.

8. The power management system of claim 7 , wherein the DC/DC converter includes:

a DC/DC boost converter connected between the capacitor and the vehicle power bus; and

a DC/DC buck converter connected between the capacitor and the vehicle power bus.

9. The power management system of claim 8 , wherein, during cranking of the engine, the power management module disables the DC/DC buck converter and enables the DC/DC boost converter.

10. The power management system of claim 9 , wherein the power management module controls the DC/DC boost converter to control current supplied by the battery to the starter/generator controller during the cranking.

11. The power management system of claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor or starter/generator connected to the starter/generator controller, wherein the cranking of the engine is followed by an e-boost event, and wherein power is supplied to the electric motor or starter/generator during the e-boost event.

12. The power management system of claim 11 , wherein the power management module is further configured to:

supply power from the capacitor to the starter/generator controller during the e-boost event; and

supply power from the battery to the starter/generator controller during the e-boost event,

wherein the power supplied by the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the e-boost event.

13. The power management system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an AC/DC converter connected to the starter/generator controller; and

a starter/generator connected to the AC/DC converter and the engine.

14. The power management system of claim 13 , wherein the power management module is further configured to:

recharge the capacitor using power generated by the starter/generator during a regeneration event; and

control flow of power from the starter/generator or the capacitor to the battery during the regeneration event,

wherein the power flowing from the starter/generator or the capacitor to the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the battery during the regeneration event.

15. The power management system of claim 1 , wherein the power from the battery is greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 15% of the total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine.

16. The power management system of claim 1 , wherein the zoned thermoelectric devices maintain the battery within a first predetermined temperature range and the capacitor within a second predetermined temperature range.

17. The power management system of claim 16 , wherein the first predetermined temperature range is different than the second predetermined temperature range.

18. A method for providing power in a hybrid vehicle including an engine, comprising:

distributing power from a battery to vehicle loads;

supplying power from a capacitor to a starter/generator controller during cranking of the engine,

wherein the capacitor includes one of a plurality of supercapacitors and a plurality of ultracapacitors;

supplying power from the battery to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine,

wherein the power from the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine;

arranging the battery and the capacitor in a battery and capacitor assembly including a cooling plate assembly, a heat spreader, zoned thermoelectric devices, and mounting brackets,

wherein the battery includes pouch-type battery cells and the capacitor includes pouch-type capacitor cells; and

arranging the pouch-type battery cells and the pouch-type capacitor cells between the mounting brackets and in thermal contact with the heat spreader and the zoned thermoelectric devices.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the battery has a current/capacity ratio that is less than or equal to 6.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein a capacity of the battery is less than or equal to 20 Ah.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein current from the battery is controlled to less than or equal to 100 amps during the cranking.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

detecting current supplied by the battery; and

detecting current supplied by the capacitor.

23. The method of claim 18 , further comprising controlling the current flowing from the battery to the starter/generator controller during cranking of the engine.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

connecting a DC/DC boost converter between the capacitor and a vehicle power bus; and

connecting a DC/DC buck converter between the capacitor and the vehicle power bus.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising, during cranking of the engine, disabling the DC/DC buck converter and enabling the DC/DC boost converter.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising controlling the DC/DC boost converter to control current flow supplied by the battery to the starter/generator controller during cranking.

27. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

connecting an electric motor or starter/generator to the starter/generator controller,

wherein the cranking of the engine is followed by an e-boost event; and

supplying power to the electric motor or starter/generator during the e-boost event.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

supplying power from the capacitor to the starter/generator controller during the e-boost event; and

supplying power from the battery to the starter/generator controller during the e-boost event,

wherein the power from the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the e-boost event.

29. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

connecting an AC/DC converter to the starter/generator controller; and

connecting a starter/generator the AC/DC converter and the engine.

30. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

recharging the capacitor using power generated by the starter/generator during a regeneration event; and

controlling flow of power from the starter/generator to the battery during the regeneration event,

wherein the power flowing from the starter/generator or the capacitor to the battery is greater than or equal to 2% and less than or equal to 20% of a total power supplied to the battery during the regeneration event.

31. The method of claim 18 , wherein the power from the battery is greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 15% of the total power supplied to the starter/generator controller during the cranking of the engine.

32. The method of claim 18 , further comprising maintaining the battery within a first predetermined temperature range and the capacitor within a second predetermined temperature range using the zoned thermoelectric devices.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the first predetermined temperature range is different than the second predetermined temperature range.