IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,244,171
Granted Patent B2
US 12,244,171 · App. 18/589,120 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Battery-ultracapacitor hybrid energy storage system architecture for mild-hybrid power systems

Inventors: Subbarao Varigonda (Columbus, IN); Jaroslaw Leonarski (Columbus, IN); Harsha R. Ademane (Indianapolis, IN)
Assignee: Cummins Inc.
H02J7/345B60K6/28H01M10/44H01M10/0525H01M10/48H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,244,171
App. No.
18/589,120
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mild-hybrid energy storage system architecture is provided, comprising: a battery; an ultracapacitor connected in parallel with the battery; a passive battery pre-charge circuit connected between a terminal of the battery and a DC bus; a battery main contactor connected in parallel with the battery pre-charge circuit between the terminal of the battery and the DC bus; a passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit connected between a terminal of the ultracapacitor and the DC bus; an ultracapacitor main contactor connected in parallel with the ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit between the terminal of the ultracapacitor and the DC bus; and a control module configured to independently control operation of the battery pre-charge circuit, the battery main contactor, the ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit and the ultracapacitor main contactor.

Claims (43)

1. A mild hybrid energy storage system architecture, the mild hybrid energy storage system architecture comprising:

a battery;

an ultracapacitor connected in parallel with the battery;

a battery main contactor connected to a terminal of the battery;

a passive battery pre-charge circuit connected in parallel across the battery main contactor;

an ultracapacitor main contactor connected to a terminal of the ultracapacitor; and

a passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit connected in parallel to the ultracapacitor main contactor;

a control module configured to:

provide engine start-up functions by directing the battery to defer pre-charge of the ultracapacitor; and

isolate the ultracapacitor by opening both an ultracapacitor pre-charge switch of the passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit and the ultracapacitor main contactor at engine shutdown.

2. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 1 , wherein the ultracapacitor maintains a non-zero voltage at engine shutdown.

3. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 1 , wherein the passive battery pre-charge circuit comprises a resistor connected between a terminal of the battery and an input of a pre-charge switch, an output of the pre-charge switch being connected to a DC bus.

4. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 1 , wherein the passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit comprises a resistor connected between terminals of the ultracapacitor and an input of the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch, an output of the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch being connected to a DC bus.

5. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 1 , wherein the terminal of the battery is a positive terminal of the battery and the terminal of the ultracapacitor is a positive terminal of the ultracapacitor.

6. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 1 , further comprising a first voltage sensor configured to provide an ultracapacitor voltage measurement to the control module.

7. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 6 , wherein the first voltage sensor is integrated into a plurality of voltage sensors that includes at least one of:

a second voltage sensor configured to provide DC bus voltage measurements to the control module and

a third voltage sensor configured to provide a battery voltage measurement to the control module.

8. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to:

respond to a voltage of the ultracapacitor being approximately zero by closing a battery pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit;

start an engine starter to start an engine; and

close the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch of the passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit to charge the ultracapacitor.

9. The mild hybrid energy storage system architecture of claim 8 , wherein the control module is further configured to perform at least one of:

a shutdown operation where that shuts down the engine and, after the engine is shut down, opens the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch and the ultracapacitor main contactor to isolate the ultracapacitor;

a first excessive voltage operation where the control module responds to the voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage by closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch and closing the ultracapacitor main contactor, followed by closing the battery pre-charge switch; and

a first excessive voltage operation where the control module responds to the voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage by closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch, closing the ultracapacitor main contactor, and substantially simultaneously closing the battery pre-charge switch.

10. A method for controlling an engine for a mild hybrid energy storage system architecture that employs a DC bus connected to dedicated pre-charge circuits and main contactors for a battery and an ultracapacitor connected in parallel, the method comprising,

providing engine start-up functions by directing the battery to defer pre-charge of the ultracapacitor; and

isolating the ultracapacitor by opening both an ultracapacitor pre-charge switch of a passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit and an ultracapacitor main contactor at engine shutdown.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising maintaining the ultracapacitor at a non-zero voltage at engine shutdown.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mild hybrid energy storage system architecture further includes a passive battery pre-charge circuit connected in parallel across a battery main contactor connected to the battery, the method further comprising closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch when the ultracapacitor is at or near zero volts at engine start-up to thereby disconnected the ultracapacitor from the DC bus.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising closing a pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit together with the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch so as to cause the DC bus to charge while deferring pre-charge of the ultracapacitor.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising responding to a voltage of the battery being above a threshold voltage by closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch, closing the ultracapacitor main contactor, and closing a battery pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising responding to a voltage being above a threshold voltage by closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch and closing the ultracapacitor main contactor before closing a battery pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions for controlling an engine for a mild hybrid energy storage system architecture that employs a DC bus connected to dedicated pre-charge circuits and main contactors for a battery and an ultracapacitor connected in parallel, the set of instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:

provide engine start-up functions by directing the battery to defer pre-charge of the ultracapacitor; and

isolate the ultracapacitor by opening both an ultracapacitor pre-charge switch of a passive ultracapacitor pre-charge circuit and an ultracapacitor main contactor at engine shutdown.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the mild hybrid energy storage system architecture further includes a passive battery pre-charge circuit connected in parallel across a battery main contactor, the set of instructions further comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to close the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch when the ultracapacitor is at or near zero volts at engine start-up to thereby disconnected the ultracapacitor from the DC bus.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of instructions further comprise one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to close a pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit together with the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch so as to cause the DC bus to charge while deferring pre-charge of the ultracapacitor.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of instructions further comprise one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to responding to a voltage of the battery being above a threshold voltage by either (i) closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch, closing the ultracapacitor main contactor, and closing a battery pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit simultaneously or (ii) by closing the ultracapacitor pre-charge switch and closing the ultracapacitor main contactor before closing a battery pre-charge switch of the passive battery pre-charge circuit.

20. A control module for a mild hybrid energy storage system architecture, the control module being configured to read and execute the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 24, 2024
From: VARIGONDA, SUBBARAO; LEONARSKI, JAROSLAW; ADEMANE, HARSHA R.
To: CUMMINS INC.
Reel/Frame 067522/0699 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17433116
Provisional Application 62833823 · Apr 15, 2019
Related Publication 20240283280A1 · Aug 22, 2024
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