SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A DUAL ACTION BRIDGE IN ELECTRIC APPARATUSES
The present teaching relates to method and system for charging a rechargeable battery deployed in an electric apparatus. The system resides in the electric apparatus. The system comprises a motor, an inverter, an output rectifier, a configurator, and a controller. The motor comprises a stator having a plurality of stator teeth and a plurality of stator windings wounded on the plurality of stator teeth. The inverter comprises a plurality of power switch devices. The configurator has contactors coupled with the plurality of stator windings and the plurality of power switch devices. The controller controls the plurality of power switch devices and the plurality of contactors, configuring the system to operate in one of a traction mode and a charging mode, where in the charging mode a dual active bridge is created which can receive power from an external power supply or distribute power to the external power supply.
1 . A reconfigurable traction-charging system residing in an electric apparatus having a rechargeable battery, comprising:
a motor comprising a stator having a plurality of stator teeth and a plurality of stator windings wounded on the plurality of stator teeth;
an inverter comprising a plurality of power switch devices;
a configurator comprising a plurality of contactors coupled with the plurality of stator windings and the plurality of power switch devices; and
a controller for controlling the plurality of power switch devices and the plurality of contactors, so as to configure the reconfigurable traction-charging system to operate in one of a traction mode and a charging mode, wherein
under the traction mode, the rechargeable battery supplies electric energy to the motor via the inverter; and
under the charging mode:
connections associated with the plurality of power switch devices and the plurality of stator windings are configured by the configurator to form a dual active bridge that can, according to instructions from the controller, draw electric energy from an external power supply to charge the rechargeable battery or provide electrical energy from the rechargeable battery to the external power supply.
2 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 1 , wherein the dual active bridge comprises at least a portion of the plurality of power switch devices.
3 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of stator windings comprise an isolated transformer of the dual active bridge.
4 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the dual active bridge comprises at least a portion of the plurality of power switch devices; and
at least a portion of the plurality of stator windings comprise an isolated transformer of the dual active bridge.
5 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 1 , wherein
the external power supply is a multiple phase power supply.
6 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 5 , wherein at least one stator winding on one or more stator teeth of the motor constitute at least one Boost inductor of a Boost converter.
7 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 1 , wherein:
the external power supply is one of a single phase power supply or a split single phase power supply.
8 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 7 , wherein at least one stator winding on one or more stator teeth of the motor constitute at least one Boost inductor of a Boost converter.
9 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one additional inductor and at least one additional capacitor are installed in the dual active bridge.
10 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 9 , wherein during operation of the motor, the at least one additional inductor and the at least one additional capacitor are shorted between the half bridge to the motor winding.
11 . The reconfigurable traction-charging system of claim 9 , wherein during operation of the motor, the at least one additional inductor and the at least one additional capacitor are used as part of motor operations.
12 . A method for implementing a reconfigurable traction-charging system residing in an electric apparatus having a rechargeable battery, the method comprising:
configuring, via a configurator, under control of a controller, the reconfigurable traction-charging system to operate in a traction mode;
upon receiving a request to charge the rechargeable battery, configuring, via the configurator, the reconfigurable traction-charging system to operate in a charging mode; and
upon determining that a criterion associated the rechargeable battery is met, configuring, via the configurator, the reconfigurable traction-charging system to operate in the traction mode,
wherein the reconfigurable traction-charging system comprises the controller, the configurator, a motor, and an inverter, the motor comprises a stator having a plurality of stator teeth and a plurality of stator windings wound on the plurality of stator teeth, the inverter comprises a plurality of power switch devices, the configurator comprises a plurality of contactors coupled with the plurality of stator windings and the plurality of power switch devices, wherein
under the traction mode, the rechargeable battery supplies electric energy to the motor via the inverter; and
under the charging mode, connections associated with the plurality of power switch devices and the plurality of stator windings are configured by the configurator to form a dual active bridge that can, according to instructions from the controller, draw electric energy from an external power supply to charge the rechargeable battery or provide electrical energy from the rechargeable battery to the external power supply
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the dual active bridge comprises at least a portion of the plurality of power switch devices.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of stator windings comprise an isolated transformer of the dual active bridge.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the dual active bridge comprises at least a portion of the plurality of power switch devices; and
at least a portion of the plurality of stator windings comprise an isolated transformer of the dual active bridge.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein
the external power supply is a multiple phase power supply.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one stator winding on one or more stator teeth of the motor constitute at least one Boost inductor of a Boost converter.
18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the external power supply is one of a single phase power supply or a split single phase power supply.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one stator winding on one or more stator teeth of the motor constitute at least one Boost inductor of a Boost converter.