University of Colorado

National Semiconductor Corporation

Utah State University

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.

Dragan Maksimovic

Regan Andrew Zane

Robert Warren Erickson

Sandeep Dhar

James Thomas Doyle

Khurram K Afridi

Bruno Kranzen

Vivek Sankaranarayanan

Yucheng Gao

Gregory L Plett

Ravindra Ambatipudi

Michael Scott Trimboli

Ercan Mehmet Dede

Boris Solomon Jacobson

Richard Dyche Anderson

Daniel Jes Costinett

Vahid Yousefzadeh

Kandler Alan Smith

Donald H Desrosiers

Michael Evzelman

Daniel Seltzer

Aritra Ghosh

Feng Zhou

Aleksandar Prodic

Yushan Li

Juha Tapani Pennanen

Mark Hartman

Pasi Salmi

Anthony Carosa

Mohamed Ahmed Kamel Ahmed

Usama Anwar

Michael Vincent

Alihossein Sepahvand

Hua Chen

Tadakazu Harada

Hao Peng

Toru Takayama

Ercan Mehment Dede

Jeffrey Anthony Morroni

Tsuyoshi Nomura

Yuqing Zhou

Milan Ilic

Hiroshi Ukegawa

Miguel Rodriguez

Zorana B Popovic

Mika Nuotio

Ashish Kumar

Benjamin James Patella

Brian Benjamin Johnson

Saad Pervaiz

Yungtaek Jang

Eduard Alarcon

Jianglin Zhu

Jingquan Chen

Ershad Ahmed

Asif Syed

Yang Zhang

Guilherme Goularte Da Silva

Chieh-Kai Chang

Vahan Gevorgian

Prasanta Achanta

Zoya Popovic

A heterogeneous energy storage device and a method for controlling a heterogeneous energy storage device are provided. In one implementation, a heterogeneous energy storage device is provided. The heterogeneous energy storage device includes a first energy storage device, a second energy storage device and a capacitive device. The first energy storage device has a first energy capacity and a first power to energy ratio (P/E). The second energy storage device has a second total energy capacity and a second P/E ratio different from the first P/E ratio. The capacitive device is coupled in series with the first energy storage device, wherein the second energy storage device is coupled in parallel with the series combination of the capacitive device and the first energy storage device. In another implementation, a method of controlling a heterogeneous energy storage device including a first energy storage device and a second energy storage device is provided. In this implementation, the method includes: providing a capacitive device in series with the first energy storage; coupling the second energy storage device in parallel with the series combination of capacitive device and the first energy storage device, wherein the capacitive device provides DC decoupling between the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device.

Heterogeneous energy storage system and method of controlling a heterogeneous energy storage system

An apparatus includes a battery pack with N battery bricks, each with a DC output voltage. The output of each brick is connected in series providing a bus voltage. Each brick includes battery power modules ('BPMs') connected in parallel and each connected to a battery cell. Each BPM charges/discharges the connected battery cell. Each brick has a battery brick controller that provides a control signal to each brick's BPMs. A control signal of a BPM is derived from a BPM error signal that includes a battery cell current of the battery cell of BPM subtracted from a summation of an average current signal, a local droop current and a balancing current. The balancing current is based on a current SOC of the battery cell connected to the BPM and a desired SOC for the battery cell connected to the BPM. A BMS derives the balancing current for the BPMs.

State-of-charge balancing with parallel and series output connected battery power modules

A control architecture that overcomes limitations of conventional ac-dc converters and enables bidirectional active and reactive power processing is provided. In one implementation, for example, this may be achieved through the use of unrectified sensed ac signals in the generation of the control commands for the converter. This control architecture, in this example implementation, eliminates or at least reduces zero crossing distortions in the ac current of the converter even with relatively low bandwidth controllers. The concept can be applied to different power stage topologies.

Control architecture for ac-dc and dc-ac conversion capable of bidirectional active and reactive power processing

A bidirectional composite converter is provided. The bidirectional composite converter can be used with power electronics, such as but not limited to electric vehicles and other applications. In some implementations, for example, the composite converter may be used in a powertrain of an electric vehicle to couple batteries to a high voltage bus of the vehicle to provide power to the motors and to one or more integrated charging ports (e.g., ac grid wired connections or a wireless charging port) for extremely fast charging. In various implementations, the bidirectional converter architecture may comprise one or more dc transformer modules (DCX's) arranged with output port(s) coupled in series at an output port of the composite converter.

Composite DC-DC converter

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of a planar inductor assembly. In one embodiment, a cooling package for an inductor assembly includes a cold plate and a heat-spreading bracket mechanically coupled to the cold plate at a first end of the heat-spreading bracket. The cold plate has a slotted recess for mounting a first inductor core along a first end thereof. The heat-spreading bracket is configured to apply a clamping force to a second inductor core at a second end opposite to the first end of the heat-spreading bracket.

Double-sided cooling package of inductor

A double-sided cold plate includes a manifold comprising openings extending from a first surface of the manifold through the manifold to a second surface of the manifold forming recesses within the manifold and an inlet channel and an outlet channel fluidly coupled to the recesses within the manifold, a plurality of first heat sinks coupled to the first surface of the manifold enclosing the openings on the first surface, and a plurality of second heat sinks positioned adjacent each other along a length of the manifold and coupled to the second surface of the manifold, enclosing the openings on the second surface, a width of the plurality of second heat sinks is greater than a width of the manifold thereby forming an overhanging portion on each lengthwise side of the manifold, the overhanging portion configured to mechanically support a plurality of electrical components positioned around a perimeter of the manifold.

Double-sided cooling cold plates with overhanging heat sinks and through body busbar for high-power density power electronics

An apparatus for voltage sharing of series connected battery modules in a DC microgrid includes a battery management system and a battery module controller that generates, for an mof N converters connected together to a DC microbus, a droop current &#x129;that includes a converter voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}multiplied by a droop multiplier g(i). Each converter is a DC/DC converter connected between a battery module, with one or more battery cells, and the DC microbus. The mconverter uses the droop current &#x129;, a common current reference &#x129;of a battery pack that includes the battery modules and an input current &#x129;to the mconverter to control switching of the mconverter. The common current reference &#x129;is from the battery management system. The voltage error signal {tilde over (v)}is based on an output voltage {tilde over (v)}of the mconverter and an average converter output voltage {tilde over (v)}eodcmastereodcmastereodcmaster.

Voltage sharing of series connected battery modules in a plug-and-play DC microgrid

Transformerless stacked active bridge (TSAB) direct current (DC)-to-DC power converters designed based on parent switched capacitor (SC) converter topologies. The TSAB DC-to-DC power converter includes the SC converter. The SC converter includes a plurality of switches and a plurality of capacitors. Each capacitor of the plurality of capacitors is electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of switches. The plurality of capacitors includes tree capacitors, and link capacitors forming a loop with at least one of the tree capacitors. The TSAB DC-to-DC power converter includes at least one inductor electrically coupled in series to at least one of the link capacitors. The TSAB DC-to-DC power converters provide high efficiency bi-directional operation without requiring isolation transformers. The TSAB DC-to-DC power converters enable high power density in a wide variety of practical applications involving low, medium, or high power requirements, with comparably lower package sizes/weights and inductor component values.

Transformerless stacked active bridge power converters and methods for operating the same

A cold plate having a manifold includes a recess extending from a first side to a second side of the manifold, where the recess includes openings to the recess positioned lengthwise along the first side and a single opening to the recess on the second side, an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the recess, a plurality of plates fastened to the first side enclosing the openings, a heat sink fastened to the second side enclosing the single opening on the second side, and a plurality of fluid cores one of each positioned between each of the plurality of plates and the heat sink. The plurality of fluid cores include a flow distribution insert, a first plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink fastened to the second side, and a second plate fin positioned between the flow distribution insert and the heat sink.

Asymmetric configurable double-sided manifold micro-channel cold plates

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatuses for enhanced thermal management of an inductor assembly using functionally-graded thermal vias for heat flow control in the windings of the inductor. In one embodiment, a PCB for an inductor assembly includes a top surface and a bottom surface. Two or more electrically-conductive layers are embedded within the PCB and stacked vertically between the top surface and the bottom surface. The two or more electrically-conductive layers are electrically connected to form an inductor winding. A plurality of thermal vias thermally connects each of the two or more electrically-conductive layers to a cold plate thermally connected to the bottom surface. A number of thermal vias thermally connecting each electrically-conductive layer to the cold plate is directly proportional to a predetermined rate of heat dissipation from the electrically-conductive layer.

Functionally graded thermal vias for inductor winding heat flow control

A cascaded architecture composed of interconnected blocks that are each designed to process constant power and eliminate bulk energy storage are provided. Further, local controls within each block natively achieve both block- and system-level aims, making the system modular and scalable. Further methods of providing power conversion using such interconnected clocks are also provided.

Modular scalable power conversion

In some aspects, an electric vehicle power system may comprise two or more electrically connected power modules connected to a system communication bus. Each power module may comprise a rechargeable battery electrically connected to a DC bus, an inverter circuit electrically connected to the DC bus, and at least one of a single-phase rectifier circuit electrically connected to the DC bus or a multi-phase rectifier circuit electrically connected to the DC bus. A local controller configured to send control signals may be connected to the rechargeable battery, the inverter circuit, and the at least one of the single-phase rectifier circuit or the multi-phase rectifier circuit. The single-phase rectifier circuit may be configured to convert a single-phase AC power signal into the DC voltage of the DC bus. The multi-phase rectifier circuit may be configured to convert a multi-phase AC power signal into the DC voltage of the DC bus.

Modular extra low voltage electric vehicle power system

A systematic procedure for the synthesis of hybrid feedforward control architectures for pulse-width modulated (PWM) switching converters is provided. In this hybrid feedforward control architecture selected converter variables are sensed and utilized in a particular way based on the converter open-loop characteristics to determine the duty-cycle needed to achieve a control objective. Compared to standard feedback control techniques, advantages can include simpler controller implementation, more convenient sensing, and improved static and dynamic regulation. An example systematic procedure for developing hybrid feedforward controllers is illustrated by first considering a previously known example of hybrid feedforward control: hybrid feedforward control of a boost power factor correction (PFC) rectifier operating in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). The hybrid feedforward control synthesis principles are also used to realize new hybrid feedforward control architectures, such as a four switch buck boost converter.

Hybrid feedforward control architecture and related techniques

One aspect of the invention provides a DC-to-DC driver including: a converter including an output configured to drive a load with an output current; and a feedback controller coupled to the converter. The feedback controller includes: a pulse-width modulator configured to output a first pulse-width modulated signal to the converter; a first switching mechanism coupled to the pulse-width modulator; a compensator having an output coupled to the first switching mechanism, the compensator configured to generate a first duty cycle control signal based on a comparison of the output current and a first reference voltage; and a sampler having an input coupled to the output of the compensator and an output coupled to the switching mechanism, the sampler configured to generate a second duty cycle control signal based on the first duty cycle control signal.

DC-to-DC drivers with high resolution dimming

A modular dc-dc boost converter system is provided that can substantially improve efficiency over a wide range of input and output voltages. The system includes three modules: a buck module, a boost module, and a dc transformer module. These modules are interconnected such that the system output voltage is equal to the sum of the output voltages of adc-dc converter module and a dc transformer module. Depending on the operating point, one or more modules may operate in passthrough mode, leading to substantially reduced ac losses. The required capacitor size and the transistor voltage ratings are also substantially reduced, relative to a conventional single dc-dc boost converter operating at the same input and output voltages.

Modular DC-DC converter including a DC transformer module

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Dragan Maksimovic