Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Joseph Carl Burba

Yi Ding

Matthew Roger Dedona

Raymond Anthony Spiteri

Joel Beckerman

Ronald G Landman

Prabhakar B Patil

Harold G Spring

Robert W Minck

David J Bardsley, Jr

Graydon A Reitz

A high-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit (HVERCC) () for coupling to a vehicle bus () includes a battery bus () and a heater bus (). A high-voltage battery pack () is electrically coupled to the battery bus and a resistive load element () is electrically coupled to the heater bus (). A high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module () is electrically coupled to the vehicle bus (), the high-voltage battery pack (), and the resistive load element (). The HVEC module regulates power on the vehicle bus (), the battery bus (), and the heater bus () and operates in multiple functional modes including a constant voltage mode, a constant current mode, and a constant battery current mode.

High-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit

A high-voltage energy regulated conversion circuit (HVERCC) () for electrically coupling to a vehicle bus () is provided. The HVERCC () includes a high-voltage energy converter (HVEC) module () coupled to the vehicle bus (), a battery-pack high-voltage bus battery bus (), and a WEG heater bus (). The battery bus () is coupled to a high-voltage battery pack () and a WEG heater circuit (). The HVEC module (), the high-voltage battery pack (), and the WEG heater circuit () are coupled to a logic controller () via a network (). The logic controller () regulates the power on the vehicle bus (), the battery bus (), and the WEG heater bus (). An operational method for the HVEC module () is also provided.

High voltage energy regulated conversion circuit

The invention is an improved fuel cell system suited for application in a vehicle. Specifically, the invention provides an improved system to remove CO emissions that has a rapid dynamic response (about 1 second) and can operate over a wide range of temperatures (between 0 and 800 degrees Celsius). The fuel cell system comprises hydrogen fuel, a CO removal system based upon non-Faradaic electrochemical modification of catalyst activity (electrochemical promotion), and a fuel cell stack. The CO removal system comprises a catalyst/working electrode, an electrolyte, a counter electrode, and a power source. The CO removal system's intrinsic catalytic rate is greater than an intrinsic electrocatalytic rate. The catalyst can be Pt, Rh, Au, Cu/ZnO, Cu/CuO, ABO3(perovskite), zeolite, and Pd. The power source can be a battery, potentiostat, or galvanostat.

Fuel cell power plant with electrochemical enhanced carbon monoxide removal

This invention provides a new method and system to control strategies of a combined fuel cell and battery pack power system to produce an efficient and cost-effective powertrain with acceptable drivability and low emissions. The method and system provide strategies for vehicle start-up, power load changes, and steady state driving conditions. The strategies reduce vehicle maintenance cost by increasing the battery service life and fuel efficiency. Further, the strategies reduce vehicle cost by reducing fuel cell engine size required by a hybrid electric vehicle while responding rapidly to load changes. The strategies also provide increased fuel efficiency by recovery, storage, and re-use of the vehicle kinetic energy normally dissipated as heat during braking.

High efficiency fuel cell and battery for a hybrid powertrain

A system ( ) and method for canceling a leakage current is provided that uses line voltages (L , L ) that are out of phase with each other to produce a counter leakage potential that cancels leakage current. In one embodiment of the invention, the actual potential of the phases is measured ( ) and used to determine the counter potential that is to be applied to the line voltage (L or L ) that is generating the leakage current. The counter potential is applied to the appropriate line voltage by way of a transistor circuit (Q , Q ). The transistor circuit (Q , Q ) is controlled through standard electronic circuitry ( ), or by way of a microprocessor device ( ).

Leakage current cancellation device

An optical isolator for use in an electrically powered vehicle for interfacing between a signal processing system having a first ground and a power conversion system, which is operated responsive to control signals from the signal processing system, having a second ground that varies in potential from the first ground. A bi-directional digital communications network is provided having a first node coupled to the signal processing system for generating and receiving digital messages with respect to the first ground, and having a second node coupled to the power conversion system for receiving and generating digital messages with respect to the second ground. The bi-directional digital communications network has a unique start signal and a dominant hierarchy that allows bit-wise contention among messages for assuring communication of high priority messages between the first and second nodes within a predetermined minimum time period. The optical isolator is interposed in the communications network between the first and second nodes for transmitting the digital messages therebetween, while electrically isolating the first ground from the second ground, thereby enabling a reliable digital communications system between the first and second nodes without using a common ground system.

Communication network optical isolation circuit

A multiple forward speed automatic transmission produces its lowest forward speed ratio when a hydraulic clutch and hydraulic brake are disengaged and a one-way clutch connects a ring gear to the transmission casing. Second forward speed ratio results when the hydraulic clutch is engaged to connect the ring gear to the planetary carrier of a second gear set. Reverse drive and regenerative operation result when an hydraulic brake fixes the planetary and the direction of power flow is reversed. Various sensors produce signals representing the position of the gear selector lever operated manually by the vehicle operator, the speed of the power source, the state of the ignition key, and the rate of release of an accelerator pedal. A control algorithm produces input data representing a commanded upshift, a commanded downshift and a torque command and various constant torque signals. A microprocessor processes the input and produces a response to them in accordance with the execution of a control algorithm. Output or response signals cause selective engagement and disengagement of the clutch and brake to produce the forward drive, reverse and regenerative operation of the transmission.

Method for controlling a motor vehicle powertrain

A digital energy meter for providing energy measurements of nonsinusoidal waveforms. Voltage and related current components of a digitally sampled waveform are multiplied to form a product representative of instantaneous power. The products are summed or accumulated over a first time period, and the sums then accumulated over a second time period to form a second sum representative of total power over the second time period. An energy measurement is then obtained by an algorithm which requires only a simple division by a power of two.

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Ramona, CA, United States of America

Joseph Carl Burba