Apparatus and method for rapid charging using shared power electronics

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle charging system comprising: an energy storage device; a connection system coupleable to an external charging source and configured to utilize a DC connection and an AC connection, the connection system configured to: provide a first input voltage to charge the energy storage device at a first charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the DC connection; and provide a second input voltage to charge the energy storage device at a second charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the AC connection; an AC/DC converter coupleable to the AC connection; and a plurality of DC converters coupleable to the AC/DC converter and the DC connection, the plurality of DC converters configured to: boost the first or second input voltage to an intermediate voltage via a first DC converter; and buck the intermediate voltage to an output voltage via a second DC converter, the output voltage for charging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         2 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electromechanical device coupled to the AC/DC converter. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 1 , wherein the DC and AC connections are each mating contacts. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 1 , wherein the connection system is on-board the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . A vehicle comprising: a connection system coupleable to an external charging source, the connection system configured to utilize a DC connection and an AC connection; an AC/DC converter coupleable to the AC connection; a plurality of DC converters coupleable to the AC/DC converter, the plurality of DC converters configured to operate in combination to step up and step down an input voltage derived from the AC connection; an energy storage device coupleable to:
 at least one of the plurality of DC converters; and the DC connection; and a controller programmed to: charge the energy storage device at a first charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the DC connection; charge the energy storage device at a second charging rate when the energy storage device is coupled to the AC connection; and operate the plurality of DC converters when charging the energy storage device via the AC connection by: operating a first DC converter to boost the input voltage to an intermediate voltage; and operating a second DC converter to buck the intermediate voltage to an output voltage to charge the energy storage device.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , further comprising an AC motor coupled to the AC/DC converter. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the DC and AC connections are each mating contacts. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . A method for charging an energy storage device on-board a vehicle, the vehicle including a connection system coupleable to an external charging source and a plurality of voltage converters, the method comprising: providing a first input voltage to charge the energy storage device at a first charging rate if the energy storage device is coupled to a DC connection of the connection system;
 providing a second input voltage to charge the energy storage device at a second charging rate if the energy storage device is coupled to an AC connection of the connection system; rectifying the second input voltage via an AC/DC converter of the plurality of voltage converters; boosting the first input voltage or rectified second input voltage to an intermediate voltage via a first DC converter of the plurality of voltage converters; and bucking the intermediate voltage to an output voltage via a second DC converter of the plurality of voltage converters, the output voltage to charge the energy storage device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising decoupling an electromechanical device from the energy storage device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the DC and AC connections are each mating contacts. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 1 , wherein the AC/DC converter is bi-directional. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 13 , wherein the AC/DC converter is further configured to supply AC voltage to an electromechanical device. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional energy storage device coupled to the AC/DC converter. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle charging system of  claim 15 , wherein one energy storage device is a high-specific power energy storage device and the other energy storage device is a high-specific energy energy storage device.