US-12623568-B2 - Apparatus and method of bi-directional power transfer between vehicle and outside source with decoupled structure

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a drive system which operates a method of transferring power between the vehicle and an external power grid. The drive system includes a battery, a rectifier, and a processor. The processor is configured to connect the rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of an external power grid and the battery, the rectifier configured to convert between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier in order to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the battery.

Inventors

• Lei Hao
• Suresh Gopalakrishnan
• Peng Peng
• DONGXU LI
• Chandra S. Namuduri
• Muhammad Hussain Alvi

Assignees

• GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230126

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method of transferring power between a vehicle and an external power grid, comprising: connecting a rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of the external power grid and a first inverter of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes the first inverter, a winding machine and a second inverter for DC power transfer; and converting between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the vehicle; and using the first inverter, the winding machine, and the second inverter for AC power transfer.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disconnecting the rectifier from the AC port and connecting the first inverter to a DC port of the outlet for DC power transfer.
3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the winding machine is an electric motor of the vehicle and the method further comprises disengaging the electric motor from the vehicle for power transfer.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising connecting a drive system of the vehicle between the AC port and the first inverter and using an inverter of the drive system as the rectifier and a machine winding of the motor drive as an inductor.
5. 5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the inverter of the motor drive is a multi-phase inverter, the method further comprising operating the inverter of the motor drive in one of: (i) a three-phase configuration; and (ii) a single-phase configuration.
6. 6 . A drive system of an electric vehicle, comprising: a battery; a rectifier; a first inverter; a second inverter for DC power transfer; a winding machine; and a processor configured to connect the rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of an external power grid and the first inverter, the rectifier configured to convert between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier in order to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the battery, wherein connecting the rectifier between the AC port and the first inverter allows AC power transfer using the first inverter, the winding machine, and the second inverter.
7. 7 . The drive system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to disconnect the rectifier from the AC port and connect the first inverter to a DC port of the outlet to allow DC power transfer.
8. 8 . The drive system of claim 6 , wherein the winding machine is an electric motor of the electric vehicle and the processor is further configured to disengage the electric motor from the electric vehicle for power transfer.
9. 9 . The drive system of claim 6 , further comprising a second drive system located in series between the AC port and the first inverter, wherein an inverter of the second drive system is used as the rectifier and a machine winding of the second drive system is used as an inductor between the AC port and the rectifier.
10. 10 . The drive system of claim 9 , wherein the inverter of the second drive system, is a multi-phase inverter operated in one of: (i) the three-phase configuration; and (ii) a single-phase configuration.
11. 11 . The drive system of claim 6 , further comprising one of: (i) the first inverter coupled to the rectifier; and (ii) a matrix converter in lieu of the rectifier and the first inverter.
12. 12 . An electric vehicle, comprising: a battery; a rectifier; a first inverter; a second inverter for DC power transfer; a winding machine; and a processor configured to connect the rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of an external power grid and the battery, the rectifier configured to convert between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier in order to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the battery, wherein connecting the rectifier between the AC port and the first inverter allows AC power transfer using the first inverter, the winding machine, and the second inverter.
13. 13 . The electric vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to disconnect the rectifier from the AC port and connect the first inverter to a DC port of the outlet to allow DC power transfer.
14. 14 . The electric vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the winding machine is an electric motor of the vehicle and the processor is further configured to disengage the electric motor from the vehicle for power transfer.
15. 15 . The electric vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a drive system located in series between the AC port and the first inverter, wherein an inverter of the drive system is used as the rectifier and a machine winding of the drive system is used as an inductor between the AC port and the rectifier.
16. 16 . The electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the inverter of the drive system is a multi-phase inverter operated in one of: (i) a three-phase configuration; and (ii) a single-phase configuration.
17. 17 . The electric vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising one of: (i) the first inverter coupled to the rectifier; and (ii) a matrix converter in lieu of the rectifier and the first inverter.
18. 18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disengaging a clutch between the winding machine and the vehicle during AC power transfer.
19. 19 . The drive system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to disengage a clutch between the winding machine and the vehicle during AC power transfer.
20. 20 . The electric vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to disengage a clutch between the winding machine and the vehicle during AC power transfer.

Description

INTRODUCTION The subject disclosure relates to connections between electric vehicles and power grids and, in particular, to a system and method for transferring power bi-directionally between an electric vehicle and a power grid. An electric vehicle requires charging from time to time. Charging stations are available for charging the electric vehicle using alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). Circuitry that accommodates both types of charging stations can take up space. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an efficient and small circuit that can accommodate both types of charging. SUMMARY In one exemplary embodiment, a method of transferring power between a vehicle and an external power grid is disclosed. A rectifier is connected between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of the external power grid. Power is converted between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the vehicle. In addition to one or more of the features described herein, wherein the vehicle further includes a first inverter, a winding machine, and a second inverter for DC power transfer, the method further includes connecting the rectifier to the first inverter to use the first inverter, the winding machine, and the second inverter for AC power transfer. The method further includes disconnecting the rectifier from the AC port and connecting the first inverter to a DC port of the outlet for DC power transfer. Wherein the winding machine is an electric motor of the vehicle, the method further includes disengaging the electric motor from the vehicle for power transfer. The method further includes connecting a drive system of the vehicle between the AC port and the first inverter and using an inverter of the drive system as the rectifier and a machine winding of the motor drive as an inductor. In an embodiment in which the inverter of the motor drive is a multi-phase inverter, the method further includes operating the inverter of the motor drive in one of a three-phase configuration and a single-phase configuration. In another exemplary embodiment, a drive system of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The drive system includes a battery, a rectifier, and a processor. The processor is configured to connect the rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of an external power grid and the battery, the rectifier configured to convert between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier in order to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the battery. In addition to one or more of the features described herein, the drive system further includes a first inverter, a winding machine and a second inverter for DC power transfer and the processor is further configured to connect the rectifier between the AC port and the first inverter to allow AC power transfer using the first inverter, the winding machine, and the second inverter. The processor is further configured to disconnect the rectifier from the AC port and connect the first inverter to a DC port of the outlet to allow DC power transfer. In an embodiment, the winding machine is an electric motor of the vehicle, and the processor is further configured to disengage the electric motor from the vehicle for power transfer. The drive system second drive system located in series between the AC port and first inverter, wherein an inverter of the second drive system is used as the rectifier and a machine winding of the second drive system is used as an inductor. The inverter of the second drive system is a multi-phase inverter operated in one of a three-phase configuration and a single-phase configuration. The drive system further includes one of a first inverter coupled to the rectifier and a matrix converter in lieu of the rectifier and the first inverter. In yet another exemplary embodiment, an electric vehicle is disclosed. The electric vehicle includes a battery, a rectifier, and a processor. The processor is configured to connect the rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of an external power grid and the battery, the rectifier configured to convert between an AC power at the AC port on a grid side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier in order to transfer power bi-directionally between the external power grid and the battery. In addition to one or more of the features described herein, the electric vehicle further includes a first inverter, a winding machine and a second inverter for DC power transfer and the processor is further configured to connect the rectifier between the AC port and the first inverter to allow AC power transfer using the first inverter, the winding machine, and the second inverter. The processor is furt