Electric vehicle drive train with contactor protection
Abstract
A drive train for an electric vehicle includes a traction battery, a power drive circuit, a main contactor for connecting and disconnecting the traction battery and the power drive circuit, a voltage detector across contacts of the main contactor, and a controller for controlling the main contactor to prevent movement of its contacts to the closed position when the voltage across the contacts exceeds a predetermined threshold, to thereby protect the contacts of the contactor. The power drive circuit includes an electric traction motor and a DC-to-AC inverter with a capacitive input filter. The controller also inhibits the power drive circuit from driving the motor and thereby discharging the input capacitor if the contacts are inadvertently opened during motoring. A precharging contactor is controlled to charge the input filter capacitor prior to closing the main contactor to further protect the contacts of the main contactor.
- Inventors:
-
- Roanoke, VA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 869627
- Patent Number(s):
- 5369540
- Assignee:
- General Electric Company (Schenectady, NY)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B60 - VEHICLES IN GENERAL B60L - PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02H - EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-90ID13019
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- electric; vehicle; drive; train; contactor; protection; traction; battery; power; circuit; main; connecting; disconnecting; voltage; detector; contacts; controller; controlling; prevent; movement; closed; position; exceeds; predetermined; threshold; protect; motor; dc-to-ac; inverter; capacitive; input; filter; inhibits; driving; discharging; capacitor; inadvertently; motoring; precharging; controlled; charge; prior; closing; vehicle drive; traction motor; power drive; electric traction; predetermined threshold; electric vehicle; closed position; drive circuit; drive train; main contact; traction battery; /361/
Citation Formats
Konrad, Charles E, and Benson, Ralph A. Electric vehicle drive train with contactor protection. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Konrad, Charles E, & Benson, Ralph A. Electric vehicle drive train with contactor protection. United States.
Konrad, Charles E, and Benson, Ralph A. Sat .
"Electric vehicle drive train with contactor protection". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869627.
@article{osti_869627,
title = {Electric vehicle drive train with contactor protection},
author = {Konrad, Charles E and Benson, Ralph A},
abstractNote = {A drive train for an electric vehicle includes a traction battery, a power drive circuit, a main contactor for connecting and disconnecting the traction battery and the power drive circuit, a voltage detector across contacts of the main contactor, and a controller for controlling the main contactor to prevent movement of its contacts to the closed position when the voltage across the contacts exceeds a predetermined threshold, to thereby protect the contacts of the contactor. The power drive circuit includes an electric traction motor and a DC-to-AC inverter with a capacitive input filter. The controller also inhibits the power drive circuit from driving the motor and thereby discharging the input capacitor if the contacts are inadvertently opened during motoring. A precharging contactor is controlled to charge the input filter capacitor prior to closing the main contactor to further protect the contacts of the main contactor.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1994},
month = {1}
}