Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080292921 | RECOVERY OF INERT GAS FROM A FUEL CELL EXHAUST STREAM - A fuel cell system is provided including a fuel cell stack having a fuel cell having an anode, an anode outlet, an anode inlet, and a cathode. The fuel cell system further includes a hydrogen pump in communication with the anode outlet and the anode inlet. The hydrogen pump features a proton exchange membrane disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is configured to accept an anode outlet stream from the anode outlet, the anode outlet stream including a hydrogen gas and an inert gas, the first electrode being configured to exhaust the inert gas. In one embodiment, the hydrogen pump is in communication with a PROX unit and configured to provide the hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack. Further provided are methods employing the hydrogen pump wherein a start-stop degradation of the fuel cell is militated against and a hydrogen feed stream is humidified. | 11-27-2008 |
20090032937 | COOLING SYSTEMS FOR POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - A cooling device is provided for liquid cooling a power semiconductor device. The device includes a coolant diverter for guiding liquid coolant to the power semiconductor device. The coolant diverter has a first plate for dividing the coolant diverter into a first cavity and a second cavity. The second cavity positioned adjacent the power semiconductor device. The first plate further includes an opening to fluidly couple the first cavity with the second cavity such that the liquid coolant flows into the first cavity, through the opening in the first plate, and into the second cavity to cool the power semiconductor device. The first cavity has a cross-sectional area that generally decreases in a downstream direction, and the second cavity has a cross-sectional area that generally increases in the downstream direction. | 02-05-2009 |
20090091291 | POWER GRID LOAD MANAGEMENT FOR PLUG-IN VEHICLES - Methods and systems are provided for controlling the charging of an onboard energy storage system of a plug-in vehicle using a remote command center, such as a vehicle telematics service. An embodiment of such a method involves the transmission of a charge request for the onboard energy storage system to a remote command center associated with the plug-in vehicle. In response to the charge request, a charge command is received from the remote command center. The charging of the onboard energy storage system is regulated in accordance with the received charge command, which may be a charge enable command or a charge disable command. | 04-09-2009 |
20090161301 | BUSBAR ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED COOLING - A busbar assembly is configured such that the power devices (e.g., IGBT die) and diodes are directly mounted to the busbars. The busbars act as heat sinks, and may be cooled using micro channels, micropin fins, direct cooling, or any other heat transfer method. One assembly includes a plurality of busbars, a plurality of power semiconductor devices bonded to the plurality of busbars, and an integrated cooling system within one or more of the busbars. | 06-25-2009 |
20090206687 | COOLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATED ELECTRIC MOTOR-INVERTERS - Cooling systems and methods are provided for an integrated electric motor-inverter, where the integrated electric motor-inverter includes a housing, a motor, and an inverter, the motor and the inverter are disposed within the housing, and the motor includes a stator. The system includes a cooling jacket, a first coolant, a condenser, a spray head, and a second coolant. The cooling jacket is disposed concentric to the stator and includes an inner wall and an outer wall. The inner wall is in direct contact with the stator. The first coolant is disposed between the cooling jacket inner and outer walls. The condenser is disposed concentric to the cooling jacket. The spray head is disposed adjacent the inverter. The second coolant is in flow communication with the spray head. | 08-20-2009 |
20090210357 | REMOTE POWER USAGE MANAGEMENT FOR PLUG-IN VEHICLES - Methods and systems are provided for controlling the charging of onboard energy storage systems of a plurality of plug-in vehicles using a remote command center. A system for directing the charging of a plurality of remotely located plug-in vehicles is provided. The system includes a communication system configured to transmit charging authorizations to charge each of the plurality of plug-in vehicles and to receive data related to power consumption from each of the plurality of plug-in vehicles. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the communication system and configured to receive the data related to power consumption and to direct the charge authorizations based thereon. A database is also included in the system and is communicatively coupled to the controller, with the database configured to store the data related to power consumption. | 08-20-2009 |
20100019702 | CURRENT SENSING FOR A MULTI-PHASE DC/DC BOOST CONVERTER - Methods and apparatus are provided for sensing currents on a plurality of phases and determining current information therefrom. The multi-phase boost converter includes a single sensor coupled to all of the plurality of phases and a controller coupled to the sensor for determining the current information in response to currents on each of the plurality of phases sensed by the sensor. The sensing method utilizes the gate drive signals and the DC current sensor output to calculate the currents on each of the plurality of phases sensed by the sensor. | 01-28-2010 |
20100033038 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COOLING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR - A cooling system is provided for an electric motor and comprises a rotor assembly, an intake assembly, and a first reservoir. The rotor assembly is coupled to and rotatable within a housing, and comprises a rotor having a first and second ends having a first plurality of veins extending therebetween, each vein having an inlet and an outlet. The rotor assembly also comprises a first manifold coupled to and rotatable with the first end of the rotor in fluid communication with the inlets of the first plurality of veins. The intake assembly is coupled to the housing and is in fluid communication with the first manifold. The first reservoir is configured to contain a motor coolant and is coupled to the housing for collecting the motor coolant from the outlets of the first plurality of veins, and for providing a source of motor coolant to the intake assembly. | 02-11-2010 |
20100073980 | POWER CONVERTER ASSEMBLY WITH ISOLATED GATE DRIVE CIRCUIT - A power converter assembly is provided. The power converter includes at least one switch, a high frequency oscillator coupled to the at least one switch and configured to generate a high frequency waveform based on direct current (DC) power provided thereto, and a power buffer coupled to the at least one switch and the high frequency oscillator and configured to control the operation of the at least one switch based on the high frequency waveform | 03-25-2010 |
20100078997 | AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR COUPLING POWER CONVERTERS WITH A TRANSFORMER - Systems and/or apparatus are provided for automotive electrical systems having power converters that are coupled by using a transformer. An electrical system comprises a boost converter, wherein a first winding of a transformer is coupled between the input node of the boost converter and a first reference node. The boost converter further includes a switch coupled between the first reference node and a second reference node and a diode coupled between the first reference node and the output node of the boost converter. An energy source is coupled between the input node and the second reference node and a first electrical load is coupled between the output node and the second reference node. The electrical system further comprises a voltage converter having an input coupled to a second winding of the transformer, and a second electrical load coupled to the output of the voltage converter. | 04-01-2010 |
20100102635 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND AUTOMOTIVE DRIVE SYSTEM HAVING AN ON-DEMAND BOOST CONVERTER, AND RELATED OPERATING METHODS - Systems and methods are provided for an on-demand boost converter for use in a vehicle. An automotive drive system comprises a boost converter having an input node, a first output node associated with a first boost leg, and a second output node associated with a second boost leg. A fuel cell is coupled to the input node of the boost converter and a battery is coupled to the first output node. An inverter module is coupled to the second output node, and a vehicle traction drive unit is coupled the inverter module. A first switch is coupled between the second output node and the first output node, wherein the battery provides energy to the second output node when the first switch is closed. | 04-29-2010 |
20100102638 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISCHARGING BUS VOLTAGE USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - Systems and methods are provided for discharging a high-voltage bus using semiconductor devices. A discharge system for a first voltage rail and a second voltage rail comprises a first semiconductor device coupled to a first voltage rail and a second semiconductor device coupled between the first semiconductor device and a second voltage rail. A control circuit is coupled to the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device. In response to a discharge condition, the control circuit is configured to activate the first semiconductor device and gradually activate the second semiconductor device, such that the energy potential between the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail is gradually dissipated through the semiconductor devices. | 04-29-2010 |
20100109351 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLAMPING A CHASSIS COVER - A system is provided for securing a cover having a first surface onto a chassis having a rim, the rim having a second surface. The system comprises a clamping rail and a fastener coupled to the rail. The clamping rail is configured to form a loop that circumferentially engages the first surface and the second surface and, when constricted, produces a first force substantially coplanar with the loop. The fastener is configured to constrict the rail, the rail and the first and second surfaces configured to produce a second force having a component substantially orthogonal to the loop when the rail is constricted. | 05-06-2010 |
20100302733 | STACKED BUSBAR ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED COOLING - A stacked busbar assembly includes two or more busbar subassemblies, each including a plurality of busbars having one or more power semiconductor devices bonded thereto (e.g., IGBTs, power diodes, and the like). Each busbar has an internal integrated cooling system including one or more fluid channels in communication with an inlet and an outlet. The busbar assemblies are stacked such that their respective inlets and outlets are aligned and a coolant may then flow in parallel therethrough. | 12-02-2010 |
20100302737 | POWER ELECTRONICS POWER MODULE WITH IMBEDDED GATE CIRCUITRY - A power electronics power module is provided. The power electronics power module includes an electrically conductive substrate, a electronic die having first and second opposing surfaces and at least one transistor formed thereon, the electronic die being mounted to the electrically conductive substrate and the at least one transistor being configured such that when the at least one transistor is activated, current flows from the first surface of the electronic die into the electrically conductive substrate, and a control member at least partially imbedded in the electrically conductive substrate, the control member having a control conductor formed thereon and electrically connected to the at least one transistor such that when a control signal is provided to the control conductor, the at least one transistor is activated. | 12-02-2010 |
20100320014 | AUTOMOTIVE POWER ELECTRONICS WITH WIDE BAND GAP POWER TRANSISTORS - An automotive power electronics system is provided. The automotive power electronics system includes a support member and at least one electronic die mounted to the support member. The at least one electronic die has an integrated circuit formed thereon comprising at least one wide band gap transistor. | 12-23-2010 |
20110025248 | MULTI-PHASE DC/DC BOOST CONVERTER - A method and an apparatus are provided for balancing current for each of a plurality of similar phases of a DC/DC boost converter. The method includes the step of measuring a voltage drop of each of the plurality of similar phases at predetermined times by measuring the voltage drop across each phase switching device when current is flowing through the switch. The method also includes the steps of calculating current information for each of the plurality of similar phases in response to the voltage drop measured for each of the plurality of similar phases and balancing current for each of the plurality of similar phases in response to the current information of each of the plurality of similar phases. | 02-03-2011 |
20110180855 | NON-DIRECT BOND COPPER ISOLATED LATERAL WIDE BAND GAP SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - Non-direct bond copper isolated lateral wide band gap semiconductor devices are provided. One semiconductor device includes a heat sink, a buffer layer directly overlying the heat sink, and an epitaxial layer formed of a group-III nitride overlying the buffer layer. Another semiconductor device includes a heat sink, a substrate directly overlying the heat sink, a buffer layer directly overlying the substrate, and an epitaxial layer formed of a group-III nitride overlying the buffer layer. Being formed of a group-III nitride enables the various epitaxial layers to be electrically isolated from their respective heat sinks. | 07-28-2011 |
20110282535 | POWER GRID LOAD MANAGEMENT FOR PLUG-IN VEHICLES - Methods and systems are provided for controlling the charging of an onboard energy storage system of a plug-in vehicle using a remote command center, such as a vehicle telematics service. An embodiment of such a method involves the transmission of a charge request for the onboard energy storage system to a remote command center associated with the plug-in vehicle. In response to the charge request, a charge command is received from the remote command center. The charging of the onboard energy storage system is regulated in accordance with the received charge command, which may be a charge enable command or a charge disable command. | 11-17-2011 |