System and method for precharging and discharging a high power ultracapacitor pack

US7459888B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ISE Corporation · US

Inventors

• Juergen Schulte · Krefeld, DE
• Swen Ruppert · Möhrendorf, DE
• Eugen Holl · Langenzenn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 28, 2006
• Grant date: Dec 2, 2008
• Expiry date: Jul 15, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T90/14
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

This invention is a system and a method that uses the braking resistor, commonly used and available in electrically or hybrid-electrically propelled vehicles, to limit the precharge current during the startup of a high power ultracapacitor pack energy storage device and/or safely and rapidly discharge an ultracapacitor pack for maintenance work or storage to lengthen the life of the individual ultracapacitor cells and, correspondingly, the whole pack. The use of the braking resistor for precharging an ultracapacitor energy storage pack is an effective and less expensive method compared to other methods such as a separate DC-to-DC converter. This method includes the control logic sequence to activate and deactivate switching devices that perform the connections for the charging and discharging current paths.