A battery charging system

Abstract: This invention relates to a battery charging system in which a rechargeable relay battery is coupled to DC power source and at least one output control device.

Description: The present invention relates to a battery charging system. Currently electrical power comes from the conversion of a variety of energies such as thermal, hydraulic, nuclear, wind, geothermal, wave, sea water difference and solar energy, etc. However, the demand and supply of each kind of power system presents a conventional problem, i.e. the demand varies between peak hours and non-peak hours. Often there is a hydraulic pump/store station, battery storage plus power transformation and feed back, etc. to meet the variation in demand. The conventional battery storage system may convert AC power into DC for charging by means of a charging device; or may use a DC power generator for charging batteries; or may use a battery to charge another battery for car-to-car relief. US Patent No. 4894764 discloses an electric load levelling system which includes a plurality of individual modules for storing and supplying AC electrical power. Such a system comprises a plurality of modules including means for storing DC electrical power. In one embodiment, such means for receiving and storing DC electrical power may comprise a plurality of conventional lead acid battery cells. Power conversion means is associated with each module, and the DC power is then stored in the battery cells. Power transfer means is associated with each module for inputting and outputting AC power to and from the module. Control means is provided for controlling the supply of electrical power to the system and the output of electrical power from the system. The control means also acts to control the supply of power for charging the battery cells, which is preferably during periods of off-peak power demand. A conventional timer clock set according to peak and off-peak periods of demand may be used in connection with the control means for controlling supply or output of power to or from the system. German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2458053 discloses a fast battery charger for electric vehicles which has an AC network coupled by a bridge rectifier to an intermediate battery that is used in conjunction with the rectifier output to charge the discharged battery connected to external terminals. Interconnected switches allow the intermediate battery to be charged from the rectifier on its own. Fast battery charging occurs during off-peak periods. An object of the invention is to increase the efficiency of power consumption for the power system and to accomplish charging in a battery storage facility at faster speed. According to the present invention an intermediate storage charging system comprises an AC input power supply; a rectifier selectively connectable to said AC power supply; an intermediate storage battery connected to an output of said rectifier and chargeable thereby; at least one terminal storage battery coupled both to the intermediate storage battery and the output of said rectifier and chargeable from said intermediate storage battery; a control circuit comprising a device for detecting the state and polarity of the charged battery connected between said intermediate and terminal storage batteries and arranged to charge said terminal storage battery from said intermediate storage battery; characterised by a further control circuit connected between said AC input power supply and said rectifier, said further control circuit including a cyclic timing device and being arranged to charge said intermediate storage battery during non-peak hours taking into account the state of charge of the intermediate storage battery and by said rectifier, intermediate storage battery and terminal storage battery being connected in parallel while the terminal storage battery is charged. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a battery charging system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a suitable circuit for a battery charging system in accordance with the present invention; and The reference numbers are summarized below:- 101: AC power supply 102: AC converted to DC charging device 112: Bridge type rectifying device 122: Filter inductance 132: Capacitance filter 103: Relay battery 104-1 ∼ 104-n: Output control device 114: Charge time setting/control device 124: Charge voltage and current adjusting/switch device 134: Manual or automatic selective switch 144: Calculating device 154: Output starting device 164: Detection device for saturated state and polarity of battery being charged 105-1 ∼ 105-n: Load 106: DC power supply device 116: DC power generator set 107: Cyclic timing operation device 117: timer 127: Electro-mechanical or solid state switch 108: Auxiliary output switch device 118: Manual or mechanical control switch 128: Reverse block in diode The embodiment herein described provides a charging system with a high-efficiency relay battery for charging a battery comprising a monophase or polyphase AC power supply through a rectifier for charging a relay battery, and a relay battery sourced DC output for charging at least one external battery: or a DC power generator provided for charging the relay battery, and a relay battery sourced DC output source provided for charging at least one external battery. The above-mentioned relay battery for charging external batteries allows for charging a battery independently or jointly with the original AC charging device or DC power generator. The above-mentioned device may further include a periodic timing cyclic power supply controller for charging at non-peak-hour period: or may include a control device for the charging. The output of the relay battery may include at least one output control device including charging time setting/control device, charging voltage and current adjusting and switch device, and output voltage or current value manual/or automatic selective switch, measuring device, output starting device and saturated state and polarity of charged battery detecting device, etc.; or may include some functions for charging a plurality of batteries simultaneously. An advantage of the system is that non-peak-hour power in the evening is used for charging a relay battery and the relay battery is then useable for charging external battery, which not only can store non-peak-hour power to increase the efficiency of power consumption for the system but may accomplish charging at faster speed, i.e. as far as a whole power system is concerned, it is characterized with high efficiency and quick charging. Referring to FIG 1 power is supplied by an AC power supply 101 which may be a monophase or polyphase AC power supply sourced from a local AC power system or an engine-driven type of AC power generator available regularly or as standby power supply, or from other kinds of AC power such as wind energy, solar energy, charge voltage and current adjusting/switch devices, thermal energy, potential energy or temperature difference energy for input into a charge device 102 for converting AC power into DC power with the necessary voltage. A voltage/current display and control device is included in the device 102. The output is connected to a relay battery 103 or other kind of load. The relay battery comprises a rechargeable battery, for receiving stored electrical energy from the charging device and may be discharged to an external battery or other kind of load through at least one output control device 104-1 thru 104-n. These are connected between the relay battery and loads 105-1 thru 105-n. The control devices include charge time setting/control devices, charge voltage and current adjusting/switch devices, output voltage/or current value manual/or automatic selective switch, measuring device, output starting device, detecting device for saturated state and polarity of charged battery, or with some functions for charging a plurality of external batteries: Power may also be supplied from a power supply unit 106 comprising a DC power generator; A periodic timing control device 107 is provided to control the charging device and to allow the non-peak-hour charge time from the AC or DC power supply to be set as well as to determine the best charge time subject to the state of residual electrical energy within the relay battery. It comprises an electromechanical or solid state electronic type periodic setting circuit (conventional day or week, month or year type). The state of the relay battery, is taken into account according to the following conditions:- 1. When the battery charge lies between the lowest saturation value and the saturation value, no charge is transmitted before reaching the non-peak-hour setting time, i.e. charge will be transmitted as soon as the preset non-peak-hour time is reached. 2. Charge is transmitted once residual power within battery is lower than a lowest preset saturation value; 3. When residual power within the battery is saturated or more than a preset saturation limit, no charge is to be made available to it either at peak hours or non-peak hours; An auxiliary output switch device 108, due to the abovesaid external loads being relay output from relay battery 103, is provided to convert the output of the charge device or DC power supply into a relay battery parallel output or output from the relay battery independently. FIG. 2 shows a suitable circuit of the above charging system. The electro-mechanical or solid state switch 127 is controlled by timer 117 for the control of the power delivery time to the rectifying device 102. The switch and timer form the periodic timing control device 107. The rectifying device 102 comprises a diode bridge rectifier filter inductance 122 and a capacitance filter 132; The DC power supply unit 106 comprises a DC power generator set 116. The auxiliary output switch device 108 comprises a manual or mechanical control switch 118 and a reverse blocking diode 128. The relay battery set 103 comprises a plurality of rechargeable batteries. The charge time setting/control device 114, charge voltage and current adjusting/switch device 124, output voltage/or current value manual/or automatic selective switch 134, measuring device 164, output starting device 154, detecting device for saturated state and polarity of charged battery 164, form at least one output control device 104-1 thru 104-n with some functions for charging a plurality of external batteries. To conclude the above description, the invention provides a charging system and device with a high-efficiency and non-peak-hour energy storage relay battery for store battery to apply non-peak-hour power in the evening for charging a relay battery and the relay battery is thus available for charging an external battery. The system not only can store non-peak-hour power to increase the efficiency of consumption for the system but may accomplish charging concerned, it is characterized with high efficiency and quick charging. From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the invention includes the following features: 1. A charging system and device with high-efficiency and non-peak-hour energy store relay battery comprising: monophase or polyphase AC power supply through commutator for charging relay battery, and relay battery provided DC output power source for charging external battery; or DC power source for charging external battery; or DC power generator is provided for charging external battery; above-mentioned device may further include a periodic timing cyclic power supply controller for charging at non-peak-hour period; or may include a control device for the charging; the output end of above-mentioned battery may include at least one output control device including charging time setting/control device, charging voltage and current adjusting and switch device, and output voltage or current value manual/or automatic selective switch, measuring device, output starting device and saturated state and polarity of charged battery detecting device, etc.; or including some functions for charging a plurality of batteries simultaneously. The advantage of the present invention is as follow: to apply non-peak-hour power in the evening for charging relay battery and relay battery is thus provided for charging external battery, which not only can store non-peak-hour power to increase the efficiency of power consumption for the system but may accomplish charging at faster speed, i.e. as far as a whole power system is concerned, it is characterized with high efficiency and quick charging. 2. The charging system and device with high-efficiency and non-peak-hour energy store relay battery for battery according to feature 1 comprising: AC power supply including monophase or polyphase AC power supply being sourced from traditional local AC power system or engine-driving type AC power generator to make available regularly or as standby power supply, or from the other kind of AC power from wind energy, solar energy or device, charge voltage and current adjusting/switch device, thermal energy, potential energy or temperature difference energy for input into charge device that converts AC into DC; charge device converting AC into DC power, for commutating AC power into DC power with needed voltage value and having necessary voltage/current display and control device for the output against relay battery or the other kind of load; relay battery comprising charging and discharging battery, for receiving stored electrical energy from charging device and is charging external battery or other kind of load through the output end; output control devices being at least one set in parallel mounted between relay battery and loads, said control device including charge time setting/control device, charge voltage and current adjusting/switch device, output voltage/or current value manual/or automatic selective switch, measuring device, output starting device, detecting device for saturated state and polarity of charged battery, or with some functions for charging a plurality of external batteries; power supply unit comprising DC power generator set; periodic timing control device 107 being provided to control charging device and present non-peak-hour charge time for abovesaid AC or DC power supply as well as to determine best charge time subject to the state of residual electrical energy within the battery, comprising mechanical-electrical or solid electronic type periodic setting circuit (conventional day or week, month or year type) for comparing to lowest saturation value to setting value of battery, with the selections as follows: 1) When saturation value of battery lies between lowest saturation value and saturation value, no charge shall be carried out before reaching non-pack-hour setting time, i.e. charge will be carried out as soon as reaching present non-peak-hour time; 2) Charge is to be carried out once residual power within battery is lower than lowest setting saturation value; 3) When residual power within battery is saturated or more than setting saturation limit, no charge is to be made available either at peak hours or non-peak hours; auxiliary output switch device, due to above-said external loads being relay output from relay battery, such auxiliary output switch device being provided to convert the output of above-said charge device or DC power supply into relay battery parallel output or output from relay battery independently. The charging system and device with high-efficiency and non-peak-hour energy store relay battery for battery according to feature 1 comprising: mechanical-electrical or solid switch being controlled by synchronous timer for the control of power delivery time for commutating device which converts AC (including monophase or polyphase) into DC, and said device delivery time for commutating device which converts AC (including monophase or polyphase) into DC, and said device forming periodic timing control device; AC converting DC charging device comprising bridge type commutating device (including monophase or polyphase) and filter inductance and capacitance set; DC power supply unit comprising DC power generator set; auxiliary output switch device comprising manual or mechanical control switch and reversed block diode; relay battery set comprising a variety of second charging/discharging batteries, charge time setting/control device, charge voltage and current adjusting/switch device, output voltage/or current value manual/or automatic selective switch, measuring device, output starting device, detecting device for saturated state and polarity of charged battery, or at least one set of output control device with some functions for charging a plurality of external batteries.

Claims: An intermediate storage charging system, comprising: an AC input power supply (101); a rectifier (112) selectively connectable to said AC power supply; an intermediate storage battery (103) connected to an output of said rectifier and chargeable thereby; at least one terminal storage battery (105) coupled both to the intermediate storage battery and the output of said rectifier and chargeable from said intermediate storage battery; a control circuit (104) comprising a device for detecting the state and polarity of the charged battery connected between said intermediate and terminal storage batteries (103,105) and arranged to charge said terminal storage battery from said intermediate storage battery; characterised by a further control circuit (107) connected between said AC input power supply and said rectifier (112), said further control circuit including a cyclic timing device (117) and being arranged to charge said intermediate storage battery (103) during non-peak hours taking into account the state of charge of the intermediate storage battery and by said rectifier (112), intermediate storage battery (103) and terminal storage battery (105) being connected in parallel while the terminal storage battery is charged. An intermediate storage charging system according to claim 1, wherein said AC input power supply (101) comprises a monophase AC power supply. An intermediate storage charging system according to claim 1, wherein said AC input power supply (101) comprises a multiple-phase AC power supply. An intermediate storage charging system according to any preceding claim wherein said rectifier (112) is a full wave rectifier. An intermediate storage charging system according to any preceding claim wherein there are a plurality of terminal storage batteries (105-1....105-n) whereby the system may function to charge the plurality of terminal storage batteries simultaneously. An intermediate storage charging system according to claim 5, wherein said first-mentioned control circuit (104) comprises an output control device connected between each of the plurality of terminal storage batteries and the output of said rectifier, said output control devices optionally including charge-time controllers (114), charging voltage controllers (124), charging current controllers (124), and output measuring devices (164). The intermediate storage charging system according to any preceding claim, further comprising an auxiliary DC input source (106) connectable to the interconnection of said intermediate storage battery (103), rectifier (112) output, and second control circuit (104) for generating a charging current.

Inventors: YANG TAI-HER, YANG, TAI-HER
Applicants: YANG TAI HER, YANG, TAI-HER
Application year: 1992
Main classification: H02J7
IPC codes: H02J3