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High-Performance Silicon Carbide-based Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Battery Charger

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by usbseawolf2000, Aug 26, 2014.

  1. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    [​IMG]

    The new SiC charger was demonstrated with PiP. The video shows the difference in size allowing it to mount it in other places (now in spare tire well).

    The best benefit of it is the 6 kW charging. It would cut the charging time from ~3 hours (bundled standard charge) to about half an hour for ~80% full.

    Efficiency is higher too, expected 95%+ and ultra-high power density of 3.8 kW/k. It is supposed to cut the charging loss from by 5% (now ~15%).

    It probably won't make it to NS4 or Gen2 PiP. I am hopeful because NS4 vision was to reduce charging time while boost the EV range. With SiC power inverter and charger, it'll certainly achieve that.



    More Info:

    News - APEI

    APEI Improves Hybrid Battery Charging for Hybrid, Electric Cars | Arkansas Business News | ArkansasBusiness.com
     
  2. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    I'd like to know what role the silicone carbide really plays in this "improved" charger........as it functionally is just REALLY hard sand.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    more great news, can't come soon enough for me!
     
  4. drysider

    drysider Active Member

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    Charging from "any available A/C outlet" is a bit misleading. 6kw would be around 60 amps at 110v, which is the voltage at most available outlets, and very few are rated for more than 20 amps. I do not know- is it safe to charge the plug-in in 1/2 hour?
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    oh ya, i charge mine in 90 minutes now. 240v. i think it depends more on the charger than the battery.
     
  6. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    From the rate that regen recharges, it can make it full in under 10 mins, so it is possible.

    I would not want to do that unless the plugin is designed from the gecko.
     
  7. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    Actually all integrated circuits are made up of sand, it just happens to be pure. Silicon Carbide just happens to be an impressive heat sink as well.
     
  8. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    Darn spelling checkers. o_O
    I believe they designed and built the entire charger from the ground up so they can literally drop it in place of the current charger. What might peak Toyota's interest is the factory is literally next door. Although this might compete with Toyota's silicon-on-diamond power chips they are making. It might be an interesting stop gap until Toyota perfects those.
     
  9. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    I question the 10 minutes. I just did a long downhill at 55 mph and regen was 150 wh/minute. That would be 20 minutes for 3 kWh. At that rate it kicked on the ICE after 3 minutes so it wasn't entirely happy with the cumulative regen action but that may have been because of the 55mph. Later on a shorter run it was happy at that rate and 45 mph for 4 minutes and that was the end of the run.

    It was a nice 322 mile mountain trip resulting in about 31% EV and 64 mpg indicated (hence about 61 mpg actual). The PiP loves mountains.
     
  10. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Above ~75% SOC, regen power is reduced. Going over the threshold would turn on the ICE. You can monitor the threshold in Torque.

    10 mins was my theoretical estimate. In practice, we'll have to consider things like variable rate, temp difference, etc.
     
  11. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    I was definitely in low SOC because I just left Donner Pass with EV at 1 mile. I believe you can do a maximum regen around 45 to 50 mph and I was pushing 55 to 60 which is probably why the ICE kicked in. The most I have seen in a 1 minute interval at any speed is 150 kWh.
     
  12. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Are you counting the regen car leafs shown on MID?

    My estimate was based on the kW flowing into the battery.
     
  13. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    Silicone dioxide is sand.
    Silicone Carbide has many of the same characteristics only much harder.

    Other compounds of silicone don't look or act anything like sand.
     
  14. Jeff N

    Jeff N The answer is 0042

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    Note that plugging in to a typical ordinary 30A 240v J1772 public charging station for a PiP with a 6kw charger on board would be equivalent in battery stress to a Model S plugging into a Tesla supercharger or a Nissan LEAF plugging into a CHAdeMO DC quick charger.
     
  15. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

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    Yes, that's all I have. The ScanGage doesn't show charging amount. I expect the display could be off by some amount but 2:1 seems a bit much. Anyway a 20 minute charge would be real nice.
     
  16. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    Silicon is a metalloid element. Sand is impure silicon dioxide.

    Silicone is a polymer containing silicon, commonly used as a sealant or to "enhance" certain parts of the female anatomy.

    Silicon Valley is in Northern California in the San Francisco area.

    Silicone Valley is in Southern California in the Los Angeles area.
     
    #16 CharlesH, Aug 29, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2014
    rxlawdude likes this.
  17. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

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    Is Geico developing hybrids?:D