Abstract: A thermal regulating unit for regulating the temperature of a pouch cell battery is provided. The thermal regulating unit is formed as a container having: one or more internal cooling channels for conveying a liquid coolant through the unit; a flexible outer covering which contains the cooling channels; and inlet and outlet ports which penetrate the covering for respectively providing liquid coolant to and removing the liquid coolant from the cooling channels. The flexible outer covering forms a substantially flat major external surface of the unit corresponding in shape to, and for pressing against, a major external surface of the pouch cell battery such that the unit and the pouch cell battery can be held in face-to-face contact. The cooling channels are arranged in the flexible outer covering such that when the provided liquid coolant is pressurized it causes the unit to expand and press against the major external surface of the pouch cell battery.

Abstract: Electrical power systems having variable-voltage DC busses and methods of controlling voltage settings of such busses. One electrical power system comprises: a variable-voltage DC bus; a number N?2 of electrical machines, each electrical machine connected to the variable-voltage DC bus via one of a corresponding number N of converters, each electrical machine and corresponding converter having an index n=(1, . . . , N); and a controller configured to select a voltage setting Vdc_bus for the variable-voltage DC bus and to provide control signals to the converters to control the voltage setting of the variable-voltage DC bus according to the selected voltage setting Vdc_bus. The controller configured to select a voltage setting Vdc_bus greater than or equal to a minimum voltage requirement Vdc_min for the bus. The controller is configured to determine the minimum voltage requirement Vdc_min using present operating speeds of each of the N electrical machines.

Abstract: Electrical power supply system having a DC distribution bus; a rechargeable battery module which delivers DC power to the DC distribution bus in a discharge mode, and absorbs DC power from the DC distribution bus in a recharge mode; a DC/DC converter comprising an inductor and plural switches, the DC/DC converter being connected between the DC distribution bus and the rechargeable battery module; and a heat transfer arrangement configured to transfer heat between the DC/DC converter and the rechargeable battery module. The module has an idling mode of operation in which it neither delivers nor absorbs DC power to/from DC distribution bus, wherein the converter is repeatedly switchable between (i) a ramping-up configuration in which a current is withdrawn from a source, and (ii) a freewheeling configuration in which the current from the ramping-up configuration is isolated from the source to flow in a continuous loop within the converter.

Abstract: Electrical power systems having variable-voltage DC busses and methods of controlling voltage settings of such busses. One electrical power system comprises: a variable-voltage DC bus; a number N?2 of electrical machines, each electrical machine connected to the variable-voltage DC bus via one of a corresponding number N of converters, each electrical machine and corresponding converter having an index n=(1, . . . , N); and a controller configured to select a voltage setting Vdc_bus for the variable-voltage DC bus and to provide control signals to the converters to control the voltage setting of the variable-voltage DC bus according to the selected voltage setting Vdc_bus. The controller configured to select a voltage setting Vdc_bus greater than or equal to a minimum voltage requirement Vdc_min for the bus. The controller is configured to determine the minimum voltage requirement Vdc_min using present operating speeds of each of the N electrical machines.

Abstract: A temperature-actuated protection device, a battery module comprising the protection device, a battery pack comprising a plurality of series-connected battery modules and a method of protecting a battery pack from thermal runaway are provided. The battery pack comprises a plurality of series-connected battery modules each of which comprises: one or more cells; a circuit breaking component connected in series with the one or more cells; and a temperature activated protection device connected in parallel across the one or more cells and the fuse and comprising a thermally responsive component configured to sense a temperature of the battery module.

Abstract: A thermal regulating unit for regulating the temperature of a pouch cell battery is provided. The thermal regulating unit is formed as a container having: one or more internal cooling channels for conveying a liquid coolant through the unit; a flexible outer covering which contains the cooling channels; and inlet and outlet ports which penetrate the covering for respectively providing liquid coolant to and removing the liquid coolant from the cooling channels. The flexible outer covering forms a substantially flat major external surface of the unit corresponding in shape to, and for pressing against, a major external surface of the pouch cell battery such that the unit and the pouch cell battery can be held in face-to-face contact. The cooling channels are arranged in the flexible outer covering such that when the provided liquid coolant is pressurized it causes the unit to expand and press against the major external surface of the pouch cell battery.

Abstract: Electrical power supply system having a DC distribution bus; a rechargeable battery module which delivers DC power to the DC distribution bus in a discharge mode, and absorbs DC power from the DC distribution bus in a recharge mode; a DC/DC converter comprising an inductor and plural switches, the DC/DC converter being connected between the DC distribution bus and the rechargeable battery module; and a heat transfer arrangement configured to transfer heat between the DC/DC converter and the rechargeable battery module. The module has an idling mode of operation in which it neither delivers nor absorbs DC power to/from DC distribution bus, wherein the converter is repeatedly switchable between (i) a ramping-up configuration in which a current is withdrawn from a source, and (ii) a freewheeling configuration in which the current from the ramping-up configuration is isolated from the source to flow in a continuous loop within the converter.

Abstract: There is described a device for controlling an amount of current within a power distribution network by manipulating the amount of magnetic flux in the device and thus the impedance experienced by the power distribution network across the device. This is achieved by winding a plurality of coils about a magnetically permeable core and by providing the device with a magnetically permeable bridge element that is movable between a fully-open position at which the net magnetic flux generated in the core by alternating currents in each coil is zero, and a fully-closed position at which a net magnetic flux is present in the core.

Abstract: There is described a device for controlling an amount of current within a power distribution network by manipulating the amount of magnetic flux in the device and thus the impedance experienced by the power distribution network across the device. This is achieved by winding a plurality of coils about a magnetically permeable core and by providing the device with a magnetically permeable bridge element that is movable between a fully-open position at which the net magnetic flux generated in the core by alternating currents in each coil is zero, and a fully-closed position at which a net magnetic flux is present in the core.

Abstract: An electrical system including a three phase AC input supply and three or more H-bridge converter cells. Each H-bridge converter cell has: an active front end rectifier for receiving the three phase AC input supply and transforming it into a DC supply, thereby providing a rectifier current ii; a capacitor suitable to receive a capacitor current iC, the capacitor smoothing the DC supply; and an inverter suitable to receive an inverter current io, wherein io=ii?iC, said inverter transforming the received inverter current io into a single phase AC supply. The system also including a control subsystem, which provides a signal to each active front end rectifier to vary its respective rectifier current ii such that the difference between the rectifier current ii, provided by the active front end rectifier, and the inverter current io, received by the inverter, is substantially zero.

Abstract: An electrical system including a three phase AC input supply and three or more H-bridge converter cells. Each H-bridge converter cell has: an active front end rectifier for receiving the three phase AC input supply and transforming it into a DC supply, thereby providing a rectifier current ii; a capacitor suitable to receive a capacitor current iC, the capacitor smoothing the DC supply; and an inverter suitable to receive an inverter current io, wherein io=ii?iC, said inverter transforming the received inverter current io into a single phase AC supply. The system also including a control subsystem, which provides a signal to each active front end rectifier to vary its respective rectifier current ii such that the difference between the rectifier current ii, provided by the active front end rectifier, and the inverter current io, received by the inverter, is substantially zero.