Abstract: An energy storage element for providing a voltage has a first control apparatus and modules, which modules each have an energy storage unit, a connection unit and a module control apparatus. The connection units are connected between two associated modules and have first switches and which connection units are designed to enable, on the basis of the state of the first switches, at least two connections from the group of connections including parallel connection of two modules, serial connection of two modules, bridging of at least one of the two modules which first control apparatus and which module control apparatus are together designed to make it possible to change the control of the associated connection unit during use of the energy storage element in order to reconfigure the energy storage element. The first control apparatus is designed to control the module control apparatuses.

Abstract: A method for improving the modulation index using an intelligent battery pack, in which method a battery pack includes a plurality of freely interconnectable energy modules. An energy module has at least one energy cell and at least two switches, and in which method series or parallel interconnection of a respective energy module with at least one adjacent energy module of the battery pack is implemented by a controller. A terminal voltage of the battery pack, which terminal voltage results from the respective interconnection, is adjusted in accordance with a respectively prespecified load demand on at least one N-phase electrical machine. The terminal voltage is connected as an input voltage to at least one multi-stage inverter, and an N-phase alternating current for supplying a respective N-phase electrical machine is formed by the at least one multi-stage inverter on the basis of a level of the input voltage.

Abstract: A method for AC-charging an intelligent battery pack, which is connected to a charging column and has at least two battery modules, which each comprise at least one energy storage element and at least two power semiconductor switches, which interconnect the respective battery module in series or in parallel with another battery module. The battery pack is connected for charging with alternating current provided by the charging column by a charging circuit, which includes a filter and a rectifier. According to the method, a state of each individual energy storage element is monitored. In accordance with a continued evaluation of the states of the respective energy storage elements, a terminal voltage of the battery pack is adjusted by way of dynamic actuation of the power semiconductor switches to a voltage provided by the rectifier.

Abstract: A method for configuring a battery for operation of at least two N-phase electric machines, in which a battery includes a plurality of energy modules, and the energy modules each have at least one energy cell and at least two power switches. A respective N-phase electric machine is assigned a respective group of the plurality of energy modules, and the assignment is carried out in accordance with an estimation of a respective energy consumption of the respective N-phase electric machines on the basis of a respective load of the respective N-phase electric machines which load is to be assumed.

Abstract: Method for providing cooling of a power electronics system which is integrated in a battery module, in which method the battery module has a battery housing, containing a large number of energy storage units and the power electronics system which is integrated adjacent thereto and includes a printed circuit board which is populated with power semiconductor switches, and a thermally conductive element which creates thermal contact between the respective energy storage units and the power electronics system. Cooling of the power electronics system is achieved by the thermally conductive element which renders possible transfer of thermal energy from the power electronics system to the energy storage units. At least one side of the battery housing is coupled to a cooling system. A surface area of the thermally conductive element is connected to a respective energy storage unit and is contacted by way of a respective curved portion.

Abstract: A method for operating an electrical network comprising a first subnetwork and a second subnetwork that are connected to one another via a transformer and are DC isolated from one another by said transformer, wherein a primary side of the transformer having a first number of turns is assigned to the first subnetwork and a secondary side of the transformer having a second number of turns is assigned to the second subnetwork, wherein the first subnetwork has a multilevel converter having a plurality of single modules, wherein each single module has an electrical energy store, wherein the multilevel converter provides at least one first incoming AC voltage that is modulated with at least one second incoming AC voltage, wherein a voltage resulting therefrom is provided to the transformer and is transformed by the transformer to an outgoing voltage that is provided to the second subnetwork.

Abstract: A method for operating an electrical network comprising a first subnetwork and a second subnetwork that are connected to one another via a transformer and are DC isolated from one another by said transformer, wherein a primary side of the transformer having a first number of turns is assigned to the first subnetwork and a secondary side of the transformer having a second number of turns is assigned to the second subnetwork, wherein the first subnetwork has a multilevel converter having a plurality of single modules, wherein each single module has an electrical energy store, wherein the multilevel converter provides at least one first incoming AC voltage that is modulated with at least one second incoming AC voltage, wherein a voltage resulting therefrom is provided to the transformer and is transformed by the transformer to an outgoing voltage that is provided to the second subnetwork.

Abstract: A battery module for a traction battery having a housing, battery cells arranged inside the housing, a power electronics circuit board which is adjacent to the battery cells, a support face, facing away from the power electronics circuit board, for a cooling plate of the traction battery, and a heat-conducting element which bears over a surface on the power electronics circuit board and runs between the battery cells in the direction of or along the support face. Also described is a corresponding method for manufacturing a battery module, a corresponding traction battery and a corresponding electric car.

Abstract: A method for locating a battery module among multiple battery modules of a traction battery that are electrically connected to one another, having the following features: an electrical potential is measured at each of the battery modules in real time relative to a potential reference that is common to the battery modules; the potentials are used to subtractively compute voltages between the battery modules; a positional relationship for the battery modules is derived from the voltages; a module controller that is univocally denoted within the traction battery is used to retrieve a voltage dropped across the battery module that is to be located; and the retrieved voltage and the computed voltages are used to locate the battery module on the basis of the positional relationship within the traction battery. Also described is a corresponding apparatus, a corresponding computer program and a corresponding storage medium.

Abstract: A rotating electrical machine includes a rotor iron, a stator iron and conductor bars. An air gap separates the rotor iron from the stator iron. The stator iron has a slot and the conductor bars run in the slot. The conductor bars have a first profile in a first segment, the conductor bars have a second profile in a second segment and the first profile differs from the second profile. Also described is a method which is adapted for producing an electrical machine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bar winding arrangement of a stator or a rotor of an electric machine, including a number of bar segments, which are housed in a plurality of slots of the stator or the rotor and are electrically connected to one another in such a way that they form a continuous winding of the stator or the rotor, wherein each of the slots is divided by the bar segments into a first group of bar segments and at least one second group of bar segments, wherein the bar segments of the first group have a smaller cross section than the bar segments of the second group, wherein the bar segments of the first group are electrically connected in series and the bar segments of the second group are electrically connected in series and in parallel with the bar segments of the first group and wherein the bar segments of the first group are arranged closer to a slot opening in the radial direction than the bar segments of the second group.

Abstract: A method for producing a conductor segment includes: passing a copper bar in a predetermined direction of movement through a rotating first work roll and a second work roll rotating in the opposite direction to the first work roll; rotating a first backup roll in the opposite direction to the first work roll to brace the first work roll against the copper bar with an adjustable first force directed perpendicularly to the direction of movement; rotating at least one second backup roll in the opposite direction to the second work roll to brace the second work roll against the copper bar with an adjustable second force directed counter to the first force; and adjusting the first and second forces such that the work rolls give the conductor bar a thickness that varies along its length. Also described is a corresponding device and a corresponding method for producing an electric machine.

Abstract: Method for operating an electrical network including a first subnetwork and a second subnetwork which are connected to one another via a transformer and are DC-isolated from one another by the latter. A primary side of the transformer with a first number of turns is assigned to the first subnetwork and a secondary side of the transformer with a second number of turns is assigned to the second subnetwork. The first subnetwork has a multi-level converter having a plurality of individual modules, and each individual module has an electrical energy store. The multi-level converter provides at least one first incoming electrical AC voltage which is modulated with at least one second incoming electrical AC voltage. A resulting electrical voltage is made available to the transformer and is transformed by the transformer to an outgoing electrical voltage which is made available to the second subnetwork.

Abstract: A method for locating a battery module among multiple battery modules of a traction battery that are electrically connected to one another, having the following features: an electrical potential is measured at each of the battery modules in real time relative to a potential reference that is common to the battery modules; the potentials are used to subtractively compute voltages between the battery modules; a positional relationship for the battery modules is derived from the voltages; a module controller that is univocally denoted within the traction battery is used to retrieve a voltage dropped across the battery module that is to be located; and the retrieved voltage and the computed voltages are used to locate the battery module on the basis of the positional relationship within the traction battery. Also described is a corresponding apparatus, a corresponding computer program and a corresponding storage medium.

Abstract: A rotor (300) for an axial-flux electrical machine is disclosed. The rotor has a plurality of permanent magnets (350) fixed thereto, with each of the plurality of magnets extending at least partly through an aperture in the rotor. The arrangement is such that material of the rotor (200) abuts each magnet (350) so as to locate the magnet substantially circumferentially with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor and substantially axially in at least one axial direction. The magnets (350) may slide radially onto the rotor (300) and be constrained axially and circumferentially by a tongue-and-groove arrangement (325, 355), with reinforced tape (340) being wound around the radially outer edge thereof to provide radial constraint.

Abstract: A rotor (300) for an axial-flux electrical machine is disclosed. The rotor has a plurality of permanent magnets (350) fixed thereto, with each of the plurality of magnets extending at least partly through an aperture in the rotor. The arrangement is such that material of the rotor (200) abuts each magnet (350) so as to locate the magnet substantially circumferentially with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor and substantially axially in at least one axial direction. The magnets (350) may slide radially onto the rotor (300) and be constrained axially and circumferentially by a tongue-and-groove arrangement (325, 355), with reinforced tape (340) being wound around the radially outer edge thereof to provide radial constraint.

Abstract: A hybrid-electric vehicle is provided having a respective electrical machine in each wheel thereof. Each electrical machine is of the axial-flux type, having a rotor sandwiched axially between two parts of a stator. Each electrical machine is fitted to the respective wheel such that the rotor takes the place of a disc of a disc brake system, and the stator is mounted in place of a calliper of the disc brake system.