Circuit arrangement and method for transferring electrical charge between accumulators of an accumulator arrangement

Abstract

A circuit arrangement for transferring electrical charge between accumulators of an accumulator arrangement includes a number of first series circuits, each connecting in parallel to one of the accumulators, and each comprising a switching element and an inductive storage element connected in series to the load path of the switching element. The circuit arrangement also includes a further series circuit connected in parallel to the accumulator arrangement and comprising a further switching element having a load path and a control terminal, and a further inductive element connected in series to the load path, the further inductive element being inductively coupled to the inductive elements of the first series circuits. The circuit arrangement also includes a control circuit comprising a number of first control outputs connected to the control terminals of the switching elements of the first series circuits, and a further control output connected to the control terminal of the further switching element.

1 . A circuit arrangement for transferring electrical charge between accumulators of an accumulator arrangement, comprising
 a number of first series circuits, each configured to connect in parallel to a corresponding accumulator, and each comprising a switching element having a load path and a control terminal, and an inductive storage element connected in series to the load path;   a further series circuit configured to connect in parallel to the accumulator arrangement, the further series circuit comprising a further switching element having a load path and a control terminal, and a further inductive storage element connected in series to the load path, the further inductive storage element being inductively coupled to the inductive storage elements of the first series circuits;   a control circuit comprising a number of first control outputs, each connected to the control terminal of one of the switching elements of the first series circuits, and a further control output connected to the control terminal of the further switching element.   
     
     
         2 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the first control outputs of the control circuit are connected to the control terminals of the switching elements of the first series circuits using capacitances. 
     
     
         3 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a voltage measurement input coupled to the inductive storage element of one of the first series circuits. 
     
     
         4 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the inductive storage elements of the first series circuits are inductively coupled to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to measure the voltage across the inductive storage element coupled to the measurement input when the switching element of the one first series circuit is closed. 
     
     
         6 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 4 , further comprising a low-pass filter connected between the inductive storage element coupled to the measurement input and the measurement input. 
     
     
         7 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the switching elements of the first series circuits comprises a MOS transistor. 
     
     
         8 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 7 , wherein the MOS transistor is a MOSFET. 
     
     
         9 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to
 measure the voltage across at least two of the accumulators,   dependent on the measured voltages, close the further switching element for a first given time period, and subsequently close at least one switching element of less than all of the first series circuits coupled to the at least two of the accumulators for a second given time period.   
     
     
         10 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to close the switch of the series circuit which is connected to the one of the at least two accumulators for which a lowest voltage has been measured. 
     
     
         11 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 1 , in which the control circuit is configured to
 measure the voltage across at least two of the accumulators,   close at least one switching element of the first series circuits which are connected in parallel to the at least two accumulators for a third given time period, and subsequently close the further switching element for a fourth given time period.   
     
     
         12 . The circuit arrangement according to  claim 11 , in which the control circuit is configured to close the switch of the series circuit which is connected to the one of the at least two accumulators for which a highest voltage has been measured. 
     
     
         13 . A method of transferring electrical charge between accumulators of an accumulator arrangement, comprising
 measuring accumulator voltages across at least two of the accumulators of the accumulator arrangement,   selecting at least one of the at least two accumulators dependent on the measured accumulator voltages,   removing energy from the accumulator arrangement, and   providing at least a part of the energy removed from the accumulator arrangement to only the at least one selected accumulator.   
     
     
         14 . A method of transferring electrical charge between accumulators of an accumulator arrangement comprising a series circuit of accumulators, comprising
 measuring accumulator voltages across at least two of the accumulators of the accumulator arrangement,   selecting one of the at least two accumulators dependent on the measured accumulator voltages,   removing energy from the selected accumulator,   providing at least a part of the energy removed from the selected accumulator to the accumulator arrangement.