Any high-voltage bus needs to have a pre-charge circuit to reduce the current flow over a period of time, called the dv/dt, to protect the electronic devices in a battery electric vehicle. The challenge with a traditional solution to this age-long problem is that the pre-charge resistor charge time is inversely proportional to the power dissipation.
A better approach is taking the power components in the battery electric vehicle and reusing them to charge the high voltage bus from a low-voltage source. Using power modules the regulator can be used in reverse, regulating the voltage and current.
Automotive Principal Field Applications Engineer, NA
Patrick Kowalyk has been providing automotive power systems for over 6 years, but has been practicing engineer for decades. Patrick’s deep technical knowledge has been instrumental in growing the Vicor automotive business. His technical mastery of electrical engineering as related to power modules, topologies and architectures is second to none. Kowalyk has been a catalyst for helping design compact, efficient power systems for OEMs and Tier One customers. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Originally presented at World Congress Expo on April 16, 2024
