Battery energy storage system

• US 10,270,266 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powin Corporation (Powin Energy Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Powin Energy Corporation
• Inventors: Beaston, Virgil Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M Baye
• Application Number:
  US15/882,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20180233931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 320128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/16 by adjustment of reactive power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00306 Overdischarge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0034 using reverse polarity correcting or protecting circuits mechanical means of polarity protection H02J7/0045
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/10 Flexible AC transmission systems [FACTS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/30 Reactive power compensation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/00 : Systems supporting electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/14 : Energy storage units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/22 : Flexible AC transmission systems [FACTS] or power factor or reactive power compensating or correcting units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 : State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a battery energy storage system (BESS) that can be used to store energy that is produced by conventional sources (e.g., coal, gas, nuclear) as well as renewable sources (e.g., wind, solar), and provide the stored energy on-demand.

Claims

1. A battery energy storage system comprising:

a battery pack, comprising;

a plurality of battery cells;

a balancing charger configured to charge the plurality of cells;

a battery module controller coupled to the plurality of cells and including a temperature sensor configured to record a temperature of the battery pack;

a battery pack controller coupled to the battery module controller and configured to;

control the balancing charger to adjust a charge stored in the plurality of battery cells;

record an operating time of the balancing charger;

compare the operating time of the balancing charger to a threshold time for the battery pack, wherein the threshold time for the battery pack is determined based on the temperature of the battery pack; and

when the operating time of the balancing charger exceeds the threshold time for the battery pack, providing an alert indicating that the battery pack has an operating issue or defect.

2. The battery energy storage system of claim 1, further comprising:

a string controller coupled to the battery pack and configured to instruct the battery pack controller to charge or discharge the battery pack.

3. The battery energy storage system of claim 2, further comprising:

an array controller coupled to the string controller and configured to instruct the string controller to charge or discharge the battery pack via a first communication bus.

4. The battery energy storage system of claim 3, wherein the array controller is coupled to a system controller that comprises a communication interface that is configured to couple to a communications network.

5. The battery energy storage system of claim 4, wherein the system controller is further configured to encrypt communications transmitted over the communications network.

6. The battery energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the battery module controller is further configured to periodically update the temperature of the battery pack, and wherein the threshold time for the battery pack is dynamically adjusted based on the updated temperature of the battery pack.

7. The battery energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the threshold time for the battery pack is further determined based on a mean operating time of a plurality of battery packs.

8. The battery energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is one of a plurality of battery packs that are vertically stacked.

9. The battery energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is connected to a plurality of battery packs in series to form a string of battery packs.