Non-intrusive correlating battery monitoring system and method
First Claim
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1. A battery monitoring system comprising:
- a. a plurality of battery temperature probes each adapted to sense the temperature of an associated lead acid battery or lead acid battery string, each battery temperature probe being adapted to be non-intrusively mounted on or adjacent its associated battery or battery string;
b. an ambient temperature probe adapted to sense the ambient temperature of an environment in which the batteries are located;
c. a plurality of current sensors each adapted to sense a charge current delivered to an associated battery string during a charging event and a discharge current delivered from an associated battery strings during a discharging event, each current sensor being adapted to non-intrusively measure the charge current and the discharge current; and
d. a controller configured to;
i. receive associated data from the battery temperature probes, the ambient temperature probe and the current sensors;
ii. calculate a plurality of temperature deltas between the ambient temperature and each of the battery or battery string temperatures;
iii. generate a thermal event alarm if any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal event temperature delta and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal event charge current;
iv. determine if there has been a discharge or recharge event within a period of time;
v. predict;
A. a thermal runaway condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal runaway temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal runaway charge current; and
B. a battery end of service life condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, the temperature deltas are below a user-defined battery aging temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined battery aging charge current; and
vi. generate;
A. a thermal runaway alarm in response to predicting the thermal runaway condition and before the thermal runaway condition has occurred; and
B. a battery end of service life condition alarm in response to predicting the battery end of service life condition.
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Abstract
There is disclosed a system and method for determining whether a battery or battery system has encountered a thermal failure and/or end of service life condition. The battery monitoring system is configured to generate a plurality of alarms based on the occurrence of a number of conditions in the battery system.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A battery monitoring system comprising:
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a. a plurality of battery temperature probes each adapted to sense the temperature of an associated lead acid battery or lead acid battery string, each battery temperature probe being adapted to be non-intrusively mounted on or adjacent its associated battery or battery string; b. an ambient temperature probe adapted to sense the ambient temperature of an environment in which the batteries are located; c. a plurality of current sensors each adapted to sense a charge current delivered to an associated battery string during a charging event and a discharge current delivered from an associated battery strings during a discharging event, each current sensor being adapted to non-intrusively measure the charge current and the discharge current; and d. a controller configured to; i. receive associated data from the battery temperature probes, the ambient temperature probe and the current sensors; ii. calculate a plurality of temperature deltas between the ambient temperature and each of the battery or battery string temperatures; iii. generate a thermal event alarm if any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal event temperature delta and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal event charge current; iv. determine if there has been a discharge or recharge event within a period of time; v. predict; A. a thermal runaway condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal runaway temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal runaway charge current; andB. a battery end of service life condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, the temperature deltas are below a user-defined battery aging temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined battery aging charge current; andvi. generate; A. a thermal runaway alarm in response to predicting the thermal runaway condition and before the thermal runaway condition has occurred; and B. a battery end of service life condition alarm in response to predicting the battery end of service life condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A battery monitoring method comprising:
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a) non-intrusively measuring the temperature of each of a plurality of lead acid batteries or lead acid battery strings; b) measuring the ambient temperature of an environment in which the batteries are located; c) non-intrusively measuring a charge current being delivered to each of the battery strings during a charging event and a discharge current being delivered from each of the battery strings during a discharging event; d) calculating a plurality of temperature deltas between the ambient temperature and each of the battery or battery string temperatures; e) generating a thermal event alarm if any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal event temperature delta and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal event charge current; f) determining if there has been a discharge or recharge event within a period of time; g) predicting; i. a thermal runaway condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal runaway temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal runaway charge current; andii. a battery end of service life condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, the temperature deltas are below a user-defined battery aging temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined battery aging charge current;h. generating; A. a thermal runaway alarm in response to predicting the thermal runaway condition and before the thermal runaway condition has occurred; and B. a battery end of service life condition alarm in response to predicting the battery end of service life condition. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A battery monitoring system comprising:
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a. a plurality of battery temperature probes, each non-intrusively mounted on or adjacent an associated lead acid battery or lead acid battery string for sensing the temperature of its associated battery or battery string; b. an ambient temperature probe mounted in a reference location of an environment in which the batteries are located for sensing the ambient temperature of the environment; c. a plurality of current sensors, each non-intrusively mounted on or adjacent an associated battery string for sensing a charge current delivered to the associated battery string during a charging event and a discharge current delivered from the associated battery string during a discharging event; and d. a controller configured to; i. receive associated data from the battery temperature probes, the ambient temperature probe and the current sensors; ii. calculate a plurality of temperature deltas between the ambient temperature and each of the battery or battery string temperatures; iii. generate a thermal event alarm if any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal event temperature delta and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal event charge current; iv. determine if there has been a discharge or recharge event within a period of time; and v. predict; A. a thermal runaway condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, any of the temperature deltas exceed a user-defined thermal runaway temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined thermal runaway charge current; andB. a battery end of service life condition, by correlating charging and discharging currents, discharge/recharge events and temperature deltas and determining that all of the following are satisfied;
there has not been a discharge or recharge event for the period of time, the temperature deltas are below a user-defined battery aging temperature delta, and any of the charge currents exceed a user-defined battery aging charge current;vi. generate; A. a thermal runaway alarm in response to predicting the thermal runaway condition and before the thermal runaway condition has occurred; and B. a battery end of service life condition alarm in response to predicting the battery end of service life condition. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification