METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING AN EQUALIZING CHARGE OF AN ACCUMULATOR

• US 20100060241A1
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Hybrid and Recycling GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Hybrid and Recycling GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Folge, Hans-Walter
• Application Number:
  US12/553,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/152
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3828 using current integration
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method for determining an equalizing charge of a battery in which the battery is overcharged beyond a nominal full state of charge includes detecting full charging operating phases in which the battery is at least in the nominal full state of charge and adding up charge quantities which are charged into the battery in the full charging operating phases to obtain a value of the equalizing charge.

Claims

1. A method for determining an equalizing charge of a battery in which the battery is overcharged beyond a nominal full state of charge, the method comprising:

detecting full charging operating phases in which the battery is at least in the nominal full state of charge; and

adding up charge quantities which are charged into the battery in the full charging operating phases to obtain a value of the equalizing charge.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the charge quantities which are added up in the full charging operating phases to a defined setpoint equalizing charge and identifying successfully concluded equalizing charging when the added-up charge quantities are greater than the setpoint equalizing charge.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a voltage difference between a highest and a lowest module voltage, comparing the voltage difference with a defined maximum voltage difference, and identifying successfully concluded equalizing charging when the voltage difference is less than the defined maximum voltage difference.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a temperature of the battery and interrupting an equalizing charging process when the measured battery temperature is greater than a defined maximum temperature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the maximum battery temperature is in the range of from 40 to 50 degrees Celsius.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising restarting equalizing charging after the measured temperature has reached a defined lower temperature value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the defined lower temperature value is in the range of from 30 to 40 degrees Celsius.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a state of charge for the battery and interrupting equalizing charging when the state of charge is less than a defined minimum state of charge.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the defined minimum state of charge before equalizing charging is in the range of from 80 to 100 percent.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of a state of the equalizing charge, a charge quantity which is required for initial charging, a voltage difference, or a battery temperature which is measured as a maximum.

18. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to determine a state of charge for the battery and interrupt equalizing charging when the state of charge is less than a defined minimum state of charge.

19. The monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the defined minimum state of charge before equalizing charging is between 80 and 100 percent.

20. The monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to display at least one of a state of the equalizing charge, a charge quantity which is required for initial charging, a voltage difference, or a battery temperature which is measured as a maximum.

11. A monitoring device for batteries comprising:

a device for identifying a current state of charge of a battery;

a charge measuring unit for continuously measuring charge quantities that are charged into the battery;

a monitoring unit configured to detect full charging operating phases in which the battery is at least in a nominal full state of charge and to add up the charge quantities that are charged into the battery in full charging operating phases, the monitoring unit further configured to determine an equalizing charge of the battery as a function of the added-up charge quantities.

12. The monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to compare the charge quantities which are added up to a defined setpoint equalizing charge and to identify successfully concluded equalizing charging when the added-up charge quantities are greater than the setpoint equalizing charge.

13. The monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to determine a voltage difference between a highest and a lowest module voltage, and to compare the voltage difference with a defined maximum voltage difference, and to identify successfully concluded equalizing charging when the voltage difference is less than the defined maximum voltage difference.

14. The monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to measure a temperature of the battery and interrupt an equalizing charging process when the measured battery temperature is greater than a defined maximum temperature.

15. The monitoring device of claim 14, wherein the maximum battery temperature is between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius.

16. The monitoring device of claim 14, wherein the monitoring device is further configured to restart equalizing charging after the measured temperature has reached a defined lower temperature value.

17. The monitoring device of claim 16, wherein the defined lower temperature value is between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius.