ELECTRIC FACILITY OPERATING ACCORDING TO GALVANIC PRINCIPLES, SUCH AS A LITHIUM-ION CELL, COMPRISING A CONTROL FOR THE OPERATING CONDITIONS

• US 20100109611A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Li-Tec Battery GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Li-Tec Battery GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: SCHAEFER, Tim, GUTSCH, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,395,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A facility which operates according to galvanic principles, such as in particular a lithium-ion accumulator, and a method for monitoring and controlling an electric operating condition of the facility. The facility comprises at least one galvanic cell and an operating management system for monitoring and controlling the electric operating condition of the facility and for monitoring a representative temperature of the facility. The operating management system is designed to control the electric operating condition of the facility as a function of the temperature. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Claims

1. A facility which operates according to galvanic principles, wherein the facility comprises at least one galvanic cell and an operating management system for monitoring and controlling an electric operating condition of the facility and for monitoring a representative temperature of the facility, which operating management system is designed to control the electric operating condition of the facility as a function of the representative temperature.

2. The facility of claim 1, wherein the electric operating condition of the facility comprises at least one of a charging current and a discharging current of the facility.

3. The facility of claim 1, wherein the operating management system is designed to control the electric operating condition of the facility in at least two different temperature intervals by temperature dependencies which are different from each other.

4. The facility of claim 1, wherein the operating management system is designed to record a temperature of the facility.

5. The facility of claim 1, wherein the facility comprises at least one temperature measurement unit for measuring a temperature of the facility.

6. The facility of claim 1, wherein the representative temperature of the facility comprises a temperature that is representative for a temperature of at least one of a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte which is in electrochemical operative connection with at least one of the cathode and the anode.

7. The facility of claim 6, wherein the representative temperature of at least one of the cathode and the anode is a temperature which is representative for a temperature of at least one of a current conductor of the cathode and a current conductor of the anode.

8. The facility of claim 6, wherein the representative temperature of at least one of the cathode and the anode is a temperature which is representative for a temperature of at least one of an active layer of the cathode and an active layer of the anode.

9. The facility of claim 8, wherein a temperature sensor of a temperature measurement unit is arranged in heat-conducting communication with at least one of a current conductor of the cathode, a current conductor of the anode, and the electrolyte.

10. The facility of claim 1, wherein the operating management system is designed for controlling the electric operating condition of the facility also as a function of a parameter which is determined by the operating management system and is representative for at least one of a charging condition and a health condition of the facility.

11. The facility of claim 1, wherein the facility comprises two or more galvanic cells.

12. The facility of claim 1, wherein the facility comprises two or more galvanic cells and at least one temperature measurement unit for each cell.

13. The facility of claim 12, wherein the at least one temperature measurement unit is designed to measure a temperature which representative for a temperature of the respective cell.

14. The facility of claim 3, wherein at least one of a set charging current and set discharging current is assigned to a respective temperature interval.

15. The facility of claim 1, wherein the facility comprises at least one of a lower temperature threshold (T_uGr) and an upper temperature threshold (T_oGr) and the operating management system is designed such that the facility cannot be operated if a temperature of the at least one galvanic cell is below the lower temperature threshold (T_uGr) or above the upper temperature threshold (T_oGr).

16. The facility of claim 1, wherein the facility comprises a first temperature threshold, a second temperature threshold, which is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold, a third temperature threshold, which is greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold, and a fourth temperature threshold, which is greater than or equal to the third temperature threshold, and wherein the operating management system is designed:

to limit at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the second and third temperature thresholds to at least one of a maximum charging current value and a maximum discharging current value (I_max),

to limit at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the first and second temperature thresholds to at least one of a first charging current value and a first discharging current value (I₁), which is less than the at least one of a maximum charging current value and a maximum discharging current value (I_max) within the temperature interval between the second and third temperature thresholds,

to limit at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature thresholds to at least one of a second charging current value and a second discharging current value (I₂), which also is less than the at least one of a maximum charging current value and a maximum discharging current value (I_max) within the temperature interval between the second and third temperature thresholds.

17. The facility of claim 16, wherein the operating management system is further designed:

to limit at least one of a charging set value and a discharging set value of the at least one galvanic cell within the temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature threshold to at least one of a third, minimal charging current value, and a third, minimal discharging current value (I₃) so that at least one of the charging current and the discharging current within said temperature interval is not less than the at least one of a minimal charging current value and a minimal discharging current value (I₃) and not greater than the at least one of a second maximum charging current value and a maximum discharging current value (I₂).

18. The facility of claim 17, wherein the facility comprises a fifth temperature threshold that is greater or equal to the fourth temperature threshold, and wherein the operating management system is designed to limit at least one of the charging set current and the discharging set current (I₄) of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the fourth and fifth temperature threshold to at least one of a fourth charging current and a fourth discharging current (I₄) which is less than the at least one of a second charging current and a second discharging current (I₂) within the temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature threshold.

19. The facility of claim 16, wherein I₁≦

x1·

I_max and 0<

x1<

100%.

20. The facility of claim 19, wherein x1 is not greater than 90% and not less than 30%.

21. The facility of claim 17, wherein I₂≦

x2·

I_max and 0<

x2<

100%.

22. The facility of claim 21, wherein a parameter pair (x3, x2) is selected from the group of pairs which comprises substantially (90%, 10%), (90%, 20%), (90%, 30%), (90%, 40%), (80%, 10%), (80%, 20%), (80%, 30%), and (80%, 40%).

23. The facility of claim 16, wherein the operating management system is designed to regulate at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell to an interim value that is between at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current below a temperature threshold (Tx with x=1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) and at least one of the charging set current and the discharging set current is above the temperature threshold (Tx), if a temperature within a temperature transition interval having a first temperature width (δ

1) which adjoins the temperature threshold (Tx) below, wherein in particular the temperature width (δ

1) is not greater than a width of a temperature interval extending from the temperature threshold (Tx) to lower temperatures.

24. The facility of claim 16, wherein the operating management system is designed to regulate at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell to an interim value that is between at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current above a temperature threshold temperature (Tx with x=1, 2, 3, 4 or 5) and at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current below the temperature threshold (Tx), if a temperature within a temperature transition interval having a second temperature width (δ

2) which adjoins above the temperature threshold (Tx), wherein in particular the temperature width (δ

2) is not greater than a width of a temperature interval extending from the temperature threshold (Tx) to higher temperatures.

25. The facility of claim 23, wherein the operating management system is designed to regulate at least one of the charging set current and the discharging set current to at least two different interim values if the temperature is within a temperature transition interval.

26. The facility of claim 24, wherein the operating management system is designed to regulate at least one of the charging set current and the discharging set current to at least two different interim values if the temperature is within a temperature transition interval.

27. The facility of claim 23, wherein the operating management system is designed to regulate at least one of the charging set current and the discharging set current as a function of the temperature continuously between at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current within a temperature interval below the respective temperature threshold (Tx) and at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current above the respective temperature threshold (Tx) if the temperature is within a temperature transition interval.

28. The facility of claim 24, wherein the operating management system is designed to regulate at least one of the charging set current and the discharging set current as a function of the temperature continuously between at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current within a temperature interval below the respective temperature threshold (Tx) and at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current above the respective temperature threshold (Tx) if the temperature is within a temperature transition interval.

29. The facility of claim 15, wherein at least one of the lower temperature threshold (T_uGr) and the first temperature threshold (T1) is selected from an interval of from about 5°

C. to about 15°

C.

30. The facility of claim 15, wherein a first temperature threshold that is selected from the lower temperature threshold (T_uGr), the first temperature threshold (T1), the second temperature threshold (T2), the third temperature threshold (T3), the fourth temperature threshold (T4), the fifth temperature threshold (T5) and the upper temperature threshold (T_oGr) is a temperature threshold for a first representative temperature, and a second temperature threshold which is different from the first temperature threshold and is selected from the lower temperature threshold (T_uGr), the first temperature threshold (T1), the second temperature threshold (T2), the third temperature threshold (T3), the fourth temperature threshold (T4), the fifth temperature threshold (T5), and the upper temperature threshold (T_oGr) is a temperature threshold for a second representative temperature which is different from the first representative temperature.

31. A method for monitoring and controlling an electric operating condition of a facility that operates according to galvanic principles and comprises at least one galvanic cell, wherein the method comprises:

(4) monitoring an electric operating condition of the facility,

(5) monitoring a temperature of the facility, and

(6) controlling the electric operating condition of the facility as a function of the temperature.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein (3) comprises controlling the electric operating condition of the facility in at least two different temperature intervals by means of temperature dependencies which are different from each other.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein (1) comprises recording the temperature of the facility.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein (3) comprises controlling the electric operating condition of the facility also as a function of a representative parameter which is determined by an operating management system for at least one of a charging condition and a health condition of the facility.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein (3) comprises:

defining at least one of a lower temperature threshold (T_uGr) and an upper temperature threshold (T_oGr),

effecting that the facility is not operated if a temperature of the at least one galvanic cell is below the lower temperature threshold (T_uGr) or above the upper temperature threshold (T_oGr).

36. The method of claim 31, wherein (3) comprises:

defining a first temperature threshold (T1), a second temperature threshold (T2) that is greater than or equal to the first temperature threshold (T1), a third temperature threshold (T3) that is greater than or equal to the second temperature threshold (T2), and a fourth temperature threshold (T4) that is greater than or equal to the third temperature threshold (T3),

limiting at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set value of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the second and third temperature threshold (T2, T3) to at least one of a maximum charging current value and a maximum discharging current value (I_max),

limiting at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the first and second temperature threshold (T1, T2) to at least one of a first charging current value and a first discharging current value (I₁) that is less than the at least one of the maximum charging current value and the maximum discharging current value (I_max) within the temperature interval between the second and third temperature threshold (T2, T3),

limiting at least one of a charging set current and a discharging current value of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature threshold (T3, T4) to at least one of a second charging current value and a second discharging current value (I₂) that is also less than the at least one of the maximum charging current value and the maximum discharging current value (I_max) within the temperature interval between the second and third temperature threshold (T2, T3).

37. The method of claim 36, wherein (3) further comprises:

limiting at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature threshold (T3, T4) to at least one of a third, minimal charging current value and a third, minimal discharging current value (I₃) such that at least one of a charging current and a discharging current within this temperature interval is not less than the at least one of a minimal charging current value and a discharging current value (I₃) and not greater than the at least one of a second maximum charging current value and a maximum discharging current value (I₂).

38. The method of claim 36, wherein (3) further comprises:

defining a fifth temperature threshold (T5) that is greater than or equal to the fourth temperature threshold (T4),

limiting at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the fourth and fifth temperature threshold (T4, T5) to at least one of a fourth charging current value and a fourth discharging current value (I₄) that is less than the at least one of a second charging set value and a second discharging set value (I₂) within the temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature threshold (T3, T4).

39. The method of claim 37, wherein (3) further comprises:

defining a fifth temperature threshold (T5) that is greater than or equal to the fourth temperature threshold (T4),

limiting at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell within a temperature interval between the fourth and fifth temperature threshold (T4, T5) to at least one of a fourth charging current value and a fourth discharging current value (I₄) that is less than the at least one of a second charging set value and a second discharging set value (I₂) within the temperature interval between the third and fourth temperature threshold (T3, T4).

40. The method of claim 36, wherein (3) further comprises:

regulating at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell to an interim value that is between at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current below a temperature threshold (Tx with x=1, 2, 3, 4, or

     5) and at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current above the temperature threshold (Tx) if the temperature in a temperature transition interval having a first temperature width (δ

1) which adjoins the temperature threshold (Tx) below, wherein in particular the temperature width (δ

1) is not greater than a width of a temperature interval extending from the temperature threshold (Tx) to lower temperatures.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein (3) further comprises:

regulating at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current of the at least one galvanic cell to an interim value that is between at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current above a temperature threshold (Tx with x=1, 2, 3, 4, or

     5) and at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current below the temperature threshold (Tx) if the temperature within a temperature transition interval having a second temperature width (δ

2) which adjoins the temperature threshold (Tx) above, wherein in particular the temperature width δ

2 is not greater than a width of a temperature interval extending from the temperature threshold (Tx) to higher temperatures.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein (3) further comprises:

regulating the at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current as a function of the temperature continuously between at least one of a charging set current value and a discharging set current value within a temperature interval below the respective temperature threshold (Tx) and at least one of a charging set current value and a discharging set current value above the respective temperature threshold (Tx) if the temperature is within a temperature transition interval.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein (3) further comprises:

regulating the at least one of a charging set current and a discharging set current as a function of the temperature continuously between at least one of a charging set current value and a discharging set current value within a temperature interval below the respective temperature threshold (Tx) and at least one of a charging set current value and a discharging set current value above the respective temperature threshold (Tx) if the temperature is within a temperature transition interval.