Battery Control Device

• US 20100185405A1
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vehicle Energy Japan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawahara, Youhei, Higashimoto, Kouji, Ueda, Masahiro, AOSHIMA, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A plurality of resistance value tables of a battery group with respect to temperature and SOC of the assembled battery, which are measured in advance when currents of different change patterns flow in the assembled battery, are stored. A resistance value for the assembled battery is calculated, based upon its voltage and current. From among the plurality of resistance value tables, a resistance value table is selected so that it corresponds to the change pattern of the current flowing in the assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the assembled battery were measured, and a resistance value is searched for from that resistance value table corresponding to the temperature and the SOC of the assembled battery. Then the calculated resistance value and the one from the table are compared to determine the life of the assembled battery.

Claims

1. A battery control device, comprising:

a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltage of a assembled battery in which a plurality of battery cells are connected together;

a current measurement unit that measures a current flowing in the assembled battery and a change pattern of that current;

a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature of the assembled battery;

a SOC detection unit that detects a state of charge (SOC) of the assembled battery;

a storage unit that stores a plurality of resistance value tables of the assembled battery with respect to the temperature and the SOC of the assembled battery, measured in advance when currents of different change patterns flow in the assembled battery;

a calculation unit that calculates a resistance value for the assembled battery, based upon the voltage and the current of the assembled battery;

a search unit that selects, from among the plurality of resistance value tables stored in the storage unit, a resistance value table that corresponds to a change pattern of the current flowing in the assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the assembled battery were measured, and finds a resistance value from that resistance value table corresponding to the temperature and the SOC of the assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the assembled battery were measured; and

a determination unit that compares together the resistance value calculated by the calculation unit and the resistance value found by the search unit, and determines a life for the assembled battery.

2. A battery control device according to claim 1, wherein:

in the plurality of resistance value tables stored in the storage unit, there are included a first resistance value table for when a constant current flows in the assembled battery while the temperature of the assembled battery is at a normal temperature within a predetermined range, and a second resistance value table for when a current of a specified change pattern flows in the assembled battery while the temperature of the assembled battery is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature; and

the search unit selects the first resistance value table or the second resistance value table, according to the change pattern of the current flowing in the assembled battery and the temperature of the assembled battery.

3. A battery control device that controls a storage battery system in which a plurality of assembled batteries, in each of which a plurality of battery cells are connected, are connected in series, or in parallel, or in series-parallel, comprising:

a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltage of each assembled battery;

a current measurement unit that measures a current flowing in the each assembled battery and a change pattern of the current;

a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature of the each assembled battery;

a SOC detection unit that detects a state of charge (SOC) of the each assembled battery;

a storage unit that stores a plurality of resistance value tables of the each assembled battery with respect to the temperature and the SOC of the each assembled battery, measured in advance when currents of different change patterns flow in the each assembled battery;

a calculation unit that calculates a resistance value for the each assembled battery, based upon the voltage and the current of the each assembled battery;

a search unit that selects, from among the plurality of resistance value tables stored in the storage unit, a resistance value table that corresponds to the change pattern of the current flowing in the each assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the each assembled battery was measured, and finds resistance values from the selected resistance value table corresponding to the temperature and the SOC of the each assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the each assembled battery were measured; and

a determination unit that compares together, for the each assembled battery, the resistance value calculated by the calculation unit and the resistance value found by the search unit, and determines a life for the each assembled battery.

4. A battery control device according to claim 3, wherein:

in the plurality of resistance value tables stored in the storage unit, there are included a first resistance value table for when a constant current flow in the each assembled battery while the temperature of the each assembled battery is at a normal temperature within a predetermined range, and a second resistance value table for when a current of a specified change pattern flows in the each assembled battery while the temperature of the each assembled battery is at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature; and

the search unit selects the first resistance value table or the second resistance value table, according to the change pattern of the current flowing in the each assembled battery and the temperature of the each assembled battery.

5. A battery control device that is used together with a power conversion device that converts DC power of a assembled battery in which a plurality of battery cells are connected into AC power and supplies that AC power to a predetermined load, and that performs a life decision for the assembled battery upon receipt of a command from the power conversion device to flow a current of a predetermined change pattern from the assembled battery to the predetermined load and to perform a life decision for the assembled battery, comprising:

a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltage of the assembled battery;

a current measurement unit that measures a current flowing in the assembled battery;

a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperature of the assembled battery;

a SOC detection unit that detects a state of charge (SOC) of the assembled battery;

a storage unit that stores a resistance value table of the assembled battery with respect to the temperature and the SOC of the assembled battery, measured in advance when current of the predetermined change pattern flows in the assembled battery;

a calculation unit that calculates a resistance value for the assembled battery, based upon the voltage and the current of the assembled battery;

a search unit that finds a resistance value from the resistance value table in the storage unit, corresponding to the temperature and the SOC of the assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the assembled battery were measured; and

a determination unit that compares together the resistance value calculated by the calculation unit and the resistance value found by the search unit, and determines a life for the assembled battery.

6. A battery control device that is used together with a power conversion device that converts DC power of a storage battery system in which a plurality of assembled batteries, in each of which a plurality of battery cells are connected, and that are connected in series, or in parallel, or in series-parallel, into AC power and supplies the AC power to a predetermined load, and that performs life decisions for the assembled batteries upon receipt of a command from the power conversion device to flow a current of a predetermined change pattern from the battery group to the predetermined load and to perform life decisions for the assembled batteries, comprising:

a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltages of each assembled battery;

a current measurement unit that measures a current flowing in the each assembled battery;

a temperature measurement unit that measures a temperatures of the each assembled battery;

a SOC detection unit that detects a state of charge (SOC) of the each assembled battery;

a storage unit that stores a resistance value table of the each assembled battery with respect to the temperature and the SOC of the each assembled battery, measured in advance when current of the predetermined change pattern flows in the each assembled battery;

a calculation unit that calculates a resistance value for the each assembled battery, based upon the voltage and the current of the each assembled battery;

a search unit that, for the each assembled battery, finds a resistance value from the respective resistance value table for the each assembled battery in the storage unit, corresponding to the temperature and the SOC of the each assembled battery when the voltage and the current of the each assembled battery were measured; and

a determination unit that, for the each assembled battery, compares together the resistance value calculated by the calculation unit and the resistance value found by the search unit, and determines a life for the each assembled battery.