BATTERY SYSTEM

• US 20110071781A1
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Akahane, Fumihiro, Tsumaki, Toshimichi, Oya, Takumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• 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 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• 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: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/30 Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery system comprises a first battery cell and a first management unit which is connected in one-to-one correspondence to the first battery cell. The first management unit comprises a first parameter acquiring unit, a first calculating unit, and a first storage unit. The first parameter acquiring unit acquires a power consumption parameter of the first battery cell. The first calculating unit calculates a power consumption state value of the first battery cell on the basis of the power consumption parameter acquired by the first parameter acquiring unit. The first storage unit stores the power consumption state value calculated by the first calculating unit.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a first battery cell; and

a first management unit which is connected in one-to-one correspondence to the first battery cell,

wherein the first management unit at least includes;

a first parameter acquiring unit which acquires a power consumption parameter of the first battery cell;

a first calculating unit which calculates a power consumption state value of the first battery cell on the basis of the power consumption parameter acquired by the first parameter acquiring unit; and

a first storage unit which stores the power consumption state value calculated by the first calculating unit.

2. The battery system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input device which inputs a command to read out the power consumption state value of the first battery cell from the first storage unit; and

an output device which displays the power consumption state value which the first storage unit has output by the command.

3. The battery system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power load which moves by electric power supplied from the first battery cell; and

a start time acquiring unit which times start time of the power load,

wherein the first calculating unit which calculates the power consumption state value using at least two power consumption parameters among temperature of the first battery cell, a current value input to the first battery cell, a current value output from the first battery cell, and operating time of the power load, as power consumption parameters.

4. The battery system according to claim 3, wherein the power load is an electric motor, and

wherein the battery system is one of an industrial vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and an electric train, which uses the electric motor.

5. The battery system according to claim 1, further comprising an upper cover and a lower cover which are made of an insulating material,

wherein the upper cover comprises input-output connectors,

wherein the lower cover comprises the first calculating unit and the first storage unit, and

wherein the upper cover is placed with an upper part of the first battery cell having a positive terminal and a negative terminal which lie in the same plane as the positive terminal, and the lower cover is fitted to the upper cover as such the first battery cell is tuck down, so as to integrally form the first battery cell and the upper and lower covers, and electrically connect the input-output connectors to the first calculating unit and the first storage unit.

6. The battery system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second battery cell which is connected in series to the first battery cell; and

a second management unit which is connected in one-to-one correspondence to the second battery cell,

wherein the first management unit further comprises;

a first voltage detecting unit which detects a potential of a positive terminal and a voltage between the positive terminal and a negative terminal of the first battery cell; and

a first connection order calculating unit which calculates a connection order of the first battery cell by doing division with the potential of the positive terminal and the voltage between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein the second management unit comprises;

a second parameter acquiring unit which acquires a power consumption parameter of the second battery cell;

a second calculating unit which calculates a power consumption state value of the second battery cell on the basis of the power consumption parameter acquired by the second parameter acquiring unit;

a second storage unit which stores the power consumption state value calculated by the second calculating unit;

a second voltage detecting unit which detects the potential of the positive terminal and a voltage between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the second battery cell; and

a second connection order calculating unit which calculates a connection order of the second battery cell by doing division with the potential of the positive terminal and the voltage between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein the connection order calculated by the first connection order calculating unit is stored in the first storage unit so as to be associated with the power consumption state value of the first battery cell stored in the first storage unit, and

the connection order calculated by the second connection order calculating unit is stored in the second storage unit so as to be associated with the power consumption state value of the second battery cell stored in the second storage unit.

7. The battery system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a third management unit which is connected to the second management unit by a second bus,

wherein the first and the second management units are connected to each other by a first bus,

wherein the second management unit comprises;

an internal bus; and

a switching unit which alternatively selects a non-bypass path, which electrically connects the second parameter acquiring unit, the second calculating unit, the second storage unit, the second voltage detecting unit, and the second connection order calculating unit to the first and the second buses, or a bypass path which electrically disconnects the second parameter acquiring unit, the second calculating unit, the second storage unit, the second voltage detecting unit, and the second connection order calculating unit from the first and the second buses and connects the first and the buses to the internal bus,

wherein the first or the third management unit comprises a switching control unit which determines whether a predetermined signal is output from the second management unit to the first or the bus, wherein when it is determined that the predetermined signal is not output, the switching control unit transmits a switching signal to the switching unit through the first or the second bus, and

wherein the switching unit switches the path from the non-bypass path to the bypass path.

8. The battery system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a power load which moves by electric power supplied from the first battery cell; and

a start time acquiring unit which times start time of the power load,

wherein the first calculating unit which calculates the power consumption state value using at least two power consumption parameters among temperature of the first battery cell, a current value input to the first battery cell, a current value output from the first battery cell, and operating time of the power load, as power consumption parameters.

9. The battery system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a second battery cell which is connected in series to the first battery cell; and

a second management unit which is connected in one-to-one correspondence to the second battery cell,

wherein the first management unit further comprises;

a first voltage detecting unit which detects a potential of a positive terminal and a voltage between the positive terminal and a negative terminal of the first battery cell; and

a first connection order calculating unit which calculates a connection order of the first battery cell by doing division with the potential of the positive terminal and the voltage between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein the second management unit comprises;

a second parameter acquiring unit which acquires a power consumption parameter of the second battery cell;

a second calculating unit which calculates a power consumption state value of the second battery cell on the basis of the power consumption parameter acquired by the second parameter acquiring unit;

a second storage unit which stores the power consumption state value calculated by the second calculating unit;

a second voltage detecting unit which detects the potential of the positive terminal and a voltage between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the second battery cell; and

a second connection order calculating unit which calculates a connection order of the second battery cell by doing division with the potential of the positive terminal and the voltage between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein the connection order calculated by the first connection order calculating unit is stored in the first storage unit so as to be associated with the power consumption state value of the first battery cell stored in the first storage unit, and

the connection order calculated by the second connection order calculating unit is stored in the second storage unit so as to be associated with the power consumption state value of the second battery cell stored in the second storage unit.

10. The battery system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a third management unit which is connected to the second management unit by a second bus,

wherein the first and the second management units are connected to each other by a first bus,

wherein the second management unit comprises;

an internal bus; and

a switching unit which alternatively selects a non-bypass path, which electrically connects the second parameter acquiring unit, the second calculating unit, the second storage unit, the second voltage detecting unit, and the second connection order calculating unit to the first and the second buses, or a bypass path which electrically disconnects the second parameter acquiring unit, the second calculating unit, the second storage unit, the second voltage detecting unit, and the second connection order calculating unit from the first and the second buses and connects the first and the buses to the internal bus,

wherein the first or the third management unit comprises a switching control unit which determines whether a predetermined signal is output from the second management unit to the first or the bus, wherein when it is determined that the predetermined signal is not output, the switching control unit transmits a switching signal to the switching unit through the first or the second bus, and

wherein the switching unit switches the path from the non-bypass path to the bypass path.

11. The battery system according to claim 10, further comprising an upper cover and a lower cover which are made of an insulating material,

wherein the upper cover comprises input-output connectors,

wherein the lower cover comprises the first calculating unit and the first storage unit, and

wherein the upper cover is placed with an upper part of the first battery cell having a positive terminal and a negative terminal which lie in the same plane as the positive terminal, and the lower cover is fitted to the upper cover as such the first battery cell is tuck down, so as to integrally form the first battery cell and the upper and lower covers, and electrically connect the input-output connectors to the first calculating unit and the first storage unit.

12. The battery system according to claim 11, wherein the power load is an electric motor, and

wherein the battery system is one of an industrial vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and an electric train, which uses the electric motor.

13. The battery system according to claim 3, further comprising:

an input device which inputs a command to read out the power consumption state value of the first battery cell from the first storage unit; and

an output device which displays the power consumption state value which the first storage unit has output by the command.

14. The battery system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a second battery cell which is connected in series to the first battery cell; and

a second management unit which is connected in one-to-one correspondence to the second battery cell,

wherein the first management unit further comprises;

a first voltage detecting unit which detects a potential of a positive terminal and a voltage between the positive terminal and a negative terminal of the first battery cell; and

a first connection order calculating unit which calculates a connection order of the first battery cell by doing division with the potential of the positive terminal and the voltage between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein the second management unit comprises;

a second parameter acquiring unit which acquires a power consumption parameter of the second battery cell;

a second calculating unit which calculates a power consumption state value of the second battery cell on the basis of the power consumption parameter acquired by the second parameter acquiring unit;

a second storage unit which stores the power consumption state value calculated by the second calculating unit;

a second voltage detecting unit which detects the potential of the positive terminal and a voltage between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the second battery cell; and

a second connection order calculating unit which calculates a connection order of the second battery cell by doing division with the potential of the positive terminal and the voltage between the positive terminal and the negative terminal,

wherein the connection order calculated by the first connection order calculating unit is stored in the first storage unit so as to be associated with the power consumption state value of the first battery cell stored in the first storage unit, and

the connection order calculated by the second connection order calculating unit is stored in the second storage unit so as to be associated with the power consumption state value of the second battery cell stored in the second storage unit.

15. The battery system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a third management unit which is connected to the second management unit by a second bus,

wherein the first and the second management units are connected to each other by a first bus,

wherein the second management unit comprises;

an internal bus; and

a switching unit which alternatively selects a non-bypass path, which electrically connects the second parameter acquiring unit, the second calculating unit, the second storage unit, the second voltage detecting unit, and the second connection order calculating unit to the first and the second buses, or a bypass path which electrically disconnects the second parameter acquiring unit, the second calculating unit, the second storage unit, the second voltage detecting unit, and the second connection order calculating unit from the first and the second buses and connects the first and the buses to the internal bus,

wherein the first or the third management unit comprises a switching control unit which determines whether a predetermined signal is output from the second management unit to the first or the bus, wherein when it is determined that the predetermined signal is not output, the switching control unit transmits a switching signal to the switching unit through the first or the second bus, and

wherein the switching unit switches the path from the non-bypass path to the bypass path.

16. The battery system according to claim 15, wherein the power load is an electric motor, and

wherein the battery system is one of an industrial vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and an electric train, which uses the electric motor.