Actively Rapid Battery Voltage Balancing System

• US 20110248679A1
• Filed: 04/11/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: J-Tek Incorporation
• Original Assignee: J-Tek Incorporation
• Inventors: Hong, Ian-Wu, Tien, Jenn-Yang
• Application Number:
  US12/758,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248679A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/120
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits

Abstract

The present invention provides an actively rapid battery voltage balancing system which includes a power converter, a switch, a voltage balancing multiplexer, a voltage measurement multiplexer, a voltage sensor, a microprocessor, and a series connected battery pack. By the application of the above components, the balancing voltage conditions of each battery cell in a series connected battery pack can be actively monitored and estimated. While in the charge or discharge period, if a battery cell in the series connected battery pack is determined to be an unbalanced cell, the voltage balancing process can be carried out promptly. Less component is required to fulfill the purpose of the cell voltage balance in the present invention.

Claims

1. An actively rapid battery voltage balancing system, which comprising:

a power converter which input power terminal is connected to the terminal provides overall voltage of the series connected battery pack and this power converter is also connected to the microprocessor;

a switch which is a circuit installed between the power converter and the series connected battery pack and is also connected to the microprocessor;

a voltage balancing multiplexer which input port has two terminals connected to output terminals of power converter and which output ports are connect to the corresponding positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal of each battery cell in the series connected battery pack and which also connected to the microprocessor;

a voltage measurement multiplexer which input ports are connect;

to the corresponding positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal of each battery cell in the series connected battery pack and which output ports has two terminals that one terminal connected to the ground end and the other one terminal connected to the input terminal of the voltage sensor and which also connected to the microprocessor;

a voltage sensor which output terminal connected to the microprocessor to transport the monitored voltage of each battery cell in the series connected battery pack to the microprocessor;

a microprocessor which estimates the conditions of voltage of each battery cell transported via the voltage sensor and which sends commands to the related components to select a battery cell in the series connected battery pack to conduct the voltage monitoring and/or conduct the voltage balance processing;

a series connected battery pack which is formed by series connection of plural battery cells;

by the application of the above components, the cell voltage monitoring and the voltage balancing process are implemented for each battery cell in a series connected battery pack.

2. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power converter is a kind of Dc to DC power converter.

3. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output terminal of the power converter is an isolated power output terminal.

4. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch, when bringing a voltage balance process into practice, can accept the commands sent from microprocessor to turn on the circuit between the series connected battery pack and the power converter to supply the overall voltage of the series connected battery pack to the input terminal of the power converter;

while a voltage balance process is unnecessary, the circuit between the series connected battery pack and the power converter will be cut off to save the power consumption.

5. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching components in the voltage balancing multiplexer can be composed mainly of relays or transistors.

6. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching components in the voltage measurement multiplexer can be composed mainly of relays or transistors.

7. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage balancing multiplexer can accept the commands sent from the microprocessor to switch the corresponding channel between the input port and the output port so that the voltage balancing process can be carried out for each chosen battery cell in the series connected battery pack.

8. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage measurement multiplexer can accept the commands sent from the microprocessor to switch the corresponding channel between the input port and the input terminal of the voltage sensor so that the voltage conditions of each chosen battery cell in the series connected battery pack can be monitored for balancing estimation.

9. The actively rapid battery voltage balancing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ground end of the microprocessor is common grounded with the output end of the voltage sensor and this ground end is an isolated ground end for correct battery terminal voltage measurements.