BATTERY FAST CHARGING CURRENT CONTROL ALGORITHM

• US 20120043934A1
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Klein, Dale F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,324,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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: H02J 7/00718 in response to charge current gradient
• 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 method for charging a battery. The method includes providing a desired target charge current and measuring the battery current, and determining if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current. The method also includes enabling a current integrator if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current, and integrating a charge current value over time if the current integrator is enabled to provide an integrated charge current value. The method also includes providing a target charge voltage and measuring the battery voltage, and determining if the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage. The method also includes enabling a voltage integrator if the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage, and integrating a charge voltage value over time if the voltage integrator is enabled to provide an integrated voltage value.

Claims

1. A method for controlling charging of a battery, said method comprising:

providing a target charge current;

measuring battery current;

determining if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current;

enabling a current integrator if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current;

integrating a charge current value over time if the current integrator is enabled to provide an integrated charge current value;

providing a target charge voltage;

measuring battery voltage;

determining if the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage;

enabling a voltage integrator if the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage;

integrating a charge voltage value over time if the voltage integrator is enabled; and

adding the integrated charge current value and the integrated charge voltage value to provide a charge current value that is used to charge the battery.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising disabling the current integrator if the charging operation is in a voltage control mode where the voltage integrator is enabled.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising disabling the voltage integrator if the charging operation is in a current control mode where the current integrator is enabled.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing a target charge current includes selecting a minimum target charge current value from a maximum battery current, a battery power limit and a predetermined target current.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing a target charge voltage includes providing a modified target voltage that is a desired target voltage minus an offset target voltage that prevents target voltage over-shoot.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising ramping the offset target voltage for in and out on transitions and for in and out of voltage control.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising detecting whether the charge current value will cause saturation of a charge current.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising disabling the current integrator if the charge current is saturated.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein integrating a charge current value includes beginning the current integration at a predetermined value that is a percentage of a maximum current value that is available for charging.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the maximum current value is the minimum of a maximum supply current available to charge the battery and a maximum battery current.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the battery is a vehicle battery.

12. A method for controlling charging of a vehicle battery, said method comprising:

providing a desired target charge current;

measuring battery current;

determining if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current;

enabling a current integrator if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current;

integrating a charge current value over time if the current integrator is enabled to provide an integrated charge current value;

providing a target charge voltage;

measuring the battery voltage;

determining that the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage;

enabling a voltage integrator if the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage;

integrating a charge voltage value over time if the voltage integrator is enabled to provide an integrated charged voltage value;

adding the integrated charge current value and the integrated charge voltage value to provide a charge current value that is used to charge the battery;

disabling the current integrator if the charging operation is in voltage control mode where the voltage integrator is enabled;

disabling the voltage integrator if the charging operation is in a current control mode where the current integrator is enabled; and

disabling the current integrator if the charging current is saturated.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein providing a target charge current includes selecting a minimum target charge current value from a maximum battery current, a battery power limit and a predetermined target current.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein providing a target charge voltage includes providing a modified target voltage that is a desired target voltage minus an offset target voltage that prevents target voltage over-shoot.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein integrating a charge current value includes beginning the current integration at a predetermined value that is a percentage of a maximum current value that is available to charge.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the maximum current value is the minimum of a maximum supply current available to charge the battery or a maximum battery current.

17. A system for controlling charging of a battery, said system comprising:

means for providing a target charge current;

means for measuring battery current;

means for determining if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current;

means for enabling a current integrator if the target charge current is less than the measured battery current;

means for integrating a charge current value over time if the current integrator is enabled to provide an integrated charge current value;

means for providing a target charge voltage;

means for measuring the battery voltage;

means for determining if the target charge voltage is less than the measured battery voltage;

means for integrating a charge voltage value over time if the voltage integrator is enabled; and

means for adding the integrated charge current value and the integrated charge voltage value to provide a charge current value that is used to charge the battery.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising means for disabling the current integrator if the charging operation is in a voltage control mode where the voltage integrator is enabled and means for disabling the voltage integrator if the charging operation is in a current control mode where the current integrator is enabled.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein the means for providing a target charge current selects a minimum target charge current value from a maximum battery current, a battery power limit and a predetermined target current.

20. The system according to claim 17 wherein the means for providing a target charge voltage provides a modified target voltage that is a desired target voltage minus an offset target voltage that prevents target voltage over-shoot.