Determination and Usage of Reserve Energy in Stored Energy Systems

• US 20120150378A1
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt., Ltd. (Mahindra & Mahindra Limited)
• Original Assignee: Reva Electric Car Company (Pvt) Limited
• Inventors: Maini, Chetan Kumar, Ramaraju, Prakash, Sathyanarayana, Nagendra Babu, Ramasarma, Chandramouli
• Application Number:
  US13/391,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150378A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• 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 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• 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: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method and system for determining amount of internal reserve energy that is available in an energy storage system is provided. The method includes determining capacity of the energy storage system to store energy and computing the amount of internal reserve energy available below a threshold level based on the determined capacity. Further, state of health of the energy storage system is determined based on historical data that is collected. Additionally, current state of the energy storage system is determined. The state of health of the energy storage system and current state of the energy storage system is used to refine the amount of internal reserve energy.

Claims

1. A method of determining an amount of internal reserve energy that is available in an energy storage system, the method comprising:

determining capacity of the energy storage system to store energy;

collecting historical data relating to the energy storage system;

determining a state of health of the energy storage system based on the collected historical data;

determining a current state of the energy storage system;

computing an amount of internal reserve energy available below a threshold level based on the determined capacity; and

refining the computation of the amount of internal reserve energy that is available in the energy storage system based on the state of health of the energy storage system and current state of energy storage system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein collecting the historical data comprises collecting at least one of a capacity of the energy storage system to store energy, an age of the energy storage system, a recharging behavior of the energy storage system, a number of charge and discharge cycles the energy storage system has experienced, and an impedance of the energy storage system.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy with a reduction in the capacity of the energy storage system to store energy.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy with an increase in the age of the energy storage system.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein collecting data relating to recharging behaviour of the energy storage system, comprises collecting data representing an increase in temperature of the energy storage system while charging the energy storage system.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy with an increase in the temperature of the energy storage system beyond an expected level while charging the energy storage system.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein collecting data relating to recharging behaviour of the energy storage system, comprises collecting data representing a time taken to completely charge the energy storage system.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy with an increase in the time taken to completely charge the energy storage system.

9. The method according to claim 2, refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy with an increase in the number of charge and discharge cycles the energy storage system has experienced.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy with an increase in the impedance of the energy storage system.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises reducing the computed amount of internal reserve energy as the state of health of the energy storage system deteriorates.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the current state comprises collecting data representing the temperature of the energy storage system.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein refining the computation of amount of internal reserve energy comprises increasing or decreasing the computed amount of internal reserve energy based on the temperature of the energy storage system.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the historical data is collected over a period of time.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining amount of work that can be done using the available internal reserve energy.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of work that can be done is determined based on historic usage pattern.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the historic usage pattern is derived by collecting data representing at least one of historic driving pattern and historic terrain pattern.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of work that can be done is determined based on energy consumed by one or more energy consumption system.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of work that can be done is determined based on current driving pattern.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of work that can be done is determined based on ambient weather conditions.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of work that can be done is determined based on terrain in which a vehicle propelled by at least the energy storage system is driven.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the terrain in which the vehicle is driven is determined using a Global Positioning System.

23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing usage of the available internal reserve energy in the energy storage system.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the usage of the internal reserve energy is allowed based on a request to use the internal reserve energy.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the request is sent by a user of the energy storage system.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the request is sent by the user by actuating a button provided in a vehicle in which the energy storage system is mounted.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the request is sent by the user by using a telecommunication device.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein the request is sent automatically when the energy stored in the energy storage system approaches a threshold level or reaches a threshold level.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the usage of the available internal reserve energy in the energy storage system is allowed based on the number of times the internal reserve energy has already been used.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein the usage of the available internal reserve energy in the energy storage system is allowed based on an eligibility of said energy storage system to use the available internal reserve energy.

31. The method according to claim 23, further comprising determining locations at which the energy storage system can be charged.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising adjusting a profile of energy consumption from the energy storage system by an energy consumption system, to enable a vehicle propelled at least partially by the energy storage system to at least reach the location which is nearest to the vehicle.

33. A system for determining internal reserve energy that is available in a energy storage system, the system being coupled to the energy storage system, the system comprising:

at least one energy management system comprising;

at least one input and output device configured to at least collect data from the energy storage system and send commands to the energy storage system;

at least one memory device configured to store at least a part of the data collected by the input and output device;

at least one processor configured to process at least a part of the data collected from the energy storage system; and

at least one transmitting and receiving device configured to send at least a part of the processed data and receive data;

a data processing system configured to receive data sent by the transmitting and receiving device and determine state of health of the energy storage and current state of the energy storage system, wherein the data processing system is configured to compute the amount of internal reserve energy available based on the state of health of the energy storage system.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the transmitting and receiving device is configured to communicate with the data processing system.

35. The system according to claim 33, wherein the processor is further configured to send commands to allow usage of the internal reserve energy from the energy storage system.

36. A system for determining internal reserve energy that is available in a energy storage system, the system coupled to the energy storage system, the system comprising at least one energy management system comprising:

at least one input and output device configured to at least collect data from the energy storage system and send commands to the energy storage system;

at least one memory device configured to store at least a part of the data collected by the input and output device; and

at least one processor configured to process at least a part of the data collected from the energy storage system and determine state of health of the energy storage system and current state of the energy storage system, wherein the processor is configured to compute the amount of internal reserve energy available based on the state of health of the energy storage system and current state energy storage system.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein the processor is further configured to send commands to allow usage of the internal reserve energy from the energy storage system.

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)