BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH DISTRIBUTED WIRELESS SENSORS

• US 20130314094A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Farmer, Joseph C., Bandhauer, Todd M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,267,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/430
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/20 by investigating the development of heat, i.e. calorimetry, e.g. by measuring specific heat, by measuring thermal conductivity calorimeters per se G01K
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/18 against thermal overloads, e.g. heating, cooling or ventilating
• 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 10/482 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: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A system for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system having a multiplicity of individual energy storage cells. A radio frequency identification and sensor unit is connected to each of the individual energy storage cells. The radio frequency identification and sensor unit operates to sense the parameter of each individual energy storage cell and provides radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell. A management system monitors the radio frequency transmissions from the radio frequency identification and sensor units for monitoring the parameters of the energy storage system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system, wherein the energy storage system includes a multiplicity of individual energy storage cells, comprising:

a radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells, said radio frequency identification and sensor unit operating to sense the parameter of each individual energy storage cell and provide radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell, and

a management system that monitors said radio frequency transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units for monitoring the parameters of the energy storage system.

2. The apparatus for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system is a capacitor bank that includes a multiplicity of individual capacitor cells and wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells comprises a radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual capacitor cells.

3. The apparatus for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage system is a battery pack that includes a multiplicity of individual battery cells and wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells comprises a radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual battery cells.

4. The apparatus for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 1, wherein the parameters include cell temperature;

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit comprises a radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells that senses the temperature of each individual energy storage cell and provides radio frequency transmission of the temperature of each individual energy storage cell, and

a management system that monitors said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units and monitors the temperature each of the individual energy storage cells of the energy storage system.

5. The apparatus for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 1,

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells includes and antenna and uses power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell, and

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells operates in a completely passive mode obtaining said power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell through said antenna.

6. The apparatus for monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 1,

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells uses power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell,

wherein each of the individual energy storage cells can provide power, and

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual energy storage cells operates in an active mode obtaining said power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell from said individual energy storage cell.

7. A system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack, wherein the lithium ion battery pack includes a multiplicity of individual lithium ion battery cells, comprising:

a radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the lithium ion battery cells that senses the parameter of each individual lithium ion battery cell and provides radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell, and

a management system that monitors said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units and monitors the parameters of the lithium ion battery pack.

8. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 7,

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual lithium ion battery cells includes and antenna and uses power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell, and

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual lithium ion battery cells operates in a completely passive mode obtaining said power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell through said antenna.

9. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 7,

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual lithium ion battery cells uses power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell,

wherein each of the individual lithium ion battery cells can provide power, and

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual lithium ion battery cells operates in an active mode obtaining said power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell from said individual lithium ion battery cell.

10. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 7,

wherein the parameters include cell temperature;

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit comprises a radio frequency identification and sensor unit connected to each of the individual lithium ion battery cells that senses the temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cell and provides radio frequency transmission of the temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cell, and

wherein said management system that monitors said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units and monitors the temperature of the individual lithium ion battery cells of the lithium ion battery pack.

11. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 10,

wherein each of the individual lithium ion battery cells has a core,

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit includes a temperature sensor embedded in said core of each of the individual lithium ion battery cell that directly measures the core temperature, and

wherein said management system that monitors said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units monitors said core temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cells of the lithium ion battery pack.

12. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 7,

wherein the parameters include internal impedance of the cell;

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit includes a tag circuit that provides a variable frequency electromagnetic stimulus with amplitude and phase and monitors said amplitude and phase to sense said internal impedance of the cell, and

wherein said management system that monitors said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units monitors said internal impedance of the cells of the lithium ion battery pack.

13. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 12, wherein said tag circuit that provides a variable frequency electromagnetic stimulus that ranges in frequency from 0.001 to 500,000 Hertz and wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit monitors said variable frequency electromagnetic stimulus that ranges in frequency from 0.001 to 500,000 Hertz to sense said internal impedance of the cell.

14. The system for monitoring parameters of a lithium ion battery pack of claim 7,

wherein the parameters include acoustic emissions as early indicators of failure of the cell;

wherein said radio frequency identification and sensor unit senses said acoustic emissions and monitors said acoustic emissions as early indicators of failure of the cell, and

wherein said management system that monitors said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units monitors said acoustic emissions as early indicators of failure of the cells of the lithium ion battery pack.

15. A method of monitoring parameters of an energy storage system that includes a multiplicity of individual energy storage cells, comprising the steps of:

providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual energy storage cells for identification and detection of the parameters of each individual energy storage cell, and

monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each the individual energy storage cells for monitoring the parameters of the energy storage system.

16. The method of monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 15,

wherein the energy storage system is a capacitor bank that includes a multiplicity of individual capacitor cells,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each the individual energy storage cells comprises providing radio frequency identification and detection of each individual capacitor cell, and

wherein said step of monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each the individual energy storage cells comprises monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each individual capacitor cell for monitoring the parameters of the capacitor bank.

17. The method of monitoring parameters of an energy storage system of claim 15,

wherein the energy storage system is a battery pack that includes a multiplicity of individual battery cells,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each the individual energy storage cells comprises providing radio frequency identification and detection of each individual battery cell, and

wherein said step of monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each the individual energy storage cells comprises monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each individual battery cell for monitoring the parameters of the battery pack.

18. A method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack that includes a multiplicity of individual lithium battery cells, comprising the steps of:

providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells for identification and detection of the parameters of each individual lithium battery cell, and

monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each individual lithium battery cell for monitoring the parameters of the lithium battery pack.

19. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 18,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells comprises providing an antenna connected to each individual lithium battery cell and providing power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell in a completely passive mode by obtaining said power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell through said antenna.

20. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 18,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells comprises using power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell in an active mode by obtaining said power for radio frequency transmission of the parameters of each individual lithium ion battery cell from said individual lithium ion battery cell.

21. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 18,

wherein the parameters include cell temperature,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells comprises sensing the temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cell and providing radio frequency transmission of the temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cell, and

wherein said step of monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each individual lithium battery cell comprises monitoring said temperature of each individual lithium battery cell.

22. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 21,

wherein each individual lithium ion battery cell has a core, and

wherein said step of sensing the temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cell and providing radio frequency transmission of the temperature of each individual lithium ion battery cell comprises embedding a temperature sensor embedded in the core of each of the individual lithium ion battery cell and directly measuring the core temperature.

23. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 18,

wherein the parameters include internal impedance of the cell,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells comprises

providing a tag circuit to produce a variable frequency electromagnetic stimulus with amplitude and phase, and

monitoring said amplitude and phase to sense said internal impedance of the cell.

24. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 18,

wherein the parameters include acoustic emissions as early indicators of failure of the cell,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells comprises

monitoring said acoustic emissions as early indicators of failure of the cell, and

wherein said step of monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each individual lithium battery cell comprises monitoring said transmissions from said radio frequency identification and sensor units of said acoustic emissions as early indicators of failure of the cells of the lithium ion battery pack.

25. The method of monitoring parameters of a lithium battery pack of claim 18,

wherein the parameters include optical emissions due to the pyrotechnic displays that accompany venting and early indications of the state-of-health of the cell,

wherein said step of providing radio frequency identification and detection of each of the individual lithium battery cells comprises

monitoring said optical emissions due to the pyrotechnic displays, and

wherein said step of monitoring said radio frequency identification and detection of each individual lithium battery cell comprises monitoring said optical emissions due to the pyrotechnic displays from said radio frequency identification and sensor units of said acoustic emissions as early indications of the state-of-health of the cells of the lithium ion battery pack.