POWER SOURCE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20140091767A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: TAMURA, Hiroshi, KAMEOKA, Teruhiko, SUENAGA, Takao, IMAI, Atsushi, SAITO, Shigenori
• Granted Patent: US 9,793,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/126
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A power source apparatus mounted to a vehicle is equipped with a lead-acid battery and a lithium battery. An open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of each of the batteries are determined to satisfy the following conditions (a1), (a2), and (a3): (a1) In the use range of SOC of the lead-acid battery and the use range of SOC of the lithium battery, there is an equal voltage point Vds at which the open circuit voltage V0 (Pb) of the lead-acid battery becomes equal to the open circuit voltage V0 (Li) of the lithium battery; (a2) The relationship of V0 (Li)>V0 (Pb) is satisfied in the upper limit side of the use range of SOC of the battery; and (a3) A terminal voltage Vc (Li) of the lithium battery is not more than a set voltage Vreg of a regulator when a maximum current flows in the lithium battery.

Claims

1. A power source apparatus which is mounted to a vehicle with an alternator and a constant voltage control section configured to maintain a voltage of electric power generated by the alternator at a set voltage, the power source apparatus comprising:

a lead-acid battery electrically connected to an alternator; and

a secondary battery, electrically connected in parallel to the lead-acid battery, having an output power density and an energy density which is higher than an output power density and an energy density of the lead-acid battery,

a protection control section configured to protect the secondary battery from overcharge by controlling a charging capacity into the secondary battery and protect the secondary battery from over discharge by controlling a discharging capacity to the secondary battery so that the residual capacity of the secondary battery is within the actual range of the secondary battery,

wherein an open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the lead-acid battery and an open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the secondary battery are determined in order to satisfy the following conditions (a), (b), and (c);

(a) an equal voltage point, at which the open circuit voltage of the lead-acid battery becomes equal to the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery, is present in an actual use range of state of charge (SOC) of the lead-acid battery and an actual use range of SOC of the secondary battery;

(b) the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is higher than the open circuit voltage of the lead-acid battery at an upper limit side from the equal voltage point in the actual use range of SOC of the secondary battery; and

(c) a terminal voltage of the secondary battery when a maximum charging current flows in the secondary battery is not more than the set voltage which is set by the constant voltage control section, and

wherein the protection control section outputs an instruction signal which instructs the constant voltage control section to decrease the set voltage in order to control the charging capacity to the second battery.

2. The power source apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising voltage drop suppression section configured to suppress discharge from the secondary battery to a starter motor mounted to the vehicle in order to suppress a voltage drop of the secondary battery.

3. The power source apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising protection control section configured to protect the secondary battery from overcharge by limiting a charging capacity to the secondary battery and of protecting the secondary battery from over discharge by limiting a discharging capacity from the secondary battery so that the residual capacity of the secondary battery is within the use range of the secondary battery,

wherein the protection control section limits the charging capacity to the secondary battery or the discharging capacity from the secondary battery by using the voltage drop suppression section.

4. The power source apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the voltage drop suppression section is a switch means to open and close an electric connection between the secondary battery and the starter motor, and the switch section opens the electric connection between the secondary battery and the starter motor when the lead-acid battery supplies the electric capacity to the starter motor.

5. The power source apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the switch section is one of a manual switch, an electromagnetic relay, and a semiconductor switch.

6. A power source apparatus which is mounted to a vehicle with an alternator and a constant voltage control section configured to adjust a voltage of electric power generated by the alternator to a set voltage, the power source apparatus comprising:

a lead-acid battery electrically connected to an alternator;

a secondary battery, electrically connected in parallel to the lead-acid battery, is higher in output density or energy density than the lead-acid battery;

a rectifying section placed between the lead-acid battery and the secondary battery so that a forward current direction of the rectifying section becomes a direction from the lead-acid battery to the secondary battery, and the rectifying section having a barrier voltage to the current flowing in the forward direction through the rectifying section;

an open and close section, connected in parallel to the rectifying section, configured to electrically connect the alternator with the secondary battery and disconnecting the alternator from the secondary battery;

an open and close control section configured to instruct the open and close section to close the electrical connection between the alternator and the secondary battery when the secondary battery is charged with electric power generated by the alternator, and instruct the open and close section to open the electrical connection between the alternator and the secondary battery when the rectifying section performs the rectifying operation; and

a protection control section configured to protect the secondary battery from overcharge by limiting a charging capacity to the secondary battery and protect the secondary battery from over discharge by limiting a discharging capacity from the secondary battery so that the residual capacity of the secondary battery is within the actual use range of the secondary battery,

wherein an open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the lead-acid battery and an open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the secondary battery are determined in order to satisfy the following conditions (a′

), (b′

), and (c′

);

(a′

) an equal voltage point, at which the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is equal to a subtracted voltage obtained by subtracting the barrier voltage of the rectifying section from the open circuit voltage of the lead-acid battery, is present in an actual use range of state of charge (SOC) of the lead-acid battery and an actual use range of SOC of the secondary battery;

(b′

) the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is higher than the subtracted voltage of the lead-acid battery at an upper limit side from the equal voltage point in the actual use range of SOC of the secondary battery; and

(c′

) a terminal voltage of the secondary battery when a maximum charging current flows in the secondary battery is not more than the set voltage which is set by the constant voltage control section, and

wherein the protection control section limits the charging capacity to the secondary battery or the discharging capacity from the secondary battery by using the voltage drop suppression section.

7. The power source apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the open and close section is composed of a semiconductor switch, and the rectifying section is composed of a parasitic diode of the semiconductor switch.

8. The power source apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the open and close section is composed of an electromagnetic relay which is connected in parallel to the rectifying section.

9. A power source apparatus which is mounted to a vehicle with an alternator and a constant voltage control section configured to adjust a voltage of electric power generated by the alternator to a set voltage, the power source apparatus comprising:

a lead-acid battery electrically connected to an alternator;

a secondary battery, electrically connected in parallel to the lead-acid battery, is higher in output density or energy density than the lead-acid battery;

a rectifying section placed between the lead-acid battery and the secondary battery so that a forward current direction of the rectifying section becomes a direction from the lead-acid battery to the secondary battery, and the rectifying section having a barrier voltage to the current flowing in the forward direction through the rectifying section;

an open and close section, connected in parallel to the rectifying section, configured to electrically connect the alternator with the secondary battery and disconnecting the alternator from the secondary battery;

an open and close control section configured to instruct the open and close section to close the electrical connection between the alternator and the secondary battery when the secondary battery is charged with electric power generated by the alternator, and instruct the open and close section to open the electrical connection between the alternator and the secondary battery when the rectifying section performs the rectifying operation; and

a protection control section configured to protect the secondary battery from overcharge by controlling a charging capacity to the secondary battery and protect the secondary battery from over discharge by controlling a discharging capacity from the secondary battery so that the residual capacity of the secondary battery is within the actual use range of the secondary battery,

wherein an open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the lead-acid battery and an open circuit voltage and an internal resistance of the secondary battery are determined in order to satisfy the following conditions (a′

), (b′

), and (c′

);

(a′

) an equal voltage point, at which the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is equal to a subtracted voltage obtained by subtracting the barrier voltage of the rectifying section from the open circuit voltage of the lead-acid battery, is present in an actual use range of state of charge (SOC) of the lead-acid battery and an actual use range of SOC of the secondary battery;

(b′

) the open circuit voltage of the secondary battery is higher than the subtracted voltage of the lead-acid battery at an upper limit side from the equal voltage point in the actual use range of SOC of the secondary battery; and

(c′

) a terminal voltage of the secondary battery when a maximum charging current flows in the secondary battery is not more than the set voltage which is set by the constant voltage control section, and

wherein the protection control section outputs an instruction signal which instructs the constant voltage control section to decrease the set voltage in order to control the charging capacity to the secondary battery.

10. The power apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the open and close section is composed of a semiconductor switch and the rectifying section is composed of a parasitic diode of the semiconductor switch.

11. The power source apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the open and close section is composed of an electromagnetic relay which is connected in parallel to the rectifying section.