VEHICLE BATTERY SYSTEM BALANCING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140300323A1
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: GIBBS, JAMES C., FRAGA, RORY B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,236,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/116
• 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 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

System and methods for balancing a vehicle battery system are presented. In certain embodiments, a method for balancing a vehicle battery system including a plurality of sections may include calculating a plurality of quanta of energy required for each of the plurality of sections to reaching a balancing point. Based at least in part on the calculated plural of quanta of energy, it may be determined that the plurality of sections of the battery system are unbalanced. To balance the battery system, a balancing system may be selectively actuated to change the amounts of energy stored in one or more of the plurality of cells such that the plurality of quanta of energy are within a particular range.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a battery system comprising a plurality of battery sections, each section of the plurality of sections comprising a plurality of cells;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the plurality of sections configured to measure an electrical parameter associated with each of the plurality of sections;

a balancing system coupled to the plurality of sections configured to selectively change amounts of energy stored in the plurality of sections;

battery control electronics communicatively coupled to the plurality of state charge sensors and the balancing system, the battery control electronics being configured to;

determine a state of charge of each of the plurality of sections based upon the electrical parameter,

calculate a plurality of quanta of energy required for each of the plurality of battery sections to reaching a balancing point, and

control the balancing system to selectively change the amounts of energy stored in the plurality of sections such that the plurality of quanta of energy are within a particular range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery control electronics are further configured to control the balancing system to selectively change the amounts of energy stored in the plurality of sections such that the plurality of quanta of energy are approximately equal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the balancing point comprises a state of charge balancing point.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the balancing point comprises a charge termination level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the balancing system is configured to selectively transfer energy from the plurality of sections.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the battery control electronics are further configured to control the balancing system to selectively discharge energy stored in one or more of the plurality of sections such that the plurality of quanta of energy are within a particular range.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the balancing system is configured selectively transfer energy to the plurality of sections.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the battery control electronics are further configured to control the balancing system to selectively charge one or more of the plurality of sections such that the plurality of quanta of energy are within a particular range.

9. A method for balancing a plurality of sections included in a battery system comprising:

calculating a plurality of quanta of energy required for each of the plurality of sections to reaching a balancing point;

determining, based on the calculated plural of quanta of energy, that the plurality of sections of the battery system are unbalanced; and

selectively actuating a balancing system to change the amounts of energy stored in one or more of the plurality of cells such that the plurality of quanta of energy are within a particular range.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of state of charge measurements associated with the plurality of sections,

wherein determining that the plurality of sections of the battery systems are unbalanced is further based on the plurality of state of charge measurements.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein selectively actuating the balancing system further comprises selectively actuating the balancing system such that the plurality of quanta of energy are the same.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the balancing point comprises a state of charge balancing point.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the balancing point comprises a charge termination level.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein selectively actuating the balancing system further comprises selectively actuating the balancing system to transfer energy from one or more of the plurality of sections.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein selectively actuating the balancing system further comprises selectively actuating the balancing system to transfer energy to one or more of the plurality of sections.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

calculating a plurality of quanta of energy required for each of a plurality of sections included in a battery system to reaching a balancing point;

determining, based on the calculated plural of quanta of energy, that the plurality of sections of the battery system are unbalanced; and

selectively actuating a balancing system to change the amounts of energy stored in one or more of the plurality of cells such that the plurality of quanta of energy are within a particular range.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a plurality of state of charge measurements associated with the plurality of sections,

wherein determining that the plurality of sections of the battery systems are unbalanced is further based on the plurality of state of charge measurements.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein selectively actuating the balancing system further comprises selectively actuating the balancing system such that the plurality of quanta of energy are the same.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein selectively actuating the balancing system further comprises selectively actuating the balancing system to transfer energy from one or more of the plurality of sections.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein selectively actuating the balancing system further comprises selectively actuating the balancing system to transfer energy to one or more of the plurality of sections.