Battery power source device

• US 6,225,788 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanamaru, Kunio, Kimura, Tadao, Nakanishi, Toshiaki, Inui, Kiwamu, Marukawa, Shuuhei, Watanabe, Koh, Kouzu, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US09/649,772
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 320/112, 320/116, 320/150, 320/153, 320/132
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• 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 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• 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: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 : with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6565 : with recirculation or U-turn in the flow path, i.e. back and forth
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 : Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 : Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/106 : PTC
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 : adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 : Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• 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 power source has a battery pack housing a plurality of interconnected battery modules wherein a plurality of single cells are connected serially. A blower is provided which forces air through the battery pack to maintain the battery modules at a correct temperature. A controller controls the blower in accordance with data provided by sensors which detect voltage, current and temperature. The controller outputs the data and a state of charge. A charging/discharging current circuit includes a relay for interrupting charging and discharging of the battery modules in the event of failure and also includes a rush current prevention resistor and a current sensor. The controller permits the power source to be maintained in a correct operating condition wherein neither overcharging nor undercharging occurs.

Claims

1. A battery power source device comprising:

a battery pack having battery modules formed by connecting in series electrically and mechanically a plurality of single cells in the form of secondary cells, said battery modules being elongated in a longitudinal direction;

said battery modules being held in a holder case in a three-dimensionally parallel arrangement and being electrically connected in series;

cooling means for forcing coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of said battery modules;

temperature detection means for detecting temperature of a first one of said battery modules at an upstream position of the coolant flow and temperature of a second one of said battery modules at a downstream position of the coolant flow; and

means for calculating temperature of ones of said battery modules in a middle flow region between the upstream position and the downstream position based on the detected temperature of said first one and said second one of said battery modules and in accordance with a predetermined temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack.

2. The battery power source according to claim 1 wherein the temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack is determined based on flow rate and temperature of said coolant and a mean of at least one of a charging power and a discharging power.

3. The battery power source device according to claim 1 wherein the temperature detection means includes a temperature sensor disposed at each of said first one and said second one of said battery modules.

4. The battery power source device according to claim 1 further comprising means for controlling operation of the cooling means in accordance with the temperatures detected by the temperature detection means.

5. A battery power source device comprising:

a battery pack having battery modules formed by connecting in series electrically and mechanically a plurality of single cells in the form of secondary cells, said battery modules being elongated in a longitudinal direction;

said battery modules being held in a holder case in a three-dimensionally parallel arrangement and being electrically connected in series;

cooling means for forcing coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of said battery modules;

temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of one of said battery modules arranged in parallel to a direction orthogonal to the direction of the coolant flow; and

means for calculating a temperature of another one of said battery modules arranged parallel to said one of said battery modules based on the temperature detected of said one of said battery modules by using a predetermined temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack.

6. A battery power source device comprising:

a battery pack having battery modules formed by connecting in series electrically and mechanically a plurality of single cells in the form of secondary cells, said battery modules being elongated in a longitudinal direction;

said battery modules being held in a holder case in a three-dimensionally parallel arrangement and being electrically connected in series;

cooling means for forcing coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of said battery modules;

temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of one of said battery modules; and

means for calculating a temperature of another one of said battery modules based on the temperature detected of said one of said battery modules and a predetermined temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack.

7. The battery power source device according to claim 6 wherein the temperature distribution characteristic of the battery pack is determined based on flow rate and temperature of the coolant and of at least one of a charging mean power and a discharging mean power.

8. The battery power source device according to claim 6 wherein said temperature detection means includes a temperature sensor disposed at said one of said battery modules.

9. The battery power source device according to claim 6 further comprising means for controlling operation of the cooling means in accordance with the temperatures detected by the temperature detection means.

10. A battery power source device comprising:

a battery pack having battery modules that are interconnected and elongated in a longitudinal direction;

a holding casing containing said battery modules;

cooling means for forcing coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of said battery modules;

temperature detection means for detecting temperature of a first one of said battery modules at an upstream position of the coolant flow and temperature of a second one of said battery modules at a downstream position of the coolant flow; and

means for calculating temperature of ones of said battery modules at positions other than the upstream position and the downstream position based on the detected temperature of said first one and said second one of said battery modules and in accordance with a predetermined temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack.

11. The battery power source according to claim 10 wherein the temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack is determined based on flow rate and temperature of said coolant and a mean of at least one of a charging power and a discharging power.

12. The battery power source device according to claim 10 wherein the temperature detection means includes a temperature sensor disposed at each of said first one and said second one of said battery modules.

13. The battery power source device according to claim 10 further comprising means for controlling operation of the cooling means in accordance with the temperatures detected by the temperature detection means.

14. A battery power source device comprising:

a battery pack having battery modules that are interconnected and elongated in a longitudinal direction;

a holding casing containing said battery modules;

cooling means for forcing coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of said battery modules;

temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of one of said battery modules; and

means for calculating a temperature of another one of said battery modules based on the temperature detected of said one of said battery modules by using a predetermined temperature distribution characteristic of said battery pack.

15. The battery power source device according to claim 14 wherein the temperature distribution characteristic of the battery pack is determined based on flow rate and temperature of the coolant and of at least one of a charging mean power and a discharging mean power.

16. The battery power source device according to claim 14 wherein said temperature detection means includes a temperature sensor disposed at said one of said battery modules.

17. The battery power source device according to claim 14 further comprising means for controlling operation of the cooling means in accordance with the temperatures detected by the temperature detection means.