Control method of battery-system for improving safety

• US 8,456,133 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ha, Jin Woong, Kim, Jeeho, Shin, Yongshik
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/435,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20120187914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/118, 320/119, 320/121
• US Class Current: 320/116
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a method of controlling the operation of battery modules in a battery system, which includes two or more battery modules or battery module assemblies, wherein the battery system further includes energy consuming loads for consuming charged energy, and the method includes, when a specific battery module or a specific battery module assembly is abnormally operated, connecting the abnormally operated battery module or the abnormally operated battery module assembly to the corresponding energy consuming load to forcibly discharge the charged energy, and a battery system that is capable of performing the battery system control method.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the operation of battery modules in a battery system, comprising two or more battery modules or battery module assemblies, wherein:

the battery system further comprises energy consuming loads for consuming charged energy, and

the method comprises, when a specific battery module or a specific battery module assembly is abnormally operated, disconnecting the abnormally operated battery module or the abnormally operated battery module assembly from an external circuit, where the external circuit uses energy from the specific battery module or the specific battery module assembly, and connecting the abnormally operated battery module or the abnormally operated battery module assembly to the corresponding energy consuming load to forcibly discharge the charged energy.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the battery modules are connected in parallel to an external circuit, and

the battery system further includes a control unit located at the connection region between the external circuit and the respective battery modules for controlling the operation of the battery modules.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising

when the abnormal operation of the specific battery module or the specific battery module assembly is confirmed, disconnecting the abnormally operated battery module or the abnormally operated battery module assembly from the external circuit and connecting the abnormally operated battery module or the abnormally operated battery module assembly to the corresponding energy consuming load by the control unit.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

each battery module assembly comprises a plurality of battery modules connected in series with each other, the respective battery module assemblies are connected in parallel to the external circuit, and

the battery system further includes an upper control unit located at the connection region between the external circuit and the respective battery module assemblies for controlling the operation of the battery module assemblies.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the battery modules, constituting each battery module assembly, comprise lower control units for controlling the operation of the respective battery modules, and the lower control units are connected to the upper control unit.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the abnormal operation of a specific battery module is confirmed by the corresponding lower control unit, the upper control unit interrupts the connection between the battery module assembly, to which the abnormally operated battery module belongs, and the external circuit and connects the battery module assembly to the corresponding energy consuming load.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each energy consuming load is a resistance, a resistor, or a flywheel that is capable of backing energy up.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein each energy consuming load is a flywheel.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

performing a cooling process using a cooling unit to remove heat generated during the forcible discharge of the charged energy.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the abnormal operation of the specific battery module or the specific battery module assembly, the battery module or the battery module assembly exhibits a voltage difference of 200 mV or more or an abrupt battery capacity reduction of 30% or more as compared to the remaining battery modules or the remaining battery module assemblies.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the abnormal operation of the specific battery module or the specific battery module assembly, the temperature of the battery module or the battery module assembly is increased to 70°

C. or more, or the temperature of the battery module or the battery module assembly is gradually increased and is then sharply increased.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the abnormal operation of the specific battery module or the specific battery module assembly, the communication to the battery module or the battery module assembly is interrupted.

13. A high-output, large-capacity battery system comprising:

two or more battery modules or battery module assemblies;

energy consuming loads for consuming charged energy from battery modules or battery module assemblies operating abnormally;

a power line for connecting the two or more battery modules or battery module assemblies to an external circuit; and

bypass members for connecting the two or more battery modules or battery module assemblies to the energy consuming loads and to the power line, wherein each bypass member connects a specific battery module or a specific battery module assembly to a corresponding energy consuming load and to the power line.

14. The battery system according to claim 13, wherein the battery system is used as a charging and discharging power source for hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles, uninterruptible power supplies, idle reduction devices, or energy storage devices.

15. The battery system according to claim 13, wherein the battery system comprises four battery module assemblies, four field effect transistors (FET), four energy consuming loads, and eight bypass members, where each energy consuming load is a forcible resistance unit.

16. The battery system according to claim 15, wherein each battery module assembly is connected to two bypass members by one field effects transistor, and wherein each of the two bypass members are connected to the power line and to one forcible resistance unit.

17. The battery system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a control unit that disconnects an abnormally operating battery module or an abnormally operating battery module assembly from the power line and connects the abnormally operating battery module or the abnormally operating battery module assembly to the corresponding energy consuming load.