Large scale battery systems and method of assembly

• US 8,483,886 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston-Power Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boston-Power Inc.
• Inventors: Onnerud, Per, Linna, Jan-Roger, Warner, John, Souza, Chad, Jansen, Eckart
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/872,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 700/297, 429/61, 429/62, 429/94, 429/156, 429/223, 429/224, 429/231.1, 429/231.95, 340/636.1, 320/116, 320/118, 320/119, 320/132, 320/134, 320/136, 320/150, 320/152, 307/9.1, 296/231, D13/103, 105/50
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/512 Connection only in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

The methods in this disclosure allow for the identification, selection, and arrangement of cells, blocks, and modules in large scale battery systems, such as electric vehicle battery systems. An example embodiment of the present invention allows for the identification of the cells, blocks, and modules with a unique identifier or associated parameter (e.g., internal resistance contributions or capacity). Additionally, to form a block, cells may be selected from a group of capacity-range sorting bins. Based on a parameter of the cell, a pseudo-number generator may be also be used to select cells from an available inventory of cells as maintained in a cell database based. Cells may also be placed in a block for uniform effective cell impedance and even cell aging while minimizing overall block capacity degradation caused by cycling. Block capacities may also be computed based on a known average temperature gradient during operation.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a large-scale battery that includes cells and blocks of cells, comprising the steps of:

attaching an identification designation to each of plural cells for placement within the large-scale battery;

measuring a parameter of the cells;

associating, in a database, each cell with its respective parameter measurement;

calculating a statistical distribution of the parameter of the measured battery cells;

maintaining a database of the identification designations and associated parameters for the cells and blocks;

selecting cells for each block from across the statistical distribution of the parameter; and

placing selected cells in parallel within each block for placement in the large-scale battery according to the statistical distribution.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the associated parameters include capacities of the cells.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the associated parameters include internal resistances of the cells.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein selecting the cells for placement within each block of the large-scale battery includes use of a pseudo-random number generator.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pseudo-random number generator selects cells based on a normal distribution of cells available for placement within the large-scale battery.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

attaching identification designations to each of plural blocks included within the large-scale battery; and

updating the database with the identification designations and associated parameters for the blocks.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the associated parameters include capacities of the blocks.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the associated parameters include internal resistances of the blocks.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein selecting the blocks for placement within the large-scale battery includes use of a pseudo-random number generator.

10. The method of claim 6, further including the step of selecting blocks of cells from across a statistical distribution of the parameter for placement within a large-scale battery, and placing the blocks in series within the large-scale battery according to the statistical distribution.

23. The method of claim 1, further including the step of attaching identification designations and associated parameters to each of plural blocks of the cells included in the large-scale battery.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the associated parameters include capacities of the blocks.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the associated parameters include internal resistances of the blocks.

26. The method of claim 23, further including the step of selecting blocks for placement within at least one module of the large-scale battery according to the statistical distribution.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein selecting blocks for placement with the large-scale battery includes using a pseudo-random number generator.

28. The method of claim 23, further including the step of attaching an identification designation to each of plural blocks of cells included in the large-scale battery.

29. The method of claim 28, further including the step of updating the database with the identification designations and associated parameters for the blocks.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the parameter is at least one member of the group consisting of capacities of the cells and the internal resistances of the cells.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the parameters include capacities of the cells and internal resistances of the cells.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the parameter is the capacity of each of a plurality of the cells.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the parameter is the internal resistance of each of a plurality of the cells.

11. A method of selecting cells for construction of a large-scale battery system that includes cells and blocks of cells for placement within the large-scale battery, comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one parameter of the cells;

associating, in a database, each cell with its respective parameter measurement;

calculating a statistical distribution of the parameter of the measured cells;

selecting cells for each block from across the statistical distribution, of the parameter; and

placing selected cells in parallel within each block for placement in the large-scale battery system according to the statistical distribution.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the battery cells are selected to result in capacity of the large-scale battery system tending toward a mean of the statistical distribution.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the battery cell capacities are within a range of 4000 mAh to 4500 mAh.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the battery cell capacities are within a range of 4420 mAh to 4480 mAh.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein selecting battery cells includes selecting battery cells at random from particular segments along the statistical distribution.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising, if battery cells within a particular segment of the statistical distribution are depleted, selecting battery cells from a neighboring segment that is closer to a mean of the statistical distribution.

17. A large-scale battery system that includes, a plurality of electrically-coupled blocks of cells and parallel-connected battery cells within each block, wherein

a parameter of the battery cells in each block follows a statistical distribution of a population of the cells from which the cells are selected, the large-scale battery system being constructed by a method, including the steps of:

measuring at least one parameter of battery cells for placement within the large-scale battery system;

associating, in a database, each battery cell with its respective parameter measurement;

calculating a statistical distribution of the parameter of measured battery cells;

selecting battery cells, from across the statistical distribution, for placement in the large-scale battery system; and

placing selected battery cells in parallel within the battery system according to the statistical distribution.

18. The battery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the battery cells are selected to result in capacity of the battery system tending toward a mean of the statistical distribution.

19. The battery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the battery cell capacities are within a range of 4000 mAh to 4500 mAh.

20. The battery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the battery cell capacities are within a range of 4420 mAh to 4480 mAh.

21. The battery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the block includes battery cells selected at random from particular segments along the statistical distribution.

22. The large-scale battery system of claim 17, wherein the cells selected result in internal resistance of the large-scale battery system tending toward a mean of the statistical distribution.