Battery system and management method
First Claim
1. A battery system, comprising:
- a current sensor, disposed so as to measure a value of current flowing in a battery string of the battery system;
a controller; and
a switch disposed in a series connection with the battery string;
wherein the battery system is operable in a discharging state, a charging state or a fully charged state, the controller is configured to compare the measured current value with a first expected current value characteristic in the charging state and a second expected current value characteristic in the fully charged state to determine whether the battery string has encountered a thermal runaway condition in one of the charging state or the fully charged states.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring the status of a system of battery strings is described. The system includes a current sensor for each of the battery strings, and a controller configured to compare the measured current with criteria to determine whether the battery is in a thermal runaway state. Prior to entering the thermal runaway state the battery current characteristics may indicate other less serious states. Warning messages are provided for selected events, and the battery string is disconnected from the remainder of the system when a thermal runaway state is encountered. The system may provide a local indication of status and may also interface with a communications network to provide for remote monitoring.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A battery system, comprising:
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a current sensor, disposed so as to measure a value of current flowing in a battery string of the battery system; a controller; and a switch disposed in a series connection with the battery string; wherein the battery system is operable in a discharging state, a charging state or a fully charged state, the controller is configured to compare the measured current value with a first expected current value characteristic in the charging state and a second expected current value characteristic in the fully charged state to determine whether the battery string has encountered a thermal runaway condition in one of the charging state or the fully charged states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of protecting a battery system, the method comprising:
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measuring a current value of a battery string; determining an operating state of the battery string using at least the measured current value; comparing the measured current value of the battery string with an estimated float current in a fully charged state and a charging current time history in the charging state to determine whether the battery string has encountered a thermal runaway condition in either of the fully charged state or the charging state. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a software program product, enabling a computer to perform the steps in a method, the method comprising:
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accepting a current value measurement for a battery string in a battery system; determining whether a battery in the battery string has encountered a thermal runaway condition; and commanding a switch device to isolate the battery string from the battery system. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A battery system, comprising:
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a current sensor, disposed so as to measure a value of current flowing in a battery string of the battery system; a controller; and a switch disposed in a series connection with the battery string; wherein the battery system is operable in a discharging state, a charging state or a fully charged state, the controller is configured to compare the measured current value with an expected current value characteristic in the charging state to determine whether the battery string has encountered a thermal runaway condition, and to actuate the switch to isolate the battery string from the remainder of the battery system when the thermal runaway condition is determined. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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Specification