Battery heating circuits and methods using resonance components in series based on current limiting and voltage inversion with bi-directionality and common inductance

• US 8,836,277 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYD Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Xu, Wenhui, Han, Yaochuan, Feng, Wei, Yang, Qinyao, Xia, Wenjin, Ma, Shibin
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robbins, Jerry D
• Application Number:
  US13/170,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20120025779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 320/129
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/345 Arrangements for heating thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/657 by electric or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6571 Resistive heaters arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00711 with introduction of pulses during the charging process
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• 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

Circuit and method for heating a battery. The circuit includes the battery including parasitic damping and current storage components. A first switch unit and first charge storage component are parts of a battery discharging circuit. A second current storage component is in series with the first charge storage component and a one-way semiconductor component. The one-way semiconductor component and second current storage component are in parallel with the first switch unit. The first charge storage component, second current storage component, and the one-way semiconductor component are parts of a battery charging circuit. A second switch unit is in parallel to the first charge storage component and the second current storage component. The second switch unit and the second current storage component are parts of a voltage regulation and polarity inversion circuit for the first charge storage component. The circuit heats the battery by discharging and charging the battery.

Claims

1. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a damping component and a first current storage component, the damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery;

a first switch unit;

a charge storage component, the charge storage component and the first switch unit being at least parts of a battery discharging circuit;

a second current storage component connected in series with the charge storage component;

a one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the second current storage component, the one-way semiconductor component and the second current storage component being connected in parallel with the first switch unit, the charge storage component, the second current storage component, and the one-way semiconductor component being parts of a battery charging circuit; and

a second switch unit connected in parallel to the charge storage component and the second current storage component, the second switch unit and the second current storage component being parts of a voltage regulation and polarity inversion circuit for the charge storage component;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery and charging the battery.

2. The circuit of claim 1 is further configured to:

start heating the battery if at least one heating start condition is satisfied; and

stop heating the battery if at least one heating stop condition is satisfied.

3. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a damping component and a first current storage component, the damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery;

a first switch unit coupled to the battery;

a charge storage component coupled to the battery;

a second current storage component connected to the charge storage component;

a battery-charging one-way semiconductor component connected to the second current storage component, the second current storage component and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component being in parallel with the first switch unit; and

a second switch unit connected to the charge storage component and the second current storage component;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery and charging the battery;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to;

discharge the battery and charge the charge storage component through at least the first switch unit;

discharge the charge storage component and charge the battery through at least the second current storage component and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component; and

adjust a storage voltage associated with the charge storage component through at least the second current storage component and the second switch unit.

4. The circuit of claim 3 wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to change a polarity of the storage voltage through at least the second current storage component and the second switch unit.

5. The circuit of claim 3 wherein:

the damping component includes a parasitic resistor of the battery; and

the first current storage component includes a parasitic inductor of the battery.

6. The circuit of claim 3 wherein:

the first switch unit includes a first switch and a first one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the first switch; and

the second switch unit includes a second switch and a second one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the second switch.

7. The circuit of claim 3, and further comprising:

a switching control component electrically coupled to at least the first switch unit and the second switch unit;

wherein the switching control component is configured to;

turn on the first switch unit and turn off the second switch unit in order to discharge the battery and charge the charge storage component using a first current; and

if the first current decreases to a first predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn off the first switch unit in order to discharge the charge storage component and charge the battery using a second current, with the second switch unit remaining off;

if the second current decreases to a second predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn on the second switch unit in order to adjust the storage voltage using a third current, with the first switch unit remaining off; and

if the third current decreases to a third predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn on the first switch unit and turn off the second switch unit in order to discharge the battery and charge the charge storage component.

8. The circuit of claim 7 wherein each of the first predetermined threshold, the second predetermined threshold, and the third predetermined threshold is equal to zero.

9. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a damping component and a first current storage component, the damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery;

a first switch unit coupled to the battery;

a charge storage component coupled to the battery;

a second current storage component connected to the charge storage component;

a battery-charging one-way semiconductor component connected to the second current storage component, the second current storage component and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component being in parallel with the first switch unit;

a second switch unit connected to the charge storage component and the second current storage component; and

a switching control component electrically coupled to at least the first switch unit and the second switch unit;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery and charging the battery;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to;

discharge the battery and charge the charge storage component through at least the first switch unit;

discharge the charge storage component and charge the battery through at least the second current storage component and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component; and

adjust a storage voltage associated with the charge storage component through at least the second current storage component and the second switch unit;

wherein the switching control component is configured to;

turn on the first switch unit and turn off the second switch unit in order to discharge the battery and charge the charge storage component using a first current; and

if the first current decreases to a first predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn off the first switch unit in order to discharge the charge storage component and charge the battery using a second current, with the second switch unit remaining off;

if the second current decreases to a second predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn on the second switch unit in order to adjust the storage voltage using a third current, with the first switch unit remaining off;

if the third current decreases to a third predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn on the first switch unit and turn off the second switch unit in order to discharge the battery and charge the charge storage component;

if the third current increases to a fourth predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn off the second switch unit in order to charge the battery from the second current storage component using a fourth current, with the first switch unit remaining off; and

if the fourth current decreases to a fifth predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn on the second switch unit;

wherein the fourth predetermined threshold is larger than the fifth predetermined threshold in magnitude.

10. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a damping component and a first current storage component, the damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery;

a first switch unit coupled to the battery;

a first charge storage component coupled to the battery;

a second current storage component connected to the first charge storage component;

a battery-charging one-way semiconductor component connected to the second current storage component, the second current storage component and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component being in parallel with the first switch unit;

a second switch unit connected to the first charge storage component and the second current storage component;

a third switch unit connected to the first charge storage component; and

a fourth switch unit connected to the third switch unit;

wherein the second current storage component is connected to the first charge storage component through at least the fourth switch unit;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery and charging the battery;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to;

discharge the battery and charge the first charge storage component through at least the first switch unit;

discharge the first charge storage component and charge the battery through at least the second current storage component and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component; and

adjust a storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component through at least the second current storage component and the second switch unit.

11. The circuit of claim 10, and further comprising:

a switching control component electrically coupled to at least the first switch unit, the second switch unit, the third switch unit, and the fourth switch unit;

wherein the switching control component is configured to;

turn on the first switch unit and turn off the second switch unit, the third switch unit, and the fourth switch unit, in order to discharge the battery and charge the first charge storage component using a first current;

if the first current decreases to a first predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn off the first switch unit and turn on the fourth switch unit in order to discharge the first charge storage component and charge the battery using a second current, with the second switch unit and the third switch unit remaining off;

if the second current increases to a second predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn on the third switch unit and turn off the fourth switch unit in order to charge the battery from the second current storage component using a third current, with the first switch unit and the second switch unit remaining off; and

if the third current decreases to a third predetermined threshold in magnitude, turn off the third switch unit and turn on the fourth switch unit, with the first switch unit and the second switch unit remaining off; and

wherein the second predetermined threshold is larger than the third predetermined threshold in magnitude.

12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein the first predetermined threshold is equal to zero.

13. The circuit of claim 10, and further comprising:

one or more fifth switch units coupled to the battery;

one or more sixth switch units; and

one or more second charge storage components coupled to the battery and connected to the second current storage component through the one or more sixth switch units respectively;

wherein each of the one or more second charge storage components corresponds to one of the one or more fifth switch units and one of the one or more sixth switch units;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to;

discharge the battery and charge each of the one or more second charge storage components through at least one of the one or more fifth switch units; and

discharge each of the one or more second charge storage components and charge the battery through at least one of the one or more sixth switch units, the second current storage component, and the battery-charging one-way semiconductor component.

14. The circuit of claim 13 wherein:

the first switch unit includes a first switch and a first one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the first switch; and

each of the one or more fifth switch units includes the first switch and a corresponding one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the first switch.

15. The circuit of claim 13, and further comprising a switching control component electrically coupled to the one or more fifth switch units and the one or more sixth switch units and configured to turn on or off, individually, the first switch unit, the second switch unit, the third switch unit, the fourth switch unit, the one or more fifth switch units, and the one or more sixth switch units.

16. The circuit of claim 15 is further configured to:

charge the first charge storage component and the one or more second charge storage components at the same time; and

discharge the first charge storage component and the one or more second charge storage components at different times, respectively.

17. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a resistor and a first inductor, the resistor and the first inductor being parasitic to the battery;

a first switch unit coupled to the battery;

a capacitor coupled to the battery;

a second inductor connected to the capacitor;

a battery-charging diode connected to the second inductor, the second inductor and the battery-charging diode being in parallel with the first switch unit; and

a second switch unit connected to the capacitor and the second inductor;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery and charging the battery;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to;

discharge the battery and charge the capacitor through at least the first switch unit;

discharge the capacitor and charge the battery through at least the second inductor and the battery-charging diode; and

adjust a capacitor voltage associated with the capacitor through at least the second inductor and the second switch unit.

18. The circuit of claim 17 wherein:

the first switch unit includes a first switch and a first diode connected in series with the first switch; and

the second switch unit includes a second switch and a second diode connected in series with the second switch.

19. The circuit of claim 18 wherein the first switch includes a MOSFET.

20. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a resistor and a first inductor, the resistor and the first inductor being parasitic to the battery;

a first switch unit coupled to the battery;

a capacitor coupled to the battery;

a second inductor connected to the capacitor;

a battery-charging diode connected to the second inductor, the second inductor and the battery-charging diode being in parallel with the first switch unit; and

a second switch unit connected to the capacitor and the second inductor;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery and charging the battery;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is further configured to;

discharge the battery and charge the capacitor through at least the first switch unit;

discharge the capacitor and charge the battery through at least the second inductor and the battery-charging diode; and

adjust a capacitor voltage associated with the capacitor through at least the second inductor and the second switch unit;

wherein the first switch unit includes a first switch and a first diode connected in series with the first switch;

wherein the second switch unit includes a second switch and a second diode connected in series with the second switch; and

wherein the first switch includes an IGBT and a third diode coupled to the IGBT.