Battery heating circuits and methods using transformers

• US 8,836,288 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• 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): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US13/189,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/128, 320/166, 320/129
• US Class Current: 320/129
• 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 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• 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 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Circuit and method for heating a battery. The heating circuit includes a switch unit, a switching control module, a one-way semiconductor component, a damping component and a transformer. The switching control module is electrically connected with the switch unit. The battery, the damping component, a first winding of the transformer, and the switch unit are connected in a first loop with each other to constitute a battery discharging circuit. The battery, the damping component, a second winding of the transformer, and the one-way semiconductor component are connected in a second loop with each other to constitute a battery charging circuit.

Claims

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

a switch unit, a switching control module, a first one-way semiconductor component, a first damping component and a transformer, wherein;

the switching control module is electrically connected with the switch unit;

the battery, the first damping component, a first winding of the transformer, and the switch unit are connected in a first loop with each other to constitute a battery discharging circuit; and

the battery, the first damping component, a second winding of the transformer, and the first one-way semiconductor component are connected in a second loop with each other to constitute a battery charging circuit.

2. The heating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first damping component is a parasitic resistor in the battery.

3. The heating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the heating circuit further comprises a voltage absorption circuit connected in parallel between the ends of the first winding of the transformer, and the voltage absorption circuit is configured to consume a voltage induced in the first winding when the switch unit switches off.

4. The heating circuit according to claim 3, wherein the voltage absorption circuit comprises a second one-way semiconductor component, a charge storage component and a second damping component, wherein the second one-way semiconductor component is connected in a third loop with the charge storage component, and the second damping component is connected in parallel between the ends of the charge storage component.

5. The heating circuit according to claim 4, wherein the charge storage component is a capacitor, and the second damping component is a resistor.

6. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the heating circuit further comprises a voltage absorption circuit connected in parallel between the ends of the switch unit, and the voltage absorption circuit is configured to consume a voltage induced in the first winding when the switch unit switches off.

7. The heating circuit according to claim 6, wherein the voltage absorption circuit comprises a second one-way semiconductor component, a charge storage component and a second damping component, wherein the second one-way semiconductor component is connected in a third loop with the charge storage component, and the second damping component is connected in parallel between the ends of the second one-way semiconductor component.

8. The heating circuit according to claim 7, wherein the charge storage component is a capacitor, and the second damping component is a resistor.

9. The heating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the switch unit comprises a switch and a second one-way semiconductor component connected in parallel with the switch in reverse direction, the switching control module is electrically connected with the switch, and the switching control module is configured to control ON/OFF of branches of the switch unit in forward direction by controlling ON/OFF of the switch.

10. The heating circuit according to claim 1, wherein the switch unit comprises a switch and a second one-way semiconductor component connected in series with each other, and the switching control module is electrically connected with the switch, and the switching control module is configured to control ON/OFF of the switch unit by controlling ON/OFF of the switch.

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

a switch unit, a switching control module, a one-way semiconductor component, a damping component and a transformer, wherein;

the switching control module is electrically connected with the switch unit;

the battery, the damping component, a first winding of the transformer, and the switch unit are connected in a first loop with each other to constitute a battery discharging circuit;

the battery, the damping component, a second winding of the transformer, and the one-way semiconductor component are connected in a second loop with each other to constitute a battery charging circuit; and

the switching control module controls the switch unit to switch off when a current flowing through the battery reaches a preset value in a positive half cycle, and controls the switch unit to switch on when the current flowing through the battery reaches zero in a negative half cycle.