Batteries, battery systems, battery submodules, battery operational methods, battery system operational methods, battery charging methods, and battery system charging methods

• US 8,884,585 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lithion Battery Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Valence Technology Incorporated (Lithium Werks B.V.)
• Inventors: Troxel, Russell M., Sandahl, Joel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US12/756,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20110095725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 320/134, 320/132, 320/121, 320/119, 320/118, 320/166, 320/114
• US Class Current: 320/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus 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 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• 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: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/18 The network being internal to a power source or plant
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Batteries, battery systems, battery submodules, battery operational methods, battery system operational methods, battery charging methods, and battery system charging methods are described. According to one aspect, a battery includes a first battery terminal, a second battery terminal, and a plurality of submodules individually comprising a first submodule terminal, a second submodule terminal, a plurality of rechargeable cells electrically coupled between the first and second submodule terminals, and switching circuitry configured to electrically couple one of the first and second battery terminals with one of the first and second submodule terminals of one of the submodules during an engaged mode of operation of the one of the submodules and to electrically isolate the one of the first and second battery terminals from the one of the first and second submodule terminals of the one of the submodules during a disengaged mode of operation of the one of the submodules.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a first system terminal;

a second system terminal; and

a plurality of battery strings coupled in parallel between the first system terminal and the second system terminal, wherein individual ones of the battery strings comprise a plurality of rechargeable batteries coupled in series between the first system terminal and the second system terminal,

wherein individual ones of the battery strings are configured to operate in an engaged mode of operation where the individual battery string is electrically coupled with the first and second system terminals and configured to at least one of supply and receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals and a disengaged mode of operation where the individual battery string is configured to not supply nor receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals;

wherein the batteries of an individual one of the strings individually comprise switching circuitry configured to electrically couple the individual battery with one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the individual string in the engaged mode of operation and to electrically isolate the individual battery from the one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the individual string in the disengaged mode of operation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the batteries of the individual one of the battery strings are configured to be electrically isolated from the batteries of others of the battery strings during operation of the individual one of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the individual one of the battery strings is configured to electrically isolate the rechargeable batteries of the individual one of the battery strings from the one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the individual one of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the individual one of the battery strings is configured to operate in the engaged mode of operation during operation of at least an other of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein individual ones of the rechargeable batteries comprise a plurality of rechargeable cells configured to store electrical energy, and wherein the rechargeable batteries are individually configured to operate at different moments in time wherein different numbers of the cells of the individual rechargeable battery at least one of supply and receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein individual ones of the rechargeable batteries comprise a plurality of submodules individually comprising a plurality of rechargeable cells configured to store electrical energy, and wherein the submodules are individually configured to operate in an engaged mode of operation wherein the cells of the individual submodule at least one of supply and receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals and a disengaged mode of operation wherein the cells of the individual submodule do not supply nor receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein one submodule of one of the batteries is configured to operate in the engaged mode of operation during operation of an other submodule of the one of the batteries in the disengaged mode of operation.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry configured to control electrical isolation of the batteries of the one of the battery strings from the one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the one of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the control circuitry is configured to electrically isolate all of the batteries of the one of the battery strings from the one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the one of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the control circuitry is void of any processing circuitry configured to execute code.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the control circuitry is implemented entirely in hardware void of any processing circuitry configured to execute code.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the control circuitry is configured to substantially simultaneously electrically isolate all of the batteries of the one of the battery strings operating in the engaged mode of operation from the one of the first and second system terminals at a single moment in time to initiate operation of the one of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry configured to control the one of the battery strings to operate in the disengaged mode of operation responsive to an alarm condition being present in the one of the battery strings.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the alarm condition indicates an electrical characteristic of at least one battery of the one of the battery strings triggering a threshold.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the battery strings are individually configured to operate in the engaged and disengaged modes of operation independent of others of the battery strings.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein all of the batteries comprise a switch in series with at least one rechargeable cell.

17. A battery system comprising:

a first system terminal;

a second system terminal; and

a plurality of battery strings coupled in parallel between the first system terminal and the second system terminal, wherein individual ones of the battery strings comprise a plurality of rechargeable batteries coupled in series between the first system terminal and the second system terminal;

wherein;

the batteries of an individual one of the battery strings are coupled in series at a plurality of nodes intermediate respective ones of the batteries of the individual battery string;

the nodes of a first of the battery strings are coupled with the nodes of a second of the battery strings to electrically couple the batteries of the first of the battery strings in parallel with respective ones of the batteries of the second of the battery strings; and

wherein the batteries of an individual one of the strings individually comprise switching circuitry configured to electrically couple the individual battery with one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the individual string in the engaged mode of operation and to electrically isolate the individual battery from the one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the individual string in the disengaged mode of operation.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the batteries of the individual one of the strings are individually configured to electrically isolate themselves from other batteries of the one of the strings.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the batteries individually comprise a plurality of submodules which individually comprise:

a first submodule terminal;

a second submodule terminal; and

a plurality of rechargeable cells electrically coupled between the first and second submodule terminals,

wherein the rechargeable cells of the individual one of the submodules of one of the batteries are configured to at least one of supply and receive electrical energy during an engaged mode of operation of the individual one of the submodules and to not supply nor receive electrically energy during a disengaged mode of operation of the individual one of the submodules.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein one of the submodules of one of the batteries is configured to operate in the engaged mode of operation during operation of another of the submodules of the one of the batteries in a disengaged mode of operation.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the batteries individually comprise a plurality of submodules which individually comprise:

a first submodule terminal;

a second submodule terminal;

a plurality of rechargeable cells electrically coupled between the first and second submodule terminals; and

wherein the switching circuitry is configured to electrically couple the one of the first and second system terminals with one of the first and second submodule terminals of the individual one of the submodules during an engaged mode of operation of the individual one of the submodules and to electrically isolate the one of the first and second system terminals from the one of the first and second submodule terminals of the individual one of the submodules during a disengaged mode of operation of the individual one of the submodules.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein one of the submodules of one of the batteries is configured to operate in the engaged mode of operation during operation of another of the submodules of the one of the batteries in a disengaged mode of operation.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein individual ones of the rechargeable batteries comprise a plurality of rechargeable cells configured to store electrical energy, and wherein the rechargeable batteries are individually configured to operate at different modes at different moments in time wherein different numbers of the cells of the individual rechargeable battery are configured to one of supply or receive electrical energy at the different moments in time.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the batteries of the individual one of the battery strings are individually configured to operate in an engaged mode of operation where the individual battery is configured to one of supply and receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals and a disengaged mode of operation where the individual battery is configured to not supply nor receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein at least one battery of a first of the battery strings operates in the engaged mode of operation during operation of another of the batteries of the first of the battery strings in the disengaged mode of operation.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one battery operates in the engaged mode of operation during the operation of the another of the batteries of the first battery string in the disengaged mode of operation only if an individual battery of another of the battery strings which is in parallel with the another of the batteries is in the engaged mode of operation.

27. The system of claim 17 wherein the batteries are individually configured to operate in an engaged mode of operation wherein an individual battery is configured to at least one of supply and receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals and a disengaged mode of operation wherein the individual battery is configured to not supply nor receive electrical energy with respect to the first and second system terminals.

28. The system of claim 17 further comprising control circuitry to control operation of all of the batteries in the engaged and disengaged modes of operation and to substantially simultaneously switch operation of all of the batteries from the engaged mode of operation to the disengaged mode of operation.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the control circuitry is void of any processing circuitry configured to execute code.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the control circuitry is implemented entirely in hardware void of any processing circuitry configured to execute code.

31. A battery system operational method comprising:

conducting electrical energy between a battery system comprising a plurality of strings of rechargeable batteries and an external device which is coupled with a terminal of the battery system during an engaged mode of operation of the strings of the batteries, and wherein the strings of the batteries are coupled in parallel with one another at the terminal and individual ones of the strings of batteries comprise a plurality of rechargeable batteries coupled in series with the terminal; and

operating one of the strings of batteries in a disengaged mode of operation where electrical energy is not conducted between the batteries of the one of the strings of batteries and the external device;

wherein the batteries of the strings of batteries individually comprise switching circuitry configured to selectively electrically couple the respective batteries with the terminal, and wherein the operating comprises opening the switching circuitry of the batteries of the one of the strings of batteries.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising electrically isolating the batteries of the one of the strings of batteries from the batteries of an other of the strings of batteries.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the operating comprises electrically isolating the batteries of the one of the strings of batteries from the terminal.

34. The method of claim 31 further comprising operating an other of the strings of batteries in the engaged mode of operation during the operating the one of the strings of batteries in the disengaged mode of operation.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein individual ones of the batteries comprise a plurality of rechargeable cells, and wherein the conducting using one of the batteries comprise conducting with respect to different numbers of the rechargeable cells of the one of the batteries.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein individual ones of the batteries comprise a plurality of submodules individually comprising a plurality of rechargeable cells, and wherein the conducting using one of the batteries comprises conducting using different numbers of the submodules of the one of the batteries at different moments in time.

37. The method of claim 31 further comprising controlling the one of the strings of batteries to change from the engaged mode of operation to the disengaged mode of operation.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the controlling comprises switching the one of the strings of batteries from the engaged mode of operation to the disengaged mode of operation without execution of executed code.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the controlling comprises switching the one of the strings of batteries from the engaged mode of operation to the disengaged mode of operation using control circuitry void of processing circuitry configured to execute code.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the controlling comprises substantially simultaneously electrically isolating the batteries of the one of the strings of batteries during the change from the engaged mode of operation to the disengaged mode operation.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising detecting an alarm condition being present in the one of the stings of batteries, and the controlling comprises controlling responsive to the detecting.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the detecting comprises detecting an electrical characteristic of at least one of the batteries of the one of the strings of batteries triggering a threshold.

43. The method of claim 31 further comprising operating individual ones of the strings of batteries in the engaged and disengaged modes of operation independent of operation of others of the strings of batteries in the engaged and disengaged modes of operation.

44. A battery system operational method comprising:

supplying electrical energy to a plurality of strings of rechargeable batteries coupled in parallel intermediate first and second system terminals, wherein the rechargeable batteries of an individual one of the strings are coupled in series intermediate the first and second system terminals; and

discharging electrical energy from the rechargeable batteries to a load coupled with the first and second system terminals,

wherein discharging one of the rechargeable batteries of one of the strings comprises discharging the electrical energy from the one rechargeable battery via another of the strings;

and wherein the batteries of the strings individually comprise switching circuitry configured to electrically couple the individual battery with one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the string of the individual battery in the engaged mode of operation and to electrically isolate the individual battery from the one of the first and second system terminals during operation of the string of the individual battery in the disengaged mode of operation.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the discharging the one of the rechargeable batteries comprises conducting electrical energy with respect to the one of the rechargeable batteries via an electrical connection intermediate the one and another of the strings.

46. The method of claim 44 further comprising electrically isolating another of the rechargeable batteries of the one of the strings from the one of the first and second system terminals during the discharging the one rechargeable battery.

47. The method of claim 44 further comprising electrically isolating another of the rechargeable batteries of the one of the strings from the one of the rechargeable batteries of the one of the strings during the discharging the one rechargeable battery.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising detecting a fault in the another of the rechargeable batteries of the one of the strings and wherein the electrically isolating is responsive to the detecting.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the discharging the one rechargeable battery comprises conducting electrical energy with respect to the one of the rechargeable batteries of the one of the strings via one of the rechargeable batteries of the another of the strings which is in parallel with the another of the rechargeable batteries of the one of the strings.

50. The method of claim 44 wherein the rechargeable batteries individually comprise a plurality of submodules which individually comprise a plurality of rechargeable cells, and further comprising electrically isolating the rechargeable cells of one of the submodules of one of the rechargeable batteries while at least one of supplying and discharging electrical energy with respect to another of the submodules of the one of the rechargeable batteries.