Method for controlling secondary battery and power storage device

• US 8,963,502 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Inventors: Abe, Hiroyuki, Hatta, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US13/433,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20120187913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320134-136
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/3909 Sodium-sulfur cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An energy amount required for charging from the remaining capacity management value to the vicinity of a charge end and an energy amount required for discharging from the remaining capacity management value to the vicinity of a discharge end are calculated. A charge/discharge energy amount available for the secondary battery is predicted. A time required to complete the correction in the vicinity of the charge end and a time required to complete the correction in the vicinity of the discharge end are predicted based on the calculated energy amount and the predicted energy amount. A correction method having the shorter predicted time of the predicted times is selected. A state of charge of the secondary battery is controlled in such a manner that the remaining capacity management value of the secondary battery is corrected by the selected correction method.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a secondary battery as a target for a correction of a remaining capacity management value, in such a manner that said remaining capacity management value is corrected to one of at a predetermined percentage of a charge end and to at a predetermined percentage of a discharge end, the method comprising:

a first energy amount calculating step of calculating an energy amount required for charging from said remaining capacity management value to the predetermined percentage of said charge end, and an energy amount required for discharging from said remaining capacity management value to the predetermined percentage of said discharge end;

an energy amount predicting step of predicting a charge/discharge energy amount available for said secondary battery;

a correction time predicting step of predicting a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said charge end, and a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said discharge end, based on the energy amount calculated by said first energy amount calculating step, and the energy amount predicted by said energy amount predicting step;

a correction method selecting step of selecting a correction method having the shorter predicted time of the times predicted by said correction time predicting step; and

a charge/discharge controlling step of controlling a state of charge of said secondary battery so as to correct said remaining capacity management value of said secondary battery by said selected correction method.

2. The method for controlling a secondary battery according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second energy amount calculating step of calculating an energy amount required for charging/discharging from the predetermined percentage of said charge end to a predetermined storage amount set according to an intended use of said secondary battery, and an energy amount required for charging/discharging from the predetermined percentage of said discharge end to said predetermined storage amount, wherein

said correction time predicting step predicts a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said charge end and reach said predetermined storage amount, and a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said discharge end and reach said predetermined storage amount, based on the energy amount calculated by said first energy amount calculating step, the energy amount predicted by said energy amount predicting step, and the energy amount calculated by said second energy amount calculating step.

3. The method for controlling a secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein

said energy amount predicting step sets the charge energy amount and discharge energy amount available for said secondary battery to the same energy amount.

4. The method for controlling a secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein

in a case where a plurality of secondary batteries are provided,

said energy amount predicting step predicts

a charge/discharge energy amount available for said correction target secondary battery in a case where said correction target secondary battery is preferentially charged, and the secondary battery other than said correction target secondary battery is preferentially discharged, and

a charge/discharge energy amount available for said correction target secondary battery in a case where said correction target secondary battery is preferentially discharged, and the secondary battery other than said correction target secondary battery is preferentially charged.

5. A power storage device provided with a secondary battery comprising:

a bidirectional converter to control charge/discharge of said secondary battery; and

a controller to control said bidirectional converter so as to correct a remaining capacity management value of said secondary battery to one of at a predetermined percentage of a charge end and at a predetermined percentage of a discharge end, wherein

said controller comprises;

a first energy amount calculating part to calculate an energy amount required for charging from said remaining capacity management value to the predetermined percentage of said charge end, and an energy amount required for discharging from said remaining capacity management value to the predetermined percentage of said discharge end for the secondary battery as a target for a correction of said remaining capacity management value;

an energy amount predicting part to predict a charge/discharge energy amount available for said correction target secondary battery;

a correction time predicting part to predict a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said charge end, and a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said discharge end, based on the energy amount calculated by said first energy amount calculating part, and the energy amount predicted by said energy amount predicting part;

a correction method selecting part to select a correction method having the shorter predicted time of the times predicted by said correction time predicting part; and

a charge/discharge commanding part to control said bidirectional converter so as to correct said remaining capacity management value of said correction target secondary battery by said selected correction method.

6. The power storage device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a second energy amount calculating part to calculate an energy amount required for charging/discharging from the predetermined percentage of said charge end to a predetermined storage amount set according to an intended use of said secondary battery, and an energy amount required for charging/discharging from the predetermined percentage of said discharge end to said predetermined storage amount, wherein

said correction time predicting part predicts a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said charge end and reach said predetermined storage amount, and a time required to complete the correction of said remaining capacity management value to at the predetermined percentage of said discharge end and reach said predetermined storage amount, based on the energy amount calculated by said first energy amount calculating part, the energy amount predicted by said energy amount predicting part, and the energy amount calculated by said second energy amount calculating part.

7. The power storage device according to claim 5, wherein

said energy amount predicting part sets the charge energy amount and discharging energy amount available for said correction target secondary battery to the same energy amount.

8. The power storage device according to claim 5, wherein

in a case where a plurality of said secondary batteries are provided,

said energy amount predicting part predicts

a charge/discharge energy amount available for said correction target secondary battery in a case where said correction target secondary battery is preferentially charged, and the secondary battery other than said correction target secondary battery is preferentially discharged, and

a charge/discharge energy amount available for said correction target secondary battery in a case where said correction target secondary battery is preferentially discharged, and the secondary battery other than said correction target secondary battery is preferentially charged.