Internal resistance measurement device and method for stacked battery

• US 9,366,731 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakai, Masanobu, Kamihara, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Omar, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US13/992,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20130249562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 324/430
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/389 Measuring internal impedance, internal conductance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• 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 8/04634 Other electric variables, e.g. resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04641 of the individual fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04649 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery includes an AC power supply part for outputting an AC current to an measurement-object, which includes at least a stacked battery made of a plurality of stacked power generating elements, by being connected to the measurement-object, an AC adjusting part for adjusting an AC current so that a positive-electrode AC potential difference, which is a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in a middle portion from potential in a portion connected to a load device on the positive side of the measurement-object, matches a negative-electrode AC potential difference, which is a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle portion from potential in a portion connected to the load device on the negative side of the measurement-object, and a resistance calculating part for calculating resistance of the battery based on the adjusted AC current and the AC potential difference.

Claims

1. An internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery comprising:

an AC power supply part for outputting an AC current to an internal resistance measurement object comprising a stacked battery made of a plurality of stacked power generating elements by being connected to the internal resistance measurement object;

a positive portion connected to a positive electrode of the internal resistance measurement object;

a negative portion connected to a negative electrode of the internal resistance measurement object;

a middle portion connected to a middle part of the internal resistance measurement object;

an AC adjusting part for adjusting an AC current output to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the internal resistance measurement object; and

a resistance calculating part for calculating resistance of the stacked battery based on the adjusted AC current and the AC potential difference.

2. An internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery comprising:

an AC power supply part for outputting an AC current to an internal resistance measurement object comprising a stacked battery made of a plurality of stacked power generating elements by being connected to the internal resistance measurement object;

an AC adjusting part for adjusting an AC current so that a positive electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in a middle portion from potential in a portion connected to a load device on the positive electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object, matches a negative electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle portion from potential in a portion connected to the load device on the negative electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object; and

a resistance calculating part for calculating resistance of the stacked battery based on the adjusted AC current and the AC potential difference.

3. An internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery comprising:

an AC power supply part for outputting an AC current to an internal resistance measurement object including at least a stacked battery made of a plurality of stacked power generating elements by being connected to the internal resistance measurement object;

an AC adjusting part for adjusting an AC current so that a positive electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in a middle portion from potential in a portion connected to a load device on the positive electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object, matches a negative electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle portion from potential in a portion connected to the load device on the negative electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object; and

a resistance calculating part for calculating resistance of the stacked battery based on the adjusted AC current and the AC potential difference.

4. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 3, wherein:

the internal resistance measurement object is the stacked battery; and

the AC adjusting part adjusts an AC current so that a positive electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in a middle portion from potential in a portion connected to a load device on the positive electrode side of the stacked battery, matches a negative electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle portion from potential in a portion connected to the load device on the negative electrode side of the stacked battery.

5. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 3, wherein;

the AC power supply part includes a positive electrode power supply part for outputting an AC current to the internal resistance measurement object by being connected to a positive electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object via a DC interrupting part, and a negative electrode power supply part for outputting an AC current to the internal resistance measurement object by being connected to a negative electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object via a DC interrupting part; and

the AC adjusting part adjusts the positive electrode power supply part and the negative electrode power supply part so that the positive electrode AC potential difference matches the negative electrode AC potential difference.

6. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 5, wherein:

the positive electrode connection part is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a positive electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the positive electrode AC potential difference by a route different from a route connected to the positive electrode power supply part;

the negative electrode connection part is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a negative electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the negative electrode AC potential difference by a route different from a route connected to the negative electrode power supply part; and

the middle part is connected to a ground line via a DC interrupting part and connected to, via a DC interrupting part, the positive electrode AC potential difference detector and the negative electrode AC potential difference detector by a route different from the route connected to the ground line.

7. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 5, wherein:

a positive electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the positive electrode AC potential difference is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a portion separated from the positive electrode connection part by at least one power generating element;

a negative electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the negative electrode AC potential difference is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a portion separated from the negative electrode connection part by at least one power generating element;

the middle portion is connected to a ground line via a DC interrupting part;

a portion on the positive electrode side to be separated from the middle portion by at least one power generating element is connected to the positive electrode AC potential difference detector via a DC interrupting part; and

a portion on the negative electrode side to be separated from the middle portion by at least one power generating element is connected to the negative electrode AC potential difference detector via a DC interrupting part.

8. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 3, comprising:

a variable resistor and a variable capacitor connected to one of a positive electrode connection part and a negative electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object via a DC interrupting part;

a fixed resistor connected to the other one of the positive electrode connection part and the negative electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object via a DC interrupting part; and

an AC potential difference detector for detecting the positive electrode AC potential difference or the negative electrode AC potential difference by being connected to one of the positive electrode connection part and the negative electrode connection part and the middle portion via a DC interrupting part, wherein;

the AC power supply part outputs an AC current to the middle portion by being connected to the middle portion via a DC interrupting part; and

the AC adjusting part adjusts the variable resistor and the variable capacitor so that the positive electrode AC potential matches the negative electrode AC potential.

9. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 8, wherein:

the positive electrode connection part is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a route different from a route connected to one of the variable resistor and the fixed resistor so as to output the positive electrode AC potential to the AC adjusting part;

the negative electrode connection part is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a route different from a route connected to the other one of the variable resistor and the fixed resistor so as to output the negative electrode AC potential to the AC adjusting part; and

the middle portion is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, the AC potential difference detector by a route different from a route connected to the AC power supply part.

10. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 8, wherein:

a portion separated from the positive electrode connection part by at least one power generating element is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a route for outputting the positive electrode AC potential to the AC adjusting part;

a portion separated from the negative electrode connection part by at least one power generating element is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a route for outputting the negative electrode AC potential to the AC adjusting part; and

a portion separated from the middle portion by at least one power generating element is connected to the AC potential difference detector via a DC interrupting part.

11. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 3, wherein:

the AC power supply part outputs an AC current to the middle portion by being connected to the middle portion via a DC interrupting part; and

the AC adjusting part includes a positive electrode adjusting part for turning potential in a positive electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object to zero by being connected to the positive electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object via a DC interrupting part, and a negative electrode adjusting part for turning potential in a negative electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object to zero by being connected to the negative electrode connection part of the internal resistance measurement object via a DC interrupting part.

12. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 11, wherein:

the positive electrode connection part is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a positive electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the positive electrode AC potential difference, by a route different from a route connected to the positive electrode adjusting part;

the negative electrode connection part is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a negative electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the negative electrode AC potential difference, by a route different from a route connected to the negative electrode adjusting part; and

the middle portion is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, the positive electrode AC potential difference detector and the negative electrode AC potential difference detector by a route different from a route connected to the AC power supply part.

13. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 11, wherein:

a portion separated from the positive electrode connection part by at least one power generating element is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a positive electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the positive electrode AC potential difference;

a portion separated from the negative electrode connection part by at least one power generating element is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, a negative electrode AC potential difference detector for detecting the negative electrode AC potential difference;

a portion on the positive electrode side to be separated from the middle portion by at least one power generating element is connected to the positive electrode AC potential difference detector via a DC interrupting part; and

a portion on the negative electrode side to be separated from the middle portion by at least one power generating element is connected to, via a DC interrupting part, the negative electrode AC potential difference detector.

14. The internal resistance measurement device for stacked battery according to claim 3, further comprising:

a connection switch changer for switching the middle portion sequentially.

15. An internal resistance measurement method for stacked battery comprising:

an AC output step of outputting an AC current to an internal resistance measurement object comprising a stacked battery made of a plurality of stacked power generating elements by being connected to the internal resistance measurement object;

an AC adjusting step of adjusting an AC current so that a positive electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in a middle portion from potential in a portion connected to a load device on the positive electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object, matches a negative electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle portion from potential in a portion connected to the load device on the negative electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object; and

a resistance calculating step of calculating resistance of the stacked battery based on the adjusted AC current and the AC potential difference.

16. An internal resistance measurement method for stacked battery by outputting an AC power supply part for outputting an AC current to an internal resistance measurement object including at least a stacked battery made of a plurality of stacked power generating elements, comprising:

providing a middle electrode for providing a common AC voltage of a positive electrode and a negative electrode at a middle portion between the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object;

supplying an AC current to the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side of the internal resistance measurement object;

adjusting an AC current so that a positive electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle electrode from potential on the positive electrode of the internal resistance measurement object, matches a negative electrode AC potential difference, being a potential difference obtained by subtracting potential in the middle electrode from potential on the negative electrode of the internal resistance measurement object; and

calculating resistance of the stacked battery based on the adjusted AC current and the AC potential difference.