Method for starting up a battery system having a DC voltage intermediate circuit

• US 9,457,745 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Butzmann, Stefan, Fink, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/825,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: 307/77
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• 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

The disclosure presents a method for starting up a battery system having a battery, a DC voltage intermediate circuit which is connected to the battery, and a drive system which is connected to the DC voltage intermediate circuit. The battery has a large number of battery modules which are connected in series and which each comprise a coupling unit and at least one battery cell which is connected between a first input and a second input of the coupling unit. The method comprises a step for decoupling the battery cells of all of the battery modules which are connected in series by outputting a corresponding control signal to the coupling units of the battery modules which are connected in series. All of the battery modules which are connected in series are then bridged at the output end, and therefore an output voltage of the battery is zero.

Claims

1. A method for starting up a battery system having a battery, a DC voltage intermediate circuit that is connected to the battery, and a drive system that is connected to the DC voltage intermediate circuit, the battery having a plurality of battery modules that are connected in series, each battery module having a first input, a second input, a coupling unit, and at least one battery cell, the coupling unit being configured to, (i) in a first state, connect the at least one battery cell between the first input and the second input and to, (ii) in a second state, bridge the at least one battery cell by connecting the first input to the second input, the method comprising:

a) operating the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules in the second state to bridge the at least one battery cell of each of the battery modules by transmitting a corresponding control signal to the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules;

b) operating the coupling unit of one of the plurality of battery modules in the first state to connect the corresponding at least one battery cell by terminating the transmission of the corresponding control signal to the coupling unit of the one of all of the plurality of battery modules; and

c) repeating the step b) to connect the corresponding at least one battery cell of a further one of the plurality of battery modules at least until a voltage of the DC voltage intermediate circuit reaches a first desired operating voltage.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

d) starting up the drive system that is connected to the DC voltage intermediate circuit in response to the voltage of the DC voltage intermediate circuit reaching a second desired operating voltage.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second desired operating voltage is equal to the first desired operating voltage.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second desired operating voltage is lower than the first desired operating voltage.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the step b) until the at least one battery cell of all the plurality of battery modules are connected.

6. A battery of a battery system, the battery system including the battery, a DC voltage intermediate circuit that is connected to the battery, and a drive system that is connected to the DC voltage intermediate circuit, the battery comprising:

a control unit; and

a plurality of battery modules, each battery module including a first input, a second input, a coupling unit, and at least one battery cell, the coupling unit being configured to, (i) in a first state, connect the at least one battery cell between the first input and the second input and to, (ii) in a second state, bridge the at least one battery cell by connecting the first input to the second input,

wherein the control unit is operably connected to the coupling unit of all the plurality of battery modules configured to;

a) operate the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules in the second state to bridge the at least one battery cell of each of the battery modules by transmitting a corresponding control signal to the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules;

b) operate the coupling unit of one of the plurality of battery modules in the first state to connect the corresponding at least one battery cell by terminating the transmission of the corresponding control signal to the coupling unit of the one of all of the plurality of battery modules; and

c) repeat the step b) to connect the corresponding at least one battery cell of a further one of the plurality of battery modules at least until a voltage of the DC voltage intermediate circuit reaches a first desired operating voltage.

7. A battery system comprising:

a battery including (i) a control unit and (ii) a plurality of battery modules, each battery module including a first input, a second input, a coupling unit, and at least one battery cell, the coupling unit being configured to, (i) in a first state, connect the at least one battery cell between the first input and the second input and to, (ii) in a second state, bridge the at least one battery cell by connecting the first input to the second input;

a DC voltage intermediate circuit connected to the battery; and

a drive system connected to the DC voltage intermediate circuit,

wherein the control unit is operably connected to the coupling unit of all the plurality of battery modules configured to;

a) operate the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules in the second state to bridge the at least one battery cell of each of the battery modules by transmitting a corresponding control signal to the coupling units of all of the plurality of battery modules;

b) operate the coupling unit of one of the plurality of battery modules in the first state to connect the corresponding at least one battery cell by terminating the transmission of the corresponding control signal to the coupling unit of the one of all of the plurality of battery modules; and

c) repeat the step b) to connect the corresponding at least one battery cell of a further one of the plurality of battery modules at least until a voltage of the DC voltage intermediate circuit reaches a first desired operating voltage.

8. The battery system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the DC voltage intermediate circuit is connected directly to the battery.

9. The battery system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the DC voltage intermediate circuit comprises a capacitor.

10. The battery system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the battery system is included in a motor vehicle.