Passive architectures for batteries having two different chemistries

• US 9,718,375 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Sisk, Brian C., Le, Daniel B., Mascarenhas, Ryan S., Wyatt, Perry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ortiz, Elim
• Application Number:
  US14/161,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20150202985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 307 91, 320109, 320126
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• 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: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A 12 volt automotive battery system includes a first battery directly coupled to an electrical system, in which the first battery includes a first battery chemistry, and a second battery coupled in parallel with the first battery and directly coupled to the electrical system, in which the second battery includes a second battery chemistry with a higher coulombic efficiency than the first battery chemistry. The first battery and the second battery are non-voltage matched such that a voltage range of the second battery is higher than a voltage range of the first battery. The first battery steers power generated during regenerative braking to the second battery using internal resistance of the first battery to enable the second battery to capture a majority of the power generated during regenerative braking, and the second battery provides power to the electrical system due to the higher voltage range of the second battery when the second battery has a positive state of charge.

Claims

1. A 12 volt automotive battery system, comprising:

a first battery configured to be directly coupled to an electrical system, wherein the first battery comprises a first battery chemistry; and

a second battery electrically coupled in parallel with the first battery, wherein;

the second battery is configured to be directly coupled to the electrical system;

the second battery comprises a second battery chemistry with a higher coulombic efficiency than the first battery chemistry; and

the first battery and the second battery are non-voltage matched such that a first voltage range of the second battery is higher than and does not overlap with a second voltage range of the first battery, wherein;

the second voltage range of the first battery comprises open circuit voltages of the first battery between 0-100% state of charge, wherein a first open circuit voltage of the first battery is 11.2 volts when the first battery is at 0% state of charge and 12.9 volts when the first battery is at 100% state of charge; and

the first voltage range of the second battery comprises open circuit voltages of the second battery between 0-100% state of charge, wherein a second open circuit voltage of the second battery is 13.2 volts when the second battery is at 0% state of charge and 16.4 volts when the second battery is at 100% state of charge;

wherein the first battery is configured to steer electrical power generated during regenerative braking to the second battery using internal resistance of the first battery to enable the second battery to capture a majority of the electrical power generated during regenerative braking, and the second battery is configured to provide electrical power to the electrical system due to the first voltage range of the second battery being higher than the second voltage range of the first battery when the second battery has a non-zero state of charge.

2. The battery system of claim 1, comprising a battery control unit configured to maintain the first battery substantially at a full state of charge before regenerative braking.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein:

the first battery chemistry is a lead-acid battery chemistry; and

the second battery chemistry is a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide battery chemistry, a lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide battery chemistry, or a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide battery chemistry.

4. The battery system of claim 1, comprising an alternator electrically coupled to the first battery and the second battery, wherein the alternator is configured to supply voltage greater than open circuit voltage maximum charging voltage of the first battery at the full state of charge to enable charging the second battery up to 100% state of charge.

5. The battery system of claim 1, comprising a housing that houses the first battery and the second battery, wherein the housing comprises:

a positive terminal configured to be electrically coupled to a bus, wherein the bus is electrically coupled to the electrical system; and

a ground terminal, wherein the first battery and the second battery are electrically coupled in parallel between the positive terminal and the ground terminal.

6. The battery system of claim 1, comprising:

a first housing to house the first battery; and

a second housing to house the second battery, wherein the first housing and the second housing are configured to be located at different locations within the electrical system.

7. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the second battery is configured to provide electrical power to the electrical system by itself when electrical energy is stored in the second battery.

8. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the internal resistance of the first battery increases as state of charge of the first battery increases.

9. A method for operating a 12 volt automotive battery system, comprising:

maintaining a first battery substantially at a full state of charge by controlling operation of an electrical system using a battery control unit before electrical power is generated during regenerative braking, wherein the first battery is directly coupled to the electrical system and comprises a first battery chemistry;

steering the electrical power generated during regenerative braking to a second battery using internal resistance of the first battery, wherein;

the second battery is coupled directly to the electrical system in parallel with the first battery;

the second battery comprises a second battery chemistry with a higher coulombic efficiency than the first battery chemistry and

the first battery and the second battery are non-voltage matched such that a first voltage range of the second battery is higher than and does not overlap with a second voltage range of the first battery, wherein;

the second voltage range of the first battery comprises open circuit voltages of the first battery between 0-100% state of charge, wherein a first open circuit voltage of the first battery is 11.2 volts when the first battery at 0% state of charge and 12.9 volts when the first battery is at 100% state of charge; and

the first voltage range of the second battery comprises open circuit voltage of the second battery between 0-100% state of charge, wherein a second open circuit voltage of the second battery is 13.2 volts when the second battery is at 0% state of charge and 16.4 volts when the second battery is at 100% state of charge;

capturing a majority of the electrical power generated during regenerative braking using the second battery; and

providing electrical power to the electrical system with the second battery due to the first voltage range of the second battery being higher than the second voltage range of the first battery when the second battery has a non-zero state of charge.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein maintaining the first battery substantially at the full state of charge comprises micro-cycling the first battery, wherein micro-cycling the first battery comprises:

turning on an alternator when the first battery is at a lower threshold state of charge to charge the first battery until the first battery reaches an upper threshold state of charge; and

turning off the alternator when the first battery reaches the upper threshold state of charge to enable the first battery to provide power to the electrical system until the first battery reaches the lower threshold state of charge.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the upper threshold state of charge is approximately 100% state of charge and the lower threshold state of charge is approximately 95% state of charge.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein maintaining the first battery substantially at the full state of charge comprises providing electrical power to the electrical system directly from an alternator.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the internal resistance of the first battery increases as state of charge of the first battery increases.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein providing electrical power to the electrical system with the second battery comprises providing electrical power to the electrical system by itself when electrical energy is stored in the second battery.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first battery chemistry is a lead-acid battery chemistry; and

the second battery chemistry is a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide battery chemistry, a lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide battery chemistry, or a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide battery chemistry.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising supplying voltage greater than open circuit voltage of the first battery at the full state of charge to enable charging the second battery up to 100% state of charge.

17. A method for operating a 12 volt automotive battery system, comprising:

maintaining a first battery at a less than full state of charge before regenerative braking by controlling operation of an electrical system using a battery control unit to facilitate increasing storage capacity utilization of a second battery coupled in parallel with the first battery, wherein;

the first battery comprises a first battery chemistry; and

the second battery comprises a second battery chemistry with a higher coulombic efficiency than the first battery chemistry;

maintaining the second battery at a threshold voltage before regenerative braking by controlling operation of the electrical system using the battery control unit;

generating electrical power during regenerative braking; and

supplying the electrical power generated during regenerative braking to the second battery with a voltage greater than open circuit voltage of the first battery at full state of charge to enable charging the second battery up to 100% state of charge.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the threshold voltage corresponds to voltage across the first battery at the less than full state of charge.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first battery and the second battery are partial voltage matched such that a first voltage range of the first battery and a second voltage range of the second battery partially overlap, wherein:

the first voltage range comprises the open circuit voltage of the first battery from 0-100% state of charge;

the second voltage range comprises open circuit voltage of the second battery from 0-100% state of charge; and

a portion of the second voltage range that overlaps with the first voltage range corresponds to between 1-74% of total state of charge range of the second battery state of charge.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the first battery chemistry is a lead-acid battery chemistry; and

the second battery chemistry is a lithium-titanate/lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide battery chemistry, a nickel-metal hydride battery chemistry, a lithium iron phosphate battery chemistry, a lithium-titanate/lithium manganese oxide battery chemistry or a nickel-zinc battery chemistry.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first battery and the second battery are voltage matched such that a first voltage range of the first battery and a second voltage range of the second battery largely overlap, wherein:

the first voltage range comprises the open circuit voltage of the first battery from 0-100% state of charge;

the second voltage range comprises open circuit voltage of the second battery from 0-100% state of charge; and

a portion of the second voltage range that overlaps with the first voltage range corresponds to between 75-100% of total state of charge range of the second battery.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein supplying the electrical power generated during regenerative braking to the second battery comprises supplying the electrical power with the voltage greater than a maximum charging voltage of the first battery to the second battery.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein maintaining the first battery at the less than full state of charge comprises micro-cycling the first battery, wherein micro-cycling the first battery comprises:

turning on an alternator when the first battery is at a lower threshold state of charge to charge the first battery until the first battery reaches an upper threshold state of charge; and

turning off the alternator when the first battery reaches the upper threshold state of charge to enable the first battery to provide power to the electrical system until the first battery reaches the lower threshold state of charge.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the upper threshold state of charge is approximately 85% state of charge and the lower threshold state of charge is approximately 80% state of charge.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the upper threshold state of charge is approximately 65% state of charge and the lower threshold state of charge is approximately 60% state of charge.