Systems and methods for overcharge protection and charge balance in combined energy source systems

• US 9,819,064 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Jiang, Junwei, Watson, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Brian K
• Application Number:
  US13/422,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 307 107
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• 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 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• 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: H01G 11/14 Arrangements or processes for adjusting or protecting hybrid or EDL capacitors emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for capacitors, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions H02H7/16; emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltages without disconnection H02H9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 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 50/209 : adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 : characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 : Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 : using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 : Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 : Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 : with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 : using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 : Electric battery cell making

Abstract

Provided herein are energy source systems for a vehicle. One energy source system for a vehicle includes a battery having a plurality of cells coupled in series with one another and adapted to be coupled to an alternator of the vehicle. The energy source system for the vehicle also includes one or more ultracapacitors coupled in series with one another and adapted to be coupled to starting components of the vehicle. The battery and the one or more ultracapacitors are coupled to one another in a parallel arrangement, and a combined voltage of the battery cells is substantially matched with a combined voltage of the one or more ultracapacitors.

Claims

1. An energy source system for a vehicle, comprising:

a battery comprising a plurality of cells coupled in series with one another and configured to be coupled to an alternator of the vehicle;

one or more ultracapacitors coupled in series with one another and configured to be coupled to starting components of the vehicle, wherein the battery and the one or more ultracapacitors are coupled to one another in a parallel arrangement, and wherein a combined voltage of the battery cells is substantially matched with a combined voltage of the one or more ultracapacitors; and

a control system coupled to each of the one or more ultracapacitors, wherein the control system configured to recharge the one or more ultracapacitors via the batter following a discharge of the one or more ultracapacitors by directing a current flow only from the battery to the one or more ultracapacitors, and provide overcharge protection to each of the one or more ultracapacitors by stopping the current flow to each of the one or more ultracapacitors after each of the one or more ultracapacitors reaches its threshold voltage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the combined voltage of the battery cells and the combined voltage of the ultracapacitors is between approximately 36V and approximately 60V.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the combined voltage of the battery cells and the combined voltage of the ultracapacitors is approximately 48V.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a Pb-acid battery.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a Ni-M(H) battery.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a Ni-Zn battery.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a Li-ion battery.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultracapacitor comprises a double layer capacitor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultracapacitor comprises a hybrid capacitor with carbon based Li-ion interaction negative material or Li4Ti5O12based negative material.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to monitor operation of the battery and the one or more ultracapacitors and to control the flow of electric charge from the battery to the one or more ultracapacitors.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system comprises first management and control circuitry coupled to the battery and second management and control circuitry coupled to the one or more ultracapacitors.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the ultracapacitors has an average voltage of approximately 1.9V and an actual voltage within a range of approximately 1.0V and 2.8V.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is one of an internal combustion vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a micro-hybrid vehicle, a start-stop vehicle, or an electric vehicle.

14. An energy source system for a vehicle, comprising:

a battery having a plurality of cells coupled in series with one another;

a plurality of ultracapacitors coupled in series with one another, wherein a combined voltage of the battery cells and a combined voltage of the one or more ultracapacitors is within a range of between approximately 36V and approximately 60V; and

a control system coupled to each of the plurality of ultracapacitors, wherein the control system is configured to recharge each of the plurality of ultracapacitors and provide overcharge protection to each of the plurality of ultracapacitors including;

directirg a current flow only from the battery to a first ultracapacitor of the plurality of ultracapacitors;

stopping the current flow to the first ultracapacitor after the voltage of the first ultracapacitor reaches a threshold voltage; and

directirg the current flow only from the battery to a second ultracapacitor of the plurality of ultracapacitors after the first ultracapacitor reaches the threshold voltage.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the battery is configured to be coupled to an alternator of a vehicle, and the plurality of ultracapacitors are configured to be coupled to starting components of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle is one of an internal combustion vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a micro-hybrid vehicle, a start-stop vehicle, or an electric vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14, comprising battery management and control circuitry configured to monitor each of the plurality of battery cells and to control a flow of electric charge from the battery to the one or more ultracapacitors.

18. The system of claim 14, comprising ultracapacitor management and control circuitry configured to monitor each of the ultracapacitors and control the current flow from the battery to balance charge among the plurality of ultracapacitors by directing the current flow from the battery to each of the ultracapacitors.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the ultracapacitors has an average voltage of approximately 1.9V and an actual voltage within a range of approximately 1.0V and 2.8V.

20. The system of claim 14, comprising an ultracapacitor not coupled to the control system.

21. An energy source system for a vehicle, comprising:

a battery comprising a plurality of cells coupled in series with one another and configured to be coupled to an alternator of the vehicle;

one or more ultracapacitors coupled in series with one another and configured to be coupled to starting components of the vehicle, wherein the battery and the one or more ultracapacitors are coupled to one another in a parallel arrangement, and wherein a combined voltage of the battery cells and a combined voltage of the one or more ultracapacitors is approximately 48V; and

a control system coupled to each of the one or more ultracapacitors, wherein the control system configured to direct a current flow from the battery to the one or more ultracapacitors, wherein the current flow is directed only towards the one or more ultracapacitors when the control system is charging the one or more ultracapacitors, and provide overcharge protection to each of the one or more ultracapacitors by stopping the current flow to each of the one or more ultracapacitors after each of the one or more ultracapacitors reaches its threshold voltage.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the battery comprises a Pb-acid battery comprising 24 cells coupled in series.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the battery comprises a Li-ion battery comprising 16 cells each having LiFePO₄ contained positive material.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the battery comprises a Li-ion battery comprising 13 cells each having LiMn₂O₄ contained positive material.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more ultracapacitors comprises one or more hybrid ultracapacitors having lithium intercalation electrodes.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the vehicle is one of an internal combustion vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a micro-hybrid vehicle, a start-stop vehicle, or an electric vehicle.

27. An electromechanical system comprising:

a vehicle;

an energy source system disposed within the vehicle, wherein the energy source system comprises;

a battery comprising a plurality of cells coupled in series with one another and configured to be coupled to an alternator of the vehicle; and

a plurality of ultracapacitors coupled in series with one another and configured to be coupled to starting components of the vehicle, wherein the battery and the plurality of ultracapacitors are coupled to one another in a parallel arrangement, and wherein a combined voltage of the battery cells is substantially matched with a combined voltage of the plurality of ultracapacitors; and

a control system coupled to each of the plurality of ultracapacitors, wherein the control system configured to recharge each of the plurality of ultracapacitors and provide overcharge protection to each of the plurality of ultracapacitors including;

directing a current flow only from the battery to the plurality of ultracapacitors when the control system is charging the plurality of ultracapacitors; and

controlling the current flow from the battery by;

directing the current flow from the battery to a first ultracapacitor of the plurality of ultracapacitors;

stopping the current flow to the first ultracapacitor after the voltage of the first ultracapacitor reaches a threshold voltage; and

directing the current flow from the battery to a second ultracapacitor of the plurality of ultracapacitors after the voltage of the first ultracapacitor reaches the threshold voltage.