BATTERY SYSTEM AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20110189511A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoon, Jihyoung
• Granted Patent: US 9,246,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4228 Leak testing of cells or batteries
• 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 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/60 Heating or cooling; Temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/61 Types of temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• 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

A battery system capable of cooling overheated battery packs among a plurality battery packs each mounted in a battery case by measuring temperatures of the battery packs is disclosed, and a driving method thereof is provided. In one embodiment, the battery system includes a plurality of battery packs, an air compressor for supplying a compressed cooling air to the plurality of battery packs, a gas dividing unit coupled between the plurality of battery packs and the air compressor and including a plurality of valves, and a controller for controlling opening and closing of each of the plurality of valves according to temperatures of the plurality of battery packs.

Claims

1. A battery system comprising:

a plurality of battery packs;

an air compressor for supplying a compressed cooling air to the plurality of battery packs;

a gas dividing unit coupled between the plurality of battery packs and the air compressor, the gas dividing unit comprising a plurality of valves; and

a controller for controlling opening and closing of each of the plurality of valves according to temperatures of the plurality of battery packs.

2. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to open a corresponding one of the valves when a temperature of a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is higher than a first reference temperature.

3. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to open a valve of the air compressor when a temperature of at least one of the plurality of battery packs is higher than a first reference temperature.

4. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to open a corresponding one of the valves when a gas is generated from a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs.

5. The battery system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to open a valve of the air compressor when a gas is generated from at least one of the plurality of battery packs.

6. The battery system of claim 1, wherein a battery pack of the battery packs comprises an entrance part for receiving a gas into the battery pack, and an exit part for discharging a gas out of the battery pack.

7. The battery system of claim 6, wherein the battery pack comprises a distribution member located inside the entrance part for distributing the gas.

8. The battery system of claim 6, further comprising:

an entrance pipe coupled to the entrance part for receiving the gas from the gas dividing unit into the battery pack; and

an exit pipe coupled to the exit part for discharging the gas out of the battery pack.

9. The battery system of claim 8, wherein a diameter of the exit pipe is equal to or greater than a diameter of the entrance pipe.

10. The battery system of claim 8, wherein the battery packs comprise a first battery pack and a second battery pack that is located farther from the gas dividing unit than the first battery pack, a diameter of an entrance pipe coupled to the second battery pack being larger than that of an entrance pipe coupled to the first battery pack.

11. The battery system of claim 2, wherein the gas dividing unit further comprises an extinguishing unit for supplying a compressed extinguishing gas to the plurality of battery packs.

12. The battery system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to open a valve of the extinguishing unit when a temperature of at least one of the plurality of battery packs is higher than a second reference temperature.

13. The battery system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to open a corresponding one of the plurality of valves when a temperature of a battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is higher than a second reference temperature.

14. The battery system of claim 11, wherein the extinguishing gas is a compressed incombustible gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen (N), argon (Ar), neon (Ne), helium (He), krypton (Kr), and a combination thereof.

15. A driving method of a battery system comprising:

measuring temperatures of a plurality of battery packs;

comparing the measured temperatures of the plurality of battery packs with a first reference temperature;

determining whether there is an overheated battery pack among the battery packs; and

cooling the overheated battery pack.

16. The driving method of claim 15, wherein the cooling of the overheated battery pack comprises opening a valve of an air compressor for providing a cooling air to the overheated battery pack.

17. The driving method of claim 15, wherein the cooling of the overheated battery pack comprises opening a valve of a gas dividing unit corresponding to the overheated battery pack.

18. The driving method of claim 15, wherein the comparing of the battery pack temperatures with the first reference temperature comprises setting a second reference temperature higher than the first reference temperature.

19. The driving method of claim 18, wherein when at least one of the temperatures of the battery packs is higher than the second reference temperature, the cooling of the overheated battery pack comprises opening a valve of an extinguishing unit.

20. A driving method of a battery system comprising:

detecting a gas leakage from a plurality of battery packs;

notifying a controller of a battery pack that leaks a gas among the plurality of battery packs; and

releasing the gas from the battery pack leaking the gas to the outside.

21. The driving method of claim 20, wherein the releasing of the gas comprises opening a valve of an air compressor coupled to the battery pack.