ELECTRIC BATTERY WITH MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ENERGY GENERATING ELEMENTS

• US 20120243130A1
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Kokam France SAS
• Original Assignee: Dow Kokam France SAS
• Inventors: Gaben, Fabien
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/103 Fuse
• 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 50/269 Mechanical means for varying the arrangement of batteries or cells for different uses, e.g. for changing the number of batteries or for switching between series and parallel wiring methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance H01M6/50, H01M10/42
• 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: 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

Abstract

A lithium-based battery system for a vehicle includes a plurality of lithium battery cells arranged in series that provide energy to propel the vehicle. Each of the battery cells includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a plurality of lithium battery elements arranged in parallel, a plurality of disconnect switches, and a shunt switch. Each of the battery elements includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of each of the battery elements is connected to the first terminal of the battery cell. The second terminal of each of the battery elements is connected to the second terminal of the battery cell via a corresponding one of the disconnect switches. The shunt switch is connected between the first and second terminals of the battery cell. A control module selectively opens and closes the shunt switches and the disconnect switches.

Claims

1. A lithium-based battery system for a vehicle, the battery system comprising:

a plurality of lithium battery cells arranged in series that provide energy to propel the vehicle, wherein each of the battery cells comprises;

a first terminal and a second terminal;

a plurality of lithium battery elements arranged in parallel, wherein each of the battery elements comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, and wherein the first terminal of each of the battery elements is connected to the first terminal of the battery cell;

a plurality of disconnect switches, wherein the second terminal of each of the battery elements is connected to the second terminal of the battery cell via a corresponding one of the disconnect switches; and

a shunt switch connected between the first and second terminals of the battery cell; and

a control module that selectively opens and closes the shunt switches and the disconnect switches.

2. The battery system of claim 1 wherein each of the disconnect switches and the shunt switches comprises first and second semiconductor switches.

3. The battery system of claim 2 wherein, for each of the disconnect switches and the shunt switches, the control module controls the first and second semiconductor switches simultaneously.

4. The battery system of claim 2 wherein the first and second semiconductor switches are connected in series and comprise first and second transistors, respectively.

5. The battery system of claim 4 wherein, when closing one of the shunt switches, the control module turns on the first transistor of the one of the shunt switches prior to turning on the second transistor of the one of the shunt switches.

6. The battery system of claim 4 wherein, when opening one of the disconnect switches, the control module turns off the first transistor of the one of the disconnect switches prior to turning off the second transistor of the one of the disconnect switches.

7. The battery system of claim 4 wherein the first and second transistors are metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) each having a body, a source, a gate, and a drain, and wherein one of (i) the source of the first transistor is connected to the source of the second transistor and (ii) the drain of the first transistor is connected to the drain of the second transistor.

8. The battery system of claim 7 wherein the first and second transistors are n-channel power MOSFETs and, for each transistor of the first and second transistors, the body of the transistor is connected to the source of the transistor.

9. The battery system of claim 7 wherein the first transistor includes an inherent body diode that allows current flow in a first direction and blocks current flow in a second direction, and wherein the second transistor includes an inherent body diode that allows current flow in the second direction and blocks current flow in the first direction.

10. The battery system of claim 9 wherein when closing one of the shunt switches, the control module first turns on the one of the first and second transistors that includes the inherent body diode that allows current to flow in a direction of expected current flow through the one of the shunt switches.

11. The battery system of claim 9 wherein when opening one of the disconnect switches, the control module first turns off the one of the first and second transistors that includes the inherent body diode that blocks current flow in a direction of present current flow through the one of the disconnect switches.

12. The battery system of claim 1 wherein the control module controls opening and closing of the shunt switches and the disconnect switches to decrease power lost to heat and to prevent damaging short circuit conditions and arcing.

13. The battery system of claim 1 wherein prior to opening the disconnect switches for one of the battery cells, the control module closes the shunt switch for the one of the battery cells.

14. The battery system of claim 13 wherein the control module opens the disconnect switches for one of the battery cells when at least one of:

a charge level of the battery elements of the one of the battery cells reaches an upper limit during charging;

a charge level of the battery elements of the one of the battery cells reaches a lower limit during discharging; and

a temperature of one of the battery elements of the one of the battery cells exceeds a temperature threshold.

15. The battery system of claim 13 wherein, when malfunction of one of the battery elements is detected, the control module opens the disconnect switches for the battery cell comprising the one of the battery elements.

16. The battery system of claim 13 wherein the control module selectively opens the disconnect switches for at least one of the battery cells to regulate an aggregate output voltage of the battery cells.

17. The battery system of claim 13 wherein the control module opens the disconnect switches for all of the battery cells when at least one of:

a current through the battery cells is greater than a current threshold;

a maintenance signal is received; and

a collision of the vehicle is detected.

18. An electric vehicle power system comprising:

the battery system of claim 1; and

a mechanical shock sensor that generates a shock signal when a mechanical shock is detected,

wherein the control module closes the shunt switches when the shock signal exceeds a predetermined threshold.

19. The electric vehicle power system of claim 18 wherein the mechanical shock sensor comprises an accelerometer.