Battery Management

• US 20130049762A1
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Servato Corp.
• Original Assignee: Encell Technology, Inc
• Inventors: Ogg, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 9,531,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/433
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/10 Batteries in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Battery management may be provided. First, a battery string in a battery bank may be charged for a charge time. After charging the battery string, the battery string may be isolated from charging for a rest time. Once the charging and resting from charging is complete, a test open circuit voltage for each battery in the first battery string may be measured. In addition, a defective indicator that a battery is defective may be recorded in a database. Next, a battery may be loaded with a preset load for a load time. After loading the battery, a test load voltage for each of the batteries loaded with the preset load may be measured. A second defective indicator that a battery is defective may be recorded in the database when the test load voltage for the second battery is greater than a load voltage differential.

Claims

1. A method for battery management, the method comprising:

performing a pretest routine on a first battery string in a battery bank, wherein performing the pretest routine comprises;

measuring a pretest open circuit voltage of each of a plurality of batteries in the first battery string, and

performing a preliminary charge routine on the first battery string when the pretest open circuit voltage of any of the plurality of batteries in the first battery string is below a predetermined voltage, wherein performing the preliminary charge routine comprises;

charging the first battery string, and

measuring the pretest open circuit voltage of each of the plurality of batteries in the first battery string,

until the pretest open circuit voltage of each battery in the first battery string has increased less than a preliminary charge voltage difference;

performing a main charge routine comprising;

(i) charging the first battery string for a charge time,

(ii) isolating the first battery string from charging for a rest time,

(iii) repeating stages (i) and (ii) a predetermined number of times,

(iv) measuring a charge open circuit voltage for each of the plurality of batteries in the first battery string,

until the charge open circuit voltage of each battery in the first battery sting has increased less than a charging voltage differential;

performing a non-load testing routine comprising;

measuring a test open circuit voltage for each battery in the first battery string, and

recording, in a database, a first defective indicator that a first battery in the first battery string is defective when the test open circuit voltage for the first battery is below a predetermined voltage level; and

performing a load testing routine on each of the plurality of batteries in the first battery string not having the first defective indicator stored in the database, wherein performing the load testing routine comprises;

loading each of the plurality of batteries in the first battery string not having the first defective indicator stored in the database with a preset load for a load time,

measuring, after the load time, a test load voltage for each of the plurality of batteries loaded with the preset load, and

recording, in the database, a second defective indicator that a second battery in the first battery string is defective when a difference between the test open circuit voltage of the second battery and the test load voltage of the second battery is greater than a load voltage differential.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the pretest routine on the first battery string in the battery bank comprises performing the pretest routine on the first battery string in the battery bank comprising a plurality of battery strings including the first battery string.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising charging a second battery string in the plurality of battery strings comprising the battery bank.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the pretest routine in response to determining that power has been restored after a power outage time of greater than a predetermined time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the pretest routine at a next scheduled time in response to determining that power has been restored after a power outage time of less than a predetermined time.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising repeating the method of claim 1 at regularly scheduled time intervals.

6. A method for battery management, the method comprising:

(i) charging a first battery string in a battery bank for a charge time;

(ii) isolating the first battery string from charging for a rest time;

(iii) measuring a test open circuit voltage for each battery in the first battery string;

(iv) recording, in a database, a first defective indicator that a first battery in the first battery string is defective when the test open circuit voltage for the first battery is below a predetermined voltage level;

(v) loading each of the batteries in the first battery string not having the first defective indicator stored in the database with a preset load for a load time;

(vi) measuring, after the load time, a test load voltage for each of the batteries loaded with the preset load; and

(vii) recording, in the database, a second defective indicator that a second battery is defective when the test load voltage for the second battery is greater than a load voltage differential.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing a pretest routine on the first battery string in the battery bank, wherein performing the pretest routine comprises:

measuring a pretest open circuit voltage of each battery in the first battery string; and

performing a preliminary charge routine on the battery string when the pretest open circuit voltage of any battery in the first battery string is below a predetermined voltage, wherein performing the preliminary charge routine comprises;

charging the first battery string, and

measuring the pretest open circuit voltage for each battery in the first battery string.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising repeating the preliminary charge routine until the pretest open circuit voltage of the each battery in the first battery sting has increased less than a preliminary charge voltage difference.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising repeating stages (i) and (ii) until the charge open circuit voltage of each battery in the first battery sting has increased less than a charging voltage differential.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein charging the first battery string in the battery bank comprises charging the first battery string in the battery bank comprising a plurality of battery strings including the first battery string.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising charging a second battery string in the plurality of battery strings comprising the battery bank.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising charging the first battery string in the battery bank in response to determining that power has been restored after a power outage time of greater than a predetermined time.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising charging the first battery string in the battery bank at a next scheduled time in response to determining that power has been restored after a power outage time of less than a predetermined time.

15. A system for managing batteries, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

charge a first battery string in a battery bank for a charge time,

isolate the first battery string from charging for a rest time,

measure a test open circuit voltage for each battery in the first battery string,

record, in a database stored in the memory, a first defective indicator that a first battery in the first battery string is defective when the test open circuit voltage for the first battery is below a predetermined voltage level,

load each of the batteries in the first battery string not having the first defective indicator stored in the database with a preset load for a load time,

measure, after the load time, a test load voltage for each of the batteries loaded with the preset load, and

record, in the database, a second defective indicator that a second battery is defective when the test load voltage for the second battery is greater than a load voltage differential.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising the processing unit being operative to perform a pretest routine on a first battery string in a battery bank, wherein performing the pretest routine comprises the processing unit operative to:

measure a pretest open circuit voltage of each of a plurality of batteries in the first battery string, and

perform a preliminary charge routine on the first battery string when the pretest open circuit voltage of any battery in the first battery string is below a predetermined voltage, wherein performing the preliminary charge routine comprises the processing unit operative to;

charge the first battery sting, and

measure the pretest open circuit voltage for each battery in the first battery string; and

repeat the preliminary charge routine until the pretest open circuit voltage of each battery in the first battery string has increased less than a preliminary charge voltage difference.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the battery bank comprises a plurality of battery strings including the first battery string.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising the processing unit being operative to charge a second battery string in the plurality of battery strings comprising the battery bank.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising the processing unit being operative to charge the first battery string in the battery bank in response to determining that power has been restored after a power outage time of greater than a predetermined time.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising the processing unit being operative to charge the first battery string in the battery bank at a next scheduled time in response to determining that power has been restored after a power outage time of less than a predetermined time.