Method for managing a bank of rechargeable batteries using the coup de fouet effect on charging

• US 8,106,632 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Delaille, Arnaud, Perrin, Marion
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Omar, Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US12/226,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20090072788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 320/137
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/379 for lead-acid batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• 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: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits

Abstract

The batteries of at least one battery subset are partially and preferably simultaneously charged; during this partial charging, electrical parameters representative of a coup de fouet effect on charging are measured to enable the extent of discharge of each of the batteries of the subset to be analyzed; the batteries are then charged sequentially with an order of priority that depends on the extent of discharge of the different batteries; priority is preferably given to charging the most extensively discharged batteries.

Claims

1. A method for managing a bank of rechargeable batteries comprising a sequential charging of the batteries of the bank according to an order of priority and analysis of a state of charge of the batteries, the method comprising:

partial charging of at least one battery subset;

measuring during said partial charging of electrical parameters representative of a coup de fouet effect on charging; and

comparing amplitudes of the coup de fouet effect on charging associated with different batteries of the subset,

the batteries of the bank being charged during a subsequent sequential charging cycle of the batteries of the bank according to an order of priority modified according to said comparison.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the subsequent sequential charging cycle, priority is given to charging the batteries that are most extensively discharged.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein partial charging is performed simultaneously for all the batteries of the subset.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequential charging of the batteries of the bank according to a preset order of priority, before said partial charging, a subsequent sequential charging step taking the modified order of priority into account.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting fully discharged batteries, before said partial charging, said fully discharged batteries then constituting the at least one battery subset to be partially charged.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising analyzing a state of health of the batteries according to the electrical parameters representative of a coup de fouet effect on charging measured during said partial charging and triggering of maintenance actions according to said state of health.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said analyzing the state of health comprises detecting defective batteries.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein detecting the defective batteries is based on an absence of coup de fouet effect on charging during said partial charging.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a charging strategy used during a subsequent sequential charging cycle of the batteries of the bank is adapted, for each battery, according to the electrical parameters representative of a coup de fouet effect previously measured for said battery.