Heating circuits and methods based on battery discharging and charging using resonance components in series and freewheeling circuit components

• US 8,941,358 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYD Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Xu, Wenhui, Han, Yaochuan, Feng, Wei, Yang, Qinyao, Xia, Wenjin, Ma, Shibin
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robbins, Jerry D
• Application Number:
  US13/541,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20120280658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 320/118, 320/128, 320/129
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• 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 10/657 by electric or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6571 Resistive heaters arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• 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 circuit for heating a battery includes the battery including parasitic damping and current storage components, a switch unit, a switching control component coupled to the switch unit, a charge storage component, and a freewheeling circuit. The charge storage component and current storage component are at least parts of an energy storage circuit. The damping component, the current storage component, the switch unit, and the charge storage component are connected. The switching control component is configured to turn on and off the switch unit so as to control a first current flowing from the battery to the charge storage component and a second current flowing from the charge storage component to the battery. The freewheeling circuit is configured to allow a freewheeling current to flow to the battery after the switch unit is turned off. The circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging and charging the battery.

Claims

1. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a first damping component and a first current storage component, the first damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery, the battery including a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal;

a switch unit;

a switching control component coupled to the switch unit;

a first charge storage component including a first storage terminal and a second storage terminal; and

a freewheeling circuit connected with the battery;

wherein;

the first damping component, the first current storage component, the switch unit, and the first charge storage component are connected to form at least a part of a loop;

the switching control component is configured to turn on the switch unit so as to allow a first current flowing from the battery to the first charge storage component and a second current flowing from the first charge storage component to the battery when the switch unit is turned on, and to turn off the switch unit; and

the freewheeling circuit is configured to allow a freewheeling current to flow to the battery after the switch unit is turned off;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging and charging the battery.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein:

the first damping component is a parasitic resistor of the battery; and

the first current storage component is a parasitic inductor of the battery.

3. The circuit of claim 2 wherein the first charge storage component is a capacitor.

4. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the switch unit includes a first branch circuit for conduction in a first direction and a second branch circuit for conduction in a second direction, the first direction being from the battery to the first charge storage component, the second direction being from the first charge storage component to the battery.

5. The circuit of claim 4 wherein the freewheeling circuit is connected between the first battery terminal and the second battery terminal.

9. The circuit of claim 1, and further comprising an energy superposition unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, adjust a storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component so that a positive voltage terminal of the first charge storage component is coupled, directly or indirectly, to a negative voltage terminal of the battery.

10. The circuit of claim 9 wherein the energy superposition unit includes a polarity inversion unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, invert a voltage polarity associated with the first charge storage component.

11. The circuit of claim 10 wherein the polarity inversion unit includes:

a first single-pole double-throw switch including a first input wire, a first output wire, and a second output wire, the first input wire being coupled, directly or indirectly, to the first battery terminal, the first output wire and the second output wire being coupled to the first storage terminal and the second storage terminal respectively; and

a second single-pole double-throw switch including a second input wire, a third output wire, and a fourth output wire, the second input wire being coupled, directly or indirectly, to the second battery terminal, the third output wire and the fourth output wire being coupled to the second storage terminal and the first storage terminal respectively;

wherein the switching control component is coupled to the first single-pole double-throw switch and the second single-pole double-throw switch, and is configured to invert the voltage polarity associated with the first charge storage component by altering connection relationships among the first input wire, the first output wire, the second output wire, the second input wire, the third output wire, and the fourth output wire.

12. The circuit of claim 10 wherein the polarity inversion unit includes:

a second current storage component;

a first switch; and

a first one-way semiconductor component connected between the first charge storage component and the second current storage component or between the second current storage component and the first switch;

wherein;

the first charge storage component, the first one-way semiconductor component, the second current storage component, and the first switch are at least parts of a polarity inversion loop; and

the switching control component is coupled to the first switch and is configured to invert the voltage polarity associated with the first charge storage component by turning on the first switch.

13. The circuit of claim 10 wherein the polarity inversion unit includes:

a second charge storage component; and

a first DC-DC module coupled to the second charge storage component and the first charge storage component;

wherein the switching control component is coupled to the first DC-DC module and configured to invert the voltage polarity associated with the first charge storage component by transferring energy from the first charge storage component to the second charge storage component and then transferring the energy from the second charge storage component back to the first charge storage component.

14. The circuit of claim 9, and further comprising an energy consumption unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to consume energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off but before the storage voltage is adjusted by the energy superposition unit.

15. The circuit of claim 14 wherein the energy consumption unit includes a voltage control unit configured to regulate the storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component to a predetermined voltage after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off but before the storage voltage is adjusted by the energy superposition unit.

16. The circuit of claim 1, and further comprising an energy transfer unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, transfer first energy from the first charge storage component to an energy storage component.

17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein:

the energy storage component includes the battery; and

the energy transfer unit includes an electricity recharge unit coupled to the battery and configured to transfer the first energy from the first charge storage component to the battery after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off.

18. The circuit of claim 17 wherein:

the electricity recharge unit includes a DC-DC module coupled to the first charge storage component and the battery; and

the switching control component is coupled to the DC-DC module and configured to control the DC-DC module to transfer the first energy from the first charge storage component to the battery.

19. The circuit of claim 16, and further comprising an energy consumption unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to consume second energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off.

20. The circuit of claim 19 wherein the energy consumption unit is further configured to consume the second energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off but before the energy transfer unit transfers the first energy from the first charge storage component to the energy storage component.

21. The circuit of claim 19 wherein the energy consumption unit is further configured to consume the second energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off and after the energy transfer unit transfers the first energy from the first charge storage component to the energy storage component.

22. The circuit of claim 1, and further comprising an energy transfer and superposition unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, transfer first energy from the first charge storage component to an energy storage component and then adjust a storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component so that a positive voltage terminal of the first charge storage component is coupled, directly or indirectly, to a negative voltage terminal of the battery.

23. The circuit of claim 22 wherein:

the energy transfer and superposition unit includes an energy transfer unit and an energy superposition unit;

the energy transfer unit is coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, transfer the first energy from the first charge storage component to the energy storage component; and

the energy superposition unit is coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to adjust the storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component so that the positive voltage terminal of the first charge storage component is coupled, directly or indirectly, to the negative voltage terminal of the battery.

24. The circuit of claim 23 wherein:

the energy storage component includes the battery; and

the energy transfer unit includes an electricity recharge unit coupled to the battery and configured to transfer the first energy from the first charge storage component to the battery after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off.

25. The circuit of claim 23 wherein:

the energy storage component includes the battery;

the energy transfer and superposition unit includes a DC-DC module coupled to the first charge storage component and the battery; and

the switching control component is coupled to the DC-DC module and configured to control the DC-DC module to transfer the first energy from the first charge storage component to the battery and then adjust the storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component so that the positive voltage terminal of the first charge storage component is coupled, directly or indirectly, to the negative voltage terminal of the battery.

26. The circuit of claim 22, and further comprising an energy consumption unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to consume second energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off.

27. The circuit of claim 26 wherein the energy consumption unit is further configured to consume the second energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off but before the energy transfer and superposition unit transfers the first energy from the first charge storage component to the energy storage component.

28. The circuit of claim 26 wherein the energy consumption unit is further configured to consume the second energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off and after the energy transfer and superposition unit transfers the first energy from the first charge storage component to the energy storage component.

29. The circuit of claim 1, and further comprising an energy consumption unit coupled to the first charge storage component and configured to consume energy stored in the first charge storage component after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off.

30. The circuit of claim 29 wherein the energy consumption unit includes a voltage control unit configured to regulate a storage voltage associated with the first charge storage component to a predetermined voltage after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off.

31. The circuit of claim 30 wherein the voltage control unit includes:

a second damping component; and

a first switch connected in series with the second damping component;

wherein the first charge storage component is connected in parallel with a combination of the second damping component and the first switch.

32. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the switching control component is configured to:

turn on the switch unit to allow at least the second current to flow from the first charge storage component to the battery; and

then, turn off the switch unit when or after the second current decreases to zero in magnitude.

33. The circuit of claim 1 is further configured to:

start heating the battery if at least one heating start condition is satisfied; and

stop heating the battery if at least one heating stop condition is satisfied.

6. A circuit for heating a battery, the circuit comprising:

the battery including a first damping component and a first current storage component, the first damping component and the first current storage component being parasitic to the battery, the battery including a first battery terminal and a second battery terminal;

a switch unit;

a switching control component coupled to the switch unit;

a first charge storage component including a first storage terminal and a second storage terminal, the first charge storage component and the first current storage component being at least parts of an energy storage circuit; and

a freewheeling circuit;

wherein;

the first damping component, the first current storage component, the switch unit, and the first charge storage component are connected;

the switching control component is configured to turn on and off the switch unit so as to control a first current flowing from the battery to the first charge storage component and a second current flowing from the first charge storage component to the battery; and

the freewheeling circuit is configured to allow a freewheeling current to flow to the battery after the switch unit is turned off;

wherein the circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging and charging the battery,

wherein the switch unit includes a first branch circuit for conduction in a first direction and a second branch circuit for conduction in a second direction, the first direction being from the battery to the first charge storage component, the second direction being from the first charge storage component to the battery, wherein;

the first branch circuit includes a first switch and a first one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the first switch, the first switch being coupled to the switching control component; and

the second branch circuit includes a second switch and a second one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the second switch, the second switch being coupled to the switching control component;

wherein the switching control component is further configured to turn on and off the first branch circuit by turning on and off the first switch respectively and to turn on and off the second branch circuit by turning on and off the second switch respectively.

7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein the freewheeling circuit is connected to a circuit node between the second switch and the second one-way semiconductor component, and is connected to the second battery terminal.

8. The circuit of claim 7 wherein:

the freewheeling circuit includes a third switch and a third one-way semiconductor component connected in series with the third switch, the third switch being coupled to the switching control component; and

the switching control component is configured to;

turn on the third switch to allow the freewheeling current o flow to the battery after the switch unit is turned off; and

turn off the third switch if the freewheeling current flowing to the battery reaches a predetermined magnitude.