Health management of rechargeable batteries

• US 9,846,199 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Vian, John L., Mansouri, Ali R., Elangovan, Rangasamy, Borumand, Mori M., Abdel-Motagaly, Khaled
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US14/518,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/008 on air- or spacecraft, railway rolling stock or sea-going vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3842 combining voltage and current measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• 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 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: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits
• 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 vehicle includes a body and at least one propulsion unit operatively coupled to the body. The vehicle also includes an electrical power system at least partially disposed within the body. The electrical power system includes a rechargeable battery and a health management unit operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery. The health management unit includes a state of health module configured to output information corresponding to battery health based on received battery-related data. The battery-related data includes data collected in real time operation of the rechargeable battery and battery relevant fault history of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a body comprising an aircraft fuselage;

a propulsion unit operatively coupled to the body, the propulsion unit comprising an aircraft engine; and

an electrical power system at least partially disposed within the body, the electrical power system including;

a rechargeable battery;

a battery health management unit operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, the battery health management unit including a state of health module configured to receive battery-related data and to output health information and battery failure information, wherein the battery-related data includes data collected in real time operation of the rechargeable battery and battery relevant fault history of the vehicle;

a battery bus coupled to the rechargeable battery and to the battery health management unit;

at least one AC source operatively coupled to the battery bus;

a recharger coupled to the battery bus;

at least one electrical load coupled to the battery bus; and

an indicator operatively coupled to the battery bus and configured to convey at least a portion of the health information to an operator.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery health management unit includes a state of life module operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, and wherein the state of life module is configured to determine a remaining battery life.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery health management unit includes a state of charge module operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, wherein the state of charge module is configured to determine a remaining battery capacity based on a discharge rate, a reference capacity, and a reference discharge rate.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the health information includes effects on the electrical power system from a battery failure of the rechargeable battery.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery failure information includes a predicted mode of failure.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the health information includes a predicted number of cycles until a battery failure of the rechargeable battery occurs.

7. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the state of health module receives an output from the state of life module, and wherein the health information determined by the state of health module is based on the output.

8. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the state of life module receives an output from the state of health module and wherein the remaining battery life determined by the state of life module is based on the output.

9. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the battery health management unit includes a state of charge module operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, and wherein the remaining battery life determined by the state of life module is based on an output of the state of charge module.

10. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the state of health module receives an output from the state of charge module, and wherein the health information determined by the state of health module is based on the output.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a body comprising an aircraft fuselage;

a propulsion unit operatively coupled to the body, the propulsion unit comprising an aircraft engine; and

an electrical power system at least partially disposed within the body, the electrical power system including;

a rechargeable battery;

a battery health management unit operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery and including a state of health module configured to receive battery-related data and to output health information and battery failure information, wherein the battery-related data includes data collected in real time operation of the rechargeable battery and a battery relevant operation anomaly associated with the vehicle;

a battery bus coupled to the rechargeable battery and to the battery health management unit;

at least one AC source operatively coupled to the battery bus;

a recharger coupled to the battery bus;

at least one electrical load coupled to the battery bus; and

an indicator operatively coupled to the battery bus and configured to convey at least a portion of the health information to an operator.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the battery health management unit includes a state of life module operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, and wherein the state of life module is configured to determine a remaining battery life.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the battery health management unit includes a state of charge module operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, wherein the state of charge module is configured to determine a remaining battery capacity based on a discharge rate, a reference capacity, and a reference discharge rate.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the health information includes effects on the electrical power system from a battery failure of the rechargeable battery.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the health information includes an indication of mission reliability.

16. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the battery-related data includes maintenance history of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the state of health module receives an output from the state of life module, and wherein the health information determined by the state of health module is based on the output.

18. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the state of life module receives an output from the state of health module and wherein the remaining battery life determined by the state of life module is based on the output.

19. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the battery health management unit includes a state of charge module operatively coupled to the rechargeable battery, and wherein the remaining battery life determined by the state of life module is based on an output of the state of charge module.

20. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the state of health module receives an output from the state of charge module, and wherein the health information determined by the state of health module is based on the output.