Control box for battery and control method therefor, battery management system, and energy storage system

Abstract

The present application provides a control box for a battery and a control method therefor, a battery management system, and an energy storage system, said control box comprising an electrical isolator switch, the electrical isolator switch being connected between a battery and a high-voltage power supply and being configured to, on the basis of manual operation or control of a battery management system of the battery, disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply. The electrical isolator switch is provided with both a manual operation mode and an electrical operation mode, and, on the basis of manual operation or on the basis of control of the battery management system, can disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply. Moreover, the electrical isolator switch can replace a manual isolator switch and a high-voltage contactor in a traditional control box, thus solving the problems present in the traditional control box such as blind spots for current protection, sticking between the high-voltage contactor and the manual isolator switch, heat generation by the high-voltage contactor, and complex circuit connection inside of the control box, and providing the battery with more reliable protection.

Description

Battery control box and control method thereof, battery management system and energy storage system

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410092025.2, filed on January 23, 2024, entitled “Battery control box and control method thereof, battery management system and energy storage system”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to a battery control box and a control method thereof, a battery management system, and an energy storage system. Background Art

[0004] When a short circuit, ground fault, or other fault in a battery system causes abnormal current flow, the power supply must be promptly disconnected to ensure system safety. Typically, a control box is connected between the battery and the high-voltage power supply to control the connection between the two, thereby implementing functions such as fault current protection. Therefore, improving the performance of the control box has become a pressing issue.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides a battery control box and a control method thereof, a battery management system, and an energy storage system.

[0007] In a first aspect, a control box for a battery is provided, the control box comprising an electric isolating switch connected between the battery and a high-voltage power supply, and configured to disconnect the battery from the high-voltage power supply based on manual operation or control of a battery management system of the battery.

[0008] The control box of the present application is provided with an electric isolating switch, which has both manual operation mode and electric operation mode. It can disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on manual operation or based on the control of the battery management system. Therefore, it can replace the manual isolating switch and high-voltage contactor in the traditional control box, and solves the problems of current protection blind spots, adhesion between the high-voltage contactor and the manual isolating switch, heating of the high-voltage contactor, and complex internal circuit connections of the control box in the traditional control box. When the battery current is abnormal, the high-voltage circuit between the battery and the high-voltage power supply can be cut off in time, providing more reliable protection for the battery.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the electric isolating switch includes a first switch connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, and a second switch connected between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the first switch and the second switch are configured to be opened or closed at the same time.

[0010] Since switches are provided on both the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit of the battery, and the switches on the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit are configured to be closed or opened at the same time, the reliability of the electric isolating switch is further improved, and the high-voltage circuit between the battery and the high-voltage power supply can be cut off in time when the battery current is abnormal.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the control box also includes an excitation fuse, which is connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, or between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the excitation fuse is configured to disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on the control of the battery management system.

[0012] In this implementation, an excitation fuse is installed within the control box. If the battery current becomes abnormal, the excitation fuse, under the control of the battery management system, promptly disconnects the battery from the high-voltage power supply. This, together with the electric disconnector, provides reliable battery protection. Furthermore, because the excitation fuse has a wider operating current range, it eliminates the current protection blind spot found in traditional control boxes.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the control box further includes a high-voltage fuse, which is configured to melt when an abnormal current occurs in the battery to disconnect the battery from the high-voltage power supply, wherein the excitation fuse is connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply; or, the excitation fuse is connected between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply.

[0014] In this implementation, a high-voltage fuse can be retained on the positive high-voltage circuit or the negative high-voltage circuit of the battery, and the high-voltage fuse can be used to provide additional protection for the control box. The high-voltage fuse can be disconnected from the battery and the high-voltage power supply by fusing when the current is abnormal, without being controlled by the battery management system, thereby achieving multiple protections for the battery.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the control box is connected to a battery management system, and the battery management system is used to control the electric isolating switch to be disconnected when an abnormal current occurs in the battery and the abnormal current is less than or equal to a first current threshold.

[0016] In this implementation, a first current threshold is set. For example, the first current threshold can be determined based on the operating current range of the electric isolating switch, so that when the abnormal current of the battery does not exceed the first current threshold, the electric isolating switch can perform its function to cut off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply through the electric isolating switch, thereby eliminating the abnormal current.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the battery management system is further configured to detect whether the abnormal current has been eliminated; and if the abnormal current has not been eliminated, control the excitation fuse in the control box to disconnect.

[0018] In this implementation, if the battery management system controls the electric disconnect switch to disconnect, but the abnormal current is not eliminated due to a fault such as adhesion of the electric disconnect switch or other reasons, the battery management system can control the excitation fuse to disconnect, and then protect the battery through the excitation fuse.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the battery management system is also used to control the excitation fuse in the control box to disconnect when the current of the battery is abnormal and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and a second current threshold, and the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold.

[0020] In this implementation, the battery management system can control the excitation fuse to disconnect when an abnormal current is detected and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and the second current threshold, and directly protect the battery more effectively through the excitation fuse to give full play to the function of the excitation fuse.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the control box further includes a pre-charging resistor, and the electric isolating switch further includes a third switch, one end of the pre-charging resistor is connected to the third switch, and the other end is connected to the first switch or the second switch.

[0022] In this implementation, a pre-charge resistor is installed in the control box to protect the electrical components within the control box by limiting the charge and discharge current, preventing damage to the battery system. The electric disconnect switch also includes a third switch connected in series with the pre-charge resistor, replacing the high-voltage contactor connected in series with the pre-charge group in traditional control boxes. This reduces internal wiring complexity and reduces heat dissipation.

[0023] In a second aspect, a control method for a battery control box is provided, wherein the control box includes an electric isolating switch, and the electric isolating switch is connected between the battery and a high-voltage power supply. The control method includes: detecting whether the current of the battery is abnormal; and controlling the electric isolating switch to disconnect when the current of the battery is abnormal.

[0024] The control box of the present application is provided with an electric isolating switch, which has both a manual operation mode and an electric operation mode. It can disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on manual operation or based on the control of the battery management system. Therefore, it can replace the manual isolating switch and high-voltage contactor in the traditional control box, solving the problems of the traditional control box with current protection blind spots, adhesion between the high-voltage contactor and the manual isolating switch, heating of the high-voltage contactor, and complex internal wiring connections. When the battery current is abnormal, it can promptly cut off the high-voltage circuit between the battery and the high-voltage power supply, providing more reliable protection for the battery. In order to realize the protection of the battery by the control box, it is necessary to detect whether the battery current is abnormal, and control the electric isolating switch to disconnect in the event of an abnormality, thereby cutting off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply.

[0025] In a possible implementation, controlling the electric isolating switch to disconnect when an abnormality occurs in the current of the battery includes: controlling the electric isolating switch to disconnect when an abnormality occurs in the current of the battery and the abnormal current is less than or equal to a first current threshold.

[0026] In this implementation, a first current threshold is set. For example, the first current threshold can be determined based on the operating current range of the electric isolating switch, so that when the abnormal current of the battery does not exceed the first current threshold, the electric isolating switch can perform its function to cut off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply through the electric isolating switch, thereby eliminating the abnormal current.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the electric isolating switch includes a first switch connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, and a second switch connected between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the first switch and the second switch are configured to be opened or closed at the same time.

[0028] Since switches are provided on both the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit of the battery, the reliability of the electric isolating switch is further improved, and the high-voltage circuit between the battery and the high-voltage power supply can be cut off in time when the battery current is abnormal.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the control box further includes an excitation fuse, which is connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, or between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply. The control method further includes: when the current of the battery is abnormal and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and the second current threshold, controlling the excitation fuse to disconnect, and the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold.

[0030] In this implementation, the battery management system can control the excitation fuse to disconnect when an abnormal current is detected and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and the second current threshold, and directly protect the battery more effectively through the excitation fuse to give full play to the function of the excitation fuse.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the control method further includes: detecting whether the abnormal current is eliminated; and if the abnormal current is not eliminated, controlling the excitation fuse in the control box to disconnect.

[0032] In this implementation, if the battery management system controls the electric disconnect switch to disconnect, but the abnormal current is not eliminated due to a fault such as adhesion of the electric disconnect switch or other reasons, the battery management system can control the excitation fuse to disconnect, and then protect the battery through the excitation fuse.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the control box further includes a high-voltage fuse, which is configured to melt when an abnormal current occurs in the battery to disconnect the battery from the high-voltage power supply, wherein the excitation fuse is connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply; or, the excitation fuse is connected between the negative pole of the battery and the negative pole of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the positive pole of the battery and the positive pole of the high-voltage power supply.

[0034] In this implementation, a high-voltage fuse can be retained on the positive high-voltage circuit or the negative high-voltage circuit of the battery, and the high-voltage fuse can be used to provide additional protection for the control box. The high-voltage fuse can be disconnected from the battery and the high-voltage power supply by fusing when the current is abnormal, without being controlled by the battery management system, thereby achieving multiple protections for the battery.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the control box further includes a pre-charging resistor, and the electric isolating switch further includes a third switch, one end of the pre-charging resistor is connected to the third switch, and the other end is connected to the first switch or the second switch.

[0036] In this implementation, a pre-charge resistor is installed in the control box to protect the electrical components within the control box by limiting the charge and discharge current, preventing damage to the battery system. The electric disconnect switch also includes a third switch connected in series with the pre-charge resistor, replacing the high-voltage contactor connected in series with the pre-charge group in traditional control boxes. This reduces internal wiring complexity and reduces heat dissipation.

[0037] In a third aspect, a battery management system is provided, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is used to store instructions, and the processor is used to execute the instructions to implement the control method described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect.

[0038] In a fourth aspect, an energy storage system is provided, comprising a battery, a battery management system according to the third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect, and a control box according to the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative work.

[0040] Figure 1 is a diagram of the architecture of a traditional control box.

[0041] FIG2 is an architectural diagram of a control box provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0042] FIG3 is a schematic flow chart of a control method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0043] FIG4 is a flow chart of a possible specific implementation of the control method shown in FIG3 .

[0044] FIG5 is a schematic block diagram of a BMS provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0046] The directional words appearing in the following description are all directions shown in the figures, and do not limit the specific structure of this application. In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0047] References to "embodiments" in this application mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments.

[0048] The term "and / or" in this application simply describes an association between related objects, indicating that three possible relationships exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0049] When a short circuit, ground fault, or other fault in a battery system causes abnormal current flow, the power supply must be promptly disconnected to ensure system safety. Typically, a control box is connected between the battery and the high-voltage power supply to control the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply, thereby implementing functions such as fault current protection.

[0050] For example, as shown in Figure 1, the control box 100 is connected between the battery and the high-voltage power supply, wherein the positive and negative poles of the high-voltage power supply are HV+ and HV- respectively, and the positive and negative poles of the battery are B+ and B- respectively. The control box 100 includes a manual isolating switch QS and high-voltage contactors K1, K2 and K3. The high-voltage contactor K1 is connected in series with the pre-charging resistor R, and the high-voltage contactors K2 and K3 are connected to the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit, respectively. Here, the high-voltage circuit between the positive pole B+ of the battery and the positive pole HV+ of the high-voltage power supply is called the positive high-voltage circuit, and the high-voltage circuit between the negative pole B- of the battery and the negative pole HV- of the high-voltage power supply is called the negative high-voltage circuit. In addition, high-voltage fuses FU 1 and FU 2 are respectively provided in the high-voltage positive circuit and the high-voltage negative circuit.

[0051] High-voltage fuses K1, K2, and K3 serve as electronic circuit protection devices, disconnecting the circuit if the current exceeds a specified value. K2 and K3 are configured to close or open simultaneously, thereby simultaneously disconnecting the positive and negative high-voltage circuits in the event of an abnormal battery current. K1, as a pre-charge contact controller, controls the on / off state of the pre-charge circuit. The pre-charge resistor R in the pre-charge circuit primarily serves as a current limiter and is typically used to slowly charge capacitors to prevent instantaneous current from damaging components such as capacitors and contactors.

[0052] The manual isolating switch QS is used to isolate the high-voltage power supply. It can establish a clear cut-off point between the battery that needs to be repaired and the high-voltage power supply, disconnecting the battery from the high-voltage power supply to ensure that maintenance personnel will not suffer electric shock accidents when repairing equipment.

[0053] High-voltage fuses FU 1 and FU 2 are usually connected in series in the circuit. When the battery current is abnormal, the high-voltage fuse uses the heat generated by itself to quickly melt the fuse, thereby cutting off the circuit and protecting the safety of the battery.

[0054] The control box 100 described above may have the following problems. First, the operating current range of the high-voltage contactors K1 to K3 is usually 0-900A, and the operating current range of the high-voltage fuses FU 1 and FU 2 is usually greater than 2000A, thus forming a current protection blind spot of 900A-2000A; secondly, the configuration of the manual isolating switch QS and the high-voltage contactors K1 to K3 may cause adhesion between the two, thereby failing to effectively cut off the main circuit, and too many switches make the internal circuit connection of the control box 100 complicated, increasing the number of connecting copper bars; finally, due to the long service life of the high-voltage contactors K1 to K3, when the control box 100 is used in the energy storage system, since the probability of frequently cutting off the high-voltage circuit in the energy storage system is small, the high-voltage contactors K1 to K3 have the problem of excessive mechanical performance, resulting in a mismatch between the mechanical performance and the electrical performance, and the high-voltage contactors K1 to K3 will generate more heat when in use.

[0055] To this end, the present application provides a control box designed to improve performance by replacing the manual disconnect switch QS and high-voltage contactors K1 to K3 with electric disconnect switches. The control box of the present application embodiment is applicable to any battery system, and is particularly applicable to energy storage systems, to protect the energy storage batteries therein.

[0056] FIG2 illustrates a control box 200 for a battery according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG2 , the control box 200 includes an electrically powered isolating switch 210 connected between the battery and a high-voltage power source. The electrically powered isolating switch 210 is configured to disconnect the battery from the high-voltage power source, either manually or under the control of a control module. The control module may be, for example, the battery's battery management system (BMS).

[0057] As shown in Figure 2, the positive and negative electrodes of the high-voltage power supply are HV+ and HV- respectively, and the positive and negative electrodes of the battery are B+ and B- respectively. In the embodiment of the present application, the high-voltage circuit between the positive electrode B+ of the battery and the positive electrode HV+ of the high-voltage power supply is called a positive high-voltage circuit, and the high-voltage circuit between the negative electrode B- of the battery and the negative electrode HV- of the high-voltage power supply is called a negative high-voltage circuit. The positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit form the main circuit of the battery. In addition, other circuits are also provided in the control box 200, such as a pre-charge circuit connected in parallel with the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit, and the pre-charge circuit, for example, includes a pre-charge resistor and a switch connected in series with it.

[0058] The control box 200 of the embodiment of the present application is provided with an electric isolating switch 210, which has both a manual operation mode and an electric operation mode. It can disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on manual operation or based on the control of the BMS. Therefore, it can replace the manual isolating switch QS and high-voltage contactors K1 to K3 in the traditional control box, such as the control box 100 shown in Figure 1, thereby solving the problems of current protection blind spots, adhesion between the high-voltage contactor and the manual isolating switch, heating of the high-voltage contactor, and complex internal wiring connections in the control box. In the event of an abnormal current in the battery, the high-voltage circuit between the battery and the high-voltage power supply can be cut off in time, providing more reliable protection for the battery. The electric isolating switch 210 can be regarded as a fusion switch of the manual isolating switch and the high-voltage contactor.

[0059] Specifically, the electric isolating switch 210 has both a manual operation mode and an electric operation mode. In the electric operation mode, it can be opened or closed according to the control signal sent by the BMS. For example, if the BMS detects an abnormality in the battery current, it can send a control signal to the electric isolating switch 210 to control the electric isolating switch 210 to open, thereby disconnecting the battery from the high-voltage power supply, realizing the function of the high-voltage contactor in the traditional control box. In the manual operation mode, the operator can manually operate it to disconnect, for example, in scenarios such as power outages and maintenance, it can more thoroughly disconnect the battery from the high-voltage power supply, protect the operator from electric shock accidents, and realize the function of the manual isolating switch in the traditional control box.

[0060] The operating current range of the electric isolating switch 210 is generally 0-3500A, which can significantly reduce the current protection blind spot between 900A and 2000A in the traditional control box compared to the current range of 0-900A of the high-voltage contactor. In addition, the service life of the electric isolating switch 210 is sufficient for its application in the energy storage system, and there will be no problem of excessive mechanical performance of the high-voltage contactor, which is conducive to the balance between mechanical life and electrical life. In addition, since the electric isolating switch 210 is used to replace the manual isolating switch and high-voltage contactor in the traditional control box, there will be no problem of adhesion and failure between the manual isolating switch and the high-voltage contactor. At the same time, the complexity of the line connection in the control box and the heat caused by the high-voltage contactor are reduced, and the cost of the device is also reduced.

[0061] It can be seen that the use of the electric isolating switch 210 in the embodiment of the present application to replace the manual isolating switch and high-voltage contactor in the traditional control box can significantly improve the performance of the control box 200, making the control box 200 more suitable for the energy storage system to protect the energy storage batteries in the energy storage system.

[0062] In some embodiments, the electric isolation switch 210 includes a first switch 211 connected between the positive pole B+ of the battery and the positive pole HV+ of the high-voltage power supply, and a second switch 212 connected between the negative pole B- of the battery and the negative pole HV- of the high-voltage power supply, and the first switch 211 and the second switch 212 are configured to be opened or closed at the same time.

[0063] In this way, since switches are provided on both the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit of the battery, and the switches on the positive high-voltage circuit and the negative high-voltage circuit are configured to be closed or opened at the same time, the reliability of the electric isolating switch 210 is further improved, and the high-voltage circuit between the battery and the high-voltage power supply can be cut off in time when the battery current is abnormal.

[0064] In some embodiments, the control box 200 also includes a pyro fuse 220, which is connected between the positive pole B+ of the battery and the positive pole HV+ of the high-voltage power supply, and / or between the negative pole B- of the battery and the negative pole HV- of the high-voltage power supply. The pyro fuse 220 is configured to disconnect the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on the control of the BMS.

[0065] For example, as shown in FIG2 , the excitation fuse 220 is provided on the negative high-voltage circuit and is connected in series with the second switch 212. In the event of an abnormal current in the battery, the excitation fuse 220 can promptly cut off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply under the control of the BMS, and can provide reliable protection for the battery together with the electric isolating switch 210. Since the excitation fuse 220 can be switched on and off based on the triggering of the BMS, compared to the high-voltage fuse, it can reduce misoperation during normal overloads, so that the current can be quickly cut off in the event of a real current fault, with higher reliability. And since the excitation fuse 220 has a larger operating current range, for example, its operating current range can be 0-16000A, it can also eliminate the current protection blind spot existing in the traditional control box.

[0066] It is understood that one or two excitation fuses 220 may be provided in the control box 200 of the embodiment of the present application. FIG2 shows that the high-voltage fuse in the negative high-voltage circuit of the conventional control box is replaced with the excitation fuse 220. In other cases, the high-voltage fuse in the positive high-voltage circuit of the conventional control box may be replaced with the excitation fuse 220, or the high-voltage fuses in both the positive and negative high-voltage circuits of the conventional control box may be replaced with corresponding excitation fuses 220.

[0067] In some embodiments, the control box 200 further includes a high-voltage fuse 230, which is configured to blow in the event of an abnormal battery current to disconnect the battery from the high-voltage power supply. The excitation fuse 220 is connected between the positive electrode B+ of the battery and the positive electrode HV+ of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse 230 is connected between the negative electrode B- of the battery and the negative electrode HV- of the high-voltage power supply; alternatively, the excitation fuse 220 is connected between the negative electrode B- of the battery and the negative electrode HV- of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse 230 is connected between the positive electrode B+ of the battery and the positive electrode HV+ of the high-voltage power supply.

[0068] For example, as shown in FIG2 , a high-voltage fuse 230 is provided on the positive high-voltage circuit, and an excitation fuse 220 is provided on the negative high-voltage circuit. Since the high-voltage fuse 230 has high withstand voltage and large current capacity, it can operate normally even in high voltage and high current environments. The high-voltage fuse 230 is retained on the positive high-voltage circuit or the negative high-voltage circuit of the battery to provide additional protection for the control box 200. In particular, in scenarios with larger fault currents, the high-voltage fuse 230 can be quickly disconnected from the battery and the high-voltage power supply by fusing in the event of abnormal current without being controlled by the BMS, providing stronger protection for the battery.

[0069] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 2, the control box 200 also includes a pre-charging resistor R, and the electric isolating switch 210 also includes a third switch 213. One end of the pre-charging resistor R is connected to the third switch 213, and the other end is connected to the first switch 211 or the second switch 212.

[0070] Control box 200 is equipped with a pre-charge resistor R, which protects the electrical components within control box 200 by limiting the charge and discharge current, preventing damage to the battery system. Electric isolating switch 210 also includes a third switch 213 connected in series with pre-charge resistor R. This replaces the high-voltage contactor connected in series with the pre-charge group in conventional control boxes, similarly reducing wiring complexity within control box 200 and minimizing heat dissipation.

[0071] In an embodiment of the present application, since the electric isolating switch 210 and the excitation fuse 220 in the control box 200 need to be driven to be turned on and off, a low-voltage line group can be provided in the control box 200 to connect to the BMS of the battery through the low-voltage line group. The low-voltage line group can be used to transmit feedback signals and control signals, etc., so that the BMS can control the on and off of the electric isolating switch 210 and the excitation fuse 220 based on a pre-set control strategy.

[0072] For example, the BMS may control the electric isolation switch 210 to be disconnected when an abnormal current occurs in the battery and the abnormal current is less than or equal to a first current threshold.

[0073] Furthermore, the BMS may also detect whether the abnormal current is eliminated, and if the abnormal current is not eliminated, then control the excitation fuse 220 to be disconnected.

[0074] For another example, the BMS may control the excitation fuse 220 to open when the battery current is abnormal and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and the second current threshold. In this case, the electric isolation switch 210 may be controlled to remain closed.

[0075] For another example, when the battery current is greater than the second current threshold, the battery may wait for the high-voltage fuse 230 to cut off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply by melting. Optionally, the melting time of the high-voltage fuse 230 may be set in conjunction with the control strategy of the BMS.

[0076] To more clearly illustrate how the BMS controls components such as the electric disconnect switch 210 and the excitation fuse 220 in the control box 200 to implement fault current protection, the following describes in detail a control method 300 for the battery control box 200 provided in an embodiment of the present application, in conjunction with Figures 3 and 4. The control method 300 can be executed by a control module, such as a battery BMS. The control method 300 may include some or all of the following steps.

[0077] In step 310 , it is detected whether the battery current is abnormal.

[0078] In step 320 , when the battery current is abnormal, the electric isolation switch 210 is controlled to be disconnected.

[0079] After replacing the manual disconnect switch and high-voltage contactor in the traditional control box with the electric disconnect switch 210, the BMS needs to control the closing and opening of the electric disconnect switch 210 to ensure that the control box 200 protects the battery. For example, the BMS needs to detect whether the battery current is abnormal and, if so, control the electric disconnect switch 210 to open, thereby severing the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , in step 310 , it is detected whether the battery current is abnormal; and in step 320 , the BMS controls the electric isolation switch 210 to disconnect when the battery current is abnormal and the abnormal current is less than or equal to the first current threshold.

[0081] Among them, the setting of the first current threshold can refer to the operating current range of the electric isolating switch 210. For example, the first current threshold can be set within the range of 2500A-3500A, such as equal to 3000A, so that when the abnormal current of the battery does not exceed the first current threshold, the electric isolating switch 210 can perform its function to cut off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply through the electric isolating switch 210 to eliminate the abnormal current.

[0082] Optionally, a time period may be pre-set, and when the abnormal current continues for the time period and does not exceed the first current threshold, the electric disconnect switch 210 is controlled to be disconnected, thereby avoiding malfunction caused by current fluctuations. For example, the time period may be between 1s and 5s, such as 3s.

[0083] If the electric disconnect switch 210 is not completely disconnected due to contact adhesion or other reasons, or the abnormal current is not eliminated due to other reasons, then, optionally, after step 320, the BMS also needs to detect whether the abnormal current is eliminated, and control the excitation fuse 220 to disconnect if the abnormal current is not eliminated.

[0084] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3 , the control method 300 further includes step 330 .

[0085] In step 330 , when the battery current is abnormal and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and the second current threshold, the energizing fuse 220 is controlled to be disconnected. At this time, the electric isolating switch 210 may remain closed.

[0086] The second current threshold is lower than the first current threshold. The setting of the second current threshold can further refer to the operating current range of the excitation fuse 220 and the high-voltage fuse 230. For example, the second current threshold can be set to be greater than 5000A, such as 6000A, so that when the abnormal current of the battery is between the first current threshold and the second current threshold, the excitation fuse 220 can function to cut off the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply through the excitation fuse 220, thereby eliminating the abnormal current. When the abnormal current exceeds the second current threshold, the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply is cut off by melting the high-voltage fuse 230, giving full play to the high-voltage fuse 230's ability to withstand high voltage and large current, thereby achieving more reliable protection for the battery.

[0087] As an example, Fig. 4 shows a schematic flow chart of a control strategy of the BMS of an embodiment of the present application for the control box 200. As shown in Fig. 4, in step 401, the BMS collects the current of the main circuit.

[0088] In step 402 , the BMS detects an abnormal current and determines whether the abnormal current lasts for more than 3 seconds and is less than 3000A.

[0089] If the abnormal current lasts for more than 3 seconds and is less than or equal to 3000 A, execute step 403 ; otherwise, execute step 406 .

[0090] In step 403 , the electric disconnect switch 210 is controlled to be opened.

[0091] The BMS can send a control signal to the electric disconnect switch 210 via a low-voltage line group to drive the electric disconnect switch 210 to open. The status of the electric disconnect switch 210 can be monitored via its feedback contacts. The feedback contacts inform the BMS of the status of the electric disconnect switch 210 via the low-voltage line, allowing the BMS to know whether the electric disconnect switch 210 has been successfully opened.

[0092] In step 404 , the BMS detects whether the abnormal current is eliminated.

[0093] The abnormal current mentioned here is the current that exceeds the safe current range. Accordingly, whether the abnormal current is eliminated refers to whether the battery current returns to the safe current range. If it returns to the safe current range, the abnormal current is considered to be eliminated. If the abnormal current still exceeds the safe current range, it is considered that the abnormal current has not been eliminated.

[0094] If the abnormal current has not been eliminated, step 405 is executed; if the abnormal current has been eliminated, step 408 is executed.

[0095] It will be appreciated that in step 404, the BMS can obtain current information from the main circuit to determine whether the abnormal current has been eliminated. Furthermore, the BMS can determine whether to proceed to step 405 based on contact feedback indicating whether the electric disconnect switch 210 is closed. For example, if the electric disconnect switch 210 fails to open due to contact adhesion, the BMS may determine that step 405 needs to be continued.

[0096] If the abnormal current lasts for more than 3 seconds and exceeds 3000 A in step 403 , or if the abnormal current cannot be eliminated in step 404 , step 405 is executed.

[0097] In step 405 , the control excitation fuse 220 is opened.

[0098] The BMS can send a control signal to the excitation fuse 220 via a low-voltage line group to drive the electric disconnect switch 210 to open. The status of the excitation fuse 220 can be monitored via its feedback contact. The feedback contact can inform the BMS of the status of the excitation fuse 220 via a low-voltage line, so that the BMS knows whether the excitation fuse 220 has been successfully opened.

[0099] In step 406 , it is determined whether the abnormal current exceeds 6000A.

[0100] If the abnormal current does not exceed 6000 A, that is, the abnormal current is within the range of 3000 A-6000 A, step 405 is executed to control the excitation fuse 220 to be disconnected.

[0101] In step 407 , the high voltage fuse 230 is disconnected.

[0102] It should be noted that the location of step 407 is for illustration only. The disconnection of the high-voltage fuse 230 in step 407 may not be controlled by the BMS, and may occur before or after any of the aforementioned steps, or may occur simultaneously with any of the aforementioned steps.

[0103] Of course, the blowing time of the high-voltage fuse 230 can also be set according to actual needs to achieve a customized high-voltage fuse 230. For example, based on the control strategy of the BMS, the high-voltage fuse 230 can be set to blow after a certain period of time, and during this period of time, fault current protection can be achieved by disconnecting the electric disconnect switch 210 and / or the excitation fuse 220.

[0104] In step 408, an alarm is output.

[0105] As can be seen from Figure 4, the control box 200 is equipped with an electric disconnect switch 210, an excitation fuse 220 and a high-voltage fuse 230. The BMS uses a reasonable control strategy to control the electric disconnect switch 210 and the excitation fuse 220 to cut off the fault current according to different fault current ranges, so that the functions of the electric disconnect switch 210 and the excitation fuse 220 can be fully utilized. In addition, the high-voltage fuse 230 is combined to provide multiple protections for the battery, making the fault current protection of the battery more reliable.

[0106] The present application also provides a BMS 500. As shown in FIG5 , the BMS 500 includes a processor 510 and a memory 520. The memory 520 is used to store instructions, and the processor 510 is used to read the instructions and execute the control method 300 of the various embodiments of the present application described above based on the instructions. The memory 520 can be a separate device independent of the processor 510 or integrated into the processor 510.

[0107] 5 , the BMS 500 may further include a transceiver 530 , and the processor 510 may control the transceiver 530 to communicate with other devices or systems, such as the control box 200 . For example, the transceiver 530 may send signals to or receive signals from other devices or systems.

[0108] It should be understood that the specific manner in which the BMS 500 controls the control box 200 and the beneficial effects produced can be found in the above description of the control method 300 , which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0109] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, which, when executed by a computing device, enables the computing device to implement the control method 300 described in any of the above embodiments. Optionally, the computer program may be a computer program in a BMS.

[0110] The present application also provides an energy storage system, which includes a battery, a BMS 500, and a control box 200. The control box 200 is connected between the battery and a high-voltage power supply.

[0111] It is understood that the processor of the embodiments of the present application may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above-mentioned method embodiment may be completed by hardware integrated logic circuits in the processor or by software instructions. The above-mentioned processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component. It can implement or execute the various methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented and executed by a hardware decoding processor, or by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module may be located in a storage medium well-known in the art, such as random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, etc. The storage medium is located in the memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above-mentioned method.

[0112] In addition, the memory in the embodiments of the present application may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct RAM bus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0113] In the embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial numbers of each step does not mean the order of execution. The order of execution of each step should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0114] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0115] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of the devices or units can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0116] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and components may be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features described in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there are no structural conflicts. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but encompasses all technical solutions within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control box for a battery, characterized in that, The control box includes an electric disconnector, which is connected between the battery and the high-voltage power supply, and is configured to disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on manual operation or the control of the battery management system of the battery; Wherein, the electric disconnector includes a first switch connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and a second switch connected between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and the first switch and the second switch are configured to be disconnected or closed simultaneously; The control box further includes an excitation fuse, which is connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply, or between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and the excitation fuse is configured to disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply based on the control of the battery management system.

2. The control box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control box further includes a high-voltage fuse, which is used to fuse when the current of the battery is abnormal to disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply, Wherein, the excitation fuse is connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply; or, the excitation fuse is connected between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply.

3. The control box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control box is connected to the battery management system, and the battery management system is used for, When the current of the battery is abnormal and the abnormal current is less than or equal to the first current threshold, controlling the electric disconnector to disconnect.

4. The control box according to claim 3, characterized in that, The battery management system is further used for, Detecting whether the abnormal current is eliminated; When the abnormal current is not eliminated, controlling the excitation fuse in the control box to disconnect.

5. The control box according to claim 3, characterized in that, The battery management system is further used for, When the current of the battery is abnormal and the abnormal current is between the first current threshold and the second Current threshold, controlling the excitation fuse in the control box to disconnect, and the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold.

6. The control box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The control box further includes a pre-charge resistor, the electric disconnector further includes a third switch, one end of the pre-charge resistor is connected to the third switch, and the other end is connected to the first switch or the second switch.

7. A control method for a control box of a battery, characterized in that, The control box includes an electric disconnector, which is connected between the battery and the high-voltage power supply, and the control method includes: Detecting whether the current of the battery is abnormal; When the current of the battery is abnormal, controlling the electric disconnector to disconnect; Wherein, the electric disconnector includes a first switch connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and a second switch connected between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and the first switch and the second switch are configured to be disconnected or closed simultaneously; The control box further includes an excitation fuse, which is connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply, or between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply. The control method further includes: When the current of the battery is abnormal and the abnormal current is between a first current threshold and a second current threshold, control the excitation fuse to disconnect, where the second current threshold is greater than the first current threshold.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein The step of controlling the electric disconnecting switch to disconnect when the current of the battery is abnormal includes: When the current of the battery is abnormal and the abnormal current is less than or equal to the first current threshold, control the electric disconnecting switch to disconnect.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control method further includes: Detect whether the abnormal current is eliminated; When the abnormal current is not eliminated, control the excitation fuse in the control box to disconnect.

10. The control method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, The control box further includes a high-voltage fuse, which is used to blow when the current of the battery is abnormal, so as to disconnect the connection between the battery and the high-voltage power supply. wherein, the excitation fuse is connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply; or the excitation fuse is connected between the negative electrode of the battery and the negative electrode of the high-voltage power supply, and the high-voltage fuse is connected between the positive electrode of the battery and the positive electrode of the high-voltage power supply.

11. The control method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, The control box further includes a pre-charge resistor, and the electric disconnecting switch further includes a third switch. One end of the pre-charge resistor is connected to the third switch, and the other end is connected to the first switch or the second switch.

12. A battery management system, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store instructions, and the processor is used to execute the instructions to implement the control method of the control box according to any one of claims 7 to 11.

13. An energy storage system, characterized in that, It includes: a battery; the battery management system according to claim 12; and the control box according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images