Battery protection systems, battery protection methods, and vehicles

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a battery protection system, a battery protection method, and a vehicle. The battery protection system of this disclosure includes: a fuse disposed on the main circuit of the battery; a contactor disposed on the charging circuit and / or discharging circuit of the battery; a circuit breaker disposed on the main circuit of the battery; a current detection device for detecting the battery current flowing through the battery; and a controller communicatively connected to the current detection device and the circuit breaker for controlling the circuit breaker to open and disconnect the main circuit when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor. Thus, when the battery current exceeds the maximum allowable current of the contactor, the main circuit can be promptly disconnected by the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker responds quickly and effectively protects the main circuit, covering blind spots that the contactor and fuse cannot protect against, and reducing the possibility of the battery overheating or even catching fire and exploding due to excessive current.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicles, and more specifically, to a battery protection system, a battery protection method, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of new energy vehicle technology, vehicle safety requirements are becoming increasingly important. Currently, vehicle fires are frequent in the market, caused by factors such as current overload, short circuit, collision, and battery cell issues.

[0003] To address the potential for excessive current in the battery circuit due to overload, short circuit, or impact, contactors and fuses are typically installed in the circuit to cut off the circuit when the current is too high.

[0004] However, since the maximum allowable current of the contactor is less than the fusing current of the fuse, there is a protection blind zone in the battery circuit where the contactor and fuse are installed that cannot be covered by either the contactor or the fuse. When the overload current is located in this protection blind zone, the contactor cannot operate and the fuse cannot blow, which can easily lead to the battery overheating or even fire. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a battery protection system, battery protection method, and vehicle to eliminate blind spots in current overload protection.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of this disclosure provides a battery protection system, comprising: a fuse disposed on the main circuit of the battery; a contactor disposed on the charging circuit and / or discharging circuit of the battery; a circuit breaker disposed on the main circuit of the battery; a current detection device for detecting the battery current flowing through the battery; and a controller communicatively connected to the current detection device and the circuit breaker for controlling the circuit breaker to open to disconnect the main circuit when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor.

[0007] Optionally, the circuit breaker is also directly communicatively connected to a collision sensor for automatically disconnecting in response to a collision signal generated by the collision sensor.

[0008] Optionally, the controller is configured to control the circuit breaker to open, thereby cutting off the main circuit, when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor and less than or equal to the fusing current of the fuse.

[0009] Optionally, the controller is also communicatively connected to the contactor to control the contactor to disconnect when the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the contactor.

[0010] Optionally, the contactor includes a first contactor disposed on the charging circuit, and the controller is configured to control the first contactor to disconnect when the battery is in charging mode and the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the first contactor.

[0011] Optionally, the contactor includes a second contactor disposed on the discharge circuit, and the controller is configured to control the second contactor to disconnect when the battery is in discharge mode and the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the second contactor.

[0012] Optionally, the controller is one of the following: a battery management system, a domain controller, or a vehicle controller.

[0013] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a battery protection method, comprising: detecting a battery current flowing through the battery; and, if the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum permissible current of a contactor disposed on the charging circuit and / or discharging circuit of the battery, controlling a circuit breaker disposed on the main circuit of the battery to open, thereby disconnecting the main circuit.

[0014] Optionally, the method further includes: controlling the contactor to disconnect when the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the contactor.

[0015] This third aspect of the disclosure provides a vehicle including a battery and a battery protection system provided according to the first aspect of the disclosure.

[0016] In the above technical solution, by installing a circuit breaker on the main circuit, when the current exceeds the contactor's maximum allowable current, the controller controls the circuit breaker to open. In this way, when the battery current exceeds the contactor's maximum allowable current due to current overload, short circuit, or collision, the main circuit can be cut off in time through the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker responds quickly and can effectively protect the main circuit, thereby covering the protection blind spots that the contactor and fuse cannot cover, and reducing the possibility that the battery may overheat or even catch fire and explode due to excessive current.

[0017] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of a battery protection system provided in an exemplary embodiment.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery protection system provided in another exemplary embodiment.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of a circuit breaker in a battery protection system provided in yet another exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a battery protection method provided in an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a battery protection method provided in another exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a battery protection method provided in yet another exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0026] 1-Fuse, 21-First contactor, 22-Second contactor, 3-Circuit breaker, 4-Current detection device, 5-Main circuit, 6-Charging circuit, 61-Charging positive circuit, 62-Charging negative circuit, 71-Discharging positive circuit, 72-Discharging negative circuit, 8-Charging interface, 9-Discharging interface, 10 Battery. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0028] First, the possible application scenarios of this disclosure will be explained. In order to solve the problem of excessive current caused by overload, short circuit or collision in the circuit where the battery is located, contactors and fuses are generally installed in the circuit to cut off the circuit when the current is too high.

[0029] However, since the maximum allowable current of the contactor is less than the fusing current of the fuse, there is a protection blind zone in the battery circuit where the contactor and fuse are installed that cannot be covered by either the contactor or the fuse. When the current is within this blind zone, the contactor cannot operate and the fuse cannot blow, which can easily lead to the battery overheating or even fire.

[0030] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the first aspect of this disclosure provides a battery protection system.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of a battery protection system provided in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery protection system provided in another exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The battery protection system may include a fuse 1, installed on the main circuit 5 of the battery 10; a contactor, installed on the charging circuit 6 and discharging circuit of the battery 10; a circuit breaker 3, installed on the main circuit 5 of the battery 10; a current detection device 4, used to detect the battery current flowing through the battery 10; and a controller. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image), is communicatively connected to the current detection device 4 and the circuit breaker 3, and is used to control the circuit breaker 3 to open in order to cut off the main circuit 5 when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor.

[0032] Thus, by installing a circuit breaker 3 on the main circuit 5, when the current exceeds the maximum allowable current of the contactor, the controller controls the circuit breaker 3 to disconnect. In this way, when the battery current exceeds the maximum allowable current of the contactor due to current overload, short circuit or collision, the main circuit 5 can be cut off in time by the circuit breaker 3. The circuit breaker 3 responds quickly and can effectively protect the main circuit 5, covering the protection blind spots that the contactor and fuse 1 cannot cover, and reducing the possibility that the battery 10 may overheat or even catch fire and explode due to excessive current.

[0033] For example, refer to Figure 1 The battery 10 may include multiple battery cells, which are connected in series in the main circuit 5. The fuse 1 may be installed between the multiple battery cells.

[0034] For example, refer to Figure 1 The charging circuit 6 may include a positive charging circuit 61 and a negative charging circuit 62. The main circuit 5 has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The positive terminal of the main circuit 5 is connected to the positive charging circuit 61, and the negative terminal of the main circuit 5 is connected to the negative charging circuit 62. The contactor may include a first contactor 21, which is disposed on the positive charging circuit 61 and the negative charging circuit 62.

[0035] For example, refer to Figure 1 The discharge circuit may include a positive discharge circuit 71 and a negative discharge circuit 72. The main circuit 5 has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The positive terminal of the main circuit 5 is connected to the positive discharge circuit 71, and the negative terminal of the main circuit 5 is connected to the negative discharge circuit 72. The contactor may also include a second contactor 22, which is disposed on the positive discharge circuit 71 and the negative discharge circuit 72.

[0036] For example, refer to Figure 1The solution disclosed herein can be applied inside a battery pack. The battery pack is provided with multiple discharge ports 9. The positive terminal of each discharge port 9 is connected to the positive discharge circuit 71, and the negative terminal of each discharge port 9 is connected to the negative discharge circuit 72. Thus, when the second contactor 22 on the positive discharge circuit 71 or the second contactor 22 on the negative discharge circuit 72 is disconnected, the connection circuit between all discharge ports 9 and the battery 10 is disconnected, and the battery 10 stops discharging.

[0037] For example, refer to Figure 1 The battery pack is equipped with a charging interface 8. The positive terminal of the charging interface 8 is connected to the positive charging circuit 61, and the negative terminal of the charging interface 8 is connected to the negative charging circuit 62. When the first contactor 21 on the positive charging circuit 61 or the first contactor 21 on the negative charging circuit 62 is disconnected, the connection circuit between the charging interface 8 and the battery 10 is disconnected, and the battery 10 stops charging.

[0038] It should be noted that the above preferred embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Without departing from the principles of this disclosure, those skilled in the art can adjust the above configurations to make this disclosure applicable to more specific application scenarios.

[0039] For example, there can be multiple charging ports 8, with the positive terminals of all charging ports 8 connected to the positive charging circuit 61 and the negative terminals of all charging ports 8 connected to the negative charging circuit 62. Thus, when the first contactor 21 on the positive charging circuit 61 or the first contactor 21 on the negative charging circuit 62 is disconnected, all charging ports 8 are disconnected from the battery 10, and the battery 10 stops charging.

[0040] For example, there can be one first contactor 21, which is set on the positive charging circuit 61 or the negative charging circuit 62. When the first contactor 21 is disconnected, the battery 10 stops charging.

[0041] Similarly, a second contactor 22 can also be configured as one and set on the positive discharge circuit 71 or the negative discharge circuit 72. When the second contactor 22 is disconnected, the battery 10 stops discharging.

[0042] It is understood that multiple first contactors 21 can be respectively provided on the charging positive circuit 61 and the charging negative circuit 62, and multiple second contactors 22 can be respectively provided on the discharging positive circuit 71 and the discharging negative circuit 72. Each first contactor 21 and each second contactor 22 are connected to the controller, which can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above-described embodiments, and will not be elaborated here.

[0043] For example, refer to Figure 1The current detection device 4 can be a current sensor, which is connected in series on the main circuit 5 and is connected to the controller for communication.

[0044] Alternatively, the current detection device 4 can also be a shunt and its associated current measuring device, which is communicatively connected to the controller. Since the use of the shunt is existing technology, it will not be described in detail here.

[0045] Alternatively, the current detection device 4 can also be a circuit characteristic value measurement device, and the controller integrates a matching current measurement module.

[0046] Specifically, for example, the circuit characteristic value measuring device can be a voltage measuring device connected in parallel with a component having a fixed resistance value, and the voltage measuring device is communicatively connected to a controller. The controller has the resistance value of the component pre-stored. After receiving a signal from the voltage measuring device, the current measuring module performs a conversion based on the pre-stored resistance value and the measured voltage value to determine the current value.

[0047] Optionally, the circuit breaker 3 is also in direct communication with the collision sensor to automatically disconnect in response to a collision signal generated by the collision sensor.

[0048] In this solution, when a vehicle collision occurs, the collision sensor sends a collision signal to the circuit breaker 3. The circuit breaker 3, in response to the collision signal, automatically disconnects. Thus, when a vehicle collision occurs, the circuit breaker 3 can quickly cut off the main circuit 5, stopping the charging or discharging of the battery 10, preventing short circuits caused by the collision, and improving safety.

[0049] It should also be noted that since the collision sensor and circuit breaker 3 are directly connected, the collision signal of the collision sensor is directly sent to circuit breaker 3, which can greatly shorten the reaction time, quickly cut off the circuit, and reduce the possibility of overheating or even fire and explosion caused by instantaneous short circuit.

[0050] For example, after receiving a collision signal from the collision sensor, circuit breaker 3 can complete the disconnection operation within 3ms.

[0051] With the above configuration, under non-collision conditions, the circuit breaker 3 can disconnect the main circuit 5 when the battery current exceeds the maximum allowable current of the contactor, and directly disconnect the main circuit 5 during a collision, which can greatly improve the safety of the battery 10 and reduce the possibility of the battery 10 overheating or even exploding due to excessive current.

[0052] For example, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the circuit breaker 3 in a battery protection system provided in yet another exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 3When the battery pack uses active balance management, the circuit breaker 3 communicates with the collision sensor through ABM (Active Balance Management).

[0053] Optionally, the controller can also be used to control the circuit breaker 3 to disconnect the main circuit 5 when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor and less than or equal to the fusing current of the fuse 1.

[0054] With the above settings, when the battery current is greater than or equal to the contactor's maximum allowable current and less than or equal to the fuse 1's fusing current, the controller can control the circuit breaker 3 to open, thereby quickly cutting off the main circuit 5.

[0055] Especially when the battery current approaches or reaches the fusing current of fuse 1, the risk of battery 10 catching fire is greatly increased because fuse 1 requires a certain amount of time to fuse and the battery current remains at or near the fusing current for a certain period of time. In this solution, the circuit breaker 3 quickly cuts off the main circuit 5, which can greatly reduce the possibility of battery 10 overheating or even catching fire and exploding.

[0056] Reference Figure 3 Optionally, the controller can be a BMS (Battery Management System). This integrates the battery protection system within the battery pack, reducing interference from the external environment and increasing reliability. Furthermore, even when the battery pack detaches from the vehicle body or the vehicle controller fails, the battery protection system can still operate reliably to better protect the battery.

[0057] Alternatively, the controller can also be a vehicle controller, which is communicatively connected to the contactor, circuit breaker 3, and current detection device 4.

[0058] Optionally, the vehicle controller can communicate directly with the contactor, circuit breaker 3, and current detection device 4 via CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0059] Alternatively, the vehicle controller can also communicate with the contactor, circuit breaker 3, and current detection device 4 via the BMS.

[0060] Alternatively, the controller can also be a domain controller.

[0061] For example, during the operation of battery 10, the current information of current detection device 4 is sent to the corresponding domain controller through the gateway. When the domain controller determines that the contactor or circuit breaker 3 should be disconnected, the domain controller sends the corresponding information to the contactor or circuit breaker 3 through the gateway so that the contactor or circuit breaker 3 is disconnected.

[0062] The second aspect of this disclosure provides a battery protection method. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a battery protection method provided in an exemplary embodiment, see reference. Figure 4 Battery protection methods may include:

[0063] Step S11: Detect the battery current flowing through the battery;

[0064] For example, the battery current can be directly detected by a current measuring device, such as by a current sensing element set in the circuit.

[0065] Alternatively, it can also be obtained by measuring other characteristic values ​​related to the battery current.

[0066] For example, the voltage across a component connected in series in a circuit can be measured, and the battery current can be calculated using the voltage and the resistance of the component.

[0067] For example, the battery current can be obtained by measuring the current in each circuit and summing or subtracting the measured current values ​​according to the series and parallel relationships.

[0068] Step S12: If the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor set in the battery's charging circuit and / or discharging circuit, control the circuit breaker set in the battery's main circuit to open, thereby disconnecting the main circuit.

[0069] In this way, when the battery current exceeds the contactor's maximum allowable current due to overload, short circuit, or collision, the main circuit can be cut off in time by the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker responds quickly and can effectively protect the main circuit, covering the protection blind spots that the contactor and fuse cannot cover, and reducing the possibility that the battery may overheat or even catch fire and explode due to excessive current.

[0070] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a battery protection method provided in another exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 5 , Figure 4 The method may further include, before step S12: step S13, determining whether the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, and generating a first determination result.

[0071] For example, a preset threshold corresponds to the battery current value during an overload. When the battery current is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, it indicates that an overload or short circuit has occurred.

[0072] Therefore, if the first judgment result is yes, step S12 is executed.

[0073] For example, refer to Figure 5 , Figure 4 Step S12 can specifically include steps S121 and S122. If the first judgment result is yes, step S121 is executed: determine whether the battery current is less than the maximum allowable current of the contactor, and generate a second judgment result.

[0074] If the second judgment result is negative, step S122 is executed: the circuit breaker set on the main circuit of the battery is opened to disconnect the main circuit.

[0075] For example, refer to Figure 5 , Figure 4 The method may also include step S14, in which, if the second determination result is yes, step S14 is executed: controlling the contactor set on the main circuit of the battery to disconnect, so as to cut off the main circuit.

[0076] Thus, if the battery current is less than the contactor's maximum allowable current, the main circuit can be directly cut off by the contactor.

[0077] The specific implementation methods of the main circuit, discharge circuit and charging circuit have been described in detail in the embodiments of the system, and will not be elaborated here.

[0078] For example, a warning device may also be installed in the vehicle. If the first judgment result is yes, the warning device will be controlled to display an alarm message corresponding to excessive battery current, so that the driver can be aware of the battery status in time and take measures such as braking or leaving the vehicle to ensure the safety of the people in the vehicle.

[0079] For example, the notification device can be an in-vehicle display.

[0080] Alternatively, the prompting device can also be an in-vehicle audio player.

[0081] Through steps S121, S122, and S14, the main circuit can be disconnected by selecting a contactor or circuit breaker based on the magnitude of the battery current in case of overload or short circuit, thereby improving safety. At the same time, the main circuit can be cut off in time when the battery current exceeds a preset threshold but does not reach the fuse's fusing current, eliminating the protection blind zone between the contactor and the fuse.

[0082] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a battery protection method provided in yet another exemplary embodiment. (See also...) Figure 6 ,against Figure 5In the method, step S12 may also include step S123, in which step S123 is executed if the second judgment result is negative: judging whether the battery current is less than or equal to the circuit breaker's fusing current, and generating a third judgment result.

[0083] If the third judgment result is yes, step S122 is executed to disconnect the main circuit by disconnecting the circuit breaker.

[0084] For example, the maximum allowable current of the contactor is 1000A, and the fusing current of the fuse is 3000A. When the battery current is greater than the preset threshold but less than 1000A, the contactor is controlled to open to cut off the main circuit; when the battery current is greater than or equal to 1000A but less than or equal to 3000A, the main circuit is cut off through the circuit breaker; when the battery current is greater than 3000A, the fuse automatically blows to disconnect the main circuit.

[0085] With the above configuration, even if the battery current reaches the fuse's breaking current, the circuit breaker will still interrupt the battery current. Since the fuse takes time to blow, and the battery current remains close to or at the breaking current for a certain period, the risk of battery fire is greatly increased. This solution uses a circuit breaker to quickly cut off the main circuit, significantly reducing the possibility of the battery overheating or even catching fire and exploding.

[0086] At the same time, it should be pointed out that the above settings can accurately divide the battery current range corresponding to the contactor, circuit breaker 3 and fuse 1, which is convenient for the control background to accurately record working data. If a fault occurs, it is easy to quickly identify the problematic component, thereby enabling timely discovery of deficiencies and improvement, and shortening the troubleshooting time.

[0087] This third aspect of the disclosure provides a vehicle including a battery and a battery protection system provided according to the first aspect of the disclosure.

[0088] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure. For example, although the fuse is disposed between multiple battery cells in the exemplary embodiment, the fuse can also be disposed in other locations in the main circuit to achieve the technical effects of the above embodiments.

[0089] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. For example, different numbers of first and second contactors can be set according to specific scenarios and needs. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0090] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery protection system, characterized in that, include: A fuse is installed in the main circuit of the battery; A contactor is provided on the charging circuit and / or discharging circuit of the battery; A circuit breaker is installed on the main circuit of the battery; A current detection device for detecting the battery current flowing through the battery; The controller, which is communicatively connected to the current detection device and the circuit breaker, is used to control the circuit breaker to open and disconnect the main circuit when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor. The controller is also communicatively connected to the contactor, and the controller is also used to control the contactor to disconnect when the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the contactor.

2. The battery protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circuit breaker is also directly connected to the collision sensor and is used to automatically disconnect in response to a collision signal generated by the collision sensor.

3. The battery protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is used to control the circuit breaker to open, thereby cutting off the main circuit, when the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor and less than or equal to the fusing current of the fuse.

4. The battery protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The contactor includes a first contactor disposed on the charging circuit. The controller is used to control the first contactor to disconnect when the battery is in charging mode and the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the first contactor.

5. The battery protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The contactor includes a second contactor disposed on the discharge circuit. The controller is used to control the second contactor to disconnect when the battery is in discharge mode and the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the second contactor.

6. The battery protection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The controller is one of the following: battery management system, domain controller, or vehicle controller.

7. A battery protection method, characterized in that, include: Detect the battery current flowing through the battery; If the battery current is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable current of the contactor installed in the charging circuit and / or discharging circuit of the battery, the circuit breaker installed in the main circuit of the battery is controlled to open to disconnect the main circuit; If the battery current is greater than or equal to a preset current threshold and less than the maximum allowable current of the contactor, the contactor is controlled to disconnect.

8. A vehicle, comprising a battery, characterized in that, It also includes a battery protection system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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