How to extend battery life

Abstract

The present application discloses a battery life extension method. The battery life extension method includes: after determining that a battery pack composed of multiple batteries connected in series has completed charging and is in a static state, continuously detecting the voltage value of each battery; setting the difference between the highest voltage value and the lowest voltage value of the multiple batteries as a first difference; setting the difference between the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries and the lowest voltage value as a second difference; when it is determined that the first difference value is less than a first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than a release power start voltage value, performing a discharge operation until the lowest voltage value is less than the release power start voltage value; when it is determined that the first difference value is greater than the first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than a balance start voltage value, performing a balancing operation until each second difference value is less than the second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage value is less than the balance start voltage value. Therefore, the voltage stored in each battery at full charge can be reduced, shortening the storage time of high-voltage full charge.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of batteries, and in particular to a method for extending the life of batteries. Background Art

[0002] In response to different power or voltage requirements of users, a corresponding battery pack can be formed by connecting multiple rechargeable batteries in series and / or in parallel. However, each rechargeable battery constituting the battery pack has different characteristics during its production process. For example, at the same temperature, the impedance, voltage and power in each rechargeable battery will be different, and these rechargeable batteries will cause more obvious differences after multiple charging and discharging (that is, these rechargeable batteries are unbalanced with each other). If the battery imbalance problem is not solved and charging and discharging are continued, the rechargeable battery with a higher voltage will be charged to an excessively high voltage, creating a safety risk and significantly reducing the service life of the battery pack. In addition, when the voltage of the charging end transformer is fixed, if the rechargeable battery is kept in a high-temperature and high-pressure fully charged state for a long time after being fully charged, the service life of the rechargeable battery will also be shortened. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main purpose of this application is to provide a battery life extension method to solve the problem in the prior art that the battery pack service life is shortened due to battery imbalance or rechargeable batteries being in a fully charged state of high temperature and high pressure for a long time.

[0004] In order to achieve the above objectives, this application is implemented as follows:

[0005] A battery life extension method is provided, comprising the following steps: after determining that a battery pack consisting of multiple batteries connected in series has been fully charged and is in a static state, continuously detecting the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries; setting the difference between the highest voltage value and the lowest voltage value in the multiple batteries as a first difference; setting the difference between the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries and the lowest voltage value as a second difference; when it is determined that the first difference is less than a first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than a release electrical start voltage value, performing a discharge operation until the lowest voltage value is less than the release electrical start voltage value; and when it is determined that the first difference is greater than the first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than a balance start voltage value, performing a balancing operation until each second difference is less than the second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage value is less than the balance start voltage value, wherein the second default voltage difference is less than the first default voltage difference and the release electrical start voltage value is greater than the balance start voltage value.

[0006] Another battery life extension method is provided, comprising the following steps: whenever a battery pack consisting of multiple batteries connected in series is fully charged and in a static state, continuously detecting the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries; and when it is determined that a first difference among the multiple batteries is greater than a first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than a balancing start voltage value, performing a balancing operation until a second difference among each of the multiple batteries is less than a second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage value is less than the balancing start voltage value, wherein the first difference is the difference between the highest voltage value and the lowest voltage value among the multiple batteries; each second difference is the difference between the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries and the lowest voltage value; and the second default voltage difference is less than the first default voltage difference.

[0007] Therefore, after a battery pack consisting of multiple batteries connected in series is fully charged and in a static state, a discharge operation is performed based on the corresponding relationship between the voltage value of each battery, the first default voltage difference, and the release power start voltage value, or a balancing operation is performed based on the corresponding relationship between the voltage value of each battery, the first default voltage difference, the balance start voltage value, and the second default voltage difference, so as to reduce the voltage of each battery when fully charged and shorten the storage time of high-voltage fully charged batteries, thereby extending the service life of each battery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0009] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of charging a battery device using a charging device to which the battery life extension method of the present application is applied;

[0010] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A flow chart of an embodiment of a battery life extension method applied to a battery device;

[0011] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a charge-discharge curve of each battery performing a discharge operation according to an embodiment;

[0012] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a charge and discharge curve of each battery during a balancing operation according to an embodiment; and

[0013] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A flow chart of another embodiment of a battery life extension method applied to a battery device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] It must be understood that the words "comprise", "include" and the like used in this specification are used to indicate the existence of specific technical features, values, method steps, job processing, components and / or components, but do not exclude the addition of more technical features, values, method steps, job processing, components, components, or any combination of the above.

[0016] It should be understood that when a component is described as being “connected” or “coupled” to another component, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other component, and intervening components may be present. Conversely, when a component is described as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another component, there are no intervening components.

[0017] See also Figure 1 , which is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of charging a battery device using a charging device to apply the battery life extension method of the present application. In this embodiment, the charging device 100 is used to connect and provide charging power to the battery device 200; the battery device 200 includes a battery pack 210 and a control module 220; the battery pack 210 includes a plurality of battery modules 300 connected in series, each battery module 300 including a battery 310, a balancing resistor 320, and a switch 330. In each battery module 300, the battery 310 is connected in parallel to the balancing resistor 320 via the switch 330; the control module 220 is used to detect the voltage value of each battery 310 and timely open or close each switch 330 to perform a discharge operation or a balancing operation. The battery pack 210 can be a high-voltage power supply device used in large electromechanical equipment, such as inside a vehicle, or a low-voltage power supply device used in small electronic equipment, such as a portable electronic device; each battery 310 can be a rechargeable battery of various types.

[0018] In this embodiment, the number of battery modules 300 included in the battery pack 210 may be, but is not limited to, three, but this embodiment is not intended to limit the present application. In other words, the number of battery modules 300 included in the battery pack 210 can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0019] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 2 for Figure 1Flowchart of an embodiment of a battery life extension method applied to a battery device. In this embodiment, the battery life extension method is executed by the control module 220, and the battery life extension method includes the following steps: after determining that the battery pack 210 composed of a plurality of batteries 310 in series is fully charged and in a static state, continuously detecting the voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries 310 (step 410); setting the difference between the highest voltage value and the lowest voltage value of the plurality of batteries 310 as a first difference (step 420); setting the difference between the voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries 310 and the lowest voltage value as a second difference (step 430); judging the first difference When the value is less than the first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than the release electric starting voltage value, the discharge operation is performed until the lowest voltage value is less than the release electric starting voltage value and stops (step 440); and when it is judged that the first difference is greater than the first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage value is greater than the balance starting voltage value, the balancing operation is performed until it is judged that each second difference is less than the second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage value is less than the balance starting voltage value and stops, wherein the second default voltage difference is less than the first default voltage difference, and the release electric starting voltage value is greater than the balance starting voltage value (step 450).

[0020] See also Figure 1 and Figure 3 , Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a charge and discharge curve of each battery performing a discharge operation. Figure 3 In the middle, the thick line is Figure 1 The first battery 310 (ie Figure 1 The charge and discharge curve of the battery 310 on the far left of the figure is shown in FIG. Figure 1 The second battery 310 (ie Figure 1 The charge and discharge curve of the second battery 310) from the left side of the figure is shown in the figure. The thin line is Figure 1 The third battery 310 (i.e. Figure 1 The charge and discharge curve of the battery 310 on the far right of the figure is shown in FIG. Figure 1The curve is formed by the average voltages of the three batteries 310 at different time points. In this embodiment, when the control module 220 determines, based on the voltage values ​​of each battery 310 continuously detected, that the first difference is less than the first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage is greater than the release power-on voltage, it can open all switches 330 to perform a discharge operation, causing each battery 310 to discharge through its parallel-connected balancing resistor 320. When the lowest voltage among the three batteries 310 is determined to be less than the release power-on voltage, all switches 330 are closed to terminate the discharge operation. The battery 310 may be, but is not limited to, a lithium battery. The first default voltage difference may be, but is not limited to, 75 millivolts (mV), and the release power-on voltage may be, but is not limited to, 4075 mV. The magnitudes of the first default voltage difference and the release power-on voltage can be adjusted based on different battery types and actual needs.

[0021] See also Figure 1 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a charge and discharge curve of each battery performing a balancing operation. Figure 4 In the middle, the thick line is Figure 1 The first battery 310 (ie Figure 1 The charge and discharge curve of the battery 310 on the far left of the figure is shown in FIG. Figure 1 The second battery 310 (ie Figure 1 The charge and discharge curve of the second battery 310) from the left side of the figure is shown in the figure. The thin line is Figure 1 The third battery 310 (i.e. Figure 1 The charge and discharge curve of the battery 310 on the far right of the figure is shown in FIG. Figure 1 The curve is formed by the average voltages of the three cells 310 at different time points. In this embodiment, when the control module 220 determines, based on the voltage values ​​of each cell 310 continuously detected, that the first difference is greater than the first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage is greater than the balancing start voltage, the balancing operation is performed until it determines that each second difference is less than the second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage is less than the balancing start voltage. The second default voltage difference is less than the first default voltage difference, and the release start voltage is greater than the balancing start voltage. The second default voltage difference may be, but is not limited to, 50 mV, and the balancing start voltage may be, but is not limited to, 3925 mV. The second default voltage difference and the balancing start voltage can be adjusted based on different battery types and actual needs.

[0022] More specifically, performing the balancing operation includes the following steps: opening the switches 330 connected in parallel to all the batteries 310 whose second difference is greater than the first default voltage difference, allowing the multiple batteries 310 to discharge through the balancing resistors 320 connected in parallel, and continuously determining whether each second difference is less than the second default voltage difference; and when the second difference of any of the multiple batteries 310 is less than the second default voltage difference, closing the switches 330 connected in parallel to the batteries 310.

[0023] That is, when the control module 220 performs the balancing operation, some / all switches 330 may be turned on; when the control module 220 determines that each second difference is less than the second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage is less than the balancing start voltage, all turned-on switches 330 are turned off, i.e., the balancing operation is stopped.

[0024] In addition, in this embodiment, the battery life extension method may further include the following steps: if the battery pack 210 is determined to be charging or discharging during a discharge or balancing operation, the discharge or balancing operation is stopped. In other words, when the control module 220 determines that the battery pack 210 is charging or discharging during a discharge or balancing operation, all switches 330 are closed to stop the discharge or balancing operation. It should be noted that in this application, the discharge of the battery pack 210 means that the battery pack 210 provides power to an external load. The discharge operation is achieved by the control module 220 turning on the switches 330, causing the cells 310 of the battery pack 210 to discharge through the parallel-connected balancing resistors 320 (i.e., releasing electrical energy through the balancing resistors 320) to reduce the fully charged stored voltage. The balancing operation is achieved by the control module 220 turning on the switches 330, causing the cells 310 of the battery pack 210 to discharge through the parallel-connected balancing resistors 320 (i.e., releasing electrical energy through the balancing resistors 320) to balance the voltages among all the cells 310 of the battery pack 210.

[0025] In one embodiment, determining in step 410 that the battery pack, comprised of a plurality of batteries 310 connected in series, has completed charging and is in a static state includes determining that the battery pack 210 has completed charging and is in the static state when the total voltage or average voltage of the battery pack 210 exceeds a determination voltage value for a period greater than a determination time. The average voltage of the battery pack 210 is the average voltage of all batteries 310 in the battery pack 210. The determination voltage value and the determination time can be adjusted based on actual needs.

[0026] In one embodiment, the above application Figure 2The battery device 200 of the battery life extension method is installed in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). After the battery pack 210 is fully charged, a discharge operation can be performed to prevent the battery 310 from being in a fully charged state at high temperature and high pressure for a long time, or a balancing operation can be performed to prevent imbalance problems between the multiple batteries 310. Therefore, the service life of the battery pack 210 can be extended, thereby reducing the maintenance cost of the UPS.

[0027] See also Figure 1 and Figure 5 , Figure 5 for Figure 1 A flowchart of another embodiment of a battery life extension method for a battery device is provided. In this embodiment, the battery life extension method is executed by the control module 220 and includes the following steps: whenever a battery pack 210 composed of a plurality of battery cells 310 connected in series is fully charged and in a static state, continuously detecting the voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells 310 (step 510); and, when it is determined that a first difference among the plurality of battery cells 310 is greater than a first default voltage difference and the lowest voltage is greater than a balancing start voltage, performing a balancing operation until a second difference among the plurality of battery cells 310 is less than a second default voltage difference or the lowest voltage is less than the balancing start voltage, wherein the first difference is the difference between the highest voltage and the lowest voltage among the plurality of battery cells 310; each second difference is the difference between the voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells 310 and the lowest voltage; and the second default voltage difference is less than the first default voltage difference (step 520).

[0028] Through the above steps, whenever the battery pack 210 is fully charged and in the static state, the multiple cells 310 of the battery pack 210 can be balanced. After multiple charging and discharging cycles, the multiple cells 310 of the battery pack 210 can still maintain a balanced state, thereby extending the service life of the battery pack 210.

[0029] In one embodiment, the battery life extension method further includes the following step: if the control module 220 determines that the battery pack 210 is charging or discharging during the balancing process, the balancing process is stopped. In other words, if the control module 220 determines that the battery pack 210 is charging or discharging during the balancing process, all switches 330 are turned off to stop the balancing process.

[0030] In one embodiment, performing the balancing operation includes the following steps: opening the switches 330 connected in parallel to all the batteries 310 whose second difference is greater than the first default voltage difference, allowing the batteries 310 to discharge through the balancing resistors 320 connected in parallel thereto, and continuously determining whether each second difference is less than the second default voltage difference; and closing the switches 330 connected in parallel to the batteries 310 when it is determined that the second difference of any of the batteries 310 is less than the second default voltage difference. A detailed description has been provided in the preceding paragraph and will not be repeated here.

[0031] In one embodiment, the battery pack 210 formed by the plurality of batteries 310 connected in series is charged when the total voltage or the average voltage of the battery pack 210 is greater than a determination voltage value, wherein the determination voltage value can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0032] In summary, the battery life extension method of the embodiment of the present application is to perform a discharge operation and / or a balance operation according to the corresponding relationship between the voltage value of each battery, the first default voltage difference, the release power start voltage value and / or the balance start voltage value, and the second default voltage difference after the battery pack composed of multiple batteries connected in series is charged and is in a static state, so as to reduce the voltage of each battery in the battery pack when fully charged, reduce the storage time of high-voltage full charge, and thus extend the service life of the battery pack.

[0033] Although the above-described components are included in the drawings of this application, it does not exclude the use of more additional components to achieve better technical effects without violating the spirit of the invention.

[0034] While the present invention is described using the above embodiments, it should be noted that these descriptions are not intended to limit the present invention. On the contrary, the present invention encompasses modifications and similar arrangements that are obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the claims should be interpreted in the broadest manner to encompass all obvious modifications and similar arrangements.

Claims

1. A battery life extension method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: After determining that a battery pack consisting of a plurality of batteries connected in series has been fully charged and is in a static state, continuously detecting a voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries; setting a difference between a highest voltage value and a lowest voltage value among the plurality of batteries as a first difference value; setting a difference between the voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries and the lowest voltage value as a second difference; When it is determined that the first difference is less than a first default voltage difference and the minimum voltage is greater than a release electric start voltage, a discharge operation is performed until the minimum voltage is less than the release electric start voltage, wherein each of the plurality of batteries is connected in parallel to a balancing resistor via a switch, and performing the discharge operation includes turning on the switch to discharge the plurality of batteries through the balancing resistor connected in parallel thereto; as well as When it is determined that the first difference is greater than the first default voltage difference and the minimum voltage is greater than the balancing start voltage, the balancing operation is performed until each of the second differences is less than the second default voltage difference or the minimum voltage is less than the balancing start voltage, wherein the second default voltage difference is less than the first default voltage difference, and the release power start voltage is greater than the balancing start voltage. The performing of the balancing operation includes: turning on the switches connected in parallel to all batteries whose second difference is greater than the first default voltage difference, so that the multiple batteries are discharged through the balancing resistors connected in parallel, and continuously judging whether each of the second differences is less than the second default voltage difference; when the second difference of any one of the multiple batteries is less than the second default voltage difference, turning off the switches connected in parallel to the batteries.

2. The battery life extension method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of determining that the battery pack composed of a plurality of batteries connected in series has been fully charged and is in a static state includes: When the total voltage value or the average voltage value of the battery pack is greater than the determination voltage value for a period greater than the determination time, it is determined that the battery pack is completely charged and is in the rest state.

3. The battery life extension method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: If it is determined that the battery pack is being charged or discharged during the discharging operation or the balancing operation, the discharging operation or the balancing operation is stopped.

Images