Hybrid power lithium ion supercapacitor battery

Abstract

A hybrid battery for supplying electrical power to a vehicle includes terminals, one or more lithium ion cells, one or more supercapacitor cells, a DC / DC converter, and a controller. One or more lithium ion cells are connected to supply a first current to the terminal. The DC / DC converter is coupled in series between the terminal and the one or more supercapacitor cells. The one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter are connected to supply a second current to the terminal. The lithium ion unit is connected in parallel with the one or more supercapacitor units and the DC / DC converter. A controller is in communication with the DC / DC converter to selectively modify the second current provided to the terminal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to hybrid battery systems and methods for controlling hybrid battery systems.

[0002] Generally, lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries supply electrical power to vehicle systems. Lead-acid batteries have an adverse impact on the environment, while lithium-ion batteries can be recycled or disposed of with little impact on the environment. Thus, eliminating the need for lead-acid batteries in the automotive industry and replacing them with lithium-ion batteries would be beneficial. However, lithium-ion batteries do not have the high power capabilities that lead-acid batteries possess. The lifespan of lithium-ion batteries is also a factor in automotive applications. It is well known that overcharging, over-discharging, rapid charging or discharging, or charging at low temperatures of lithium-ion battery cells will shorten their lifespan. Therefore, it is difficult to rely solely on lithium-ion batteries to provide power to vehicle systems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to some embodiments, a hybrid battery for supplying electrical power to a vehicle includes terminals, one or more lithium-ion cells, one or more supercapacitor cells, a DC / DC converter, and a controller. The one or more lithium-ion cells are connected to supply a first current to the terminals. The DC / DC converter is serially coupled between the terminals and the one or more supercapacitor cells. The one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter are connected to supply a second current to the terminals. The lithium-ion cells are connected in parallel with the one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter. The controller communicates with the DC / DC converter to selectively modify the second current provided to the terminals.

[0004] According to some embodiments, a method of delivering electrical power to a vehicle includes providing a hybrid battery. The hybrid battery includes terminals, a first current sensor and a second current sensor, and a stack of lithium-ion cells including one or more lithium-ion cells. A supercapacitor is electrically connected to the stack of lithium-ion cells. A DC / DC converter is electrically coupled to the supercapacitor. The controller communicates with the DC / DC converter to regulate the output voltage of the DC / DC converter. The method includes measuring a total output load on the battery using the first current sensor. Measuring the output current of the supercapacitor using the second current sensor. Regulating the output voltage of the DC / DC converter using control to control the second current output from the supercapacitor.

[0005] According to some embodiments, a vehicle battery system includes a hybrid power battery, a battery management system (BMS), a capacitor management system (CMS), and an electronic controller. The hybrid power battery includes output terminals, a lithium-ion cell stack, and a supercapacitor cell stack. A DC / DC converter is electrically coupled to the supercapacitor cell stack. A first current sensor measures a first current at the output terminals. The battery management system (BMS) includes battery sensors to measure one or more lithium-ion cell stack parameters. The capacitor management system (CMS) includes capacitor sensors to measure one or more supercapacitor cell stack parameters. The electronic controller communicates with the BMS, the CMS, and the DC / DC converter to regulate the output voltage of the DC / DC converter.

[0006] These and other examples and features of the devices, systems, and methods will be set forth at least in part in the following detailed description. This summary is intended to provide a non-limiting example of the subject matter and is not intended to provide the sole or exhaustive interpretation. The following detailed description is included to provide further information regarding the devices, systems, and methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] This written disclosure describes illustrative embodiments that are non-limiting and non-exhaustive. Reference is made to the illustrative embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008] Figure 1 FIG. illustrates a diagrammatic view of a hybrid power battery having a lithium-ion cell stack and a supercapacitor cell stack according to some embodiments.

[0009] Figure 2 FIG. illustrates a schematic circuit diagram of a hybrid power battery according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 3 FIG. illustrates a flowchart of a method of delivering electrical power to a vehicle according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 4 FIG. illustrates a flowchart of a method of delivering electrical power to a vehicle according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 5 FIG. illustrates an exemplary flowchart of input parameters of a supercapacitor current as a function of a total output current according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] According to some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a hybrid power battery, i.e., a battery including a plurality of power unit stacks, and systems and methods for current distribution between the plurality of power unit stacks are described herein. In some embodiments, the hybrid power battery includes: a lithium-ion unit stack including one or more lithium-ion units configured to store and release energy (in the form of electrical power); and a supercapacitor unit stack including one or more supercapacitor units. Lithium-ion units can be used in a hybrid power battery because they have a high power-to-weight ratio, high energy efficiency, good high-temperature performance, long life, and low self-discharge. Lithium-ion units are recyclable and generally have less adverse environmental impact compared to lead-acid batteries. The lithium-ion unit stack can be configured to store a large amount of energy and provide a stable power output over a long period of time (i.e., several minutes or hours). However, the lithium-ion unit stack may have inherent limitations in terms of high power capabilities. For example, if a vehicle system requires a sudden high-energy surge (e.g., an anti-lock braking system), then the lithium-ion unit stack may not be suitable for high-energy, transient electrical loads. In some embodiments, the supercapacitor unit stack is designed to provide high-energy, transient (i.e., less than 2 seconds) current to meet sudden surges in high-energy loads.

[0014] In some embodiments, the supercapacitor unit stack is electrically coupled in parallel to the lithium-ion unit stack. In some embodiments, a DC / DC converter is serially coupled between the supercapacitor unit stack and the terminals of the hybrid power battery. The DC / DC converter selectively modifies the output current of the supercapacitor unit stack. In some embodiments, a capacitor management system (CMS) receives communications from one or more sensors, and a battery management system (BMS) receives communications from one or more sensors. The CMS and the BMS communicate with a controller, and the controller thereby selectively regulates the output current of the supercapacitor stack by controlling the DC / DC converter.

[0015] In some embodiments, based on one or more measured lithium-ion parameters and / or one or more measured supercapacitor parameters, the output current from the supercapacitor unit stack and the output current from the lithium-ion unit stack are intelligently allocated. The intelligent power distribution between the supercapacitor unit stack and the lithium-ion unit stack can improve the performance of the hybrid power battery and / or increase battery life by minimizing battery degradation conditions (e.g., rapid charging of the lithium-ion unit stack at low temperatures).

[0016] Figure 1The figure shows a schematic view of a hybrid power battery 100 having a lithium-ion cell stack 102 and a supercapacitor cell stack 104 according to some embodiments. The hybrid power battery 100 may include a first terminal 116 (the positive (+) terminal in this example) and a second terminal 118 (the negative (-) terminal in this example). The first terminal 116 and the second terminal 118 may be electrically coupled to a power distribution bus (not shown), where the hybrid power battery 100 supplies power to the power distribution bus and receives charging power from the power distribution bus. For example, one or more vehicle loads (i.e., external electrical loads) may be connected to the power distribution bus to receive power from the hybrid power battery 100. Similarly, in some embodiments, one or more power generation devices (e.g., alternators, generators, etc.) may be connected to the power distribution bus to supply charging power to the hybrid power battery 100.

[0017] The lithium-ion cell stack 102 may include one or more lithium-ion cells 110. In some embodiments, one or more lithium-ion cells 110 may be electrically coupled in series with each other. In other embodiments, the configuration of the lithium-ion cells 110 may be 3S1P (3 cells in series and 1 parallel string), or may be 3S2P (3 cells in series and 2 parallel strings), or generally xSyP. The lithium-ion cell stack 102 is connected to supply power to the first terminal 116 and receive power from the first terminal 116. When supplying power, the lithium-ion cell stack 102 supplies a first current to the first terminal 116.

[0018] The supercapacitor cell stack 104 may include one or more supercapacitor cells 108. In some embodiments, the supercapacitor cell is a capacitive storage device having a capacitance of at least 100 farads. According to some embodiments, the supercapacitor cell stack may include three 325-farad, 2.7-volt supercapacitor cells connected in series, providing an equivalent capacitance of 108 farads and an operating range of 5.0 to 8.4 volts for the supercapacitor cell stack. In some embodiments, the configuration of the supercapacitor cell stack may be 3S1P (3 cells in series and 1 parallel string with 108F and a maximum of 8.4V), or may be 3S2P (3 cells in series and 2 parallel strings with 217F and a maximum of 8.4V), or generally xSyP. The supercapacitor cell stack may be configured to operate at currents up to 200 amperes. The supercapacitor cell stack 104 is connected to supply power to the first terminal 116 and receive power from the first terminal 116. When supplying power, the supercapacitor stack 104 supplies a second current to the first terminal 116.

[0019] In some embodiments, the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and the lithium-ion cell stack 102 are connected in parallel with each other between respective terminals 116, 118 of the hybrid power battery 100. The total current provided by the hybrid power battery 100 is thus the sum of a first current provided by the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and a second current provided by the supercapacitor cell stack 104. Electrically connecting the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and the lithium-ion cell stack 102 in parallel can increase the available load current of the hybrid power battery, and thus increase the available load power (i.e., total output power) of the battery. Electrically connecting the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and the lithium-ion cell stack 102 in parallel can improve the current sharing efficiency between the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and the lithium-ion cell stack 102. As described in more detail below, in some embodiments, the hybrid power battery 100 selectively controls whether the current / power provided to the first terminal 116 is from the lithium-ion cells 110, the supercapacitor cells 108, or a combination of both. In some embodiments, the controller 130 monitors one or more parameters associated with the operating conditions of the hybrid power battery 100 or the requested power (e.g., load current request) from the vehicle, and / or one or more parameters associated with the lithium-ion cells 110 and / or the supercapacitor cells 108 to determine how to distribute the power from the lithium-ion cells 110 and the supercapacitor cells 108 to the output terminal 116.

[0020] In some embodiments, the lithium-ion cell stack 102 communicates with the battery management system (BMS) 114. In some embodiments, the BMS 114 is configured to monitor one or more parameters of the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and / or one or more of the lithium-ion cells 110. For example, the BMS 114 can monitor and / or receive inputs from one or more sensors, the one or more sensors including, for example, one or more of a current sensor, a temperature sensor, a total voltage output sensor, a single cell voltage sensor, a power sensor, and an energy sensor. The BMS 114 can measure one or more battery parameters, the one or more battery parameters can include one or more of battery output current, battery temperature, battery total voltage output, battery cell voltage, battery output power, battery energy, battery state of health (SOH), and battery state of charge (SOC). In some embodiments, one or more battery parameters (and / or other parameters described herein) are provided as inputs to the controller 130 for determining how to distribute the power / current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and / or the supercapacitor cell stack 104 to the first terminal 116.

[0021] In some embodiments, the supercapacitor cell stack 104 communicates with a capacitor management system (CMS) 112. The CMS 112 can monitor and / or receive inputs from one or more sensors, including, for example, one or more supercapacitor cell sensors configured to measure one or more parameters of the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and / or one or more supercapacitor cells 108. For example, the CMS 112 can include one or more of a current sensor, a temperature sensor, a total voltage output sensor, a single cell voltage sensor, a power sensor, and an energy sensor. The CMS 112 can measure one or more supercapacitor parameters, which can include one or more of supercapacitor output current, supercapacitor temperature, supercapacitor total voltage output, supercapacitor cell voltage, supercapacitor output power, supercapacitor energy, supercapacitor state of health (SOH), supercapacitor state of charge (SOC), equivalent series resistance (ESR), and capacitance. In some embodiments, one or more supercapacitor parameters (and / or other parameters described herein) are provided as inputs to the controller 130 for determining how to distribute power / current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and / or the supercapacitor cell stack 104 to the first terminal 116.

[0022] In some embodiments, the hybrid power battery 100 includes a DC / DC converter 106. The DC / DC converter 106 can be a bidirectional boost / buck DC / DC converter capable of conducting at least the same current as the supercapacitor cell stack 104. The DC / DC converter 106 can communicate with the electronic controller 130. Under the control of the electronic controller 130, the DC / DC converter 106 can switch between a boost mode and a buck mode. The period of the transition is preferably on the order of 25 to 100 microseconds. The electronic controller 130 can also control the direction and magnitude of the electrical power flowing through the DC / DC converter 130.

[0023] The electronic controller 130 controls the output current (i.e., the second current) from the supercapacitor cell stack 104. For example, in some embodiments, the DC / DC converter 106 is electrically connected in series with the supercapacitor cell stack 104, and the electronic controller 130 regulates the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106. Regulating the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 can control the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104, and thus, the electronic controller 130 can selectively control / regulate the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104 to control the output current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 (i.e., the remaining load drawn from the lithium-ion stack 102). In other embodiments, a reverse configuration is possible, where the DC / DC converter 106 is electrically connected in series with the lithium-ion cell stack 102. For example, the DC / DC converter 106 can be located between the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and the current sensor 124 to control the output current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102, thereby controlling the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104.

[0024] In some embodiments, the electronic controller 130 monitors the voltage of the voltage supply bus and adaptively determines its nominal value, rate of change, and optionally determines its spectral content. The hybrid power battery 100 can optionally include a switch 128 to prevent reverse-polarity voltage.

[0025] The hybrid power battery 100 can include one or more current sensors configured to measure the current at different positions on the circuit and / or transmit the measured current to the electronic controller 130. For example, the first current sensor 120 can be located near the first terminal 116 to measure the total output current from the hybrid power battery 100 (i.e., the total current output from the hybrid power battery 100) and / or measure the total input current to the hybrid power battery 100 (i.e., the total current input to the hybrid power battery 100). The second current sensor 122 can be located near the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and measure the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104. In some embodiments, the second current sensor 122 can be located between the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and the DC / DC converter 106. One or more of the current sensors 120, 122, 124 can communicate with the CMS 112, BMS 114, and / or the electronic controller 130. In some embodiments, one or more of the current sensors 120, 122, 124 can communicate directly with the electronic controller 130, while in other embodiments, one or more of the current sensors 120, 122, 124 can communicate with the CMS 112 and BMS 114, and the CMS 112 and BMS 114 transmit the measured current to the electronic controller 130.

[0026] In some embodiments, the electronic controller 130 may receive a first current measurement (i.e., total input / output current) from the first current sensor 120 and may receive a second current measurement (i.e., output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104) from the second current sensor 122. The electronic controller 130 may calculate the output current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 by subtracting the second current measurement from the first current measurement. In other words, if the electronic controller 130 measures the total current output and measures the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104, the difference between the total current output and the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104 must be supplied by the lithium-ion cell stack 102 (assuming no other power sources within the hybrid power battery 100 in this example).

[0027] In some embodiments, a third current sensor 124 may be located near the lithium-ion cell stack 102 to measure the output current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102. As described above, although there are other alternative methods to calculate the output current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102, the third current sensor 124 may provide a more accurate current measurement compared to calculating the output current of the lithium-ion cell stack 102.

[0028] In some embodiments, multiple current sensors may be used to measure the current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102, the supercapacitor cell stack 104, the lithium-ion cells 110, the supercapacitor cells 108, and / or combinations thereof. In embodiments including multiple lithium-ion cell stacks and / or multiple supercapacitor cell stacks, at least one current sensor may be used on each respective lithium-ion cell stack and / or supercapacitor cell stack. In this way, the electronic controller 130 is able to monitor the total current supplied by the hybrid power battery 100, as well as the first current and the second current supplied by the lithium-ion cells 110 and the supercapacitor cells 108, respectively (i.e., the current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and the supercapacitor cell stack 104, respectively). By selectively controlling the operation of the DC / DC controller 106, the controller 130 is able to directly control the magnitude of the second current provided by the supercapacitor cells 108, and thereby indirectly control the magnitude of the first current provided by the lithium-ion cells 110. In this way, the controller 130 selectively controls the manner in which the lithium-ion cells 110 and the supercapacitor cells 108 supply power. The electronic controller 130 may selectively adjust the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 depending on the received lithium-ion cell parameters and / or supercapacitor cell parameters. For example, the BMS 114 may transmit lithium-ion cell parameters that determine the available output current of the lithium-ion cell stack 102 (e.g., low battery temperature, low battery SOC, etc.). The electronic controller 130 may adjust the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 to increase the output current of the supercapacitor cell stack 104 to supplement the reduced output current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102.

[0029] In some embodiments, one or more features of the hybrid power battery 100 may be secured to the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 132. For example, the CMS 112, the BMS 114, the DC / DC converter 106, and the electronic controller 130 may be secured to the PCBA 132. In some embodiments, the hybrid power battery 100 may include a low voltage communication port 134. The low voltage communication port 134 may be configured for CAN (Controller Area Network) communication, LIN (Local Interconnect Network) communication, and / or KL15 ignition key.

[0030] The electronic controller 130 can communicate with the BMS 114 and / or the CMS 112. Accordingly, the electronic controller 130 can receive one or more lithium-ion cell parameters and / or one or more supercapacitor cell parameters, including but not limited to: battery output current, battery temperature, battery total voltage output, battery cell voltage, battery output power, battery energy, battery state of health (SOH), battery state of charge (SOC), supercapacitor output current, supercapacitor temperature, supercapacitor total voltage output, supercapacitor cell voltage, supercapacitor output power, supercapacitor energy, supercapacitor state of health (SOH), and / or supercapacitor state of charge (SOC).

[0031] Figure 2 The figure shows a schematic circuit diagram of a hybrid power battery 200 according to some embodiments. The hybrid power battery 200 can include any and / or all of the features of the hybrid power battery illustrated and described above (and vice versa). The hybrid power battery 200 can be electrically connected to a vehicle load 202 at a first terminal (+) 116 and a second terminal (-) 118. Figure 1 The hybrid power battery 200 can include any and / or all of the features of the hybrid power battery illustrated and described above (and vice versa). The hybrid power battery 200 can be electrically connected to a vehicle load 202 at a first terminal (+) 116 and a second terminal (-) 118.

[0032] The hybrid power battery 200 can include a lithium-ion cell stack 102 and a supercapacitor cell stack 104 that are electrically coupled in parallel. In some embodiments, each supercapacitor cell in the supercapacitor cells 108 can be electrically connected in series with each other. Each supercapacitor cell in the supercapacitor cells 108 can communicate bi-directionally with the CMS 112. For example, the bi-directional communication can include communication in a first direction (i.e., from the supercapacitor cell 108 to the CMS 112, receiving sensor data / supercapacitor parameters via the CMS 112) and communication in a second direction (i.e., from the CMS 112 to the supercapacitor cell 108, for example, the CMS 112 can transmit a maximum charge level to one or more supercapacitor cells 108). In some embodiments, each lithium-ion cell (not shown in Figure 2 the figure) can be electrically connected in series with each other. Each lithium-ion cell in the lithium-ion cells can communicate bi-directionally with the BMS 114. For example, the bi-directional communication can include communication in a first direction (i.e., from the lithium-ion cell 110 to the BMS 114, receiving sensor data / battery parameters via the BMS 114) and communication in a second direction (i.e., from the BMS 114 to the lithium-ion cell 110, for example, the BMS 114 can transmit a maximum charge level to one or more lithium-ion cells 110).

[0033] In some embodiments, the CMS 112 and / or the BMS 114 may communicate bi - directionally with the electronic controller 130. In some embodiments, the controller 130 monitors the current measured by the current sensors 120, 122, and / or 124. In some embodiments, the BMS utilizes the current sensor 124 to monitor the first current provided by the lithium - ion cell stack 102. In some embodiments, the CMS 112 monitors the current provided by the supercapacitor cell stack 104 via the current sensor 122. In some embodiments, the BMS 114 and / or the CMS 112 transmit the measured first current and / or second current to the controller 130. In other embodiments, the electronic controller 130 directly monitors these currents. The electronic controller 130 may receive lithium - ion cell parameters from the BMS 114, supercapacitor cell parameters from the CMS 112, and / or current measurements from the current sensors 120, 122, 124, and adjust the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 to control the current output from the supercapacitor cell stack 104.

[0034] The hybrid power battery 200 may be configured to provide high - power output. The vehicle load 202 may include one or more vehicle systems, including, for example, vehicle lighting (interior and exterior), vehicle braking (e.g., ABS), vehicle ignition, vehicle display, vehicle climate control, power steering, etc. The vehicle load 202 may vary continuously with the operation of one or more vehicle systems, and in some embodiments, the vehicle load 202 may experience rapid or transient spikes.

[0035] For example, if the vehicle suddenly requires high power (e.g., an anti-lock braking system (ABS)), then the vehicle load 202 may rapidly increase and demand high power (high output current within a short time period) from the hybrid power battery 200. The vehicle load 202 can be measured by the first current sensor 120 and transmitted to the electronic controller 130. The electronic controller 130 can calculate the target supercapacitor output current and / or the target lithium-ion output current to meet the vehicle load 202. The electronic controller 130 can modify the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 to regulate the output current of the supercapacitor cell stack 104 to the target supercapacitor output current. The supercapacitor cell stack 104 can be optimized to provide high power within a transient time period (i.e., less than 2 seconds), while the lithium-ion cell stack 102 can be designed to provide power over a long time period (i.e., several hours or minutes). Thus, during a short-term surge in load current, the percentage of the total output current from the supercapacitor cell stack (supercapacitor percentage (uCap%)) can be greater than the percentage of the total output current from the lithium-ion cell stack (lithium-ion percentage (li-ion%)).

[0036] In one example, the vehicle load 202 may draw 10 A (I 负载 = 10 A). The first current sensor 120 can measure I 负载 , and transmit the measured current to the electronic controller 130. The electronic controller 130 can analyze one or more input parameters from the CMS 112, BMS 114, and / or current sensors 120, 122, 124 to determine the optimal allocation of power from the supercapacitor cell stack 104 and the lithium-ion cell stack (i.e., the electronic controller 130 calculates the optimal supercapacitor percentage and lithium-ion percentage). For example, the electronic controller 130 can calculate that the supercapacitor percentage is 60%. The desired current drawn from the supercapacitor cell stack 104 will be 6 A (I 超级电容器 = 6 A), while the remaining load will be drawn from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 (I 锂离子 = 4 A). The electronic controller 130 can regulate the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 to draw 6 A from the supercapacitor cell stack 104.

[0037] In some embodiments, the supercapacitor percentage can be affected by lithium-ion cell parameters from the BMS 114 and / or supercapacitor cell parameters from the CMS 112. For example, if the BMS 114 measures that the temperature of the lithium-ion cell stack 102 is below a threshold level, the electronic controller 130 can limit the current provided by the lithium-ion cell stack 102 to avoid rapid charging of the lithium-ion cell stack 102 at low temperatures (which may damage / deteriorate the lithium-ion cell stack 102).

[0038] In some embodiments, the CMS 112 can communicate bidirectionally with the BMS 114. For example, the CMS 112 can include a cell temperature sensor 230 and / or an external temperature sensor 232. Temperature measurements from the cell temperature sensor 230 and / or the external temperature sensor 232 can be shared between the BMS 114 and the CMS 112. Such a configuration is beneficial because it reduces the total number of sensors in the hybrid power battery, i.e., the BMS 114 and the CMS 112 share sensor data with each other.

[0039] Figure 3 The figure shows a flowchart of a method 300 for delivering electric power to a vehicle. At step 310, a hybrid power battery is provided. The hybrid power battery can include any or all of the features of the hybrid power battery 100 and / or the hybrid power battery 200 as described above and illustrated in Figures 1 to 2 the figure. At step 320, the total output load on the hybrid power battery 200 is measured. The total output load can be measured using the first current sensor 120 at or near the terminals 116, 118 of the hybrid power battery 200.

[0040] At step 330, one or more lithium-ion cell parameters are measured. The lithium-ion cell parameters can be measured by the BMS 114, which can include one or more of a current sensor, a temperature sensor, a total voltage output sensor, a single cell voltage sensor, a power sensor, and an energy sensor. The BMS 114 can measure one or more lithium-ion cell parameters, and the one or more lithium-ion cell parameters can include one or more of a lithium-ion output current, a lithium-ion cell temperature, a lithium-ion cell stack total voltage output, a lithium-ion cell voltage, a lithium-ion output power, a lithium-ion energy, a lithium-ion state of health (SOH), and a lithium-ion state of charge (SOC). In some embodiments, at step 330, a first current from the lithium-ion cell stack 102 and a second current from the supercapacitor cell stack 104 are determined.

[0041] At step 340, the output voltage of the DC / DC converter is adjusted using an electronic controller to control the current from the supercapacitor unit stack. The DC / DC converter may include the DC / DC converter 106 as described above, and the electronic controller may include the electronic controller 130 as described above. The total output load on the hybrid power battery 200 and one or more lithium-ion cell parameters may be input into the electronic controller 130. The electronic controller 130 may adjust the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106, thereby adjusting the current output from the supercapacitor unit stack 104.

[0042] In some embodiments, method 300 may include generating a lithium-ion power threshold, wherein the electronic controller 130 inputs the lithium-ion cell parameters measured by the BMS 114 and calculates the maximum power that the lithium-ion cell stack 102 can output without damage or degradation. Method 300 may include comparing the lithium-ion power threshold with the total output load on the hybrid power battery. If the total output load on the hybrid power battery is greater than the lithium-ion power threshold, the electronic controller 130 may adjust the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 to increase the output current from the supercapacitor unit stack 104.

[0043] Figure 4 The figure shows a flowchart of a method 400 for delivering electrical power to a vehicle according to some embodiments. At step 410, a hybrid power battery is provided. The hybrid power battery may include any or all of the features of the hybrid power battery 100 and / or the hybrid power battery 200 as described above and shown in Figures 1 to 2 The total output load on the hybrid power battery 200 is measured at step 420. The total output load may be measured using the first current sensor 120 at or near the terminals 116, 118 of the hybrid power battery 200.

[0044] One or more lithium-ion cell parameters are measured at step 430. The lithium-ion cell parameters may be measured by the BMS 114, which may include one or more of a current sensor, a temperature sensor, a total voltage output sensor, a single cell voltage sensor, a power sensor, and an energy sensor. The BMS 114 may measure one or more lithium-ion cell parameters, and the one or more lithium-ion cell parameters may include one or more of a lithium-ion output current, a lithium-ion cell temperature, a lithium-ion cell stack total voltage output, a lithium-ion cell voltage, a lithium-ion output power, a lithium-ion energy, a lithium-ion state of health (SOH), and a lithium-ion state of charge (SOC).

[0045] At step 440, one or more supercapacitor cell parameters are measured. The supercapacitor cell parameters can be measured by the CMS 112, which can include one or more of a current sensor, a temperature sensor, a total voltage output sensor, an individual cell voltage sensor, a power sensor, and an energy sensor. The CMS 112 can measure one or more supercapacitor cell parameters, and the one or more supercapacitor cell parameters can include one or more of a supercapacitor output current, a supercapacitor cell temperature, a supercapacitor cell stack total voltage output, a supercapacitor cell voltage, a supercapacitor output power, a supercapacitor energy, a supercapacitor state of health (SOH), and a supercapacitor state of charge (SOC).

[0046] At step 450, a target supercapacitor percentage is calculated. The supercapacitor percentage is the percentage of the total output current of the hybrid battery 200 that is supplied by the supercapacitor cell stack 104. The target supercapacitor percentage can be calculated by the electronic controller 130 based on input data including, but not limited to: one or more supercapacitor cell parameters, one or more lithium-ion cell parameters, and current measurements (e.g., from current sensors 120, 122, and / or 124). In some embodiments, the target supercapacitor percentage is calculated because the controller 130 controls the DC / DC converter 106 to directly control a second current supplied by the supercapacitor cell stack 104. However, by controlling the supercapacitor percentage, the controller 130 also directs the magnitude of the current (i.e., the first current) provided by the lithium-ion cell stack 102. In some embodiments, the electronic controller 130 can include a supercapacitor percentage function into which one or more of the supercapacitor cell parameters, lithium-ion cell parameters, and current measurements are input to generate the target supercapacitor percentage.

[0047] At step 460, the output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 is adjusted to control the current output from the supercapacitor cell stack 104. The output voltage of the DC / DC converter 106 can be controlled to adjust the output current of the supercapacitor cell stack 104 such that the ratio of the output current of the supercapacitor cell stack 104 to the total output current of the hybrid power battery matches the target supercapacitor percentage.

[0048] Figure 5 FIG. illustrates an exemplary flow chart 500 of input parameters of a supercapacitor percentage function according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, Figure 5The supercapacitor percentage function shown in the figure may be included in step 450 of method 400 for calculating the target supercapacitor percentage. The flowchart 500 may include a first set of parameters 510, a second set of parameters 520, and a third set of parameters 530. In some embodiments, calculating the target supercapacitor percentage may include analyzing a set of parameters (i.e., one or more lithium-ion cell parameters, one or more supercapacitor cell parameters, and / or one or more current measurements) and determining a weight based on the set of parameters. The weight may affect the target supercapacitor percentage. In some embodiments, each of the first set of parameters 510, the second set of parameters 520, and the third set of parameters 530 is a vector model, where one or more input parameters are input into the corresponding set of parameter groups, and an output vector indicating the supercapacitor percentage is generated.

[0049] For example, in one example, the first set of parameters 510 may include a temperature parameter 506 and a time parameter 504. The temperature parameter 506 and the time parameter 504 may determine the supercapacitor current percentage 502, and the supercapacitor current percentage 502 may be output as a first weight. For example, if the temperature parameter 506 is low (e.g., sub-zero temperature) and the time parameter 504 is low (e.g., less than 1 second), the lithium-ion cell stack 102 may be damaged due to rapid high-power charging at low temperature. Therefore, the supercapacitor current percentage 502 may be high (i.e., higher than 50%).

[0050] In another example, the second set of parameters 520 may include a lithium-ion SOC parameter 508 and a supercapacitor SOC parameter 512. The lithium-ion SOC parameter 508 and the supercapacitor SOC parameter 512 may determine the supercapacitor current percentage 502, and the supercapacitor current percentage 502 may be output as a second weight 525. For example, if the lithium-ion SOC parameter 508 is higher than the supercapacitor SOC parameter 512, the supercapacitor current percentage 502 may be reduced because the supercapacitor cell stack 104 has less available energy than the lithium-ion cell stack 102.

[0051] In another example, the third set of parameters 530 may include a lithium-ion SOH parameter 514 and a supercapacitor SOH parameter 516. The lithium-ion SOH parameter 514 and the supercapacitor SOH parameter 516 may determine the supercapacitor current percentage 502, and the supercapacitor current percentage 502 may be output as a third weight 535. For example, if the lithium-ion SOH parameter 512 is lower than the supercapacitor SOH parameter 515, the supercapacitor current percentage 502 may be increased to prevent further degradation of the lithium-ion cell stack 102.

[0052] In some embodiments, multiple sets of parameters can generate multiple weights (e.g., X, Y, Z) to determine the supercapacitor current percentage. The electronic controller 130 can receive inputs from the CMS 112, BMS 114, and / or current sensors 120, 122, 124, and determine multiple weights (e.g., X, Y, Z) based on the inputs. In some embodiments, the multiple weights are input into the target supercapacitor percentage function 550. The target supercapacitor percentage function can output a target supercapacitor percentage, and the controller 130 can adjust the output current of the supercapacitor stack to meet the target supercapacitor percentage. In some embodiments, through the intelligent management of current, the lifespan of the hybrid power battery (i.e., the SOH of individual cells / components) is extended. For example, the external load can be intelligently distributed between the supercapacitor cell stack and the lithium-ion cell stack to maximize the lifespan of the hybrid power battery without sacrificing performance.

[0053] Although the invention has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes can be made and elements therein can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, various modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its main scope. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the one or more specific embodiments disclosed, but the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hybrid battery for supplying electric power to a vehicle, the hybrid battery comprising: at least one terminal; one or more lithium-ion cells connected to supply a first current to the at least one terminal; one or more supercapacitor units; a DC / DC converter coupled in series between the at least one terminal and the one or more supercapacitor cells, the one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter being connected to supply a second current to the at least one terminal, and the one or more lithium-ion cells being connected in parallel with the one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter; as well as A controller is in communication with the DC / DC converter to selectively modify the second current provided to the at least one terminal.

2. The hybrid battery according to claim 1, further comprising: A capacitor management system (CMS) is configured to monitor one or more first parameters associated with the one or more ultracapacitor cells.

3. The hybrid battery according to claim 2, further comprising: A battery management system (BMS) is configured to monitor one or more second parameters associated with the one or more lithium-ion cells.

4. The hybrid battery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hybrid battery provides a total output current to an external load, wherein the total output current is a sum of the first current from the one or more lithium-ion cells and the second current from the one or more supercapacitor cells.

5. The hybrid battery according to claim 4, further comprising: a first current sensor for measuring the total output current at the at least one terminal; as well as a second current sensor for measuring the second current between the DC / DC converter and the one or more supercapacitor units, wherein the controller receives a first current measurement from the first current sensor and a second current measurement from the second current sensor, and Wherein, the controller adjusts the output voltage of the DC / DC converter.

6. The hybrid battery according to claim 5, further comprising: a third current sensor for measuring the first current from the one or more lithium-ion cells, wherein the controller receives a third current measurement value from the third current sensor, and Wherein the controller adjusts the output voltage of the DC / DC converter based on the first current measurement value.

7. The hybrid battery according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controller modifies an output voltage of the DC / DC converter based at least in part on one or more monitored first parameters.

8. The hybrid battery according to claim 3, characterized in that: The controller modifies an output voltage of the DC / DC converter based at least in part on one or more monitored second parameters.

9. The hybrid battery according to claim 3, characterized in that: The one or more monitored first parameters and / or the one or more monitored second parameters are measured by at least one sensor, and the at least one sensor includes one or more of a current sensor, a temperature sensor, a total voltage output sensor, a single unit voltage sensor, a power sensor, and / or an energy sensor.

10. A method of delivering electrical power to a vehicle, the method comprising: A total output current provided by a hybrid battery is measured using a first current sensor, the hybrid battery comprising: at least one terminal; one or more lithium-ion cells connected to supply a first current to the terminals; one or more supercapacitor units; a DC / DC converter coupled in series between the terminal and the one or more supercapacitor cells, the one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter being connected to supply a second current to the terminal, and the one or more lithium-ion cells being connected in parallel with the one or more supercapacitor cells and the DC / DC converter; and The DC / DC converter is controlled based on the measured total output current to control a second current provided by the one or more supercapacitor cells.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: The lithium-ion power threshold is generated based on one or more of a state of charge of the lithium-ion cell, a state of health of the lithium-ion cell, and a temperature of the lithium-ion cell.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: comparing the total output current to the lithium-ion power threshold; If the total output current is greater than the lithium-ion power threshold, at least some power is provided from the ultracapacitor unit.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The hybrid battery comprises: a capacitor management system (CMS) in communication with the one or more first sensors, and a battery management system (BMS), the battery management system (BMS) communicating with one or more second sensors, Wherein, the capacitor management system (CMS) and the battery management system (BMS) communicate with the controller.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: measuring one or more battery parameters using the battery management system (BMS), wherein the one or more battery parameters include one or more of a battery output current, a battery temperature, a battery total output voltage, a battery cell voltage, a battery output power, a battery energy, a battery state of health (SOH), and a battery state of charge (SOC), Wherein generating the lithium-ion power threshold is based at least in part on one or more of the battery parameters.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: measuring one or more capacitor parameters using the capacitor management system (CMS), the one or more capacitor parameters comprising one or more of a capacitor output current, a capacitor temperature, a capacitor total output voltage, a capacitor cell voltage, a capacitor output power, a capacitor energy, a capacitor state of health (SOH), and a capacitor state of charge (SOC), Wherein generating the lithium-ion power threshold is based at least in part on one or more of the capacitor parameters.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising: Measuring the supercapacitor output current using a second current sensor; determining a first current of the one or more lithium-ion cells; as well as regulating the output voltage of the DC / DC converter using a controller to control the second current from the one or more supercapacitor units, The sum of the first current and the second current is equal to the total output current.

17. A vehicle battery system, the vehicle battery system comprising: A hybrid battery, the hybrid battery comprising: Output terminals, Lithium-ion cell stacking, Supercapacitor cell stacking, a DC / DC converter electrically coupled in series with the stack of supercapacitor cells, and a first current sensor, the first current sensor measuring a first current at the output terminal; a battery management system (BMS) that communicates with the battery sensors to measure one or more lithium-ion cell stack parameters; a capacitor management system (CMS) in communication with the capacitor sensors to measure one or more ultracapacitor cell stack parameters; and A controller is provided in communication with the battery management system (BMS), the capacitor management system (CMS), and the DC / DC converter, wherein the controller selectively regulates output current from the ultracapacitor cell stack.

18. The vehicle battery system according to claim 17, wherein: The controller selectively adjusts an output voltage of the DC / DC converter to regulate the output current from the supercapacitor cell stack.

19. The vehicle battery system according to claim 18, wherein: The controller generates a lithium-ion power threshold based on one or more measured ultracapacitor cell stack parameters and / or one or more measured lithium-ion cell stack parameters.

20. The vehicle battery system according to claim 19, wherein: The hybrid battery includes a second current sensor that measures a second current from the ultracapacitor cell stack, The controller determines the lithium ion load by subtracting the second current from the first current.

Images