Apparatus and method for controlling internal conditional environment of battery pack

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling an internal environment of a battery pack, and aims to provide an apparatus and a method for effectively controlling the internal environment of the battery pack by accurately calculating a dew point based on an internal temperature and humidity of the battery pack and performing cooling or heating according to a change in a current temperature, the present invention relates to a method for preventing the generation of dew condensation and minimizing damage due to humidity. To this end, the present disclosure includes a temperature sensor that measures an internal temperature of a battery pack; a humidity sensor for measuring the internal humidity of the battery pack; and a heating device that increases the internal temperature of the battery pack, and controls the internal environment of the battery pack by calculating a dew point based on the measured temperature and humidity, setting a threshold value based on the dew point, determining whether the current temperature reaches the threshold value according to changes in the temperature and humidity, and applying a control signal to the heating device, and the processor enables the current temperature not to reach the threshold value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack, which controls temperature based on the amount of water vapor in the battery pack. Background Art

[0002] Unlike primary batteries that cannot be recharged, secondary batteries can be charged and discharged. Low-capacity secondary batteries are used in small portable electronic devices such as smart phones, feature phones, laptop computers, digital cameras, and camcorders, while high-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as drive power sources and power storage batteries for motors in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. Such secondary batteries include an electrode assembly provided with a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case for accommodating the electrode assembly, electrode terminals connected to the electrode assembly, and the like.

[0003] The secondary battery is charged with a charging current applied from the outside and outputs a discharge current to supply a discharge current to a load.

[0004] Since such secondary batteries are very sensitive to internal environmental conditions, changes in humidity and temperature can seriously affect the performance of the secondary batteries. In particular, when the secondary battery operates in a high-humidity environment, its lifespan is shortened, and safety problems such as voltage instability, overheating, and fire may occur.

[0005] In addition, as the internal humidity of the secondary battery increases, the generation of arcs increases, thereby reducing system stability and causing welding problems. These phenomena can lead to a decline in the performance of the secondary battery and the system on which the secondary battery is mounted.

[0006] In addition, when the secondary battery is formed in a packaged type, since the amount of water vapor in the package is fixed during the manufacturing operation, it is difficult to control the amount of water vapor externally.

[0007] Therefore, a method for solving the humidity problem by controlling the internal environment of the secondary battery package is needed.

[0008] The information described in the background art of the present disclosure is only for facilitating the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and thus may also include information that does not constitute related art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide an apparatus and method for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack by accurately calculating the dewpoint based on the internal temperature and humidity of the battery pack to prevent the generation of dew condensation and minimize damage caused by humidity.

[0010] However, the technical objectives to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above objectives, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other objectives not described above from the following description of the present disclosure.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack. The device includes a temperature sensor for measuring the internal temperature of the battery pack, a humidity sensor for measuring the internal humidity of the battery pack, a heating device for increasing the internal temperature of the battery pack, and a processor. The processor controls the internal environment of the battery pack by calculating the dew point based on the measured temperature and humidity, setting a threshold based on the dew point, determining whether the current temperature reaches the threshold according to the changes in temperature and humidity, and applying a control signal to the heating device so that the current temperature does not reach the threshold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and further describe aspects and features of the present disclosure together with the detailed description of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the drawings:

[0013] Figure 1A and Figure 1B is a view showing an example of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 is a view showing an example in which a battery pack is mounted on a vehicle body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4 is a graph showing a saturated water vapor curve of a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to the dew point according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling the internal environment of a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0019] Figure 7 shows a process for optimizing the sensor position of a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terms or words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as limited to the ordinary or dictionary meanings, and should be construed as meanings and concepts consistent with the technical concept of the present disclosure based on the concept that the inventor can be his / her own lexicographer to appropriately define the terms so as to best explain the principles of his / her invention.

[0021] The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and do not represent all the technical ideas, aspects, and features of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modifications that can replace or modify the embodiments described herein at the time of filing this application.

[0022] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as "on another element or layer", "connected to another element or layer", or "coupled to another element or layer", it can be directly on another element or layer, directly connected or coupled to another element or layer, or there may also be one or more intermediate elements or layers. When an element or layer is referred to as "directly on another element or layer", "directly connected to another element or layer", or "directly coupled to another element or layer", there are no intermediate elements or layers. For example, when the first element is described as "coupled" or "connected" to the second element, the first element can be directly coupled or connected to the second element, or the first element can be indirectly coupled or connected to the second element via one or more intermediate elements.

[0023] In the drawings, for clarity of illustration, the sizes of various elements, layers, etc. may be enlarged. The same reference numerals denote the same elements. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In addition, the use of "may" when describing the embodiments of the present disclosure relates to "one or more embodiments of the present disclosure". Expressions such as "at least one of..." and "any one of..." modify the entire list of elements when following the list of elements, rather than modifying individual elements in the list. When phrases such as "at least one of A, B, and C", "at least one of A, B, or C", "at least one selected from the group consisting of A, B, and C", or "at least one selected from A, B, and C" are used to specify a list of elements A, B, and C, the phrase can refer to any and all suitable combinations or subsets of A, B, and C, such as A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. As used herein, the terms "use" and "be used" can be considered synonymous with the terms "utilize" and "be utilized", respectively. As used herein, the terms "substantially", "about", and similar terms are used as approximate terms rather than terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherent variations in measured or calculated values that would be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0024] It should be understood that although terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or part from another element, component, region, layer, or part. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or part discussed below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or part without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0025] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "below", "beneath", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as shown in the figures. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, the spatial relative terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, an element described as "below" or "beneath" another element or feature will be oriented "above" or "on top of" the other element or feature. Thus, the term "below" can cover both the above and below orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0026] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a" and "an" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" are used in this specification, they specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0027] In addition, any numerical range disclosed and / or recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges of the same numerical precision subsumed within the recited range. For example, the range "1.0 to 10.0" is intended to include all sub-ranges between the stated minimum value 1.0 and the stated maximum value 10.0 (and including the endpoints), that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1.0 and a maximum value equal to or less than 10.0, such as 2.4 to 7.6. Any maximum numerical limitation recited herein is intended to include all lower numerical limitations subsumed therein, and any minimum numerical limitation recited in this specification is intended to include all higher numerical limitations subsumed therein. Thus, the applicant reserves the right to modify this specification (including the claims) to expressly recite any sub-ranges subsumed within the ranges expressly recited herein.

[0028] Referring to two compared elements, features, etc. as "identical" may mean that they are "substantially identical". Thus, the phrase "substantially identical" may include cases having what is considered in the art to be a low deviation (e.g., a deviation of 5% or less). In addition, when a certain parameter is said to be uniform in a given region, this may mean that it is uniform on average.

[0029] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specified, each element may be singular or plural.

[0030] When any element is said to be disposed (or positioned or located) "above (or below)" or "on (or under)" a component, it may mean that the any element is placed in contact with the upper (or lower) surface of the component, and may also mean that another component may be interposed between the component and any element disposed (or positioned or located) above (or below) the component.

[0031] In addition, it should be understood that when an element is said to be "coupled", "linked", or "connected" to another element, the elements may be directly "coupled", "linked", or "connected" to each other, or there may be an intermediate element therebetween through which the element may be "coupled", "linked", or "connected" to another element. In addition, when a component is said to be "electrically coupled" to another component, the component may be directly connected to another component, or there may be an intermediate component therebetween such that the component and the other component are indirectly connected to each other.

[0032] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specified, when stating "A and / or B", it refers to A, B, or A and B. That is, "and / or" includes any or all combinations of the recited multiple items. When stating "C to D", unless otherwise specified, it means C or greater and D or less.

[0033] Figure 1A and Figure 1B is a view showing an example of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] The battery pack 100 may include a plurality of battery modules 50 and a housing 10 for accommodating the plurality of battery modules 50. For example, the housing 10 may include a first housing 11 and a second housing 12, the first housing 11 and the second housing 12 being coupled to face each other, and the plurality of battery modules 50 being inserted between the first housing 11 and the second housing 12. The plurality of battery modules 50 may be electrically connected to each other using a bus bar 51, and the plurality of battery modules 50 may be electrically connected to each other in a series / parallel or series-parallel hybrid manner, and a desired electrical output may be obtained.

[0035] The battery pack 100 includes one or more battery modules and a battery pack housing, and an accommodation space for accommodating one or more battery modules 50 is formed in the battery pack housing.

[0036] The battery module 50 may include a plurality of battery cells and a module housing. The battery cells may be accommodated in the module housing in a stacked type. The battery cells may include a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead. Depending on the battery type, the battery cells may be used in a cylindrical, prismatic, or pouch type.

[0037] Instead of a battery module, a single cell stack in which cells are stacked may constitute one module in the battery pack 100. The single cell stack may be accommodated in the accommodation space of the battery pack housing or in an accommodation space separated by a frame, a partition wall, etc.

[0038] A large amount of heat is generated during charging / discharging of the battery cells. The generated heat accumulates in the battery cells and accelerates the deterioration of the battery cells. Therefore, the battery pack further includes a cooling member for suppressing the deterioration of the battery cells. The cooling member may be provided below the accommodation space in which the battery cells are accommodated, but is not limited thereto, and may be provided on the upper part or side surface of the accommodation space according to the battery pack.

[0039] Under abnormal operating conditions called thermal runaway or thermal event of the battery cells, the exhaust gas generated inside the battery cells may be discharged to the outside of the battery cells. The battery pack or the battery module may include an exhaust port or the like for discharging the exhaust gas to prevent the exhaust gas from damaging the battery pack or the battery module.

[0040] The battery pack may include a battery and a battery management system (BMS) for managing the battery. The BMS may include a detection device, a balancing device, and a control device. The battery module may include a plurality of cells connected in series or in parallel with each other. The battery modules may be connected in series or in parallel with each other.

[0041] Figure 2 It is a view showing an example 99 in which a battery pack is mounted on a vehicle body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] In Figure 2 it, the battery pack 91 may include a battery pack cover 13 and a battery pack frame 10. The battery pack cover 13 is a part of the vehicle body bottom 92, and the battery pack frame 10 is arranged below the vehicle body bottom 92. The battery pack frame 10 and the battery pack cover 13 may have a structure integrally formed with the vehicle bottom 82.

[0043] The vehicle body bottom 92 may separate the outside and the inside of the vehicle, and the battery pack frame 10 may be arranged outside the vehicle.

[0044] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an apparatus for controlling an internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Referring Figure 3 , an apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a control apparatus) 200 for controlling an internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a memory 220, a communication unit 230, a sensor 240, a cooling device 270, a heating device 280, a battery module 290, and a processor 210.

[0046] The memory 220 may store temperature data and humidity data input from the sensor 240, setting data for processing data, data for calculating a dew point, data for controlling cooling and heating, data for setting a duty ratio of a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal, data for controlling the battery module 290, reference data for determining a state of the battery module 290, data of a state of charge (SOC) of the battery module 290, and data generated during calculations of the processor 210.

[0047] The memory 220 may include data on at least one of a data processing algorithm, a dew point calculation algorithm, a cooling and heating control algorithm, a control signal generation algorithm, a duty ratio setting algorithm, and a battery diagnosis algorithm.

[0048] The memory 220 may include a storage medium such as a random access memory (RAM), a non-volatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM) or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory.

[0049] The communication unit 230 allows data transmission and reception between the processor 210, the memory 220, the battery module 290, the sensor 240, the heating device 280, and the cooling device 270. In addition, the communication unit 230 may allow data transmission and reception between main processors (not shown) provided in a system such as a vehicle including the processor 210 and the control apparatus 200.

[0050] For example, the communication unit 230 may include a controller area network (CAN) communication driver or a local area network (LIN) communication driver and allow data transmission and reception. In addition, the communication unit 230 may allow data transmission and reception through serial communication or parallel communication.

[0051] The sensor 240 may include a temperature sensor 241 and a humidity sensor 242 and transmit measured data to the processor 210.

[0052] The temperature sensor 241 may be provided as a plurality of temperature sensors 241 and may measure the temperature of the battery module 290 and the internal temperature of the battery pack.

[0053] The humidity sensor 242 can be provided as a plurality of humidity sensors 242 and can measure the internal humidity of the battery pack.

[0054] The battery module 290 can be charged with a charging current and output a predetermined amount of discharge current. The battery module 290 can include a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of battery cells can be connected in series or in parallel with each other.

[0055] The heating device 280 can include a heater using a heating wire.

[0056] A cooling unit using a cooling water circulation method or a semiconductor cooling method can be used as the cooling device 270.

[0057] The processor 210 can monitor the states of the plurality of battery cells provided in the battery module 290, determine the SOC, and calculate the state of health (SOH).

[0058] The processor 210 can control the charging and discharging of the battery module 290 and the plurality of battery cells, control the temperature of the plurality of battery cells, and perform balance control.

[0059] The processor 210 can perform at least one protection function among an over-discharge protection function, an over-charge protection function, an over-current protection function, a short-circuit protection function, and a fire extinguishing function based on the result of state monitoring. In addition, the processor 210 can detect faults in the battery module 290 and the plurality of battery cells.

[0060] Any one of a battery management system (BMS), a battery pack control module (BPCM), a central processing unit (CPU), an electronic control unit (ECU), and a microcontroller unit (MCU) can be used as the processor 210.

[0061] The processor 210 can determine the state of the battery cell based on the data input from the temperature sensor 241 and the humidity sensor 242.

[0062] In addition, the processor 210 can analyze the state of the internal environment of the battery pack and calculate the dew point in the battery pack based on the data input from the temperature sensor 241 and the humidity sensor 242.

[0063] The processor 210 can control the heating device 280 or the cooling device 270 based on the dew point to control the internal temperature of the battery pack. The processor 210 can control the internal relative humidity of the battery pack by temperature control and perform control so that the relative humidity does not reach the dew point.

[0064] The processor 210 can calculate the dew point and calculate the absolute amount of water vapor in the battery pack.

[0065] The processor 210 may compare the dew point calculated based on the current temperature and the current humidity with a threshold value to control the environment in the battery pack.

[0066] The processor 210 may set a threshold value for the dew point using a set threshold value or based on the absolute amount of water vapor. For example, the threshold value may be set to a value that is a degrees greater than the dew point. In this case, a may be set to a specific temperature constant.

[0067] The processor 210 may control the heating device 280 and the cooling device 270 based on the dew point and the threshold value. The processor 210 may set the duty ratio of the PWM control based on the current temperature, the dew point, and the threshold value.

[0068] The processor 210 may control the amount of heating or cooling by controlling the duty ratio differently based on the ratio of the difference between the current temperature and the dew point to the difference between the threshold value and the dew point.

[0069] Figure 4 is a graph showing a saturated water vapor curve of a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] As Figure 4 shown, the amount of saturated water vapor may change according to the temperature.

[0071] When the internal temperature of the battery pack measured by the temperature sensor 241 is 20 degrees, the amount of saturated water vapor is determined as the first point P1.

[0072] In this case, when the humidity (relative humidity) measured by the humidity sensor 242 is 75%, the processor 210 may determine that the first saturated water vapor amount W1, which is 75% of the saturated water vapor amount at the first point P1 at the point (1:3), is the current absolute water vapor amount.

[0073] The processor 210 may calculate the first temperature T1 at the second point P2 where the amount of water vapor is W1 as the dew point based on the saturated water vapor curve. For example, the dew point may be about 13 degrees. When the internal temperature of the battery pack changes, the processor 210 may recalculate the dew point.

[0074] In this case, when the temperature and humidity are measured at multiple points, the processor 210 may calculate an average value based on the dew points calculated at the multiple points and set the average value as the dew point. In some cases, when the dew points are calculated at multiple points, the maximum value and the minimum value among the multiple dew points may be determined, and the maximum value among the multiple dew points may be set as the dew point.

[0075] The processor 210 can compare a threshold value based on the dew point setting with the current temperature to control the heating device 280. In addition, when the current temperature reaches the set temperature, the processor 210 can determine an overheat state and control the cooling device 270.

[0076] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling a device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack according to the dew point in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Reference Figure 5 , the control device 200 can control the internal environment of the battery pack based on the data input from the temperature sensor 241 and the humidity sensor 242.

[0078] The temperature sensor 241 and the humidity sensor 242 measure the temperature and humidity (relative humidity) at their installation positions and apply the temperature and humidity (relative humidity) to the processor 210 (S310).

[0079] The processor 210 can accumulate and store the temperature data and the humidity data in the memory 220.

[0080] The processor 210 calculates the dew point Td based on the temperature and humidity and calculates a threshold T_threshold based on the dew point (S320). The processor 210 can set the value obtained by adding the temperature constant a to the dew point Td as the threshold T_threshold.

[0081] The processor 210 compares the current temperature T_current with the threshold T_threshold, and when the current temperature T_current reaches the threshold T_threshold (S330), the processor 210 controls the heating device 280 (S340).

[0082] The processor 210 can compare the current temperature T_current with the threshold T_threshold, and before the current temperature reaches the dew point Td, the processor 210 can determine that the internal temperature of the battery pack may reach the dew point and perform heating control.

[0083] The processor 210 can control the heating by applying a PWM control signal to the heating device 280.

[0084] When the temperature sensor 241 measures the temperature (S350), the processor 210 can determine whether the change in temperature is greater than a set value (S360), and when the change in temperature is greater than the set value, the processor 210 can stop the heating (S370).

[0085] The processor 210 can control the relative humidity to decrease as the internal temperature of the battery pack increases.

[0086] Meanwhile, when the processor 210 controls the heating device 280 to increase the temperature and the internal temperature of the battery pack rises to the set temperature or higher, the processor 210 may control the cooling device 270 to decrease the temperature.

[0087] Even when the power supply of the device or system in which the battery pack is installed is turned off, since the internal temperature of the battery pack also decreases due to the external environment and reaches the dew point, the processor 210 may use the battery module 290 to control the internal temperature of the battery pack.

[0088] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a method of controlling an internal environment of a device for controlling an internal environment of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] Refer to Figure 6 , when the temperature sensor 241 and the humidity sensor 242 measure the temperature and humidity, the processor 210 receives the data (S410) and calculates the dew point Td (S420).

[0090] In addition, when a plurality of temperature sensors and a plurality of humidity sensors are provided, the processor 210 may determine the maximum value Td_max and the minimum value Td_min of the dew points calculated from the plurality of temperature sensors and the plurality of humidity sensors. In some cases, the maximum value among the plurality of dew points may be set as the dew point Td. When a plurality of dew points are calculated, the processor 210 may set their average value as the dew point Td.

[0091] The processor 210 sets the value obtained by adding the temperature constant a to the dew point Td as the threshold T_threshold (S430). The temperature constant a may vary depending on the setting.

[0092] The processor 210 compares the current temperature with the set temperature and determines whether there is an overheating state (S440). When the overheating state is determined, the processor 210 may operate the cooling device 270 to perform cooling control (S450).

[0093] The processor 210 may set the duty ratio of the PWM control signal for cooling control.

[0094] When the current temperature T_current is greater than the set temperature, the processor 210 may control the cooling by setting the duty ratio to increase as the difference between the current temperature T_current and the set temperature increases, and to decrease as the difference between the current temperature T_current and the set temperature decreases.

[0095] In addition, the processor 210 compares the current temperature T_current with the threshold T_threshold and determines whether the current temperature is less than or equal to the threshold T_threshold (S460).

[0096] When the current temperature T_current is less than or equal to the threshold T_threshold, the processor 210 sets the duty cycle of the PWM control to the maximum value Duty cycle_max (S480).

[0097] The processor 210 performs control so that the current temperature T_current does not reach the threshold T_threshold, and in some cases, when the current temperature T_current is less than or equal to the threshold T_threshold, the processor 210 sets the duty cycle to the maximum value Duty Cycle_max and performs heating control so that the current temperature T_current increases.

[0098] The processor 210 controls the heating device 280 according to the set duty cycle so that the heating device 280 performs control with the maximum heating amount (S490).

[0099] Meanwhile, when the current temperature T_current is greater than the threshold T_threshold, the processor 210 sets the duty cycle within a predetermined temperature range (S470).

[0100] In a state where the current temperature T_current is less than or equal to the threshold T_threshold, the processor 210 can set the duty cycle.

[0101] The processor 210 can use Equation 1 below to calculate the duty cycle.

[0102] [Equation 1]

[0103]

[0104] In this case, Duty cycle_max is the maximum value of the settable duty cycle, Td is the dew point, T_threshold is the threshold, and T_current is the current temperature.

[0105] The processor 210 can calculate the duty cycle by dividing the value obtained by subtracting the dew point Td from the threshold T_threshold by the value obtained by subtracting the dew point Td from the current temperature T_current and multiplying the resulting value by the maximum value of the duty cycle Dutycycle_max.

[0106] Therefore, the processor 210 can change the duty cycle of the PWM control according to the difference between the current temperature T_current and the threshold T_threshold. Specifically, the processor 210 can change the duty cycle of the PWM control according to the ratio of the difference between the threshold T_threshold and the dew point Td to the difference between the current temperature T_current and the dew point Td.

[0107] As the value of the duty cycle increases, the output of the heating device 280 can increase. The processor 210 controls the heating device 280 to perform heating control according to the set duty cycle to increase the internal temperature of the battery pack (S490).

[0108] Therefore, as the current temperature T_current approaches the dew point Td or the threshold T_threshold, the processor 210 can strengthen the heating, and as the difference between the current temperature T_current and the dew point Td or the threshold T_threshold increases, the processor 210 can reduce the heating amount.

[0109] When the battery pack is formed into the package during the manufacturing operation, the amount of water vapor in the battery pack can be determined during the manufacturing operation. However, although a waterproof seal is applied to the battery pack, gaps may be generated due to environmental changes (such as internal heating, humidity change, or temperature difference between the inside and outside), so the absolute amount of internal water vapor may change due to reasons such as moisture penetration.

[0110] Therefore, the processor 210 can set the threshold T_threshold according to the calculated dew point Td, and perform heating control based on the threshold T_threshold and the current temperature T_current so that condensation does not occur in the battery pack.

[0111] In this case, since the dew point may change according to the measurement position and temperature of the sensor 240, and there may also be errors in the preset dew point threshold, the processor 210 can control the internal environment of the battery pack based on the current temperature T_current, the threshold T_threshold, and the dew point Td.

[0112] The processor 210 can perform heating control based on the current temperature T_current, the dew point Td, and the threshold T_threshold, and perform cooling control based on the current temperature and the set temperature. When the temperature change of the heating control or the cooling control is greater than or equal to the set value (S500), the currently executing heating control or cooling control can be stopped (S510).

[0113] Since the processor 210 performs heating or cooling through PWM control, heating can be controlled by subdividing the heating amount according to the difference between the current temperature and the dew point (or threshold). In addition, in an overheat state where the current temperature is higher than the set temperature, the processor 210 can control cooling by subdividing the cooling amount according to the difference between the current temperature and the set temperature.

[0114] Therefore, the processor 210 can control the internal environment of the battery pack using only a small amount of energy by preventing sudden changes in temperature and precisely controlling cooling or heating.

[0115] Figure 7 The flow of optimizing the sensor position of the device for controlling the internal environment of the battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0116] Reference Figure 7 , in the control device 200, the installation position of the sensor 240 can be optimized in the drawing operation.

[0117] In this case, since the amount of water vapor in the battery pack is related to humidity, the position of the humidity sensor 242 is preferentially optimized.

[0118] The control device 200 receives the set value of the manufacturing environment of the battery pack (S110) and defines an agent and a reward function based on the input environmental data (S120).

[0119] The environmental data is information about the internal space of the battery pack and includes the position information of each part in the battery pack divided into multiple parts. In addition, the environmental data can include the humidity values in each part of the battery pack divided into multiple parts measured by the humidity sensor 242.

[0120] In this case, the agent is used to select the position of the sensor. When the position of the sensor is determined, the reward function can be calculated based on the amount of information or the quality of information at the corresponding position.

[0121] The control device 200 performs modeling on the position of the humidity sensor based on machine learning or deep learning (S130).

[0122] The agent can perform learning through deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to optimize the position of the humidity sensor. DRL is a deep neural network where the agent maximizes the reward by interacting with the environment. The type of neural network used for learning is exemplary and can be changed.

[0123] The control device 200 performs learning based on the generated model (S140). The agent can select an action in the measurement state, observe the reward and the new state based on the result, and repeat the execution of learning using the reward and the new state. In this case, the agent can learn the position of the sensor in the battery pack based on the deep Q network.

[0124] When the learning is completed, the control device 200 can determine the position of the humidity sensor based on the result (S150). The result value is a value reflecting the reward or the weighted value according to the learning, and the humidity sensor can be set at the position where the value is the largest.

[0125] Since the position of the sensor may affect the accuracy of the measured value of the humidity sensor 242, the position of the sensor can be optimized as described above. The control device 200 can optimize and arrange the positions of the temperature sensor 241 and the humidity sensor 242.

[0126] Therefore, the device and method for controlling the internal environment of the battery pack according to the present disclosure can effectively control the internal environment of the battery pack by monitoring the temperature and humidity in real time, calculating the dew point based on accurate sensor data, and performing heating based on the dew point. In addition, the present disclosure can subdivide and precisely control heating or cooling through PWM control, improve the stability of the battery pack, increase the SOH, and improve the reliability of the system on which the battery pack is mounted.

[0127] According to the present disclosure, by monitoring the temperature and humidity in real time, calculating the dew point, and performing heating based on the dew point, the internal environment of the battery pack can be effectively controlled.

[0128] According to the present disclosure, the heating can be subdivided and precisely controlled through PWM control.

[0129] According to the present disclosure, the generation of condensation can be prevented through temperature control, thereby preventing the formation of arcs and solving the welding problems caused by humidity.

[0130] According to the present disclosure, the stability of the battery pack can be improved, the lifespan can be extended, and the reliability of the system on which the battery pack is mounted can be improved.

[0131] However, the effects that can be achieved through the present disclosure are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other effects not described above from the above description of the present disclosure.

[0132] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to limited specific embodiments and drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes within the technical spirit of the present disclosure and the equivalents of the scope described in the appended claims.

[0133] The disclosure described in this specification can be implemented by, for example, a method, a process, a device, a software program, a data stream, or a signal. Even when the disclosure is described as being implemented in only a single form (e.g., as a method), the described features can be implemented in another form (e.g., as a device or a program). The device can be implemented using appropriate hardware, software, firmware, etc. For example, a method can be implemented in a device such as a processor, which is generally referred to as a processing device, including a computer, a microprocessor, an integrated circuit, or a programmable logic device. The processor also includes a communication device, such as a computer, a cellular phone, a portable / personal digital assistant (PDA) terminal, or other devices that facilitate information communication between end users.

[0134] In this case, the processor can be implemented as a CPU or a system-on-chip (SoC), can drive an operating system or an application to control multiple hardware or software components connected to the processor, and can perform processing and calculations on various types of data. The processor can be configured to execute at least one command stored in a memory (not shown) and store the result data of the execution in the memory.

Claims

1. A device for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack, the device comprising: Temperature sensor, which measures the internal temperature of the battery pack; Humidity sensor, which measures the internal humidity of the battery pack; A heating device to increase the internal temperature of the battery pack; and A processor controls the internal environment of the battery pack by calculating a dew point based on the measured temperature and humidity, setting a threshold based on the dew point, determining whether a current temperature reaches the threshold based on changes in temperature and humidity, and applying a control signal to a heating device so that the current temperature does not reach the threshold.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: When the difference between the current temperature and the dew point reaches a set temperature, the processor controls the heating device.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The processor sets the threshold by adding the temperature constant to the dew point.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A cooling device that lowers the internal temperature of the battery pack, When the current temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature, the processor determines that the battery pack is overheated and controls the cooling device.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The processor controls the internal environment of the battery pack by generating a control signal to vary the amount of heating based on a difference between a current temperature and a threshold value.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The processor controls: The output of the heating device increases as the current temperature approaches the threshold; and The output of the heating device decreases as the difference between the current temperature and the threshold value increases.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The processor: Set duty cycle based on current temperature, dew point and threshold; generating a control signal in a pulse width modulation (PWM) control method according to a duty cycle; and A control signal is applied to the heating device.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein: The processor sets the duty cycle by: Divide the threshold value minus the dew point by the current temperature minus the dew point; and Multiply the divided value by the maximum value of the duty cycle.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein: When the current temperature reaches the threshold, the processor sets the duty cycle to a maximum value.

10. A method for controlling the internal environment of a battery pack, the method comprising: measuring the internal temperature of the battery pack by a temperature sensor, and measuring the internal humidity of the battery pack by a humidity sensor; calculating, by a processor, a dew point based on the measured temperature and humidity; A threshold value is set by a processor based on a dew point; The processor determines whether the current temperature reaches a threshold value based on changes in temperature and humidity; and The internal environment of the battery pack is controlled by the processor by applying a control signal to the heating device so that the temperature does not reach the threshold value.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: In controlling the internal environment of the battery pack, when the difference between the temperature and the dew point reaches a set temperature, the processor controls the heating device.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: In setting the threshold, the processor sets the threshold by adding the temperature constant to the dew point.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein: Controlling the internal environment of the battery pack includes controlling the cooling device by determining that the battery pack is overheated when the current temperature is greater than or equal to a set temperature.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein: Controlling the internal environment of the battery pack includes controlling the internal environment of the battery pack by generating a control signal to vary an amount of heating according to a difference between a current temperature and a threshold value.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: In the control battery pack's internal environment, the processor controls: The output of the heating device increases as the current temperature approaches the threshold; and The output of the heating device decreases as the difference between the current temperature and the threshold value increases.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein: In controlling the internal environment of the battery pack, the processor: Set duty cycle based on current temperature, dew point and threshold; generating a control signal in a pulse width modulation (PWM) control method according to a duty cycle; and A control signal is applied to the heating device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: When controlling the internal environment of the battery pack, the processor sets the duty cycle by: Divide the threshold value minus the dew point by the current temperature minus the dew point; and Multiply the divided value by the maximum value of the duty cycle.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: In controlling the internal environment of the battery pack, when the current temperature reaches a threshold, the processor sets the duty cycle to a maximum value.

19. A method of controlling an internal environment of a battery pack, the method comprising: measuring the humidity of each of the battery packs divided into a plurality of sections by a humidity sensor of the internal environment control device; receiving, by the internal environment control device, information about the plurality of parts and humidity values ​​of the plurality of parts, and generating a learning model based on the humidity values ​​for positions of the plurality of parts; repeatedly performing learning by the internal environment control device through rewards and new states reflecting the positions of the plurality of parts based on the learning model; and The internal environment control device determines the position of the humidity sensor according to the learning result.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein: Generative learning models include: defining an agent for determining a location of a humidity sensor, and defining a reward function for calculating a reward based on the quality of the humidity values ​​of the plurality of parts; and A learning model is generated based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to determine the installation location of the humidity sensor.

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