ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

Energy storage system (100) for a vehicle (200), in particular a starter battery (100) for a vehicle (200), which has the following features: - a large number of energy storage cells for providing and / or storing electrical energy; - a housing (40) having a plurality of wall elements that define an interior space of the housing (40), wherein the housing (40) is designed to accommodate the plurality of energy storage cells in the interior space of the housing (40); wherein a plurality of partitions (30) are arranged in the interior of the housing (40) for dividing the interior of the housing (40) into a plurality of chambers (10), wherein each chamber (10) is designed to accommodate an energy storage cell, wherein a fluid connection is formed between the individual chambers (10), and wherein a vent valve (20) is arranged on one of the wall elements, preferably a cover element, of the housing (40) in each area assigned to a corresponding chamber (10), wherein at least one of the vent valves (20) is an active vent valve (20a) and the remaining vent valves (20) are blanking plugs (20b).

Description

[0001] The present application relates to an energy storage system for a vehicle, in particular a starter battery for a vehicle.

[0002] Typically, 12-volt lead-acid batteries are used as starter batteries for vehicles. These are designed to start a drive unit configured as an internal combustion engine and to maintain the functioning of the vehicle's electrical system; that is, the starter battery provides the high current required to start the vehicle. While driving, the starter battery can also supply voltage to the vehicle's electrical system and receive charge.

[0003] A starter battery typically consists of a large number of battery cells that are electrically connected to one another. However, the individual battery cells are sealed from their surroundings and other battery cells, for example, by a cell casing.

[0004] Due to the electrochemical reactions occurring in the starter battery during charging or overcharging, a gas mixture typically consisting of at least hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide accumulates in the upper cell chamber or gas chamber. In a valve-regulated lead-acid battery, a significant amount of oxygen can diffuse toward the negative electrode plates during operation and undergo a recombination reaction to form water. However, hydrogen and carbon dioxide cannot be easily removed.

[0005] Since the gas pressure in the gas space is constantly increasing, for safety reasons each battery cell is conventionally equipped with a (separate) one-way valve that opens whenever the gas pressure in the upper area of ​​the cell space reaches a predetermined or predeterminable opening pressure.

[0006] After a certain amount of gas has escaped, the gas pressure in the battery cell drops and the vent valve closes as soon as the gas pressure reaches a predetermined or predeterminable closing value.

[0007] It is assumed that all battery cells have the same or similar gas pressure and gas composition in their upper regions. In practice, however, it can be observed that the individual vent valves exhibit significant variation in their functionality.

[0008] Firstly, the actual opening and closing pressures of the vent valves often do not match the predetermined or predeterminable values. Furthermore, the actual opening and closing pressure values ​​can change during battery operation or during the battery's service life due to aging of the vent valves, especially under difficult and demanding conditions such as high temperatures, overcharging, and / or the presence of acid vapors.

[0009] Certain vent valves can even remain “virtually open” for a long time, which leads to a slower recombination process and higher water loss.

[0010] In summary, such conventional energy storage systems have the disadvantage that the individual battery cells no longer have the same or a similar gas pressure and the same or similar gas composition, at least after a certain period of operation, which can also deteriorate or change the performance of the individual battery cells.

[0011] In addition, such a design of a starter battery can even cause individual cells to fail completely, which in the worst case scenario means that the starter battery is no longer able to start the vehicle or supply the vehicle electrical system with energy.

[0012] Since the individual battery cells in such energy storage systems are designed separately and sealed, such battery cells must be checked for their cell-to-cell gas tightness, especially before they are used.

[0013] The document DE 23 58 517 B2 relates to a cell battery with a lid which forms the upper cell closure and has a filling opening for each cell which is closed with a removable dummy material and from which gases can be discharged.

[0014] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing an energy storage system that does not have the limitations of the prior art and is also simpler, faster, and more cost-effective to manufacture. The energy storage system should also ensure increased quality and safety.

[0015] With regard to the energy storage system, the object underlying the invention is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Further embodiments are presented in the dependent claims.

[0016] Accordingly, according to the invention, an energy storage system for a vehicle, in particular a starter battery for a vehicle, is specified. The energy storage system has a plurality of energy storage cells for providing and / or storing electrical energy, and a housing having a plurality of wall elements that delimit an interior of the housing. The housing is designed to accommodate the plurality of energy storage cells in the interior of the housing. Furthermore, a plurality of partition walls for dividing the interior of the housing into a plurality of chambers are arranged in the interior of the housing. Each chamber is further designed to accommodate an energy storage cell, wherein a fluid connection is formed between the individual chambers.In this case, a vent valve is arranged on one of the wall elements, preferably a cover element, of the housing in a region assigned to a corresponding chamber, wherein at least one of the vent valves is an active vent valve and the remaining vent valves are blind closures.

[0017] The advantages of the invention are obvious. Firstly, product and manufacturing costs can be reduced by reducing the number of active vent valves required, and secondly, by simply refining or retrofitting conventional housings by replacing the conventional (tight) partition walls with the partition walls according to the invention, which are designed to enable fluid communication between the individual chambers, without requiring new manufacturing tools for the housing.

[0018] Reducing the number of active vent valves also results in faster production of the energy storage system, as the manufacturing time of a vent valve, which is relatively complex compared to a blind plug, is reduced, which at the same time also reduces the manufacturing costs.

[0019] Furthermore, time and costs can be saved because the cell-to-cell impingement test can be omitted.

[0020] Furthermore, after the electrolyte has been added to the energy storage cells, all energy storage cells can be evacuated equally. This means that only one vacuum pump is required instead of one for each chamber, as was previously the case, thus keeping manufacturing costs to a minimum.

[0021] Furthermore, the battery quality can be improved by ensuring that the individual energy storage cells are vented equally by forming the fluid connection between the individual chambers and thus at least essentially no differences in quality can develop in the individual energy storage cells due to different gas pressures and / or gas compositions of the individual energy storage cells.

[0022] Secondly, inspection costs and effort can be advantageously reduced because, for safety purposes, the gas pressure, gas composition, and / or gas flow of only one chamber needs to be checked, instead of the gas pressure, gas composition, and / or gas flow of each individual energy storage cell in conventional energy storage systems. Therefore, safety issues related to gas management can be better managed with only one active vent valve or two active vent valves than with each energy storage cell having its own vent valve, as is the case with conventional energy storage systems.

[0023] These and other advantageous effects can also be found in the dependent patent claims.

[0024] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one of the vent valves is designed as a blind closure.

[0025] According to a further aspect of the invention, exactly one active venting valve is arranged on the one wall element, in particular on the cover element, of the housing, preferably in such a way that the active venting valve is assigned to a chamber which is arranged in a central region of the interior of the housing.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, two active venting valves are arranged on one wall element, in particular on the cover element, of the housing, preferably in such a way that the two active venting valves are assigned to two chambers which are separated from one another by at least one (further) chamber to which a blind closure is assigned.

[0027] According to a further aspect of the invention, each partition wall has at least one opening for forming the fluid connection between the individual chambers.

[0028] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one of the plurality of partition walls, in particular all partition walls, each has exactly one opening in an upper region of the respective partition wall.

[0029] According to a further aspect of the invention, the one opening per partition wall is arranged such that at least two adjacent partition walls have the opening offset, in particular alternately offset, preferably in an upper end region or in one of two upper corner regions of the partition walls.

[0030] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one partition wall, in particular all partition walls, has an opening in an upper, central region of the respective partition wall.

[0031] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one of the plurality of partition walls, in particular all partition walls, each has exactly two openings in an upper region of the respective partition wall, wherein the two openings are preferably each arranged at two upper end regions or at two upper corner regions of the corresponding partition wall.

[0032] According to a further aspect of the invention, a membrane is formed in at least one of the openings, in particular in each opening.

[0033] According to a further aspect of the invention, the active venting valve is designed as a one-way valve with a predetermined or predeterminable venting pressure, wherein the one-way valve is preferably integrated in a closure plug.

[0034] According to a further aspect of the invention, the blind closures are designed as sealing plugs which are designed to tightly close the interior of the housing.

[0035] According to another aspect of the invention, the energy storage system is a lead-acid battery.

[0036] According to a further aspect of the invention, the energy storage system is designed as a valve-regulated lead-acid battery, in particular as a valve-regulated Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) lead-acid battery.

[0037] The invention is explained in more detail below, also with regard to further features and advantages, by means of the description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] These show in: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a vehicle; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an energy storage system of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the energy storage system of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of an energy storage system according to one aspect of the present invention; and Fig. 5 a schematic representation of a further development of the energy storage system according to Fig. 4.

[0039] The energy storage system according to the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the illustrations in the figures. Identical or equivalent elements and functions are provided with the same or similar reference numerals.

[0040] Energy storage systems 100 designed to start an internal combustion engine of a vehicle 200 are generally referred to as starter batteries. Such starter batteries are typically based on lead-acid technology. However, it is equally conceivable to use other energy storage system technologies. For example, it is also conceivable to use a starter battery based on lithium-ion technology, nickel-metal hydride technology, or nickel-cadmium technology.

[0041] In the following, the energy storage system 100 is described in such a way that relative terms refer to the installed state of the energy storage system 100. For example, "in an upper region" means in an upper region as seen in the installed state, etc.

[0042] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 200. The energy storage system 100 can be arranged in a front region of the vehicle 200 in the direction of travel, in a rear region of the vehicle 200 and / or in a region below the seats, in particular below the driver's seat.

[0043] The vehicle 200 may be an aircraft or watercraft, a track-guided vehicle, an off-road vehicle, or preferably a road vehicle, wherein a road vehicle may be understood to mean a passenger car, a truck, a bus, or a mobile home.

[0044] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of an energy storage module 100 according to the invention. For better clarity, individual elements such as terminals of the energy storage system 100, the individual energy storage cells and their components are not explicitly shown.

[0045] The energy storage system 100 according to the invention comprises a housing 40 composed of a plurality of wall elements. The wall elements define an interior space of the housing 40, which is designed to accommodate a plurality of energy storage cells (not shown).

[0046] In order to make the interior of the housing 40 accessible, for example for assembly and / or maintenance purposes, a wall element, in particular an upper wall element or cover element, of the housing 40 is designed such that the wall element is removable from the housing 40 and / or can be connected to it (in a sealing manner), so that the housing 40 can be easily opened or (tightly) closed.

[0047] The interior of the housing 40 is divided into individual chambers 10 by a plurality of partition walls 30. Each chamber 10 is designed to accommodate an energy storage cell associated with the respective chamber 10.

[0048] According to the present invention, it is essential to create a fluid connection, in particular a flow connection for gases, between the individual chambers 10 formed by the plurality of partition walls 30. The fluid connection between the individual chambers 10, in particular such that a common gas collection space is formed in the interior, can be created by each of the plurality of partition walls 30 having at least one opening 35.

[0049] Each energy storage cell can have a plurality of negative electrode plates, positive electrode plates and separators, wherein the individual energy storage cells are connected to one another in series and / or parallel, in particular via busbars, which are ultimately connected to the terminals (not shown in the figures) of the energy storage system 100.

[0050] The terminals can be used to supply electrical energy to electrical consumers during a discharging process or to supply electrical energy back to the individual energy storage cells during a charging process, for example during regenerative braking.

[0051] The energy storage cells can each be arranged in a (gas-permeable) cell housing or can be accommodated directly (i.e. without an additional cell housing) in the individual chambers 10.

[0052] The housing 40 of the energy storage system 100 is usually initially open on one side, preferably on the upper side, in order to accommodate the partition walls 30 and the energy storage cells in the chambers 10 thus formed during assembly of the energy storage system 100, if necessary.

[0053] The partition walls 30 have at least one opening 35, through which the fluid connection or a flowing connection between the individual chambers 10 is formed. In this context, a fluid connection can be understood as a connection between the individual chambers 10 via which gas, gases, and / or a gas mixture are in flowing communication between the individual chambers 10, and in particular, not liquids.

[0054] It can also be provided that a membrane is formed in at least one, in particular all, of the at least one opening 35, in particular a membrane that is permeable exclusively to gas, gases, and / or a gas mixture. This can advantageously prevent liquids, such as the electrolyte, from flowing from chamber 10 to chamber 10.

[0055] The at least one opening 35 can be formed directly during the production of the respective partition wall 30; however, it can just as well be introduced into the partition wall 30 after it has been produced.

[0056] The at least one opening 35 can have any shape, for example, the opening 35 can be round, rectangular, oval, or square. The opening 35 can have a cross-sectional area of ​​approximately 20 mm 2 up to 320 mm 2 , preferably 75 mm 2 up to 180 mm 2 , particularly preferably 75 mm 2 up to 80 mm 2 . An at least substantially round opening 35 can, for example, have a diameter of (approximately) 5 mm to 20 mm, preferably of (approximately) 10 mm to 15 mm, particularly preferably of 10 mm.

[0057] It may be advantageous if the at least one opening 35 is arranged in an upper region of the partition wall 30, since gas, gases and / or a gas mixture, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and / or hydrogen, collect in an upper region of the energy storage system 100 or in an upper region of each chamber 10.

[0058] However, it is also conceivable for at least one partition 30 to have at least one opening 35 that is located lower (as seen in the vertical direction) than at least one opening 35 of another partition 30, which is located in an upper region. In particular, such a lower opening 35 can have a membrane to ensure that only gases, and not liquids, can diffuse through the opening.

[0059] In particular, the partition walls 30 can be formed separately from the housing 40 and can be inserted into the interior of the housing 40 in guide grooves formed accordingly in the housing 40.

[0060] In particular, existing or at least partially manufactured housings 40 can be retrofitted easily and cost-effectively by inserting the partition walls 30 according to the invention into the interior of the housing 40 instead of the conventional partition walls. Existing (conventional) partition walls can also be easily retrofitted by (subsequently) introducing at least one opening 35 according to the invention into the partition wall 30.

[0061] However, the partition walls 30 can also be formed integrally with the housing 40, for example when manufacturing the housing 40 in an injection molding process.

[0062] In particular, to reduce manufacturing complexity and costs, a conventional housing is preferably used. In conventional energy storage systems, each chamber had to be vented separately. Therefore, a vent opening is arranged in a wall element, in particular an upper wall element or a cover element, of the housing 40, in a respective area associated with a corresponding chamber 10. This vent opening is designed to be (tightly) closed by means of a vent valve 20.

[0063] In conventional systems, it was imperative that each vent valve was an active vent valve.

[0064] Due to the fluid connection between the chambers 10 according to the invention, and thus a common gas collection chamber, only at least one active vent valve 20a, which is shown in black in the figures, needs to be used according to the present invention. The remaining vent valves 20 can therefore be designed as blind closures 20b. In the figures, blind closures 20b are indicated by a closed circle. In particular, it may be desirable for at least one of the vent valves 20 to be a blind closure 20b.

[0065] At the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, each partition wall 30 has exactly one opening 35.

[0066] Two adjacent partition walls 30 can be configured such that the respective opening 35 of the corresponding partition wall 30 is offset from another opening 35 of another partition wall 30. Preferably, the respective openings 35 are arranged in an upper end region or in one of the two upper corner regions of the respective partition wall 30. Such an arrangement promotes equalization or exchange of the gas, the gases, and / or the gas mixture and can prevent the formation of a "blind spot" in which gas can accumulate or build up.

[0067] The openings 35 per partition wall 30 can also be arranged in such a way that they are alternately offset, ie alternately offset, as is the case, for example, in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Such an alternately offset arrangement of the one opening 35 can advantageously also lead to simplified assembly and manufacturing, which in turn reduces costs. For example, two identical partition walls 30 can be inserted into the housing 40 such that one partition wall 30 is rotated by 180° (about an axis parallel to the insertion direction) relative to the other partition wall.

[0068] However, the one opening 35 of at least one partition wall 30 can just as well be arranged in a central, in particular upper, region of the respective partition wall 30.

[0069] It is conceivable that all partition walls 30 have an opening 35 in a central, particularly upper, region. However, it is equally conceivable that only at least one partition wall 30 has an opening 35 in a central, particularly upper, region, with at least one partition wall 30 not having the at least one opening 35 in a central, upper region.

[0070] At the Fig. 2, the further wall element, in particular the cover element, of the housing 40 has exactly one active vent valve 20a, which is preferably assigned to a central chamber 10.

[0071] It is of course equally possible that the active vent valve 20a can be assigned to another chamber 10.

[0072] As in Fig. 3, for example, in the case of energy storage systems 100 with a high gas emission, a further (additional) redundant vent valve 20 can be designed as an active vent valve 20a, ie the further wall element, in particular the cover element, of the housing 40 has two active vent valves 20a.

[0073] The two active vent valves 20a are preferably assigned to chambers 10 which are separated from each other by at least one chamber 10 to which a blind closure 20b is assigned.

[0074] Fig. 4 shows an exemplary energy storage system 100 according to the invention, in which precisely one active vent valve 20a is arranged in the further wall element, in particular the cover element, of the housing 40. To improve gas circulation between the chambers, the plurality of partition walls 30 has two spaced-apart openings 35. In particular, the two openings 35 are arranged in an upper region of the respective partition wall 30, preferably in two upper end regions or in the two upper corner regions of the partition wall 30.

[0075] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary energy storage system 100 according to the invention, in which, for example, due to high gas emissions, the further wall element, in particular the cover element, of the housing 40 has two active vent valves 20a. The plurality of partition walls 30 also has, as shown in Fig.5 has two spaced-apart openings 35. In particular, the two openings 35 are arranged in an upper region of the respective partition wall 30, preferably in the two outer, upper end regions.

[0076] Even if this is not explicitly shown in the figures, not all partition walls 30 need to have exactly one opening 35 or exactly two openings 35. Rather, one or more partition walls 30 may have exactly one opening 35, while the remaining partition walls 30 may have two or more openings 35.

[0077] It is also conceivable, in the event that all partition walls 30 have exactly one opening 35, that these are arranged alternately in a first upper region or in a first upper corner region, in a central upper region, and / or in a second upper region or in a second upper corner region of the partition walls 30.

[0078] It is also conceivable that in at least one of the openings 35, in particular in each opening 35, a membrane is formed which selectively allows only gases or gas mixtures, preferably oxygen, carbon dioxide and / or hydrogen, to pass through, but no liquids.

[0079] It is equally conceivable for at least one partition 30 to have no opening and at least one partition 30 to have at least one opening, so that at least two separate (sealed) gas collection chambers are formed. At least one active vent valve 20a must be provided for each gas collection chamber thus formed.

[0080] For example, in an energy storage system 100 with a total of six chambers 10, the central partition 30 can be designed without an opening 35, while the remaining partitions 30 have at least one opening 35. Thus, two gas collection chambers are formed over three chambers 10 each. Each gas collection chamber must be assigned at least one active vent valve 20a. For example, each of the two gas collection chambers is assigned exactly one active vent valve 20a and two blind plugs 20b, whereby the arrangement of the vent valves 20 is arbitrary.

[0081] According to the present invention, the active vent valves 20a are preferably designed as one-way valves with a predetermined or predeterminable vent pressure, wherein the one-way valve is preferably integrated in a closure plug.

[0082] The energy storage system 100 according to the invention can be designed as a valve-regulated lead-acid battery. The energy storage system 100 can also be designed as a valve-regulated Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) lead-acid battery, in which the electrolyte is bound in the glass fiber mat.

[0083] At this point, it should be noted that all parts described above, viewed individually and in any combination, particularly the details shown in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the invention. Modifications to these are familiar to those skilled in the art. List of reference symbols 10 chambers 20 vent valves 20a active vent valve 20b blind closure 30 partition wall 35 Opening 40 housings 100 energy storage system 200 vehicles

Claims

[1] Energy storage system (100) for a vehicle (200), in particular starter battery (100) for a vehicle (200), which comprises: - a plurality of energy storage cells for providing and / or storing electrical energy; - a housing (40) having a plurality of wall elements defining an interior space of the housing (40), the housing (40) being configured to accommodate the plurality of energy storage cells in the interior space of the housing (40); wherein a plurality of partition walls (30) for dividing the interior of the housing (40) into a plurality of chambers (10) are arranged in the interior of the housing (40), wherein each chamber (10) is designed to accommodate an energy storage cell, wherein a fluid connection is formed between the individual chambers (10), and wherein a vent valve (20) is arranged on one of the wall elements, preferably a cover element, of the housing (40) in a region assigned to a corresponding chamber (10), wherein at least one of the vent valves (20) is an active vent valve (20a) and the remaining vent valves (20) are blind closures (20b). [2] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the vent valves (20) is designed as a blind closure (20b). [3] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein exactly one active vent valve (20a) is arranged on the one wall element, in particular on the cover element, of the housing (40), preferably in such a way that the active vent valve (20a) is assigned to a chamber (10) which is arranged in a central region of the interior of the housing (40). [4] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein two active vent valves (20a) are arranged on one wall element, in particular on the cover element, of the housing (40), preferably in such a way that the two active vent valves (20a) are assigned to two chambers (10) which are separated from one another by at least one chamber (10) to which a blind closure (20b) is assigned. [5] Energy storage system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each partition wall (30) has at least one opening (35) for forming the fluid connection between the individual chambers (10). [6] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of partition walls (30), in particular all partition walls (30), each has exactly one opening (35) in an upper region of the respective partition wall (30). [7] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 6, wherein the one opening (35) per partition wall (30) is arranged such that at least two adjacent partition walls (30) have the opening (35) offset, in particular alternately offset, preferably in the two upper end regions of the partition walls (30). [8] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein at least one partition wall (30), in particular all partition walls (30), has an opening (35) in an upper, central region of the respective partition wall (30). [9] Energy storage system (100) according to one of claims 5 to 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of partition walls (30), in particular all partition walls (30), each has exactly two openings (35) in an upper region of the respective partition wall (30), wherein the two openings (35) are preferably each arranged at two upper end regions of the corresponding partition wall (30). [10] Energy storage system (100) according to one of claims 5 to 9, wherein a membrane is formed in at least one of the openings (35), in particular in each opening (35). [11] Energy storage system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the active venting valve (20a) is designed as a one-way valve with a predetermined or predeterminable venting pressure, wherein the one-way valve is preferably integrated in a closure plug. [12] Energy storage system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the blind closures (20b) are designed as closure plugs which are designed to tightly close the interior of the housing (40). [13] Energy storage system (100) according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the energy storage system (100) is a lead-acid battery. [14] Energy storage system (100) according to claim 13, wherein the energy storage system (100) is designed as a valve-regulated lead-acid battery.

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