Battery for a vehicle, method for operating a battery, and vehicle comprising a traction battery

Abstract

A battery 12 for a vehicle 10 comprises a housing 14 in which a plurality of battery cells 16, which are at least partially filled with electrolyte, and a circuit which conductively connects the battery cells to one another are arranged, and comprising an excitation transmitter 18 which is configured to apply an excitation of a predetermined frequency, wherein a state of the electrolyte is adjustable by the excitation. The state of the electrolyte may be its viscosity and / or an activation energy for intercalation and / or kinetics of Li ions. The excitation from the excitation transmitter may be a sonic wave, ultrasonic wave, and / or mechanical vibration. A method for operating the battery is also disclosed, and is preferably used for charging the battery at a low temperature. The excitation of the electrolyte avoids needing to heat the battery cells for efficient charging. The excitation transmitter may be arranged above and / or below the battery in the vehicle itself (as shown) or may be arranged external to the vehicle at a charging location (figure 2).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicles, in particular automobiles, such as car, vans, or trucks. More specifically, the present invention relates to battery electric vehicles, which comprise a battery for powering the drive train, and, in particular, the present invention relates to the battery itself, and a method for operating a battery. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0002] The battery includes a plurality of cells or battery cells, each of which includes an electrolyte, in particular if it is a lithium ion battery cell. The electrolyte may be gas, liquid, solid, and / or a combination of the three phases. It is important for the acceptance of battery electric vehicles that the battery may be recharged quickly. For fast charging, the battery may require higher temperatures; therefore, batteries, according to the state of the art, may comprise a temperature management system for heating and cooling the battery. Heating the battery may help charging, in particular, at low temperatures to achieve faster charging times as higher temperature improve the charging capabilities of battery.

[0003] These higher temperatures are, in particular, selected to be within a range where there is no abnormal material degradation. Nevertheless, the higher temperatures during charging may negatively influence the performance of the battery over life as the higher temperatures may accelerate parasitic reactions and degradation of the battery components. For example, the state of health (SOH) of the battery may decrease due to the accumulation of a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer after charging cycles at higher temperatures. The decrease of SOH may also lead to an increase in battery cell resistance. Therefore, the control of temperature for batteries may be more difficult.

[0004] Although the battery may be heated to the same temperature, for example 35 degrees Celsius, in order to achieve optimal charging such as fast charging, the resulting maximum temperature may increase to 40, 45 or even 50 degrees Celsius due to the inherent resistance of the battery causing ohmic heating. The effect is amplified as the battery’s SOH decreases through its life due to the increase in battery cell resistance.

[0005] In some applications, plates, pipes and / or immersion systems may be utilized as point contact and / or surface contact for heating and / or cooling, and as the battery is heated or cooled, respectively, from the outside, temperature gradients may occur within the individual cells of the battery. These temperature gradients may result in uneven charging or discharging, respectively, of the cells, which may lead to uneven, accelerated degradation of the battery. In addition, the current applications may require the inclusion of embedded heating, cooling components, which may increase costs and add weight to the battery and to the vehicle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a way to improve charging using battery kinetics and preventing battery degradation due to battery material thermal degradation of a battery for a vehicle.

[0007] This object is solved by a battery, a method for operating a battery and a corresponding vehicle. Advantageous embodiments are presented in the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings.

[0008] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a battery for a vehicle, in particular a battery electric vehicle built as a van, car, or truck, wherein the battery comprises a housing, in which a plurality of battery cells, which are at least partially filled with electrolyte, and a circuit, which electrically or conductively connects the battery cells to one another, are arranged within the housing. The battery further comprises an excitation transmitter, such as a frequency device, which is configured to apply an excitation of a predetermined frequency, wherein a state of the electrolyte, or in particular other battery components or materials of battery components, is or are predeterminable or adjustable by the excitation provided by the excitation transmitter.

[0009] The other battery components may be, for example, an anode or cathode materials. The excitation transmitter may comprise a frequency or a vibration motor.

[0010] In the present invention, the solution applies a specific frequency that may target the battery components including but not limited to the electrolyte to achieve a control of battery kinetics through the use of an excitation frequency without inducing a temperature change of the battery. Therefore, an excitation transmitter that may be attached on the bottom or top side of the battery or an external excitation transmitter that may be affixed to the ground may be used to apply the excitation, and the excitation may be applied during charging and / or discharging events.

[0011] An advantage of the battery according to the present invention is improved charging, in particular a standard and a fast charging, during a low temperature performance of the battery system. For example, the improved charging may be implemented at temperatures below 35 degrees Celsius for fast charging and below 10 degrees Celsius for standard charging.

[0012] The improved charging may prevent reliance on a heating system for the battery and degradation to the battery. The present solution aims to control the kinetics such as the kinetics of Li ions, which enables a more uniform response behavior within the battery cells, preventing degradation that may negatively impact battery life and performance.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the state of the electrolyte and / or another component to be determined is a viscosity and / or an activation energy for intercalation and / or kinetics of lithium ions of the plurality of cells. In other words, it is possible to lower the viscosity of the electrolyte solvent by the excitation. Increasing the kinetics of the lithium ions within the electrolyte without higher temperatures may improve the battery health. For example, a lower activation energy for the intercalation may be achieved with the excitation from the excitation transmitter so that the reaction of the material required for charging and discharging is optimized. Another advantage is that controlling the battery kinetics may be performed very precisely or in different stages.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the excitation transmitter is configured to apply a sound or sonic wave as the excitation and / or an ultra sound or ultrasonic wave and / or a mechanical vibration as the excitation. In other words, the excitation transmitter may transmit a frequency to the electrolyte and / or the other components of the battery via sound or ultrasonic sound or via mechanical movements. Therefore, it is an advantage to select an excitation frequency or vibration according to the state or kinetics of the battery and / or battery cells, which may be determined. For example, enhanced wetting for conventional electrolyte may be achieved by vibration at 10~100Hz. Another example, the resonant frequency of Graphite is 1~170MHz and may be applied to induce localized excitation in the Graphite component to induce localized temperature or kinetic change.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the excitation transmitter is configured to apply a frequency such as an Eigen frequency, a resonant frequency, and an excitation frequency of the battery cell(s) and / or the electrolyte or at least one component of the battery cell. The Eigen frequencies, resonant frequencies, and excitation frequencies of the battery or battery cells and / or the electrolyte and / or other components of the battery may be determined. The predetermined frequencies may be applied to the battery and its components. For example, the state of the electrolyte and / or another component such as the kinetics, conductivity, and localized component temperature may be changed based on the excitation such as the predetermined frequency. An advantage of the present invention is that the predetermination of the excitation and / or adjustment of the state of the electrolyte may be performed very efficiently. For example, only a small amount of energy may be needed for changing the state of the electrolyte and / or another component of the battery.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method for operating a battery of a vehicle which comprises the housing, in which a plurality of battery sources, which are at least partially filled with electrolyte, are arranged in a circuit which conductively connects the battery cells to one or another, and an excitation transmitter. The method includes steps for applying an excitation at a predetermined frequency to the battery wherein the excitation adjusts the state of the electrolyte.

[0017] In some embodiments, the steps may be implemented during low temperatures and / or the excitation is a sonic wave and / or ultrasonic wave and / or mechanical vibration.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code means for performing the method and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising at least the computer program product.

[0019] The electronic computing device as well as the vehicle comprise means for performing the method.

[0020] A computing unit may, in particular, be understood as a data processing device, which comprises processing circuitry. The computing unit can process data to perform computing operations. This may also include operations to perform indexed accesses to a data structure, for example a look-up table, LUT.

[0021] In particular, the computing unit may include one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers, and / or one or more integrated circuits, for example, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, ASIC, one or more field-programmable gate arrays, FPGA, and / or one or more systems on a chip, SoC. The computing unit may also include one or more processors, for example, one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units, CPU, one or more graphics processing units, GPU, and / or one or more signal processors, in particular, one or more digital signal processors, DSP. The computing unit may also include a physical or a virtual cluster of computers or other of said units.

[0022] In various embodiments, the computing unit includes one or more hardware and / or software interfaces and / or one or more memory units. For example, the interface may include a customer interface for displaying the charging and / or discharging status or excitation status for fast charging.

[0023] A memory unit may be implemented as a volatile data memory, for example a dynamic random access memory, DRAM, or a static random access memory, SRAM, or as a non-volatile data memory, for example a read-only memory, ROM, a programmable read-only memory, PROM, an erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, EEPROM, a flash memory or flash EEPROM, a ferroelectric random access memory, FRAM, a magnetoresistive random access memory, MRAM, or a phase-change random access memory, PCRAM.

[0024] Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the present invention and vice versa.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, a charging of the battery cells is performed during the application of the excitation such as the vibration during low temperatures or an ambient temperature of the vehicle. In other words, the excitation may be used while charging the battery so that a temperature element for tempering the battery may not be needed while charging, in particular when the charging is a fast charging. In addition, the excitation may be used independently of the temperature of the vehicle, whereby the excitation may be advantageous for adjusting the condition of the battery such as the state of the electrolyte. Another advantage is that the excitation may be used for an efficient operation of the battery at one or more stages of an operational event such as pre-charging, charging, post-charging, pre-discharging, discharging, postdischarging, or another stage.

[0026] In still another embodiment of the present invention, further components of the battery are excited by the excitation of the excitation transmitter such as a frequency transmitter. In other words, further components besides the electrolyte may be adjusted to change their state such as kinetics, especially if the component is the anode or cathode material. An advantage is that the method may be used to adjust the battery in preparation for efficient charging.

[0027] A third aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle comprising a battery according to the first aspect of the invention and / or configured to perform a method according to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0028] Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first and second aspect of the present invention and vice versa.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the excitation transmitter such as the vibration device may be arranged above and / or below the battery in the vehicle upright direction in its position of use. In other words, the excitation transmitter may be in contact with a plane of the upper or lower housing for applying the excitation such as the frequency or vibration very efficiently into the battery or battery cells. An advantage is that the excitation transmitter may be used for optimizing the state of the battery or components of the battery such as the electrolyte in the battery cells for efficiently charging and / or discharging the vehicle’s battery.

[0030] In still another embodiment of the present invention, the excitation transmitter may be configured to be arranged external to the vehicle, in particular at a charging position of the vehicle. In other words, the excitation transmitter may be affixed to or placed in the ground of a parking lot or another location where the vehicle may be charged and / or discharged. In particular, the excitation transmitter may apply the excitation via one or more techniques such as acoustically into the body or housing of the battery to adjust the state of the electrolyte or another component of the battery. An advantage thereof is that the vehicle may be built with few parts and therefore less complex, which may reduce weight as well as prevent other failures.

[0031] Further advantages, features, and details of the present invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The novel features and characteristic of the present disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and / or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0033] The drawings show in:

[0034] Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a vehicle comprising a battery with an excitation transmitter; and

[0035] Fig. 2 a schematic side view of another embodiment of the vehicle with a second embodiment of the battery and the frequency transmitter.

[0036] In the figures, the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same reference signs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In the present document, the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration”. Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0038] While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawing and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0039] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises” or “comprise” does not or do not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

[0040] In the following detailed description of the embodiment of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawing that forms part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the disclosure may be practiced. This embodiment is described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0041] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 10 comprising a battery 12, which comprises a housing 14 in which a plurality of battery cells 16 is arranged, which are at least partially filled with electrolyte. The battery 12 further comprises a circuit, which electrically and / or conductively connects the battery cell 16 to one, another and is placed within the housing 14.

[0042] A frequency transmitter 18 is configured to apply an excitation such as a predetermined frequency wherein a state of the electrolyte of the cells 16 is adjusted by the excitation. Furthermore, other battery components like anode or cathode material may also be influenced and therefore be adjustable by the excitation. The status of the battery 12 may be determined with one or more sensors within the battery system such as a temperature and voltage.

[0043] In other words, a vehicle 10 and a battery 12 are provided by which battery components including but not limited to the electrolyte may be influenced. For example, the state(s) of the electrolyte may be adjusted without inducing a temperature change of the battery 12 via a heating element.

[0044] Therefore, the state of the battery components, in particular the electrolyte, may include a viscosity and / or an activation energy for intercalation and / or kinetics of the lithium ions for example. In some embodiments, the activation energy for intercalation may be lowered. In another embodiment, the excitation may cause an increase of the kinetics of the lithium ions within the electrolyte and / or may reduce the viscosity of the electrolyte solvent. These adjustments to the state or effects induced by the excitation of the excitation transmitter 18 may enable improved charging and / or discharging of the battery 12, in particular for standard or fast charging. Furthermore, the battery 12 may charge and discharge at low temperature without the use of heating mechanisms and without introducing gradation modes or gradients in the battery.

[0045] A method for operating the battery 12 for the vehicle 10 is also provided, by which the excitation is applied by the excitation transmitter 18 to influence the state of the electrolyte and / or another battery component such as the anode or cathode. With the method according to the invention, it is possible to control states of such as the kinetics of the electrolyte or other battery components, which may enable more uniform reaction behavior within the cells 16, thereby reducing the gradation modes or gradients in temperature. This is achievable via the excitation transmitter 18, which may be, as may be seen in Fig. 1, attached on the bottom side of the battery housing 14 or another side of the battery pack 12.

[0046] Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the battery 12 where the excitation transmitter 18 is placed in the ground 20 and is not part of the vehicle 10 as an external excitation transmitter 18, which may be activated during charging and / or discharging of the vehicle 10, which is parked above the excitation transmitter 18. The excitation output may include Eigen frequencies, predetermined resonant frequency or predetermined excitation frequencies of the cell 16 or other battery components or electrolyte in the cells 16. Furthermore, the excitation applied to the battery 12 may be a sonic wave, an ultrasonic sound wave, or a mechanical vibration.

[0047] With the method, the vehicle 10, and the battery 12 with the excitation transmitter 18, heating components may not be required so the implementation of the present disclosure may result in a reduction of heating components within the temperature control system of the battery 12. An equivalent for at least parts of the heating may be achieved using the proposed excitation transmitter 18. The present disclosure may reduce battery degradation caused by overheating or uneven heating and may improve charging and / or discharging experience.

[0048] The battery 12, the vehicle 10, and the presented method may result in an optimized driving experience for a user of the vehicle 10 while at the same time providing particularly high durability and performance of the battery cells 16. This solution may be achieved by applying excitation to one or more components of the battery 12, e.g., the electrolyte, anode, and / or cathode material.

[0049] Improving the life and performance of battery cells 16 is one advantage of the present disclosure by improving the movement of lithium ions within the battery cell 16 with the excitation. Excitation of the active materials may facilitate lithium ion diffusion intercalation, and applying the excitation to the electrolyte may be advantageous in conditioning the battery 12 and battery cells 16 for charging and / or discharging functionalities such as fast charging. Reference Signs 10 vehicle 12 battery 14 housing 16 battery cells 18 excitation transmitter 20 ground

Claims

1. A battery (12) for a vehicle (10) comprising a housing (14) in which a plurality of battery cells (16), which are at least partially filled with electrolyte, and a circuit which conductively connects the battery cells (16) to one another are arranged, and comprising an excitation transmitter (18), which is configured to apply an excitation of a predetermined frequency, wherein a state of the electrolyte is adjustable by the excitation.

2. The battery (12) according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe state of the electrolyte is a viscosity and / or an activation energy for intercalation and / or kinetics of Li ions.

3. The battery (12) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in thatthe excitation from the excitation transmitter (18) is a sonic wave and / or an ultrasonic wave and / or a mechanical vibration.

4. The battery (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in thatthe predetermined frequency is an Eigen frequency and / or excitation frequency and / or resonant frequency of the battery cells (16) and / or electrolyte.

5. A method for operating a battery (12) of a vehicle (10) which comprises a housing (14) in which a plurality of battery cells (16), which are at least partially filled with electrolyte, a circuit which conductively connects the battery cells (16) to one another are arranged, an excitation transmitter (18), comprising applying an excitation at a predetermined frequency to the battery (12), wherein the excitation adjusts a state of the electrolyte.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized bycharging the battery (12) of the vehicle (10) at a low temperature.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in thatthe excitation is a sonic wave and / or an ultrasonic wave and / or a mechanical vibration.

8. A vehicle (10) comprising a battery according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and / or configured to perform a method according to any one of claims 5, 6, or 7.

9. The vehicle (10) according to claim 8, characterized in thatthe excitation transmitter (18) is arranged above and / or below the battery (12) in the vehicle (10).

10. The vehicle (10) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in thatthe excitation transmitter (18) is configured to be arranged external to the vehicle at a charging position of the vehicle (10).

Images