Storage battery evaluation device and storage battery evaluation system

Abstract

To provide a storage battery evaluation system capable of relatively easily achieving evaluation of a storage battery.SOLUTION: A storage battery evaluation system includes: a storage battery evaluation device 100 that is configured to acquire storage battery evaluation data during a charging process and includes a current detection unit that detects a charging current, a voltage detection unit that detects a charging voltage, and an arithmetic unit configured to output an instruction to control a value of the charging current; and an information processing element 10 that performs data communication with the storage battery evaluation device 100. The information processing element 10 calculates battery characteristics of a storage battery 30 on the basis of the storage battery evaluation data provided from the storage battery evaluation device 100 to notify an external terminal 40 of an evaluation result according to the battery characteristics.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage battery evaluation device and a storage battery evaluation system. [Background technology]

[0002] High reliability is required for secondary batteries (storage batteries) installed in electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). The soundness of storage batteries installed in EVs and PHEVs must be ensured over a long period of time to prevent malfunction. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the deterioration state of the storage battery to confirm whether the expected functions of the storage battery are maintained and the battery is in a sound condition.

[0003] The degradation state of a storage battery can be evaluated by a method for measuring AC impedance as shown in Patent Document 1. In the method for measuring AC impedance, the frequency of the state detection current is changed and data on the measured AC impedance is used to determine the resistance of each part of the battery, and the battery degradation is evaluated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-138586 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The battery evaluation method and device disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses a dedicated evaluation device that applies and detects AC signals of a predetermined frequency in evaluating the deterioration state of a battery by measuring AC impedance.

[0006] For example, in the case of storage batteries installed in EVs, chargers used on the market usually do not have the function of applying and detecting AC signals, and cannot perform measurements during normal charging and discharging processes, so a dedicated process for performing measurements and evaluations may be required. In particular, in industries such as the transportation industry, where vehicle operating time is directly linked to profits, the need for dedicated equipment and processes for evaluating storage batteries not only increases costs, but also means a decrease in vehicle operating rates, which may lead to reduced profits, which is undesirable.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a storage battery evaluation device and a storage battery evaluation system that can relatively easily realize evaluation of a storage battery during a charging process of the storage battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The storage battery evaluation device of the present invention for evaluating the state of a storage battery includes a current detection unit that detects a charging current, a voltage detection unit that detects a charging voltage, and a calculation unit connected to the current detection unit and the voltage detection unit. The calculation unit is configured to output an instruction to control the value of the charging current, and is configured to provide storage battery evaluation data based on the value of the charging current and the value of the charging voltage to an external information processing element that outputs an evaluation result based on the storage battery evaluation data.

[0009] The storage battery evaluation device may be configured such that the calculation unit outputs an instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range. The value within the predetermined range may vary depending on the capacity of the storage battery. The instruction to control the charging current to a value within the predetermined range may be specified by a charging rate.

[0010] The storage battery evaluation device may output an instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range as an instruction to specify a value of the charging current, a value of the charging power, or a C rate.

[0011] The battery evaluation device may output an instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range, for example, as an instruction to set a C rate of 0.3 or less.

[0012] The battery evaluation device may further include a temperature detection unit, and the calculation unit may be configured to output an instruction to change the value within the predetermined range in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.

[0013] The storage battery evaluation device may have a charger side connector that is detachably connected to a connector provided on a charger, and a storage battery side connector that is detachably connected to a connector provided on a storage battery unit including the storage battery.

[0014] The battery evaluation device may be configured such that the charger side connector and the battery side connector comply with the CHAdeMO standard.

[0015] The storage battery evaluation system of the present invention for evaluating the state of a storage battery includes a storage battery evaluation device configured to acquire storage battery evaluation data during a charging process, and an information processing element configured to perform data communication with the storage battery evaluation device, the information processing element configured to calculate battery characteristics of the storage battery based on the storage battery evaluation data provided by the storage battery evaluation device, and to notify an external terminal of an evaluation result according to the battery characteristics.

[0016] The storage battery evaluation system may calculate the battery characteristics using a value of the charging voltage and a value of the charging current as input information.

[0017] In the storage battery evaluation system, the evaluation result may be a maintenance rate of a charge capacity of the storage battery. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a storage battery evaluation device can be provided that can relatively easily obtain storage battery evaluation data by utilizing a process of charging a storage battery and provide the data to an information processing element. Furthermore, a storage battery evaluation system can be provided that includes the storage battery evaluation device and can relatively easily notify an evaluation result of a storage battery to an external terminal owned by, for example, a user of the storage battery. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a storage battery evaluation device and a storage battery evaluation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart outlining the steps of evaluating a storage battery performed by the storage battery evaluation system. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a storage battery evaluation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process for determining charging conditions, which is performed by the storage battery evaluation system. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process for calculating battery characteristics and evaluation results of a storage battery, which is performed by the storage battery evaluation system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, a storage battery evaluation device and a storage battery evaluation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] First, with reference to FIG. 1, a storage battery evaluation device according to the present invention and a storage battery evaluation system including the storage battery evaluation device will be described. FIG. 1 shows an example of a storage battery evaluation system including the storage battery evaluation device of the embodiment. The storage battery evaluation system 100S includes a storage battery evaluation device 100 and an information processing element 10. In the storage battery evaluation system 100S, the storage battery evaluation device 100 is configured to acquire data related to the charging of the storage battery 30. The information processing element 10 is configured to output an evaluation result of the storage battery 30 based on the data related to the charging of the storage battery 30 acquired by the storage battery evaluation device 100. The evaluation result of the storage battery 30 is notified to a terminal 40 held by a user 41 of the storage battery 30, for example. In the illustrated example, the storage battery evaluation device 100 is disposed between the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 including the storage battery 30, and the information processing element 10 is disposed at a position separated from the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31.

[0022] The charger 20 is, for example, a known charging facility for an electric vehicle. Specifically, the charger 20 may be a charging station for an electric vehicle capable of rapid charging using direct current. The charger 20 includes a charging control unit 22. The storage battery 30 is, for example, a secondary battery mounted on an electric vehicle EV. In the illustrated example, the storage battery 30 is included in a storage battery unit 31. The storage battery unit 31 is configured to be able to communicate with the control unit 22 of the charger 20 regarding charging conditions and the like when the storage battery 30 and the charger 20 are connected to each other.

[0023] The storage battery unit 31 may include, for example, a battery management system (BMS) 32 configured to monitor the voltage, temperature, capacity, charge state, power consumption, remaining operating time, etc. of the storage battery and protect the storage battery 30 from over-discharge and overvoltage caused by extremely rapid charging or extremely high discharge current, and an electronic control unit (ECU) 33 that may have a function of specifying an optimal charging current to the control unit 22 on the charger 20 side according to the state of the storage battery 30. The storage battery 30 mounted on the electric vehicle EV may be a lithium-ion battery. The storage battery 30 may be a lead-acid battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or the like other than a lithium-ion battery.

[0024] The storage battery 30 is not limited to a storage battery mounted on an electric vehicle, and may be, for example, a stationary storage battery for a building. The storage battery 30 may be a storage battery linked to a power generation system or connected to a grid, in which case the charger 20 may be a device such as a power conditioner that supplies power from the power generation system to the storage battery. The storage battery 30 may also be, for example, a storage battery mounted device such as a drone or a mobile phone other than an electric vehicle.

[0025] The charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 are compliant with the CHAdeMO (registered trademark) standard, in which the control unit 22 of the charger 20, which is a charging station for electric vehicles, and the storage battery unit 31 of the electric vehicle EV communicate with each other via CAN (Controller Area Network) communication. The charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 may be compliant with a standard other than the CHAdeMO (registered trademark) standard, such as the CCS1 standard, the CCS2 standard, or the GB / T standard. The charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 may be compliant with different standards. The storage battery evaluation device 100 and the storage battery evaluation system 100S will be described below using a case in which the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 are compliant with the CHAdeMO (registered trademark) standard as an example.

[0026] The charger 20 includes a connector 201. The storage battery unit 31 includes a connector 301. In general, when charging the storage battery 30 from the charger 20, the connector 201 and the connector 301 are directly coupled to each other. In the illustrated example, the storage battery evaluation device 100 relays between the connector 201 of the charger 20 and the connector 301 of the storage battery unit 31, and is configured to acquire data for evaluating the storage battery 30 (storage battery evaluation data) during the charging process from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30, as will be described in detail later.

[0027] Specifically, in the illustrated example, the storage battery evaluation device 100 includes one connector 102 and another connector 103 opposite to the one connector 102. The one connector 102 can be detachably connected to a connector 201 included in the charger 20. The other connector 103 can be detachably connected to a connector 301 included in the storage battery unit 31.

[0028] That is, the storage battery evaluation device 100 can be configured to be portable as a unit separate from the charger 20 and the storage battery 30. However, the storage battery evaluation device 100 may be fixedly installed with respect to the charger 20 or the storage battery 30. The storage battery evaluation device 100 may also be incorporated in the charger 20 or the storage battery unit 31. Note that one connector 102 is also referred to as a charger side connector 102, and the other connector 103 is also referred to as a storage battery side connector 103, and here, both the charger side connector 102 and the storage battery side connector 103 comply with the CHAdeMO (registered trademark) standard.

[0029] The storage battery evaluation device 100 is configured to perform data communication with the information processing element 10. Specifically, storage battery evaluation data for evaluating the storage battery 30, which is acquired by the storage battery evaluation device 100 during the charging process of the storage battery 30, can be provided to the information processing element 10 by communication. The information processing element 10 can be a computer including a memory device and a computing device that stores and processes the storage battery evaluation data. Also, the information processing element 10 can be, for example, a server and a computing device on a communication network provided by a cloud service.

[0030] As described in detail below with reference to Fig. 3, the storage battery evaluation device 100 includes a communication unit, and storage battery evaluation data acquired by the storage battery evaluation device 100 can be provided to the information processing element 10 by wireless communication via this communication unit. In the communication between the storage battery evaluation device 100 and the information processing element 10, a wireless connection such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) that connects the storage battery evaluation device 100 to a public wireless communication network can be used. For the wireless connection, cellular LPWA (NB-IoT, LTE-M), Bluetooth (registered trademark), and the like can also be used other than Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0031] The information processing element 10 can be connected to an external terminal 40 in addition to the storage battery evaluation device 100, for example, via communication similar to the wireless communication described above. The terminal 40 can be, for example, an information terminal (for example, a smartphone, a tablet PC, etc.) owned by a user 41 of the electric vehicle EV. Although one terminal 40 is shown in the figure, the information processing element 10 can be simultaneously connected to a plurality of terminals and simultaneously transmit and receive data. The information processing element 10 is configured to calculate an evaluation result of the storage battery 30 based on the storage battery evaluation data provided by the storage battery evaluation device 100, and provide the result to the terminal 40.

[0032] The performance of the storage battery 30 may deteriorate as a result of its use (repeated charging and discharging). A storage battery 30 with advanced deterioration may not meet the standards required by its user due to a decrease in the electric capacity, etc. As an evaluation result indicating the degree of deterioration of the storage battery 30, for example, a battery capacity maintenance rate (the ratio of the current electric capacity to the initial electric capacity) may be provided to the user 41 via the terminal 40, which may facilitate the user 41 to decide whether or not to use the storage battery 30 and the EV vehicle. In addition, the battery capacity maintenance rate of the storage battery 30 may also be a reasonable standard for setting the price when the storage battery 30 is bought and sold as a second-hand item, for example.

[0033] Next, an overview of the steps of evaluating the storage battery 30 performed by the storage battery evaluation system 100S when charging the storage battery 30 from the charger 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, an overview of the steps from determining the charging conditions to outputting the evaluation result of the storage battery in the storage battery evaluation system 100S is shown as steps S01 to S04.

[0034] First, step S01 is performed in a state where the storage battery evaluation device 100 is connected to the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31. In step S01, the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 communicate with each other via the storage battery evaluation device 100, and charging conditions including the value of the charging current and the like are controlled. Regarding the control of the charging conditions, as will be described later specifically with reference to FIG. 4, the storage battery evaluation device 100 outputs to the storage battery unit 31 an instruction to control the charging current supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30. The charging conditions may be determined by processing in the information processing element 10. The charging conditions may also be determined by processing in the storage battery evaluation device 100. Specifically, the information processing element 10 or the storage battery evaluation device 100 determines the charging conditions according to a predetermined calculation method in accordance with information such as the type, capacity, and rated voltage of the storage battery 30 provided, and temperature information in the storage battery evaluation device 100 provided as a reference for the environmental temperature. In this case, information on the type, capacity, etc. of the storage battery 30 may be provided from a database that the information processing element 10 may have, or from the storage battery unit 31. After the charging conditions are determined, the supply of power from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30 (charging process) is started.

[0035] Next, in step S02, the storage battery evaluation data including the value of the charging current and the value of the charging voltage supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30 during the charging process is acquired by the storage battery evaluation device 100. The storage battery evaluation data within a desired section of the SOC (STATE OF CHARGE) representing the charging state can be acquired according to the calculation method of the battery characteristics. For example, it is preferable to set so that data within a section of 30% to 90% of the SOC representing the charging state is acquired. The acquired storage battery evaluation data is provided to the information processing element 10 via wireless communication through a calculation unit included in the storage battery evaluation device 100. The storage battery evaluation data may be provided to the information processing element 10 in parallel with the acquisition of the storage battery evaluation data during the charging process, or may be provided after the charging process is completed. The storage battery evaluation data may include information regarding the temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100.

[0036] Next, in step S03, the information processing element 10 calculates the battery characteristics. The calculated battery characteristics may include, for example, the remaining battery capacity and the internal resistance. The battery characteristics may be calculated by analyzing the provided storage battery evaluation data (charging voltage and charging current). For example, the method of analyzing a charging curve obtained from a charging voltage (hereinafter, the charging curve analysis method) described in "Tomokazu Morita et al., 'Charging Curve Analysis Method for Visualizing Battery Health by Estimating Internal State,' Toshiba Review Vol. 68 No. 10. 2013. pp. 54-57" may be used to calculate the battery characteristics.

[0037] Next, in step S04, the evaluation result of the storage battery 30 is output to an external terminal 40. The evaluation result may be, for example, a battery capacity maintenance rate calculated by the information processing element 10 based on the battery characteristics calculated in step S03. Note that there may be cases where the battery characteristics are directly output to the terminal 40 as the evaluation result.

[0038] In the storage battery evaluation system of the embodiment, the storage battery evaluation device can acquire data for evaluating the storage battery in parallel with the charging process of the storage battery without requiring a process dedicated to evaluation. The storage battery evaluation data acquired in parallel with the charging process is processed by the information processing element in parallel with the charging process, and can be converted into an evaluation result indicating a visualized deterioration state of the battery, such as a battery capacity maintenance rate, and can be notified to an external terminal. Therefore, in the storage battery evaluation system of the embodiment, a configuration is realized in which the storage battery evaluation can be relatively easily performed by including a storage battery evaluation device that can acquire storage battery evaluation data during the charging process. This makes it possible to evaluate the storage battery relatively frequently, and therefore the possibility of capturing undesirable situations such as abnormal deterioration of the storage battery can be increased.

[0039] In the battery evaluation system of the embodiment, the battery evaluation device is configured to output an instruction to control the charging current value, so that the charging current value is kept relatively low, thereby making it possible to obtain battery evaluation data that is more suitable for evaluation. In addition, the evaluation results can be simultaneously notified to multiple terminals by a configuration in which the evaluation results are output to an external terminal via an information processing element provided by a cloud service, for example, so that the evaluation results can be relatively easily shared among multiple parties (for example, users of the battery, maintenance personnel, etc.). In addition, when the battery evaluation system includes a portable battery evaluation device that detachably connects the charger and the battery, the freedom of selecting a location to evaluate the battery is improved, and therefore the ease of performing the evaluation of the battery can be further improved.

[0040] Next, the storage battery evaluation device 100 included in the storage battery evaluation system 100S of the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows an example of the internal configuration of the storage battery evaluation device 100 illustrated in Fig. 1, which relays between the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31 and is installed so as to be detachable from the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31. The storage battery evaluation device 100 includes a current detection unit 111 that detects the value of the charging current supplied to the storage battery 30 during the charging process of the storage battery, and a voltage detection unit 112 that detects the value of the charging voltage applied to the storage battery 30 during the charging process of the storage battery. The storage battery evaluation device 100 further includes a calculation unit 110 connected to the current detection unit 111 and the voltage detection unit 112.

[0041] The current detection unit 111 and the voltage detection unit 112 acquire the storage battery evaluation data in step S02 (see FIG. 2) described above. The current detection unit 111 can detect the value of the charging current (current supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30) at predetermined time intervals from the start of charging to the completion of charging during the charging process, and provide the value to the calculation unit 110. The voltage detection unit 112 can detect the value of the charging voltage (voltage supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30) at predetermined time intervals from the start of charging to the completion of charging during the charging process, and provide the value to the calculation unit 110.

[0042] In the illustrated example, the storage battery evaluation device 100 includes a power supply line 120 that relays between a charger side connector 102 and a storage battery side connector 103. The power supply line 120 carries power supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30. A current detection unit 111 detects the value of a charging current flowing through the power supply line 120 during a charging process. A voltage detection unit 112 detects the value of a charging voltage applied to the power supply line 120 during a charging process. The charging current value and the charging voltage value provided to the calculation unit 110 are output to a communication unit 113, and the communication unit 113 provides the charging current value and the charging voltage value to the information processing element 10 as storage battery evaluation data.

[0043] The communication unit 113 that may be included in the storage battery evaluation device 100 is configured to transmit and receive data to and from the information processing element 10. For example, the communication unit 113 receives reference data (such as the type and capacity of the storage battery 30) from the information processing element 10 when determining the charging conditions in the above-mentioned step S01 (see FIG. 2). In addition, the communication unit 113 transmits storage battery evaluation data provided from the current detection unit 111 and the voltage detection unit 112 via the calculation unit 110 to the information processing element 10 in response to the above-mentioned step S02 (see FIG. 2). The communication unit 113 may be, for example, a wireless router that complies with a wireless connection standard such as the above-mentioned Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The communication unit 113 may be configured to be capable of directly transmitting and receiving data to and from the external terminal 40.

[0044] The calculation unit 110 may perform calculation processing related to the determination of the charging conditions in step S01 (see FIG. 2) described above. The calculation unit 110 may perform calculation processing related to the determination of charging conditions optimal for evaluation of the storage battery 30, based on information such as the type and capacity of the storage battery 30 that may be provided from the information processing element 10 or the storage battery unit 31. Regarding the determined charging conditions, communication between the control unit 22 on the charger 20 side and the storage battery unit 31 may be performed via the calculation unit 110.

[0045] When the storage battery unit 31, the charger 20, and the connectors (the charger side connector 102 and the storage battery side connector 103) of the storage battery evaluation device 100 comply with the CHAdeMO (registered trademark) standard, the communication between the control unit 22 on the charger 20 side and the storage battery unit 31 via the calculation unit 110 can be performed by CAN communication. Therefore, in the example of the storage battery evaluation device shown in the figure, in order to perform CAN communication between the storage battery unit 31 and the charger 20 via the calculation unit 110, the storage battery side communication line 131 and the storage battery side CAN transceiver 131t, as well as the charger side communication line 132 and the charger side CAN transceiver 132t are provided. The storage battery side CAN transceiver 131t is connected to the storage battery side communication line 131 and the calculation unit 110, and the charger side CAN transceiver 132t is connected to the charger side communication line 132 and the calculation unit 110.

[0046] The storage battery evaluation device 100 may include a temperature detection unit 114 that detects the temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100. In determining the charging conditions in the above-described step S01 (see FIG. 2), the temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100 may be referred to in the calculation process related to the determination of the charging conditions. In addition, in calculating the battery characteristics in the above-described step S03 (see FIG. 2), the temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100 is referred to as storage battery evaluation data. The temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100 detected by the temperature detection unit 114 may be provided to the calculation unit 110. The temperature detection unit 114 may include a temperature sensor such as a thermocouple or a thermistor.

[0047] In the case where the storage battery evaluation device is a storage battery evaluation device 100 in a mode of relaying between a charger 20 conforming to the CHAdeMO (registered trademark) standard and a storage battery unit 31, as illustrated in the figure, the storage battery evaluation device 100 may include five lines (lines La to Le) for signaling the connection state between the charger 20 and the storage battery unit 31. The line La connecting the terminal 102a and the terminal 103a is a wiring for transmitting a signal related to the start / stop of charging. The line Lb connecting the terminal 102b and the terminal 103b is a wiring for transmitting a signal related to the permission / prohibition of charging. The line Lc connecting the terminal 102c and the terminal 103c is a wiring for transmitting a signal related to confirmation of connector connection. The line Ld connecting the terminal 102d and the terminal 103d is a wiring for transmitting a signal related to the start / stop of charging. The line Le connecting the terminal 102e and the terminal 103e is a wiring connected to a ground wire.

[0048] Next, an example of a specific process in determining the charging conditions in the above-mentioned step S01 (see FIG. 2) will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 4. In the flowchart of Fig. 4, a specific procedure for determining the charging conditions is shown as steps S011 to S014.

[0049] First, in step S011, vehicle data including information on the model and year of the electric vehicle EV equipped with the storage battery 30 is provided to the information processing element 10. The vehicle data is provided, for example, from the storage battery unit 31 to the storage battery evaluation device 100 by CAN communication, and transmitted to the information processing element 10 via the communication unit 113. Furthermore, the provision of the vehicle data to the information processing element 10 may be performed, for example, by input from a user 41 of the electric vehicle EV via a terminal 40 owned by the user 41.

[0050] Next, in S012, the type of storage battery 30 included in the electric vehicle EV is identified. Specifically, in the information processing element 10, the vehicle data provided in step S011 is collated with vehicle information data (information in which the vehicle model and year correspond to the type of storage battery) stored in a database that the information processing element 10 may have, the type of storage battery 30 included in the electric vehicle EV is identified, and basic information (such as battery capacity and rated voltage) of the storage battery 30 is obtained. Note that in steps S011 to S012, temperature information within the storage battery evaluation device 100 is also provided to the information processing element 10 depending on the situation.

[0051] Next, in S013, the information processing element 10 determines charging conditions including a charging current value and a charging rate based on the basic information of the storage battery 30 obtained in S012. When determining the charging conditions, the validity of the data as storage battery evaluation data in step S02 (see FIG. 2) described above is taken into consideration, and the charging current is determined to be within a predetermined range. Note that the charging conditions may be determined by processing in the calculation unit 110 of the storage battery evaluation device 100. When determining the charging conditions, the charging conditions may be determined according to the temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100 provided from the storage battery evaluation device 100.

[0052] Next, in S014, an instruction to control the charging current to the determined charging condition is output from the storage battery evaluation device 100. Specifically, for example, the charging condition determined in the information processing element 10 in step S013 is provided to the calculation unit 110 of the storage battery evaluation device 100 via the communication unit 113. The calculation unit 110 outputs an instruction to control the value of the charging current supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30 so as to conform to the provided charging condition. The instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range may be output as an instruction to specify the value of the charging current, the value of the charging power, or the C rate. When the instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range is provided as a specification of the C rate, it is preferable to output an instruction to set the C rate to 0.3 or less. For example, when the storage battery 30 has a capacity of 40 kWh and a rated voltage of 350 V, the C rate is set to 0.2 or less, that is, the charging current is set to 22.8 A or less.

[0053] For example, the calculation unit 110 of the storage battery evaluation device 100 converts information on the maximum value of the charging current that can be supplied from the charger 20, which is notified to the storage battery unit 31 by the control unit 22 of the charger 20 through CAN communication, so that it matches the charging current value of the determined charging conditions. The converted information on the maximum value of the charging current that can be supplied is transmitted to the storage battery unit 31 through CAN communication. In this case, the storage battery unit 31 outputs an instruction to the control unit 22 of the charger 20 to request the supply of a current value that matches the provided maximum value of the charging current that can be supplied. In response to this instruction from the storage battery unit 31, the charger 20 starts a charging process under the determined charging conditions for the storage battery 30. In short, the calculation unit 110 of the storage battery evaluation device 100 outputs an instruction to the storage battery unit 31 to control the value of the charging current according to the determined charging conditions, and as a result, in the charging process, a charging current of a value that matches the determined charging conditions is supplied from the charger 20 to the storage battery 30.

[0054] Next, an example of specific steps in the calculation of the battery characteristics in step S03 (see FIG. 2) described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 5. In the flowchart of Fig. 5, steps for calculating the battery characteristics are shown as steps S031 to S034.

[0055] In the explanation with reference to Fig. 5, an example in which battery characteristics are calculated by a charging curve analysis method will be described as a method for analyzing a charging voltage value obtained as storage battery evaluation data. The charging curve analysis method is a method in which values ​​such as charging current, charging amount, charging voltage, and temperature during a specified charging time (storage battery evaluation data) are input information, and internal state quantities including positive electrode capacity, positive electrode diffusion resistance, positive electrode electrolyte ion concentration, negative electrode capacity, negative electrode diffusion resistance, negative electrode electrolyte ion concentration, ohmic resistance + reaction resistance, etc. are estimated using a function that represents the relationship between the charging amount of the active material contained in the battery and the charging voltage, and battery characteristics such as battery capacity and internal resistance are calculated based on the estimation results of the internal state quantities.

[0056] First, in step S031, for example, the information processing element 10 refers to and sets the internal state quantity in the initial state of the storage battery 30 stored in a database that the information processing element 10 may have, or the internal state quantity acquired in a past evaluation, as an initial value. Based on this initial value of the internal state quantity, a model curve representing a charging voltage value with respect to a charging time or a charging amount, which is used for fitting calculation in step S033, is obtained.

[0057] Next, in step S032, the information processing element 10 obtains a charging curve showing the charging voltage value versus the charging time or charging amount based on the battery evaluation data provided by the battery evaluation device 100 in the above-mentioned step S02 (see FIG. 2).

[0058] Next, in step S033, a fitting calculation is performed between the charging curve acquired based on the storage battery evaluation data and the model curve acquired based on the initial values ​​of the internal state quantities. Specifically, a calculation is performed to estimate parameters of the internal state quantities that minimize the residual between the charging curve and the model curve. Estimated values ​​of the internal state quantities of the storage battery 30 are acquired. In the fitting calculation, for example, data on the relationship between the open circuit potential and the charge amount, data on the internal resistance, and information on the temperature dependence thereof, for each active material that can be used in the electrodes of the storage battery, which are stored in a database provided in the information processing element 10, may be referenced. The temperature inside the storage battery evaluation device 100 may also be referenced.

[0059] Next, in step S034, the battery characteristics of the storage battery 30, which may include the battery capacity and internal resistance of the storage battery 30, are calculated based on the estimated value of the internal state quantity of the storage battery 30 acquired in step S033. The battery characteristics calculated here may be converted into, for example, a battery capacity maintenance rate in the above-mentioned step S04 (see FIG. 2) and notified to the external terminal 40 as an evaluation result of the storage battery. There may be cases where the battery characteristics calculated here are output as the evaluation result as they are.

[0060] The battery evaluation system of the embodiment is not limited to the battery evaluation system described above with reference to the drawings. The method for calculating the battery characteristics implemented in the battery evaluation system of the embodiment is not limited to the procedure based on the charging curve analysis method described above. For example, the calculation of the internal state quantity of the battery 30 may be performed by the calculation unit 110 of the battery evaluation device 100, and in this case, the calculated internal state quantity may be provided to the information processing element 10 from the battery evaluation device 100 as battery evaluation data. In addition, when temperature data in the vicinity of the battery 30 is provided from the battery unit 31 to the battery evaluation device 100, the temperature data provided from the battery unit 31 may be referred to in preference to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 114, particularly in determining the charging conditions in step S01. In addition, an external terminal 40 may be involved in the communication between the battery evaluation device 100 and the information processing element 10. For example, the provision of battery evaluation data from the battery evaluation device 100 to the information processing element 10 may be carried out via the terminal 40, and the charging conditions determined in the information processing element 10 may be provided to the battery evaluation device 100 via the terminal 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10 Information Processing Elements 20 charger 22 Control Unit 30 Storage battery 31 Battery unit 40 Terminals 41 Users 100 Battery evaluation device 100S Battery Evaluation System 102 Connector (charger side connector) 103 Connector (battery side connector) 110 Arithmetic section 111 Current detection unit 112 Voltage detection unit 113 Communications Department 114 Temperature detection unit 120 Feed line 131 Battery communication line 132 Charger side communication line 131t Battery side CAN transceiver 132t Charger side CAN transmitter / receiver EV Electric Vehicle

Claims

1. A battery evaluation device for evaluating a state of a battery, A current detection unit that detects a charging current; A voltage detection unit that detects a charging voltage; a calculation unit connected to the current detection unit and the voltage detection unit; Including, The calculation unit is configured to output instructions to control the value of the charging current, and is configured to provide battery evaluation data based on the value of the charging current and the value of the charging voltage to an external information processing element that outputs an evaluation result based on the battery evaluation data.

2. 2. The storage battery evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit is configured to output an instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range.

3. 3. The storage battery evaluation device according to claim 2, wherein the instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range is output as an instruction to specify a value of the charging current, a value of the charging power, or a C rate.

4. 4. The storage battery evaluation device according to claim 3, wherein the instruction to control the charging current to a value within a predetermined range is output as an instruction to set a C rate of 0.3 or less.

5. 3. The battery evaluation device according to claim 2, further comprising a temperature detection unit, wherein the calculation unit is configured to output an instruction to change the value within the predetermined range in response to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.

6. 2. The battery evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising: a charger-side connector that is detachably connected to a connector provided on a charger; and a battery-side connector that is detachably connected to a connector provided on a battery unit including the battery.

7. 7. The storage battery evaluation device according to claim 6, wherein the charger side connector and the storage battery side connector are compliant with the CHAdeMO standard.

8. A battery evaluation system for evaluating a state of a battery, The battery evaluation device according to claim 1 , configured to acquire battery evaluation data during a charging process; An information processing element for performing data communication with the storage battery evaluation device; Including, A battery evaluation system, wherein the information processing element is configured to calculate battery characteristics of the battery based on the battery evaluation data provided from the battery evaluation device, and to notify an external terminal of the evaluation result based on the battery characteristics.

9. The storage battery evaluation system according to claim 8 , wherein the battery characteristics are calculated using the value of the charging voltage and the value of the charging current as input information.

10. The storage battery evaluation system according to claim 8 , wherein the evaluation result is a retention rate of a charge capacity of the storage battery.

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