Apparatus and method for battery cooling control

Abstract

To improve power consumption of an apparatus for battery cooling control.SOLUTION: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for battery cooling control. An apparatus 100 for battery cooling control according to one embodiment may include: a cooling water control apparatus 130 for controlling the supply of cooling water for cooling a battery system; and a control apparatus 150 which obtains the state of charge and charge / discharge rate of the battery system, determines a heating value of the battery system according to the state of charge and the charge / discharge rate, and controls the cooling water control apparatus so as to control the supply of the cooling water according to the heating value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery cooling control device and a cooling control method.

Background Art

[0002] A secondary battery is a battery that can be charged and discharged, unlike a primary battery that cannot be charged. Low-capacity secondary batteries are used in portable small electronic devices such as smartphones, feature phones, notebook computers, digital cameras, and camcorders, and high-capacity secondary batteries are widely used as power sources for motor drives and power storage devices such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. Such a secondary battery includes an electrode assembly composed of a positive electrode and a negative electrode, a case that houses the electrode assembly, and electrode terminals connected to the electrode assembly.

[0003] In recent years, an Energy Storage System (ESS) that has emerged globally is a system that stores a large amount of electrical energy in a battery and supplies the electrical energy stored in the battery when electrical energy is required to improve energy usage efficiency. A cooling system is essentially required for an ESS to solve the heat dissipation problem of the battery, and the power consumption of the cooling system is directly related to the operating cost of the ESS.

[0004] The above-described information disclosed in the technology that is the background of such an invention is for improving the understanding of the background of the present invention, and thus may also include information that does not constitute the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery cooling control device and a cooling control method with improved power consumption.

[0006] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-described problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A battery cooling control device according to an embodiment for solving the above technical problems may include a cooling water adjustment device that adjusts the supply of cooling water for cooling a battery system, and a control device that acquires the state of charge and charge-discharge rate of the battery system, determines the calorific value generated by the battery system according to the state of charge and the charge-discharge rate, and controls the cooling water adjustment device to adjust the supply of the cooling water according to the calorific value.

[0008] The battery cooling control device may further include a storage device that stores a calorific value table mapping the calorific value corresponding to each state of charge and charge-discharge rate of the battery cell. The control device can determine the calorific value of the battery system with reference to the calorific value table.

[0009] The control device can acquire the operation mode information of the battery system and control the cooling water adjustment device to adjust the supply of the cooling water according to the operation mode information.

[0010] When the operation mode of the battery system is the standby mode, the control device can control the cooling water adjustment device so that the flow rate of the cooling water becomes a set value. The set value can be set such that the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the standby mode is reduced compared to the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the charge mode or the discharge mode.

[0011] The battery system can include a plurality of battery racks. Each of the plurality of battery racks can be provided with a cooling water passage through which the cooling water flows. The cooling water regulating device can regulate the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the cooling water passage for each of the plurality of battery racks. The control device can determine the heat generation amount for each of the plurality of battery racks and control the cooling water regulating device to adjust the supply of the cooling water according to the heat generation amount of each of the plurality of racks.

[0012] A cooling control method of a battery cooling control device according to an embodiment can include steps of obtaining a state of charge and a charge-discharge rate of a battery system, determining a heat generation amount of the battery system according to the state of charge and the charge-discharge rate, and adjusting a supply of cooling water for cooling the battery system according to the heat generation amount.

[0013] The step of determining the heat generation amount can include a step of determining the heat generation amount of the battery system with reference to a heat generation amount table in which the heat generation amount corresponding to each state of charge and charge-discharge rate of a battery cell is mapped.

[0014] The cooling control method can further include a step of obtaining operation mode information of the battery system. The step of determining the heat generation amount and the step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water can be performed while the battery system is operating in a charge mode or a discharge mode.

[0015] When the operation mode of the battery system is a standby mode, the method can further include a step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water so that the flow rate of the cooling water becomes a set value. The set value can be set such that the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the standby mode is reduced compared to the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the charge mode or the discharge mode.

[0016] The step of determining the calorific value can include the step of determining the calorific value for each of a plurality of battery racks included in the battery system. The step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water can include the step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water for each of the plurality of racks according to the calorific value determined for each of the plurality of racks.

[0017] According to the present invention, the power consumption of the battery cooling control device can be improved. Thereby, the operating cost of the system to which the cooling device is applied can be reduced.

[0018] However, the effects obtained by the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and other technical effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate desirable embodiments of the present invention and serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention to be described later. The present invention should not be construed as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. Prior to this, the terms and words used in this specification and the claims should not be construed as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. Based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the terms in order to explain his invention in the best way, they must be construed in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only some of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. At the time of this application, it should be understood that there are various equivalents and modifications that can replace them. Also, as used in this specification, "comprising" and / or "including" identify the presence of the recited shape, number, step, operation, member, element, and / or group thereof, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other shapes, numbers, operations, members, elements, and / or groups. Also, when describing embodiments of the present invention, "can be" and "can be" can include "one or more embodiments of the present invention".

[0021] Also, to assist in the understanding of the present invention, the attached drawings are not shown at actual scale, and the sizes of some components may be exaggerated. Also, the same reference numerals can be assigned to the same components in different embodiments.

[0022] A reference to two comparison objects being "identical" means "substantially identical". Therefore, substantially identical can include deviations regarded as low levels in the industry, for example, deviations within 5%. Also, the fact that some parameter is uniform in a given region can mean that it is uniform from an average perspective.

[0023] The terms "first", "second", etc. are used to describe various components, but of course these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one component from another, and of course, unless otherwise stated, the first component may be the second component.

[0024] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise stated, each component may be singular or plural.

[0025] The "upper (or lower) part" of a component or "any configuration is arranged above (or below) the component" means that not only is any configuration arranged in contact with the upper surface (or lower surface) of the component, but it can also mean that there are other components intervening between the component and any configuration arranged above (or below) the component.

[0026] Also, when a component is described as "connected", "coupled" or "joined" to another component, the components can be directly connected or joined to each other, but it should also be understood that other components may "intervene" between the components, or the components may be "connected", "coupled" or "joined" through other components. Also, when a part is said to be electrically coupled to another part, this includes not only the case where they are directly connected, but also the case where other elements are sandwiched between them for connection.

[0027] Throughout the specification, when "A and / or B" is described, unless otherwise stated, it means A, B, or A and B. That is, "and / or" includes all combinations or any combination of the listed multiple items. Also, "C to D" means C or more and D or less, unless otherwise stated.

[0028] FIG. 1 schematically shows an energy storage system (ESS) according to an embodiment. Further, FIG. 2 schematically shows a battery cooling control device according to an embodiment.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, the ESS can include a battery system 1, a system battery management system (BMS) 2, an energy management system (EMS) 3, and a power conversion system (PSC) 4.

[0030] The battery system 1 can include a plurality of battery cells (not shown) connected in series or parallel to each other. For example, the battery system 1 can include a plurality of battery racks 10 electrically connected in series or parallel to each other. Further, each battery rack 10 can include a plurality of battery modules 11 electrically connected in series or parallel to each other. Further, each battery module 11 can include a plurality of battery cells (not shown) electrically connected in series or parallel to each other.

[0031] The battery system 1 can be charged using electrical energy supplied from a power grid (not shown) via the PSC 4. Further, the PSC 4 can supply the electrical energy stored in the battery system 1 to the power grid via the PSC 4.

[0032] PSC4 can operate as a power conversion device that converts electrical characteristics (such as direct current (DC), alternating current (AC), voltage, frequency, etc.) to transfer electrical energy between the battery system 1 and the power grid. Usually, in the battery system 1, electrical energy in the form of direct current (DC) is used, and in the power grid, electrical energy in the form of alternating current (AC) is used. Therefore, PSC4 can transfer the electrical energy stored in the battery system 1 to the power grid through DC-AC conversion, or transfer the electrical energy supplied from the power grid to the battery system 1 through AC-DC conversion.

[0033] In addition to the power conversion and power distribution functions described above, PSC4 can also perform control functions for electrical quality such as the active power and reactive power of the ESS. PSC4 can also perform a monitoring / control function to monitor the voltage and operating state of the ESS. PSC4 can also perform a system cooperation protection function to protect the power grid during a power outage. PSC4 can also perform an independent operation function such as operating the ESS by utilizing the battery system 1 even when there is no power supply.

[0034] The battery system 1 can be managed by the system BMS2. The system BMS2 can monitor the state of the battery system 1 and control it so that the battery system 1 operates in an optimal state. The system BMS2 can perform state monitoring functions (such as monitoring cell voltage, current, temperature, state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), charge and discharge rate (C-rate), etc.), control functions (such as temperature control, cell balancing control), protection functions (such as preventing over-discharge, over-charge, over-current, etc.) for the battery cells that make up the battery system 1.

[0035] System BMS2 can collect status data (such as cell voltage, SOC, current, charge-discharge rate, temperature, etc.) from battery system 1 for monitoring the status of battery system 1. Battery rack 10 that makes up battery system 1 can collect status data from the battery modules 11 it belongs to and transmit this data to system BMS2. Battery rack 10 that makes up battery system 1 can communicate with other battery racks 10 or system BMS2 through CAN (Controller Area Network) communication and send and receive data in a Daisy Chain manner.

[0036] EMS3 is an integrated control device that monitors and controls the power usage of the power grid and the power supply of the ESS in real time for the efficient energy operation of the ESS. EMS3 can monitor the status of the entire system (battery system 1, system BMS2, and PSC4) that makes up the ESS and control the operation of the ESS.

[0037] Battery system 1 can be charged and discharged according to at least one charge-discharge cycle per day. One charge-discharge cycle can include a charging section, a rest section after charging, a discharging section, and a rest section after discharging.

[0038] The ESS can further include a battery cooling control device 100. The battery cooling control device 100 can supply cooling water to battery system 1 to cool battery system 1. The battery cooling control device 100 can adjust the flow rate (or flow velocity) of the cooling water supplied to battery system 1 according to the operating mode (charging mode, discharging mode, rest mode) and the heat generation status of battery system 1.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, the battery cooling control device 100 can include a communication device 110, a storage device 120, a cooling water adjustment device 130, a cooling water storage device 140, and a control device 150.

[0040] The communication device 110 can perform a communication function between the battery cooling control device 100 and other devices (for example, the system BMS2). For example, the communication device 110 can receive the operation mode information of the battery system 1 from the system BMS2. Also, for example, the communication device 110 can also receive the state information (charge / discharge rate (C-rate), SOC, etc.) of the battery system 1 from the system BMS2.

[0041] The storage device 120 can store a program for the operation of the control device 150 described later.

[0042] The storage device 120 can also store various data, information, etc. processed by the battery cooling control device 100. For example, the storage device 120 can store a heat generation amount table. The heat generation amount of the battery cell can increase as the charge / discharge rate is higher and the SOC is lower. That is, the heat generation amount of the battery cell may vary depending on the SOC of the battery cell even when the battery cell is charged / discharged at the same charge / discharge rate. Therefore, the heat generation amount table can be configured in a look-up table form with the heat generation amount (heat generation amount of the battery cell) data according to the charge / discharge rate (C-rate) not only for each SOC section but also for the SOC.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows an example of a heat generation amount table according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, the heat generation amount table 200 can include a plurality of SOC sections (0%-10%, 10%-20%, 20%-30%, 30%-40%, 40%-50%, 50%-60%, 60%-70%, 70%-80%, 80%-90%, 90%, 100%). Also, the heat generation amount table 200 can include the heat generation amount (heat generation amount of the battery cell) data according to the charge / discharge rate (C-rate) for each SOC section.

[0044] Referring back to FIG. 2, the cooling water regulating device 130 can regulate the cooling water supplied to the cooling water flow path of the battery system 1 for cooling the battery system 1. The cooling water regulating device 130 can include a cooling water pump, a cooling water valve, etc. The cooling water regulating device 130 can increase or decrease the amount of cooling water supplied from the cooling water storage device 140 to the battery system 1 under the control of the control device 150 described later.

[0045] The control device 150 can control the overall operation of the battery cooling control device 100.

[0046] The control device 150 can receive the operation mode information of the battery system 1 from the system BMS 2 through the communication device 110. The control device 150 can also receive state information including the charge and discharge rate, SOC, etc. of a plurality of battery cells included in the battery system 1 from the system BMS 2.

[0047] The control device 150 can adjust the cooling water supply according to the operation mode of the battery system 1. The control device 150 can control the cooling water regulating device 130 so that the flow rate of the cooling water supplied during the standby mode of the battery system 1 is reduced compared to the flow rate of the cooling water supplied during the charge mode and the discharge mode of the battery system 1.

[0048] When the battery system 1 enters the standby mode, the control device 150 controls the cooling water regulating device 130 to lower the flow rate of the cooling water supplied for cooling the battery system 1 to a set value (for example, 20 LPM (Liter Per Minute)), thereby reducing the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the battery system 1 during the standby mode.

[0049] When the battery system 1 enters the charging mode or the discharging mode, the control device 150 can increase the flow rate of the cooling water supplied for cooling the battery system 1 by controlling the cooling water regulating device 130, thereby increasing the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the battery system 1. In the charging mode and the discharging mode of the battery system 1, the flow rate of the cooling water supplied for cooling the battery system 1 may vary depending on the heat generation state of the battery system 1.

[0050] The control device 150 can determine the amount of heat generated according to the state (SOC and charge-discharge rate) of the battery system 1 by referring to the state information received from the system BMS2 and the heat generation amount table. The control device 150 can determine the amount of heat generated according to the SOC and charge-discharge rate of the battery cell by referring to the heat generation amount table. When the amount of heat generated by the battery cell is determined, the control device 150 can determine the amount of heat generated by the battery module 11 based on this. Also, when the amount of heat generated by the battery module 11 is determined, the control device 150 can also determine the amount of heat generated by the battery rack 10 based on this. Further, when the amount of heat generated by the battery rack 10 is determined, the control device 150 can also determine the total amount of heat generated by the battery system 1 based on this.

[0051] When the amount of heat generated by the battery system 1 is determined, the control device 150 can determine the flow rate of the cooling water supplied for cooling the battery system 1 based on the determined amount of heat generated. When the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the battery system 1 is determined, the control device 150 can control the cooling water regulating device 130 to adjust the cooling water flow rate according to the determined cooling water flow rate.

[0052] In the battery system 1, a cooling water flow path can be formed for each battery rack 10. The cooling water flow path formed in each battery rack 10 can also be used only for cooling the corresponding battery rack 10. In this case, the cooling water regulating device 130 can also regulate the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the cooling water flow path for each battery rack 10. Further, the control device 150 can determine the cooling water flow rate corresponding to each battery rack 10 based on the heat generation amount of each battery rack 10 determined by referring to the heat generation amount table. When the cooling water flow rate is determined for each battery rack 10, the control device 150 can control the cooling water regulating device 130 to regulate the cooling water supplied to the cooling water flow path of each battery rack 10 based on this.

[0053] FIG. 4 schematically shows a battery cooling control method of the battery cooling control device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 4, the battery cooling control device 100 according to an embodiment acquires the operation mode information of the battery system 1 from the system BMS2 (S10), and determines whether the operation mode of the battery system 1 is the standby mode (S11).

[0055] In step S11, when it is determined that the operation mode of the battery system 1 is not the standby mode, the battery cooling control device 100 acquires the state information (SOC, charge / discharge rate (C-rate)) of the battery system 1 from the system BMS2 (S12). Then, the battery cooling control device 100 determines the heat generation amount of the battery system 1 by referring to the state information acquired through step S12 and the heat generation amount table (S13).

[0056] In step S13, the battery cooling control device 100 can obtain the heat generation amount corresponding to the SOC and charge-discharge rate of each battery cell from the heat generation amount table, and use this to determine the heat generation amount of the battery cells included in the battery system 1. When the heat generation amount of the battery cells is determined, the battery cooling control device 100 can obtain the heat generation amount of each battery rack 10 or the entire battery system 1 based on this.

[0057] The battery cooling control device 100 can determine the cooling water flow rate supplied for cooling the battery system 1 according to the heat generation amount determined through step S13 (S14). Next, the battery cooling control device 100 can adjust the cooling water supply according to the cooling water flow rate determined through step S14 (S15).

[0058] The battery system 1 includes one cooling water passage passing through the entire battery system 1, and the cooling water regulating device 130 can be configured to regulate the cooling water supplied to this cooling water passage. In this case, in steps S14 and S16, the battery cooling control device 100 can determine the cooling water flow rate based on the heat generation amount of the entire battery system 1, and control the cooling water regulating device 130 according to the determined cooling water flow rate.

[0059] The battery system 1 includes a cooling water passage for each of the plurality of battery racks 10, and the cooling water regulating device 130 can also be configured to regulate the cooling water supply for each of the plurality of battery racks 10. In this case, in step S14, the battery cooling control device 100 can determine the cooling water flow rate for each battery rack 10. Also, in step S15, the battery cooling control device 100 can control the cooling water regulating device 130 with the cooling water flow rate determined for each battery rack 10, so that the cooling water supply is regulated for each battery rack 10.

[0060] On the one hand, in step S11, when it is determined that the operation mode of the battery system 1 is the standby mode, the battery cooling control device 100 can reduce the cooling water supply to a set value (S16).

[0061] As described above, in the section where the battery system 1 enters the standby mode and the heat generation amount decreases, the battery cooling control device 100 can reduce the power consumption for cooling the battery system 1 by reducing the cooling water supply. Further, in the charging mode and the discharging mode of the battery system 1, the battery cooling control device 100 can adjust the cooling water supply according to the heat generation amount of the battery system 1, thereby reducing the power consumption for cooling the battery system 1 while ensuring the cooling efficiency of the battery system 1.

[0062] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations can be made by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs within the equivalent scope of the technical idea of the present invention and the claims described below.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0063] 1 Battery system 2 System BMS 3 EMS 4 PSC 10 Battery rack 11 Battery module 100 Battery cooling control device 110 Communication device 120 Storage device 130 Cooling water regulating device 140 Cooling water storage device 150 Control device

Claims

1. A battery cooling control device, a cooling water regulating device for regulating the supply of cooling water for cooling a battery system, and a control device that acquires the state of charge and charge / discharge rate of the battery system, determines the heat generation amount of the battery system according to the state of charge and the charge / discharge rate, and controls the cooling water regulating device to regulate the supply of the cooling water according to the heat generation amount. A battery cooling control device comprising:

2. further comprising a storage device that stores a heat generation amount table in which the heat generation amount corresponding to each state of charge and charge / discharge rate of the battery cell is mapped, The control device determines the heat generation amount of the battery system with reference to the heat generation amount table. The battery cooling control device according to claim 1.

3. The control device acquires operation mode information of the battery system, and controls the cooling water regulating device to regulate the supply of the cooling water according to the operation mode information. The battery cooling control device according to claim 1.

4. If the operation mode of the battery system is the standby mode, the control device controls the cooling water regulating device so that the flow rate of the cooling water becomes a set value, The set value is set such that the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the standby mode is reduced compared to the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the charge mode or the discharge mode. The battery cooling control device according to claim 3.

5. The battery system includes a plurality of battery racks, a cooling water passage through which the cooling water flows is provided for each of the plurality of battery racks, The cooling water regulating device regulates the flow rate of the cooling water supplied to the cooling water passage for each of the plurality of battery racks, The control device determines the heat generation amount for each of the plurality of battery racks, and controls the cooling water regulating device to regulate the supply of the cooling water according to the heat generation amount of each of the plurality of battery racks. The battery cooling control device according to claim 1.

6. A cooling control method for a battery cooling control device, comprising: acquiring the state of charge and charge / discharge rate of a battery system; determining the heat generation amount of the battery system according to the state of charge and the charge / discharge rate; and A cooling control method including the step of adjusting the supply of cooling water for cooling the battery system according to the heat generation amount.

7. The step of determining the heat generation amount includes the step of determining the heat generation amount of the battery system with reference to a heat generation amount table in which the heat generation amount corresponding to each state of charge and charge-discharge rate of the battery cell is mapped. The cooling control method according to claim 6.

8. Further including the step of obtaining operation mode information of the battery system, The step of determining the heat generation amount and the step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water are performed while the battery system is operating in a charging mode or a discharging mode. The cooling control method according to claim 6.

9. If the operation mode of the battery system is a standby mode, further including the step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water so that the flow rate of the cooling water becomes a set value, The set value is set such that the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the standby mode is less than the supply of the cooling water when the battery system is operating in the charging mode or the discharging mode. The cooling control method according to claim 8.

10. The step of determining the heat generation amount includes the step of determining the heat generation amount for each of a plurality of battery racks included in the battery system, The step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water includes the step of adjusting the supply of the cooling water for each of the plurality of battery racks according to the heat generation amount determined for each of the plurality of battery racks. The cooling control method according to claim 6.

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