Battery control system and method

Abstract

The battery control system disclosed in this document includes a first battery module group, a second battery module group, a first switch configured to connect or disconnect one end of the second battery module group to a first contactor, a second switch configured to connect one end of the first battery module group to one end of the second battery module group or to a second contactor, and a battery management system connected to the first switch and the second switch, wherein the battery management system can be configured to detect an event for a battery structure conversion, control the first switch and the second switch based on the detected event so that the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel, and adjust a threshold for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0129267, filed on September 29, 2021, and all contents disclosed in the documents of the Korean patent application are incorporated as part of this specification. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The embodiments disclosed herein relate to battery control systems and methods. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, research and development of secondary batteries has been actively conducted. Here, a secondary battery is a battery that can be charged and discharged, and includes both conventional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and the recent lithium-ion batteries. Among secondary batteries, lithium-ion batteries have an advantage of having a much higher energy density than conventional Ni / Cd batteries, Ni / MH batteries, and the like. Lithium-ion batteries can be made small and lightweight, so they are used as power sources for mobile devices. The range of use of lithium-ion batteries has also been expanded to include power sources for electric vehicles, and they have attracted attention as a next-generation energy storage medium. Secondary batteries are generally used as battery packs including battery modules in which multiple battery cells are connected in series and / or parallel. The state and operation of the battery pack are managed and controlled by a battery management system. [Prior art document] [Patent documents] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-10251 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] The battery pack includes multiple battery modules (or battery cells) that are connected in series or in parallel. A parallel configuration has a large battery capacity and can be used for a long time, but has the disadvantage of low output. A series configuration has a larger power output, but has the disadvantage of shorter duration than a parallel configuration.

[0004] The technical problems of the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The battery control system disclosed in this document includes a first battery module group, a second battery module group, a first switch configured to connect or open one end of the second battery module group to a first contactor, a second switch configured to connect one end of the first battery module group to one end of the second battery module group or to a second contactor, and a battery management system connected to the first switch and the second switch, wherein the battery management system can be configured to detect an event for a battery structure conversion, control the first switch and the second switch based on the detected event so that the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel, and adjust a threshold for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel.

[0006] The operating method of the battery control system disclosed in this document includes an operation of detecting an event for converting a battery structure, an operation of controlling a first switch and a second switch based on the detected event so that the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or parallel, and an operation of adjusting a threshold for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or parallel, wherein the first switch can be configured to connect or open one end of the second battery module group to a first contactor, and the second switch can be configured to connect one end of the first battery module group to one end of the second battery module group or to the second contactor. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The battery control system according to an embodiment disclosed herein can maximize these advantages by freely using the parallel and series structures of the battery packs according to the situation.

[0008] A battery control system according to an embodiment disclosed herein can stably diagnose the battery even when the parallel and series configuration of the battery pack is changed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a typical battery pack including a battery management device according to various embodiments; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a battery control system according to various embodiments; [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a series architecture of a battery control system according to various embodiments. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a parallel architecture of a battery control system according to various embodiments. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an operational flow chart for controlling battery structures and thresholds according to various embodiments. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates an operational flow chart for controlling battery structures and thresholds according to various embodiments. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computing system for implementing battery management methods according to various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, various embodiments disclosed in the present document will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this document, the same components in the drawings are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions of the same components will be omitted.

[0011] For the various embodiments disclosed in this document, specific structural or functional descriptions are set forth merely for purposes of describing the embodiments, and the various embodiments disclosed in this document may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in this document.

[0012] The terms "first," "second," "first," or "second" used in the various embodiments may modify various elements without regard to order and / or importance and do not limit such elements. For example, a first element may be named a second element, and similarly, the second element may be renamed to the first element without departing from the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0013] The terms used in this document are merely used to describe a particular embodiment and are not intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. A singular expression may include a plural expression unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context.

[0014] All terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art of the embodiments disclosed herein. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries may be interpreted to have the same or similar meaning in the context of the relevant art, and are not interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless expressly defined in this document. In some cases, even terms defined in this document should not be interpreted to exclude the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a typical battery pack including a battery management device according to various embodiments. Specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a battery control system 1 including a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment disclosed herein and a host controller 20 included in the host system.

[0016] 1, the battery pack 10 may include a plurality of battery modules 12, a sensor 14, a switching unit 16, and a battery management system 100. In this case, the battery pack 10 may include a plurality of battery modules 12, sensors 14, switching units 16, and battery management systems 100.

[0017] Each of the battery modules 12 may include at least one battery cell that is chargeable and dischargeable. In this case, the battery modules 12 may be connected in series or in parallel. The sensor 14 can detect a current flowing through the battery pack 10. At this time, a detection signal can be transmitted to the battery management system 100.

[0018] The switching unit 16 is connected in series to the (+) terminal side or the (-) terminal side of the battery module 12 and can control the flow of charge / discharge current of the battery module 12. For example, the switching unit 16 can use at least one relay, electromagnetic contactor, etc. depending on the specifications of the battery pack 10.

[0019] The battery management system 100 can monitor the voltage, current, temperature, etc. of the battery pack 10 and control and manage the same to prevent overcharging and over-discharging, and can include, for example, an RBMS.

[0020] The battery management system 100 is an interface that receives input of measured values ​​of the various parameters described above, and may include a plurality of terminals, and a circuit connected to these terminals for processing the received values. The battery management system 100 may also control the ON / OFF of a switching unit 16, for example, a relay or a contactor, and may be connected to the battery modules 12 to monitor the state of each battery module 12.

[0021] The upper controller 20 can transmit a control signal for controlling the battery module 12 to the battery management system 100. As a result, the operation of the battery management system 100 can be controlled based on the control signal applied from the upper controller 20. The battery module 12 may be included in an ESS (Energy Storage System). In this case, the upper controller 20 may be a battery bank controller (BBMS) including a plurality of battery packs 10 or an ESS controller that controls the entire ESS including a plurality of banks. However, the battery pack 10 is not limited to such an application.

[0022] 2 to 4 are block diagrams showing configurations of battery control systems according to various embodiments. 2, the battery control system 1 (or the battery pack 10) may include a plurality of battery modules (battery modules 1-6), a first switch 210 and a second switch 220 connected to some of the plurality of battery modules and configured to convert the structure of the battery, a first contactor 230 and a second contactor 240 connected to the plurality of battery modules, and a battery management system (BMS) 100 connected to each component. Depending on the embodiment, the battery control system 1 may further include a current sensor 250 between the first contactor 230 and the plurality of battery modules to measure the current.

[0023] The battery modules can be classified into two or more groups. For example, the battery modules can be classified into a first battery module group 201 including battery modules 1 to 3 and a second battery module group 202 including battery modules 4 to 6, but the number of battery modules included in each battery module group and the number of battery module groups are not limited to the example shown in Fig. 2. In addition, the following description is based on an embodiment in which each battery module includes the same number of battery cells with the same performance, but the performance and number of cells do not necessarily have to be the same.

[0024] The first contactor 230 and the second contactor 240 may be a positive contactor and a negative contactor, respectively. For example, when the start of a device (e.g., a vehicle or a construction machine) including the battery control system 1 is turned on / off, the first contactor 230 and the second contactor 240 may also be turned on / off together. The first contactor 230 may be connected to the first battery module group 201 (e.g., battery module 1), and the second contactor 240 may be connected to the second battery module group 202 (e.g., battery module 6).

[0025] The first stage of the first switch 210 may be connected to the first contactor 230, and the second stage may be connected to the second battery module group 202 (e.g., battery module 4) (e.g., path A). Alternatively, the second stage of the first switch 210 may be in an open state with the second battery module group 202 under the control of the battery management system 100.

[0026] The first stage of the second switch 220 is connected to the first battery module group 201 (e.g., battery module 3), and the second stage can be connected to the second battery module group 202 (e.g., battery module 4) (e.g., path B1) or the second contactor 240 (e.g., path B2) under the control of the battery management system 100.

[0027] The battery management system 100 is connected to each component of the battery control system 1 and can perform the overall operation of the battery control system 1. Although Figs. 2 to 4 show a structure in which the battery management system 100 is connected only to switches 210 and 220, the battery management system 100 can be further connected to a measuring device (e.g., a current sensor 250) and a plurality of battery modules for diagnosing the battery and measuring its performance.

[0028] The battery management system 100 may control the first switch 210 and the second switch 220 so that the first battery module group 201 and the second battery module group 202 are connected in series or in parallel. For example, when the battery structure is in series, the battery management system 100 may control the first switch 210 to be in an open state with the second battery module group 202 and the second switch 220 to be connected to the second battery module group 202, as shown in FIG 3. As another example, when the battery structure is in parallel, the battery management system 100 may control the first switch 210 to be connected to the second battery module group 202 and the second switch 220 to be connected to the second contactor 240, as shown in FIG 4.

[0029] In an embodiment, the battery management system 100 may determine the battery structure to be in series or parallel based on the event detection for battery structure conversion. For example, the battery management system 100 may determine the battery structure to be in parallel to increase the battery duration when the battery capacity is less than a specified critical capacity. In another example, the battery management system 100 may determine the battery structure based on the location of the battery control system 1 (or the location of the vehicle). For example, when the vehicle is located in an urban area, the battery management system 100 may determine the battery structure to be in parallel to maintain the battery performance. Conversely, the battery management system 100 may determine the battery structure to be in series when the battery capacity is equal to or greater than the critical capacity or when the vehicle is not located in an urban area (e.g., on a highway).

[0030] In an embodiment, the battery management system 100 may adjust the threshold for diagnosing the battery based on the structure of the battery. For example, assuming that the voltage of each battery module is n (where n is an integer), when the battery structure is in series as shown in FIG. 3, the maximum total voltage Vtotal of the battery pack is 6n, which is the sum of the maximum total voltage V1 of the first battery module group 201 and the maximum total voltage V2 of the second battery module group 202, so the battery management system 100 may determine the threshold for diagnosing the overvoltage to a value of 6n or more. When the battery structure is in parallel as shown in FIG. 4, the maximum total voltage Vtotal of the battery pack is 3n, which is the maximum total voltage V1 of the first battery module group 201 (or the maximum total voltage V2 of the second battery module group 202), so the battery management system 100 may determine the threshold for diagnosing the overvoltage to a value of 3n or more. If the current is constant regardless of the battery structure, the battery power decreases as the battery voltage decreases (P=VI, where P is power, V is voltage, and I is current). Therefore, the battery management system 100 according to the embodiment can change the threshold for measuring overpower according to the battery structure using the same principle as the threshold for detecting overvoltage. When a pack over (e.g., overvoltage or overpower) in the battery pack 10 is detected, the battery management system 100 can determine that the battery state is a fault and can halt the operation of the battery (or the operation of the vehicle) or output a notification. Using the same principle as the diagnosis of the battery in the battery pack unit, the battery management system 100 can change the threshold for diagnosing the battery cell according to the battery structure. In addition, the battery management system 100 can change the threshold for pack under or overcurrent by applying the same principle.

[0031] 5 shows an operational flowchart for controlling the structure and thresholds of a battery according to various embodiments. The operations shown in the following operational flowchart can be implemented by the battery control system 1 or components thereof (e.g., the battery management system 100).

[0032] 5, in operation 510, the battery control system 1 can detect an event for changing the battery configuration. According to an embodiment, the battery control system 1 can determine whether the configuration of the battery pack 10 is series or parallel.

[0033] In operation 520, the battery control system 1 can control the first switch 210 and the second switch 220 based on the detected event so that the first battery module group 201 and the second battery module group 202 are connected in series or in parallel.

[0034] In operation 530, the battery control system 1 can adjust thresholds for battery diagnostics based on the series or parallel configuration of the battery.

[0035] FIG. 6 illustrates an operational flow chart for controlling battery structures and thresholds according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 6, in operation 610, the battery control system 1 can check at least one of the battery capacity or the location of the battery control system 1.

[0036] In operation 620, the battery control system 1 can determine, based on the confirmed value, whether the battery module groups (first and second groups) should be connected in series or in parallel.

[0037] If the battery structure must be connected in series, the battery control system 1 can control, in operation 630, the first switch 210 so that one end of the second battery module group 202 and the first contactor 340 are in an open state, and can control, in operation 640, the second switch 220 so that one end of the first battery module group 201 is connected to one end of the second battery module group 202. Also, in operation 650, the battery control system 1 can determine the threshold for diagnosing the battery to be the first threshold.

[0038] If the battery structure must be connected in parallel, the battery control system 1 may control the first switch 210 to connect one end of the second battery module group 202 to the first contactor 230 in operation 660, and may control the second switch 220 to connect one end of the first battery module group 201 to the second contactor 240 in operation 670. In addition, in operation 680, the battery control system 1 may determine the threshold for diagnosing the battery to be the second threshold. Here, the second threshold may be determined according to the ratio of the first battery module group 201 to the second battery module group 202. For example, when the number of battery modules included in the first battery module group 201 and the second battery module group 202 is the same, the battery control system 1 may determine the second threshold to be half of the first threshold (or half+a, where a is a margin value).

[0039] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a computing system that may implement battery management methods according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 7, a computing system 30 according to one embodiment disclosed in this document may include an MCU 32, a memory 34, an input / output I / F 36, and a communication I / F 38.

[0040] The MCU 32 may be a processor that executes various programs (e.g., a characteristic value calculation program, a class classification and life estimation program, etc.) stored in the memory 34, processes various data including the voltage, current, etc. of the battery cells via such programs, and performs the functions of the battery management device shown in FIG. 2 described above.

[0041] The memory 34 can store various programs related to calculation of characteristic values ​​of the battery cells, classification, and life estimation, as well as various data such as the voltage, current, and characteristic value data of each battery cell.

[0042] A plurality of such memories 34 may be provided as necessary. The memories 34 may be volatile memories or nonvolatile memories. The memory 34 as a volatile memory may be a RAM, a DRAM, an SRAM, or the like. The memory 34 as a nonvolatile memory may be a ROM, a PROM, an EAROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a flash memory, or the like. The examples of the memory 34 listed above are merely illustrative and are not limited to these examples.

[0043] The input / output I / F 36 can provide an interface that connects input devices (not shown) such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, and output devices such as a display (not shown), to the MCU 32 to transmit and receive data.

[0044] The communication I / F 340 is configured to be able to transmit and receive various data to and from a server, and may be any of various devices capable of supporting wired or wireless communication. For example, programs and various data for calculating characteristic values ​​of battery cells, classifying them, and estimating their life spans can be transmitted and received from a separately provided external server via the communication I / F 38.

[0045] In this manner, a computer program according to one embodiment disclosed in this document may be recorded in memory 34 and processed by MCU 32 to be realized, for example, as a module performing each function shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

[0046] Although it has been described above that all components constituting the embodiments disclosed in this document are combined or operate in combination, the embodiments disclosed in this document are not necessarily limited to such embodiments. In other words, within the scope of the purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document, all components may be selectively combined and operate in one or more combinations.

[0047] In addition, the terms "comprise", "constitute", or "have" described above mean that the relevant element can be contained, unless otherwise specified, and should be interpreted as meaning that other elements may be included, rather than excluding other elements. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document belong, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted as consistent with the contextual meaning of the relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly defined in this document.

[0048] The above description is merely an illustrative example of the technical ideas disclosed in this document, and a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the embodiments disclosed in this document belong can make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the embodiments disclosed in this document. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this document are intended to explain, not to limit, the technical ideas of the embodiments disclosed in this document, and such embodiments do not limit the scope of the technical ideas disclosed in this document. The scope of protection of the technical ideas disclosed in this document should be interpreted according to the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of this document.

Claims

1. A battery control system, comprising: a first battery module group; a second battery module group; a first switch configured to connect or disconnect one end of the second battery module group to a first contactor; a second switch configured to connect one end of the first battery module group to one end of the second battery module group or to a second contactor; a battery management system coupled to the first switch and the second switch; Including, The battery management system includes: Detecting events for structural transformation of the battery; Controlling the first switch and the second switch based on the detected event such that the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series between the first contactor and the second contactor, or in parallel between the first contactor and the second contactor; The battery control system is configured to adjust a threshold for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel.

2. The battery management system comprises: determining a threshold value for diagnosing the battery as a first threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series; 2. The battery control system of claim 1, wherein when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in parallel, a threshold for diagnosing the battery is set to a second threshold that is smaller than the first threshold.

3. The battery management system includes: determining a threshold value for diagnosing the battery as a first threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series; 2. The battery control system of claim 1, wherein when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in parallel, a threshold for diagnosing the battery is set to a second threshold that is half the first threshold.

4. The threshold for diagnosing the battery is 4. The battery control system of claim 3 including a value for determining overvoltage or overpower.

5. The battery management system further comprises: controlling the first switch so that one end of the second battery module group and the first contactor are in an open state; The battery control system of claim 1 , further comprising: a second switch configured to control a first end of the first battery module group to be connected to a first end of the second battery module group.

6. The battery management system further comprises: controlling the first switch so that one end of the second battery module group is connected to the first contactor; The battery control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second switch configured to control the second switch so that one end of the first battery module group is coupled to the second contactor.

7. The battery management system includes:

5. The battery control system of claim 1, configured to determine whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are in series or parallel based on at least one of a battery capacity or a position of the battery control system.

8. A method of operating a battery control system, comprising: detecting an event for a battery configuration transformation; controlling a first switch and a second switch based on the detected event such that a first battery module group and a second battery module group are connected in series between a first contactor and a second contactor, or in parallel between the first contactor and the second contactor; adjusting a threshold for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel; Including, the first switch is configured to connect or disconnect one end of the second battery module group to the first contactor; The second switch is configured to connect one end of the first battery module group to one end of the second battery module group or to the second contactor.

9. The operation of adjusting a threshold for diagnosis of the battery includes: determining a threshold value for diagnosing the battery to a first threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series; 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in parallel, determining a threshold for diagnosing the battery to a second threshold lower than the first threshold.

10. The operation of adjusting a threshold for diagnosis of the battery includes: determining a threshold value for diagnosing the battery to a first threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series; 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in parallel, determining a threshold for diagnosing the battery to a second threshold, which is half of the first threshold.

11. The threshold for diagnosing the battery is:

11. The method of claim 10 including a value for determining overvoltage or overpower.

12. The operation of controlling the first switch and the second switch includes:

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: controlling the first switch so that one end of the second battery module group and the first contactor are in an open state; and controlling the second switch so that one end of the first battery module group is connected to one end of the second battery module group, in order to connect the first battery module group and the second battery module group in series.

13. The operation of controlling the first switch and the second switch includes:

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: controlling the first switch so that one end of the second battery module group is connected to the first contactor; and controlling the second switch so that one end of the first battery module group is connected to the second contactor, in order to connect the first battery module group and the second battery module group in parallel.

14. The operation of detecting an event for a structural transformation of the battery includes:

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are in series or parallel based on at least one of a battery capacity or a position of the battery control system.

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