Judgment method, judgment device, maintenance support system, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a method for determination, a determination device, a maintenance support system, and a computer program.SOLUTION: The method for determination causes a computer to determine whether a plurality of power storage elements are guarantee targets according to whether measurement data regarding the power storage elements in a system is stored in a storage device on a regular basis. The computer determines whether each of the power storage elements is an exchange target on the basis of measurement data stored in the storage device in a case where the power storage elements are determined to be guarantee targets.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, a device, a maintenance support system, and a computer program for determining whether or not to replace an energy storage element, which realizes a long-term warranty for a system including the energy storage element. [Background technology]

[0002] Energy storage devices are widely used in uninterruptible power supplies, DC or AC power supplies included in stabilized power supplies, etc. The use of energy storage devices is also expanding in large-scale systems that store electricity generated by renewable energy or existing power generation systems.

[0003] Energy storage devices have a lifespan. Energy storage devices used for industrial purposes often have a lifespan of 10 years or more, and both manufacturers of energy storage devices and owners who purchase and operate them expect a long lifespan. However, the lifespan of secondary batteries such as lead-acid batteries or lithium batteries is greatly affected by environmental temperature, and they may be forced to be replaced before their expected lifespan is reached.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for appropriately determining the lifespan of an energy storage element, taking into consideration the temperature of the environment in which it is used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-070920 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] If data on the usage environment of the energy storage elements can be confirmed, the lifespan of the energy storage elements can be calculated with high accuracy. Even if the lifespan of each energy storage element can be calculated with high accuracy in a system in which many energy storage elements are connected and used, if each energy storage element is replaced each time it reaches the end of its lifespan, maintenance costs will be incurred for each replacement work and the workload of the maintenance staff will increase. Such maintenance is a heavy burden for the owner and requires a lot of human resources from the maintenance staff. It is desirable to guarantee that owners can use systems including energy storage elements for a long time with peace of mind based on high-accuracy calculations of the lifespan of the energy storage elements.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a determination method, a determination device, a maintenance support system, and a computer program. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The method of determination involves a computer determining whether or not the multiple storage elements included in the system are covered by warranty based on whether measurement data regarding the multiple storage elements is regularly stored in a memory device, and if the computer determines that the multiple storage elements are covered by warranty, it determines whether or not each of the multiple storage elements is eligible for replacement based on the measurement data stored in the memory device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] An overview of the maintenance support system is shown below. [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a device included in the maintenance support system. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a maintenance device. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure in the maintenance support device. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for determining whether each of the storage elements has reached the end of its life. [Figure 6] 10 shows an overview of replacing a storage element in one example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The judgment method involves determining whether measurement data regarding multiple storage elements included in the system is being periodically stored in a storage device, and if it is determined that the measurement data is being stored, determining, based on the acquired measurement data, whether each of the multiple storage elements will reach the end of its life within a period equivalent to the standard usage period at a specified temperature, and determining that storage elements determined to have reached the end of their life require replacement.

[0011] Measurement data is stored periodically, and a decision on whether replacement is necessary is made on the condition that the measurement data can be obtained. The decision to replace is made not only for storage elements that have already reached the end of their lifespan at the time of the decision, but also for storage elements that will reach the end of their lifespan within a usage period beyond the time of the decision. Storage elements that are expected to require replacement with a high probability can be replaced together with other storage elements, even if they still have lifespan remaining, thereby reducing the number of replacement work required. Owners can reduce the construction costs required for each storage element replacement work. Because this decision method, which is beneficial to owners, is conditional on the ability to obtain measurement data, manufacturers can avoid the risk of providing a warranty for storage elements whose usage environment is unknown, enabling long-term warranties to be made.

[0012] It may be determined whether the number of storage elements determined to have reached the end of their life is equal to or greater than a predetermined percentage of the number of all storage elements included in the system. If it is determined that the percentage is less than the predetermined percentage, it may be determined that the storage elements determined to have reached the end of their life need to be replaced, and if it is determined that the percentage is equal to or greater than the predetermined percentage, it may be determined that all storage elements included in the system need to be replaced.

[0013] The above configuration allows for the use of energy storage elements with similar electrical characteristics in a balanced manner. This allows the overall system performance to be maintained for a longer period than if energy storage elements nearing the end of their life were mixed with new energy storage elements. Proper determination of replacement timing allows for a long-term warranty.

[0014] The storage element is, for example, a lead-acid battery. In the case of a lead-acid battery, the internal resistance value included in the measurement data is used to determine whether the storage element has reached the end of its life based on accumulated data regarding changes in the internal resistance value over the period of use of the lead-acid battery at a predetermined temperature.

[0015] For example, for lead-acid batteries with a long lifespan of over 10 years, the lifespan can be accurately estimated by using accumulated data on the changes in internal resistance over the period of use at a specified temperature. By appropriately determining the timing of replacement, it is possible to guarantee a long period of time while maintaining system performance.

[0016] The determination may be made based on an estimated usage period of the lead-acid battery up to the time when the measurement data was acquired. The usage period may be derived by converting an internal resistance value included in the measurement data into an internal resistance value at the predetermined temperature. Alternatively, the usage period may be derived based on temperature data included in the measurement data by converting a change in the internal resistance value of the lead-acid battery at the predetermined temperature during its usage period into a change in the internal resistance value in the temperature data.

[0017] The usage period is estimated based on the period in the transition of the internal resistance value that corresponds to the internal resistance value measured at the temperature of the usage environment and corrected to the internal resistance value at a predetermined temperature. The transition of the internal resistance value for the usage period at a predetermined temperature that has been stored in advance may be converted to the transition when the target storage element is used at the average temperature in the usage environment. The usage period is estimated based on the period in the transition after the conversion that the internal resistance value included in the measurement data corresponds to. Either method can accurately determine whether the storage element has reached the end of its life.

[0018] The judgment device includes a first judgment unit that judges whether measurement data regarding a plurality of storage elements included in the system is periodically stored in a memory device, a second judgment unit that, if it is judged that the measurement data is stored, judges, based on the acquired measurement data, whether each of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of its life within a period corresponding to a standard usage period at a predetermined temperature, and a third judgment unit that judges that a storage element that is judged to have reached the end of its life needs to be replaced.

[0019] The determination method may be applied to a maintenance support system. The maintenance support system includes a storage device that periodically acquires and sequentially stores measurement data related to energy storage elements included in the system, a maintenance terminal device used by a maintenance technician for the energy storage elements, and a maintenance support device that can be connected for communication from the maintenance terminal device. In the maintenance support system, the maintenance support device determines whether measurement data related to a plurality of energy storage elements included in the system is periodically stored in the storage device. If it is determined that measurement data is stored, the maintenance support device determines, based on the acquired measurement data, whether each of the plurality of energy storage elements will reach the end of its life within a period corresponding to a standard usage period at a predetermined temperature, determines that a storage element determined to have reached the end of its life requires replacement, and notifies the maintenance terminal device of the determination result.

[0020] With the above configuration, maintenance personnel can recognize on the maintenance terminal device the storage elements that need to be replaced as soon as possible and the storage elements that are expected to need to be replaced with a high probability (the storage elements that require replacement work).

[0021] The above-described determination method may be realized as a computer program. The computer program causes a computer to execute a process for determining whether measurement data for a plurality of energy storage elements included in a system is periodically stored in a storage device. If it is determined that the measurement data is stored, the computer program causes the computer to execute a process for determining, based on the acquired measurement data, whether each of the plurality of energy storage elements will reach the end of its life within a period corresponding to a standard usage period at a predetermined temperature, and for determining that an energy storage element determined to have reached the end of its life needs replacement.

[0022] The present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows an overview of a maintenance support system 100. The maintenance support system 100 includes a maintenance support device 1 and a maintenance terminal device 2 used by a maintenance technician. The maintenance support system 100 is communicatively connected to a remote monitoring system 300 that collects data indicating the status of an energy storage element 50 to be maintained and enables remote viewing of the status based on the data collected via a network. The maintenance support system 100 is communicatively connected to a customer data management system 400 that stores data on customers who purchased the energy storage element to be maintained. In this embodiment, the maintenance support system 100, the remote monitoring system 300, and the customer data management system 400 are managed by the manufacturer of the energy storage element 50 to be maintained and are communicatively connected to each other via a network MN for the manufacturer or a dedicated line. The maintenance support system 100 may also be communicatively connected to a manufacturing management system (not shown) for the energy storage element 50.

[0024] The network MN is a local network for a manufacturer. The network MN may be, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) or an optical fiber line. The network MN may include a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to connect the systems 100, 300, and 400 in different locations as a local network. The lines between the maintenance support system 100 and the remote monitoring system 300 and between the maintenance support system 100 and the customer data management system 400 may be part of the network MN, or may be dedicated lines or VPNs.

[0025] The maintenance terminal device 2 and the maintenance support device 1 can be connected to each other through a communication network N or a network MN. The communication network N is the so-called Internet. The communication network N may include a carrier network that realizes wireless communication according to a predetermined mobile communication standard. The communication network N may also include a general optical line.

[0026] The energy storage elements 50 to be maintained by the maintenance support system 100 are preferably rechargeable, such as secondary batteries including lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries, or capacitors. Some of the energy storage elements 50 may be non-rechargeable primary batteries. In this embodiment, the energy storage elements 50 are each lead-acid batteries.

[0027] The energy storage device 5 of this embodiment includes a plurality of energy storage elements 50. In one example, the energy storage device 5 is used alone. The energy storage device 5 is used as a backup power source. In another example, the energy storage device 5 is used as a group of energy storage devices 5 that are communicatively connected to a customer network CN managed by a customer (user) of the energy storage elements 50. The group of energy storage devices 5 managed by the same customer transmits status data of the energy storage elements 50 to a management device 51 managed by the customer via the customer network CN. The status data includes at least a voltage value, an internal resistance value, and a temperature. The status data may also include a current value. The status data is transmitted from a unit connected to the terminals of the energy storage elements 50, which are lead-acid batteries, via maintenance communication equipment 6. The status data may also be transmitted from the maintenance communication equipment 6 to the maintenance terminal device 2. The status data transmitted from the plurality of energy storage devices 5 is transmitted to the remote monitoring system 300 via a dedicated line N2 or the communication network N, and a status history is stored in association with identification data, such as a serial number, that identifies each energy storage element 50.

[0028] The power storage device 5 is provided with a maintenance communication device 6 that can exchange data with the maintenance terminal device 2 used by a maintenance technician without going through the network CN. The maintenance communication device 6 can be communicatively connected to a unit that acquires status data for each of the storage elements 50 of the power storage device 5. In this embodiment, the maintenance communication device 6 can be communicatively connected via wireless communication to a unit connected to the terminals of the lead-acid battery. The maintenance communication device 6 stores, in a built-in memory, status data that is the same as the status data transmitted from the power storage device 5 to the management device 51.

[0029] The network CN is a local network of a customer that operates multiple power storage devices 5. The network CN is, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark), and may be an optical fiber line. The network CN may include a VPN. The network CN may be an ECHONET (registered trademark) / ECHONETLite (registered trademark) compatible network. The dedicated line N2 is a private network that connects the customer of the power storage device 5 with the remote monitoring system 300. The dedicated line N2 may be a communication network N. The dedicated line N2 may be an ECHONET / ECHONETLite compatible dedicated network.

[0030] The customer data management system 400 stores attribute data such as the customer's name or title, customer contact information, address, etc., in association with the customer ID. When a customer installs and manages multiple power storage devices 5 at different locations, the customer data management system 400 stores the locations in association with a location ID that identifies the location. The customer data management system 400 stores identification data of the power storage elements 50 purchased by the customer in association with the customer ID. When a customer installs and manages multiple power storage devices 5 at different locations, the customer data management system 400 stores identification data of the installed power storage elements 50 in association with the customer ID and location ID.

[0031] The remote monitoring system 300 sequentially stores the status data of the energy storage element 50 in association with the identification data of the energy storage element 50. The remote monitoring system 300 acquires and stores the operation start date in association with the identification data of the energy storage element 50, and stores the manufacturing date that can be acquired from the manufacturing management system. The remote monitoring system 300 may derive diagnostic data for each energy storage element 50, including the SOC (State Of Charge), SOH (State Of Health), and predicted lifespan, etc., based on the status data.

[0032] The manufacturing management system (not shown) stores the manufacturing date, lot number, and shipping date and time in association with identification data such as the manufacturing number of each of the energy storage elements 50 (that is, lead-acid batteries).

[0033] The maintenance support system 100 of this embodiment calculates the end of life of each of the storage elements 50 included in the energy storage device 5, determines whether replacement of the storage elements 50 is necessary, and notifies a maintenance technician if necessary, provided that status data can be continuously acquired during the operation of the storage elements 50. The maintenance support system 100 determines whether replacement is necessary for each cell, while also taking into account the end of life of the entire target energy storage device 5. This makes it possible to minimize the number of replacement operations while ensuring the performance of the energy storage device 5 as a backup power source.

[0034] A detailed configuration for realizing such a maintenance support system 100 for the energy storage elements 50 will be described.

[0035] 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the devices included in the maintenance support system 100. The maintenance support device 1 uses a server computer and includes a control unit 10, a storage unit 11, and a communication unit 12. In this embodiment, the maintenance support device 1 is described as being one server computer, but processing may be distributed among multiple server computers.

[0036] The control unit 10 is a processor that uses a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The control unit 10 controls each component unit and executes processing using built-in memories such as ROM and RAM. The control unit 10 executes processing based on a maintenance support program 1P stored in the storage unit 21. The maintenance support program 1P includes a web server program. The control unit 10 functions as a web server that provides web pages to the maintenance terminal device 2 based on the maintenance support program 1P.

[0037] The storage unit 11 is a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 11 stores the maintenance support program 1P described above. The maintenance support program 1P stored in the storage unit 11 may be a maintenance support program 7P stored in the recording medium 7 that is read by the control unit 10 and copied to the storage unit 11. The storage unit 11 stores data that the control unit 10 references when calculating the end of life and determining whether replacement is necessary. The storage unit 11 stores staff data including staff IDs of maintenance staff. The staff data includes contact information such as the staff name and email address associated with the staff ID.

[0038] The communication unit 12 is a communication device that realizes communication connection and data transmission / reception via the network MN. Specifically, the communication unit 12 is a network card compatible with the network MN. The communication unit 12 may realize communication via the communication network N via a router device (not shown) connected to the network MN. The control unit 10 transmits and receives data between the remote monitoring system 300 and the customer data management system 400 via the communication unit 12.

[0039] The maintenance terminal device 2 is a computer used by a maintenance technician. The maintenance terminal device 2 may be a desktop or laptop personal computer. The maintenance terminal device 2 may be a so-called smartphone or tablet communication terminal. The maintenance terminal device 2 may be a head mounted display capable of outputting visual instructions, or a glasses-type wearable terminal device. The maintenance terminal device 2 includes a control unit 20, a storage unit 21, a first communication unit 22, a second communication unit 23, a display unit 24, and an operation unit 25. The maintenance terminal device 2 may also include an imaging unit 26 as shown in the figure.

[0040] The control unit 20 is a processor that uses a CPU or a GPU. The control unit 20 displays a repair procedure on the display unit 24 based on a maintenance terminal program 2P stored in the storage unit 21. The control unit 20 reads status data from the maintenance communication device 6 and performs information processing with the maintenance support device 1.

[0041] The storage unit 21 is a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage unit 21 stores various programs including a maintenance terminal program 2P. The maintenance terminal program 2P may be a maintenance terminal program 8P stored in the recording medium 8 that is read by the control unit 20 and copied to the storage unit 21.

[0042] The first communication unit 22 is a communication device for realizing data communication via the communication network N or the network MN. The first communication unit 22 uses a communication device such as a network card for wired communication, a wireless communication device for mobile communication connecting to a base station BS (see FIG. 1), or a wireless communication device compatible with connection to an access point AP.

[0043] The second communication unit 23 is a communication device for establishing a communication connection with the maintenance communication equipment 6 to realize data communication. The second communication unit 23 may be a wireless communication device such as Wifi or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The second communication unit 23 may also be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

[0044] The display unit 24 uses a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The display unit 24 displays an operation screen based on the maintenance terminal program 2P of the control unit 20 and images of web pages provided by the maintenance support device 1. The display unit 24 is preferably a display with a built-in touch panel, but may also be a display without a built-in touch panel.

[0045] The operation unit 25 is a user interface such as a keyboard and pointing device, or a voice input unit, which is capable of inputting and outputting data to and from the control unit 20. The operation unit 25 may be a touch panel of the display unit 24, or physical buttons provided on the housing. The operation unit 25 notifies the control unit 20 of operation information by the user.

[0046] The imaging unit 26 outputs an image captured using an imaging element. The control unit 20 can acquire the image captured by the imaging element of the imaging unit 26 at any timing.

[0047] 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the maintenance communication device 6. The maintenance communication device 6 includes a control unit 60, a storage unit 61, a first communication unit 62, a second communication unit 63, and a third communication unit 64. The control unit 60 uses a CPU or a microprocessor. A predetermined program is stored in the storage unit 61.

[0048] The storage unit 61 is a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 61 stores the status data received from the energy storage element 50.

[0049] The first communication unit 62 is a communication device that establishes a communication connection with a unit connected to the energy storage element 50. In the present embodiment, the first communication unit 62 establishes a communication connection with the unit of the energy storage element via wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0050] The second communication unit 63 is a communication device that realizes communication connection via the network CN. The maintenance communication equipment 6 can transmit status data received from the energy storage element 50 to the management device 51 via the second communication unit 63. If the energy storage element 50 is equipped with a battery management device having a communication function, the second communication unit 63 is not necessary.

[0051] The third communication unit 64 is a communication device that realizes a communication connection between the maintenance communication equipment 6 and the maintenance terminal device 2. In this embodiment, the third communication unit 64 is a USB interface. The third communication unit 64 may be a wireless communication device different from the first communication unit 62.

[0052] Based on the program, the control unit 60 of the maintenance communication equipment 6 periodically acquires status data from the energy storage elements 50 using the first communication unit 62 and stores the acquired status data in the memory unit 61. The storage period is, for example, approximately once a day. The control unit 60 associates the acquired date and time with the status data and stores it in the memory unit 61. The control unit 60 sequentially transmits the acquired status data from the second communication unit 63 to the management device 51. Based on the program, when the control unit 60 is connected for communication with the maintenance terminal device 2 using the third communication unit 64, the control unit 60 reads the status data from the memory unit 61 in response to an instruction from the maintenance terminal device 2 and transmits the data from the third communication unit 64.

[0053] When performing periodic maintenance and inspection, the maintenance terminal device 2 carried by the maintenance technician acquires status data stored in the maintenance communication equipment 6 and transmits the acquired status data to the maintenance support device 1 via the network MN or the communication network N. The transmitted status data may include an external image of the energy storage element 50 captured by the imaging unit 26 of the maintenance terminal device 2 during the maintenance and inspection. The status data is aggregated in the remote monitoring system 300. In this way, status data that is not transmitted to the remote monitoring system 300 via the customer's network CN can also be aggregated in the remote monitoring system 300.

[0054] In the maintenance support system 100 of this embodiment, the timing of replacement is determined using status data acquired by the maintenance support device 1 directly from the maintenance communication equipment 6 or status data acquired from the remote monitoring system 300. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in the maintenance support device 1. The control unit 10 of the maintenance support device 1 performs the processing procedure of FIG. 4 approximately once or twice a year for each assembled battery to which multiple energy storage elements 50 delivered around the same time are connected, for example, for each energy storage device 5. The control unit 10 may also collectively process a group of energy storage elements 50 that were delivered in large quantities to the same customer around the same time and are operated in different locations.

[0055] The control unit 10 acquires status data for a battery pack including a target energy storage element 50, measured once a day during a target period from the time when the previous processing of the energy storage element 50 was performed to the most recent time (step S1). The control unit 10 may acquire the status data from the maintenance communication device 6 as described above, or may acquire the status data from the remote monitoring system 300. In the example of FIG. 4, the control unit 10 acquires status data for about one year or six months. The control unit 10 selects identification data for one of the lead-acid batteries (energy storage element 50) (step S2).

[0056] The control unit 10 performs a process of determining whether the storage element 50 identified by the selected identification data will reach the end of its life within the period covered by the warranty, based on the status data for the period (step S3). The determination in step S3 corresponds to the "second determination unit." Details of the determination process will be described later.

[0057] If it is determined that the storage element 50 has reached the end of its life (S3: YES), the control unit 10 stores the storage element 50 with the selected identification data as a replacement target even if it has not yet reached the end of its life (step S4), and proceeds to the next step S5.

[0058] If it is determined that the life has not yet expired (S3: NO), the control unit 10 advances the process to the next step S5.

[0059] The control unit 10 determines whether the determination process has been performed for all of the storage elements 50 included in the target battery pack (step S5). If it is determined that the process has not been performed for all of the storage elements 50 (S5: NO), the control unit 10 returns the process to step S2.

[0060] If it is determined that the process has been performed for all of the energy storage elements 50 (S5: YES), the control unit 10 determines whether the target battery pack is covered by the warranty (step S6).

[0061] The determination in step S6 as to whether or not the battery is covered by the warranty includes determining whether status data for the covered period is stored in the maintenance communication device 6 or the remote monitoring system 300 and whether this data can be acquired. The determination in step S6 corresponds to the "first determination unit." The determination as to whether or not the battery is covered by the warranty includes determining whether or not it can be confirmed from the customer data management system 400 that a warranty deposit has been paid for the battery pack in question. Other conditions may be set for determining whether or not the battery is covered by the warranty. For example, if the temperature included in the acquired status data is a temperature (e.g., 40°C) that can be determined to be an environment in which the warranty cannot be guaranteed, the battery may be determined not to be covered by the warranty.

[0062] If it is determined that the battery is covered by the warranty (S6: YES), the control unit 10 determines whether the ratio of the number of energy storage elements 50 determined to have reached the end of their life in step S4 to the total number of energy storage elements 50 included in the battery pack is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio (step S7). The determination in step S7 corresponds to the "third determination unit."

[0063] If it is determined that the ratio is not equal to or greater than the predetermined ratio (S7: NO), the control unit 10 determines that the storage element 50 stored as the replacement target needs to be replaced, and stores the determined storage element 50 together with identification data for identifying the storage element 50 (step S8). The control unit 10 proceeds to the next step S10.

[0064] If it is determined in step S7 that the ratio is equal to or greater than the predetermined ratio (S7: YES), the control unit 10 determines that all of the storage elements 50 in the target battery pack (storage device 5) need to be replaced, and stores the complete replacement (step S9).

[0065] The control unit 10 determines from the customer data management system 400 whether the replacement work is within the warranty period from the delivery date and is the first time (step S10), and if it is within the warranty period and is the first time, calculates the replacement estimate amount as free of charge (step S11).

[0066] If it is determined in step S11 that the replacement work is not within the warranty period or is not the first time (S10: NO), the control unit 10 calculates an estimated replacement cost as a paid replacement (step S12).

[0067] The control unit 10 sends a replacement notification for the storage element 50 stored as the replacement target to the owner of the battery pack (storage device 5) and the responsible maintenance person, along with the calculated replacement estimate (step S13), and then ends the processing.

[0068] If it is determined in step S6 that the battery pack is not covered by the warranty (S6: NO), the control unit 10 may end the process as is, or may end the process after notifying the maintenance person to replace the energy storage elements 50 that have been determined to have reached the end of their life.

[0069] As a result, for a battery pack that has been guaranteed after a deposit has been paid, the energy storage elements 50 that are determined to have reached the end of their lifespan are replaced all at once during the warranty period. This type of replacement can reduce construction costs compared to replacing each energy storage element 50 each time it reaches the end of its lifespan.

[0070] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure for determining whether each of the energy storage elements 50 has reached the end of its life. Fig. 5 corresponds to the details of step S3 in the processing procedure shown in Fig. 4, and shows an example of the determination processing for a lead-acid battery (energy storage element 50). When the energy storage element 50 is an energy storage element other than a lead-acid battery, the maintenance support device 1 may use a determination processing for each type of energy storage element.

[0071] The control unit 10 acquires temperature data for a target period from the acquired state data of the energy storage element 50 (step S301), and calculates the average temperature (step S302). The control unit 10 calculates an acceleration coefficient k of the life based on the average temperature (step S303). The control unit 10 calculates the acceleration coefficient k as k=2x (2 to the xth power), x=(average temperature-predetermined temperature) / 10. The predetermined temperature is, for example, 25°C, and when the average temperature is less than 25°C, that is, when x is a negative value, the acceleration coefficient k is always set to k=1.

[0072] The control unit 10 calculates the warranty period Y (=10 / k) (step S304). As an example, the warranty period is set to 10 years when the predetermined temperature is 25°C.

[0073] The control unit 10 calculates the internal resistance value R1 at a predetermined temperature (for example, 25° C.) from the most recent internal resistance value during the target period among the acquired state data of the energy storage element 50 (step S305).

[0074] Based on the calculated internal resistance value R1, the control unit 10 derives the usage period t1 when used at a predetermined temperature from the relationship of the change in the internal resistance value versus the usage period in the pre-stored data (step S306).

[0075] The control unit 10 calculates the remaining period t3 until the end of the life by subtracting the usage period t1 calculated in step S306 from the expected life t2 at the predetermined temperature of the target energy storage element 50 (step S307). The control unit 10 corrects the calculated remaining period t3 by the average temperature calculated in step S302 (step S308).

[0076] The control unit 10 calculates the lifetime t5 (step S309). The control unit 10 calculates the lifetime t5 by adding the remaining period t4 (= t3 / k) obtained by the correction to the number of days from the manufacturing date to the most recent status data measurement date corrected by the average temperature calculated in step S302. The control unit 10 obtains the manufacturing date from the production management system of the energy storage element 50 or the customer data management system 400.

[0077] The control unit 10 determines whether the lifespan t5 calculated in step S309 is equal to or shorter than the warranty period Y (step S310). If it is determined that the lifespan is equal to or shorter than the warranty period Y (S310: YES), the control unit 10 determines that the target energy storage element 50 needs to be replaced within the warranty period (step S311), and returns the process to step S4 in FIG.

[0078] If it is determined that the life t5 exceeds the guaranteed number of years Y (S310: NO), the control unit 10 determines that replacement is not necessary (step S312), and returns the process to step S4 in FIG.

[0079] As described above, the procedure for determining whether replacement is necessary shown in Fig. 5 is an example of a procedure for determining whether a lead-acid battery is used. If energy storage element 50 is an energy storage element other than a lead-acid battery, a different procedure is used to determine whether replacement is necessary within the warranty period.

[0080] As an example, the procedures shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be specifically described for the power storage device 5 of lead-acid batteries including 60 power storage elements 50 with an expected life t2 of 13 years.

[0081] 5, if the average temperature acquired for the selected energy storage element 50 in step S301 is 25°C, this is equal to the predetermined temperature of 25°C, and therefore the control unit 10 calculates the acceleration coefficient k to be "1" (S303). In step S304, the control unit 10 calculates the number of years of warranty Y as Y=10 years when k=1. If the control unit 10 calculates in step S306 that the usage period t1 is t1=9 years, then in step S307 the control unit 10 calculates the remaining life t3 to be 4 years (t3=t2-t1=13-9). At this time, the control unit 10 calculates the remaining life t3 based on the internal resistance value R1 at the predetermined temperature of 25°C, which is corrected from the internal resistance value in the status data of the selected energy storage element 50. If the period from the manufacturing date to the measurement date is 5 years, the control unit 10 calculates the lifespan t5 to be 9 years in step S309 (t5 = (5 / k) + (4 / k) = (5 / 1) + (4 / 1)). When k = 1, the warranty period is calculated to be 10 years (S303). In this case, the lifespan t5 of 9 years is less than the warranty period Y of 10 years, so the control unit 10 determines that the battery should be replaced within the warranty period (S311). If the control unit 10 calculates the usage period t1 to be 10 years based on the internal resistance value R, the control unit 10 calculates the remaining lifespan t3 to be 3 years and the lifespan t5 to be 8 years.

[0082] In the description with reference to FIG. 5 , in step S305, the control unit 10 calculates the internal resistance value at a predetermined temperature from the internal resistance value of the energy storage element 50 and applies it to the change in internal resistance value over the usage period in the pre-stored data to estimate the usage period. The method for estimating the usage period is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 10 may conversely convert the change in internal resistance value over the usage period at a predetermined temperature, which has been pre-stored, into a change in internal resistance value when the target energy storage element 50 is used at an average temperature in its usage environment. The control unit 10 may apply the internal resistance value of the target energy storage element 50 to the converted change and determine which period corresponds to estimate the usage period. The control unit 10 may also convert the stored internal resistance value into the internal resistance value at the temperature at which the internal resistance of the energy storage element 50 was measured and apply it to the calculated value. While the change in internal resistance is small, the control unit 10 may calculate the usage period by correcting the period from the date of manufacture to the date of measurement based on the average temperature.

[0083] FIG. 6 shows an overview of the replacement of the energy storage elements 50 in the above-described example. As shown in FIG. 6, if the warranty period Y calculated from the status data acquired in the fifth year is 10 years, the lifespan t5 is calculated as 6, 8, and 9 years, and three energy storage elements 50 with remaining lifespans of 1 to 4 years are determined to need replacement. In this case, since it is determined that the number of energy storage elements 50 determined to need replacement is less than the predetermined percentage of 10% (S7: NO), in the maintenance support system 100 of this embodiment, the maintenance support device 1 notifies the replacement of the three energy storage elements 50 determined to need replacement. As a result, instead of three replacement works for the three energy storage elements 50 in the sixth, eighth, and ninth years, only one replacement work is required. Even if all of the energy storage elements 50 need to be replaced in the thirteenth year, the number of replacement works is reduced, and the replacement is covered by the warranty period Y, allowing the customer to reduce maintenance costs.

[0084] Manufacturers of energy storage elements 50 also qualify for warranty coverage, including free replacement, if certain conditions are met, including the ability to obtain regularly measured status data. This eliminates the risk of warranting cases where the energy storage elements 50 are used at abnormal temperatures. If the number of energy storage elements 50 reaching their end of life within the warranty period corresponding to the usage environment is equal to or greater than a predetermined percentage of the battery pack, a decision is made to replace all of the energy storage elements 50. If the number is less than the predetermined percentage, a decision is made to replace them with new batteries. This makes it possible to maintain the performance of the entire energy storage device 5 for a warranty period exceeding 10 years using energy storage elements 50 with equivalent electrical characteristics. In this way, the maintenance support device 1's determination process allows users of the energy storage device 5 and manufacturers of the energy storage elements 50 to mutually share the appropriate warranty money and free replacement costs, enabling a long-term warranty on the energy storage elements 50.

[0085] The embodiments disclosed above are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 100 Maintenance Support System 1 Maintenance support equipment 10 Control Unit 11 Storage section 1P Maintenance Support Program 2 Maintenance terminal equipment 20 Control Unit 21 Memory section 2P maintenance terminal program 300 Remote Monitoring System 400 Customer Data Management System 6 Maintenance communication equipment

Claims

1. a computer determines whether or not the plurality of storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether or not measurement data relating to the plurality of storage elements is periodically stored in a storage device; When it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, the computer determines, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device, whether or not it can be determined that a predetermined percentage or more of the storage elements will reach the end of their life within the warranty period; If it is determined that a predetermined percentage or more of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespan within the warranty period, it is determined that all of the plurality of storage elements will be replaced. Judgment method.

2. A computer determines whether a plurality of storage elements included in a system are covered by a warranty based on whether measurement data on the plurality of storage elements is periodically stored in a storage device; When the computer determines that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, the computer determines whether or not a predetermined percentage or more of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within the warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; If it is determined that less than a predetermined percentage of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespan within the warranty period, it is determined that some of the storage elements determined to have reached the end of their lifespan will be replaced. Judgment method.

3. The computer notifies the terminal device of an exchange notification including the result of determining the exchange target. The determination method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The exchange notice includes the calculation result of the exchange estimate amount. The determination method according to claim 3 .

5. A first determination unit that determines whether or not a plurality of storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether or not measurement data regarding the plurality of storage elements is periodically stored in a storage device; a second determination unit that, when it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, determines whether or not a predetermined percentage or more of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within a warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; a decision unit that decides to replace all of the plurality of storage elements when it is determined that a predetermined percentage or more of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespans within a warranty period; A determination device comprising:

6. a first determination unit that determines whether or not a plurality of storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether or not measurement data relating to the plurality of storage elements is periodically stored in a storage device; a second determination unit that, when it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, determines whether a predetermined percentage or more of the storage elements among the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within a warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; a decision unit that decides to replace some of the storage elements that have been determined to have reached their end of life, when it is determined that less than a predetermined percentage of the plurality of storage elements will reach their end of life within a warranty period; A determination device comprising:

7. The system includes a storage device that periodically acquires and sequentially stores measurement data related to the energy storage elements included in the system, a maintenance terminal device used by a person in charge of maintaining the energy storage elements, and a maintenance support device that can be connected to the maintenance terminal device for communication, The maintenance support device includes: determining whether the plurality of energy storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether measurement data relating to the plurality of energy storage elements is periodically stored in the storage device; If it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, it is determined whether or not a predetermined percentage or more of the storage elements among the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within the warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; If it is determined that a predetermined percentage or more of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespan within the warranty period, it is determined that all of the plurality of storage elements will be replaced. Maintenance support system.

8. A system including a storage device that periodically acquires and sequentially stores measurement data relating to storage elements included in the system, a maintenance terminal device used by a person in charge of maintaining the storage elements, and a maintenance support device that can be connected to and communicated with from the maintenance terminal device, The maintenance support device includes: determining whether the plurality of energy storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether measurement data relating to the plurality of energy storage elements is periodically stored in the storage device; If it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, it is determined whether or not a predetermined percentage or more of the storage elements among the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within the warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; If it is determined that less than a predetermined percentage of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespan within the warranty period, it is determined that some of the storage elements determined to have reached the end of their lifespan will be replaced. Maintenance support system.

9. On the computer, determining whether or not the plurality of storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether or not measurement data relating to the plurality of storage elements is periodically stored in a storage device; If it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, it is determined whether or not a predetermined percentage or more of the storage elements among the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within the warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; If it is determined that a predetermined percentage or more of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespan within the warranty period, it is determined that all of the plurality of storage elements will be replaced. A computer program that executes a process.

10. A computer comprising: determining whether or not the plurality of storage elements included in the system are covered by the warranty based on whether or not measurement data relating to the plurality of storage elements is periodically stored in a storage device; If it is determined that the storage elements are covered by the warranty, it is determined whether or not a predetermined percentage or more of the storage elements among the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their life within the warranty period, based on the measurement data stored in the storage device; If it is determined that less than a predetermined percentage of the plurality of storage elements will reach the end of their lifespan within the warranty period, it is determined that some of the storage elements determined to have reached the end of their lifespan will be replaced. A computer program that executes a process.

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