BATTERY DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING BATTERIES AND METHOD FOR DISCHARGING A PLURALITY OF BATTERIES
Patent Information
- Application Number
- MX2023000067
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2020-07-13
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-25
- Estimated Expiration
- 2041-07-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for discharging rechargeable batteries before recycling face challenges such as the need for multiple loads, high electrical currents, and difficulty in ensuring uniform charge states, leading to inefficiencies and safety risks.
A battery discharge device with a discharge circuit, short-circuit switches, voltmeters, and a control unit that automatically connects batteries in series based on voltage levels, bypassing those below a minimum threshold, allowing for safe and efficient discharge without requiring extensive knowledge of battery states.
Enables safe, efficient, and automated discharge of batteries, reducing the need for multiple loads and allowing for the reuse of stored energy, while minimizing safety risks and operator intervention.
Smart Images
Figure MX431407B0
Abstract
Description
BATTERY DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING BATTERIES AND METHOD FOR DISCHARGING A PLURALITY OF BATTERIES Field of Invention The invention relates to a battery discharge device for discharging batteries, with a) a first battery connection for connecting a first battery, b) a second battery connection for connecting a second battery, c) at least a third battery connection for connecting a third battery and d) a load connection for a load to conduct electrical power when discharging the batteries. Background of the Invention Batteries, which in a preferred configuration are lithium batteries, are often discharged before recycling. This has the advantage of reducing or eliminating chemical reactions during recycling. During discharge, it is necessary to ensure that the battery is not damaged. Batteries are generally installed in battery modules. Such a battery module typically comprises a plurality of galvanic cells, which can be joined together into subunits. A battery module for an electric vehicle, for example, usually has a Ó / UUUUO l Ref. 341630 contains a large number of galvanic cells. These may have different states of charge and different states of wear. To avoid catastrophic failure of one or more galvanic cells in the battery, it is extremely advantageous to avoid deep discharge of the battery. During operation, a battery module typically charges and discharges via a battery management system to prevent deep discharge. However, if a battery module is faulty, the battery management system is usually inaccessible. Furthermore, the charge status of individual batteries is often unclear. Therefore, to facilitate recycling, the batteries are individually discharged. It is common practice to connect individual batteries to a load, so that the remaining energy in the battery is dissipated through the load. This has the disadvantage of requiring a large number of loads, such as resistors, to be readily available. To avoid this, it is possible to connect several batteries in parallel. This leads to high electrical currents so that the discharge time is not too long. The prerequisite for such MA / a / 4U4 Ó / UUUUO The approach is that the load states do not differ too much from each other, for example, the load states should only differ from each other by a maximum of 10%. It is also known to connect batteries in series and discharge them together. However, this is only possible if the state of charge of the individual batteries differs very little from one another, ideally by less than 1%. In practice, however, this can only be guaranteed at considerable expense, as it requires determining the states of charge. To avoid the aforementioned problems, it was also proposed to remove the electrolyte prior to subsequent recycling to prevent packaging. It is also known to freeze batteries with liquid nitrogen and then crush them in this state, since a chemical reaction is not possible in a frozen state. These processes require a comparatively large amount of energy. Document JP 2019-071701 discloses a method for discharging old batteries, which carries out the discharge treatment of a plurality of waste unit cells. In this case, a resistor in the main circuit is connected in series between an anode at one end and a cathode at the other end of the plurality of waste unit cells connected in series, and between the anode and cathode of each of the The waste unit cells are connected in series with auxiliary circuit resistors and auxiliary circuits. The method comprises a standard time discharge step and a discharge step during a polarity reversal of the accumulators, in which the cells not in a polarity reversal state are continuously discharged. For this purpose, the auxiliary switches connected to the waste unit cells are closed when the polarity is reversed. This prevents cell packing, as they do not enter the polarity reversal state. Document DE 10 2014 207 239 Al describes a method for waste disposal from an energy storage device with several electrochemical cells, which uses an energy storage balance control device for targeted deep discharge of the energy storage device. The deep discharge process is initiated externally. The energy stored in the galvanic cells is transformed into heat by the internal resistance of the cells. Document DE 10 2013108 023 Al deals with a system for increasing the safety of batteries installed in electric vehicles. In the event of an accident, the battery cells are discharged in a specific manner using a cell balancing circuit. The content Ó / UUUUO l of the energy from the batteries is converted into heat. Document DE 10 2016 206 919 Al deals with balancing the charge states of cells. For this purpose, pairs of cells are interconnected by means of an external balancing circuit to generate an external balancing current between the cell pairs. According to document DE 10 2016 224 002 Al, it is known to discharge a battery module by proceeding in such a way that the battery cells of the battery module to be discharged are successively coupled electrically in a selective manner with a discharge device by means of a cell connection unit starting from a predetermined battery cell, in order to electrically discharge the battery cells individually one after the other to discharge the battery module. Brief Description of the Invention The invention aims to improve the discharge of accumulators, particularly in the context of a waste disposal process. The invention solves the problem by means of a generic battery discharge device comprising (e) a discharge circuit, (i) a first short-circuit switch, (ii) a first voltmeter, which is arranged to measure a first battery voltage, which decreases via the first battery connection, (iii) a second short-circuit switch, (iv) a second voltmeter, which is arranged to measure a second battery voltage, which decreases via the second battery connection, (v) a third short-circuit switch, (vi) a third voltmeter, which is arranged to measure a third battery voltage, which decreases via the third battery connection, and (ii) a control unit, wherein (f) the control unit is configured for the automatic execution of a method with the steps: (i) for all voltmeters to detect the respective battery voltage,(ii) when the respective battery voltage exceeds a predetermined minimum voltage, connect (and / or keep connected) the corresponding battery in series with at least one other battery, in particular by means of the corresponding short-circuit switch; and (iii) if the respective battery voltage does not exceed the minimum voltage, remove the corresponding battery from the series connection, in particular by means of the corresponding short-circuit switch. According to a second aspect, the invention solves the problem by means of a method for discharging a plurality of accumulators with the steps being performed automatically (a) continuously measuring (a) respectively a battery voltage of a plurality of accumulators, (b) connecting accumulators whose accumulator voltages do not fall below a predetermined minimum voltage, in a series connection, so that the accumulators are discharged, and (c) disconnecting an accumulator whose accumulator voltage drops below the specified minimum voltage, so that it is no longer connected in series. The advantage of the invention is that the batteries can be discharged automatically. It may only be necessary to manually connect the batteries to a battery connection. It is also advantageous that only a few charges are required. While multiple charges are possible, they can be dispensed with. In particular, the energy still stored in the batteries can be reused as usable power. In other words, it is possible, but not necessary, for the electrical energy contained in the batteries to be dissipated as heat. Specifically, it can be supplied to a consumer as electrical energy. It is advantageous that the discharge of accumulators can generally be carried out very safely, as it is guaranteed that the level will not fall below [the specified limit]. The minimum voltage is preferably selected to avoid battery overheating. For example, the minimum voltage is zero volts. It is also advantageous that the battery charging device allows for the discharge of batteries with varying states of charge and / or residual voltages at will. Therefore, as a general rule, the operator of the battery discharge device does not need to have any knowledge about the battery being discharged. Furthermore, the probability of incorrect operation is usually small. For the purposes of this description, an accumulator is defined as a component that stores electrical energy electrochemically. An accumulator comprises at least one galvanic element, preferably a plurality of galvanic elements. In other words, the accumulator may be a battery, that is, a combination, particularly a series connection, of several galvanic cells. Furthermore, the accumulator may contain two or more batteries independent of each other. The accumulators are preferably, at least mostly, and in particular exclusively, lithium batteries. A lithium accumulator is understood, in particular, to be an accumulator in which the electrochemical reaction is based on ML / a / ZUZ Ó / UUUUO l lithium. Preferably, the lithium accumulator is a lithium-ion accumulator. However, it does not have to be a lithium accumulator; the invention can also be used for accumulators of other types. It is also possible, but not necessary, that all the accumulators be of the same type. In particular, it is also possible to connect different types of accumulators. A short-circuit switch is a device that interrupts the flow of current through a battery. Specifically, the short-circuit switch is configured to bypass the battery's connection. For example, the first short-circuit switch can short-circuit the terminals of the battery's first connection if the minimum voltage is zero. Each battery connection has at least two terminals, which can also be called connection contacts. In the case of short-circuit breakers, these are, for example, relays. However, all other switches that connect without potential or switches that connect with potential, particularly semiconductor switches, can also be used as short-circuit breakers. J / UUUUO l A series connection refers, in particular, to a connection in which the voltages of at least two batteries are added together, or in particular, a plurality of batteries electrically connected in a circuit. It is possible, but not necessary and generally undesirable, for two or more batteries to be connected in parallel. According to a preferred embodiment, the battery discharge device has a display to indicate batteries whose respective voltages do not exceed the minimum voltage and / or battery connections whose connection contacts are bridged. This has the advantage that an operator of the battery discharge device can determine which batteries can be removed. It should be noted that a display showing batteries whose respective voltage does not exceed the minimum voltage can also be configured to indicate batteries whose respective voltage is below the minimum voltage and / or battery connections whose connection contacts are not bridged.The absence of this signal suggests that the battery voltage for the corresponding battery does not exceed the minimum voltage and / or that the corresponding connection contacts are bridged. The term "display" refers, in particular, to a device by which an operator can obtain information about battery connections that are below the minimum voltage and connection contacts whose battery connections are short-circuited. This indicating device may be a visual display that emits an optical signal. However, the indication may also be electrical, haptic, or of another type. In particular, the indicating device may also emit only an electrical signal, so that, for example, a robot that is part of the battery discharge device according to a preferred embodiment automatically disconnects the corresponding battery, which is below its minimum voltage, from its connection to the battery. In particular, the robot may also be trained to automatically place discharged batteries in a predetermined location.This site could be, for example, another container or a conveyor device that moves the discharged accumulators to further processing. It is advantageous for the battery discharge device to have a reverse polarity protection circuit. This reverse polarity protection circuit is specifically configured for the Automatic detection of a battery connected with incorrect polarity. It is advisable that the reverse polarity protection circuit be configured to issue a reverse polarity warning and / or to correct the polarity connection of the battery connected with reverse polarity. For example, the reverse polarity protection circuit may include a polarity reversal circuit. This circuit is designed to automatically reverse the polarity of the voltage reaching the battery terminals. This ensures that the battery, which was initially connected with reversed polarity, is now connected with the correct polarity. In this case, it is irrelevant whether the battery was initially connected with reversed polarity to the terminals, as the polarity reversal circuit guarantees that the battery is connected with the correct polarity in the series connection. A reverse polarity warning message is understood, in particular, as a message that encodes which battery terminal a battery with reversed polarity is incorrectly connected to. The reverse polarity warning message may or may not be Ó / UUUUO l perceptible to humans. In particular, it may be an optical, acoustic, or electrical reverse polarity warning message. Alternatively or additionally, the reverse polarity protection circuit is configured to not connect a battery connected with reverse polarity to the series connection. According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit is configured to automatically execute a method comprising the steps of (i) determining temporary changes in battery voltage and (ii) disconnecting the corresponding battery from the series connection by means of a corresponding short-circuit switch and / or issuing a voltage interruption warning if the temporary battery voltage change is outside a predetermined tolerance range. An excessively large temporary change in battery voltage indicates that the corresponding battery is malfunctioning. To prevent electrical current from flowing through the battery and causing damage to the battery or aggravating existing damage, the corresponding battery is preferably bypassed, i.e., no more current flows through the battery connection to the battery. It is advantageous for the control unit to be configured to re-establish contact with this battery, i.e., to reconnect the battery in series. If a change in the temporary battery voltage occurs again, falling outside the specified tolerance range, the corresponding battery can then be bypassed and / or a voltage interruption warning can be issued. Re-establishing contact means, in particular, reconnecting the respective battery in series with at least one other battery. This is accomplished by means of the corresponding short-circuit switch. Disconnecting means, in particular, removing the series connection. Preferably, the control unit is configured to automatically execute a method involving reconnecting a portion of the batteries in series, such that the sum of their battery voltages falls within a predetermined required voltage range. If two or more combinations of battery voltages fall within the required voltage range, the combination with the highest number of battery voltages is preferably selected. Preferably, all batteries whose battery voltages are above the minimum voltage are connected in series if the sum of all their battery voltages falls within the required range. The voltage is less than a lower limit of the required voltage range. Therefore, the applied voltage at the load connection is usually within the required voltage range. This voltage can then be processed with particular ease. The batteries being reconnected are, in particular, already connected to the battery discharge device, but not connected in series. In other words, these batteries do not provide electrical power. The greater the number of connections in the battery discharge device, the less often it is necessary to connect new batteries to be discharged. This simplifies the process. Ideally, the upper limit of the required voltage range is 60 volts maximum. In this case, special protective measures, such as protective clothing, are generally unnecessary. Preferably, the number of accumulator connections is greater than five, in particular greater than 10. It is often advantageous for the number of accumulator connections to be less than 150, in particular less than 30. According to a preferred embodiment, the battery discharge device has a load to dissipate electrical energy during battery discharge. For example, the load is an inverter to generate an alternating current voltage of a predetermined frequency and voltage from the direct current voltage applied to the load connection. Alternatively, the load could be, for example, a DC-DC converter to generate a direct current voltage of a predetermined voltage from the direct current voltage applied to the load connection. The inverter could be, for example, a connected power supply. The fact that the load, specifically the inverter, is connected to the load connection means that the inverter is electrically connected to the load connection. It is possible, but not necessary, for the load connection to be a special device, such as a socket. In particular, the load connection may consist of two or more electrical conductors through which the load can be connected. It is advantageous for the inverter to be connected to a public network to feed electrical energy back into the public electricity grid. Preferably, the inverter is connected to an electrical network, which may be, but is not necessarily, the grid. The public electricity grid to which the electricity consumers are connected. For example, at least one consumer is part of a lithium battery recycling plant for recovering lithium batteries. In particular, at least one electricity consumer could be a crushing plant for crushing a lithium battery, a pump (for example, a vacuum pump), or a motor. According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit is configured to automatically perform a method with the steps of (i) registering a required output power from the battery discharge device and (ii) reducing the battery discharge power when the actual supplied power exceeds the required output power. The required output power can be read, for example, from an input device or memory, or detected by a power meter. It is particularly advantageous if the record of the required output power is a record of a momentary energy demand from electricity consumers on the power grid. Technical systems, such as a lithium battery recycling plant, require fluctuating amounts of electrical energy. If the actual output power of the battery discharge device, i.e., the electrical power supplied If the power output of the battery discharge device exceeds the instantaneous power requirement of the electrical grid consumers, the excess power is typically fed back into the grid. Compensation for this fed-back power is relatively small. Therefore, it may be advantageous to moderate the power output of the battery discharge device if it exceeds the instantaneous power demand of the electrical grid consumers. According to a preferred embodiment, the battery discharge device has an electrical intermediate storage tank. The intermediate storage tank is preferably interconnected so that the electrical energy drawn from the batteries by the battery discharge device is stored at least partially and / or at least temporarily in the intermediate storage tank. It is advantageous if the intermediate storage tank has a storage capacity of at least 10 kWh, or at least 30 kWh, and in particular at least 50 kWh. Typically, the storage capacity of the intermediate storage tank is less than 10 MWh. Preferably, the control unit is It is advantageous for the control unit to be configured to automatically perform a method comprising the following steps, preferably carried out after the steps mentioned in the three preceding paragraphs: (a) Detecting that no battery is connected to the battery connection, (b) opening or holding open the second switching element, and optionally, (c) opening or holding open the first switching element. This prevents or avoids the formation of an electric arc in the first switching element. The method preferably also includes the step (c) closing or holding closed the connection relay. Steps (b) and (c) preferably take place within a maximum of 1 second, and in particular within a maximum of 0.1 seconds. The detection that there is no battery connected to the battery connection is carried out, for example, by means of the respective voltmeter or by reading a user input on a control element such as a switch or a connection surface. The detection that no battery is connected to the battery terminal is carried out, for example, by applying a voltage pulse, preferably of at least 60 volts, to the battery terminal, particularly if the voltage meter does not measure any voltage applied to the battery terminal. If there is no electrical current, no battery is connected. The first switching elements are interconnected in such a way that the series connection is only closed when all the first switching elements are closed. Specifically, the first switching elements are interconnected so that the output voltage Ua is applied, and therefore the series-connected batteries can be discharged if, in particular, only if all the first switching elements are closed. The second switching elements are interconnected, in particular, so that for each switching element it applies that, regardless of the connection state of the first switching element, the accumulator connected to the corresponding accumulator connection can only be discharged when the second switching element is closed. An inventive method preferably comprises the steps described above in the context of the preferred control unit configuration. Brief Description of the Figures The invention is then explained in more detail based on the accompanying figures. They show: Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of a battery discharge device according to the invention, Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of an inventive accumulator discharge device according to a second embodiment, and Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a battery discharge device according to the invention. Detailed Description of the Invention Figure 1 shows a battery discharge device according to the invention 10 with battery connections 12.i (i = 1, 2, ..., N; here: N = 4). The battery discharge device 10 further comprises a charging connection 14, to which, in this case, a load 16 in the form of an inverter 17 is connected. The inverter 17 has a voltage connection 18 to which an alternating voltage Uac is applied, having a predetermined frequency f, for example, 50 Hertz or 60 Hertz. For example, the alternating voltage Uac is 230 volts or 110 volts. But other voltages are also possible. The discharge circuit 18 has a voltmeter 22.1 for each battery connection 12.i to measure the battery voltage U20.i of the respective connected battery 20.i. The discharge circuit 18 also has a short-circuit switch 24.i for each battery connection 12.i. Each short-circuit switch 24.i can be used to short-circuit the respective battery connection 12.i. In other words, the respective connection contacts 26a.i and 26b.i of the battery connection 12.i are connected to the same potential. In this way, no current flows through the corresponding battery 20.i. The battery discharge device 10 has a control unit 27 that is connected to all the The control unit 27 detects all the battery voltages U20. The control unit 27 is also connected to all the short-circuit switches 24 for control. In other words, the control unit 27 can automatically close or open each short-circuit switch 24. The battery discharge device 10 may have a display 28, which is connected to the control unit 27 by means of a conductor or radio and is configured to indicate those battery connections 12 where there is a battery voltage 20 that is smaller than a predetermined minimum voltage Umin, or those battery connections 12.i, in which the respective short-circuit switch 24.i is closed. An operator of the battery discharge device 10 can then remove the corresponding battery 12.i because it is discharged. For example, the minimum voltage is Min = 0 volts. It is also possible, but not necessary, for the battery discharge device 10 for at least one battery connection, in particular in each case all battery connections 12.i, to comprise a reverse polarity protection circuit 30.i. If the voltage meter 22.i measures an incorrect polarity of the connected battery, i.e., that the battery is connected with reverse polarity, the control unit 27 controls the protection circuit 30.i to reverse the polarity, so that the correct polarity is again applied to the polarity reversing circuit connections 32a.1, 32b.1. It is also possible, but not necessary, that the battery discharge device 10 for at least one battery connection, in particular in each case all battery connections 12.i, comprises a reverse polarity protection circuit 30.i. If the voltage meter 22.i measures an incorrect polarity of the connected battery, i.e., that the MA / a / 4U4 Ó / UUUUO l The accumulator is connected with reversed polarity, the control unit 27 controls the protection circuit 30. i to reverse the polarity, so that the correct polarity is again applied to the polarity reversing circuit connections 32a.1, 32b.1. Control unit 27 is configured to automatically and continuously detect the battery voltages U20.I. If a battery voltage U20.I is above the minimum voltage Umin, then control unit 27 keeps the respective short-circuit switch 24.i open. If all the battery voltages 20.i are greater than the minimum voltage Umin, then all the short-circuit switches 24.i are closed and all the batteries 20.i are connected in series. The battery voltages U20.I are thus added to an output voltage Ua, which is applied to the load connection 14 and, in the case of zero load, corresponds to the sum of all the battery voltages U20.I. If for an accumulator 20.i the accumulator voltage U20.i drops below the minimum voltage Um±n, the control unit 27 closes the respective short-circuit switch 24.i, so that the corresponding accumulator 20.i is bypassed. Then no current flows through the corresponding accumulator 20. i. If the minimum voltage Umin is not selected to zero volts, the discharge circuit 18 has for each accumulator connection 12 . i an additional switch that disconnects one of the two connection contacts 26a.io 26b.i from the rest of the circuit. To ensure that the output voltage Ua is always within a predetermined multiple voltage range Z, the control unit 27 can be configured to connect only a portion of the accumulators 2 0 in series and bridge the other accumulators, thus achieving the corresponding output voltage Ua. Screen 28 can be used to display warning messages, for example, a warning message of Ó / UUUUO f reversed polarity or a voltage loss warning message will be displayed if control unit 27 detects an excessively abrupt change in the battery voltage Ü. The change in battery voltage Ü is calculated by control unit 27 using a numerical derivation of the respective battery voltage U20.3. A heat detector 34, in this case a thermal imaging camera 34, within whose field of view S the accumulators 20 are located, monitors their respective temperatures Ti. The heat detector 34 is connected to the control unit 27. If one of the temperatures Ti exceeds a predetermined warning temperature Twarn, the control unit 27 disconnects the corresponding accumulator 20.i. According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit 27 reconnects the corresponding accumulator 20.i to the series connection after a predetermined waiting time. As an alternative to the thermal imaging camera, the heat detector can also, for example, have thermocouples. Figure 2 shows a circuit diagram of an inventive battery discharge device 10 according to a second embodiment. The short-circuit switches ML / a / ZUZ Ó / UUUUO l 24. i In this configuration, they have a first switching element 36a.i and a second switching element 36b.i. The switching elements 36a.i and 36b.i are, for example, relays. In this way, a battery 20. i can be disconnected if its battery voltage U20.i is below the minimum voltage Umin, where 0 V is applied for the minimum voltage Umin. Switching elements 36a.i may also be called short-circuit relays. Switching elements 36b.i may also be called connecting relays. The connecting relay switches at the end and beginning of a cycle. A required voltage range Z is stored in control unit 27. Control unit 27 automatically connects as many accumulators 20i in series as necessary so that the sum of the resulting voltages falls within the required voltage range Z. Connecting an accumulator 20i is accomplished by opening its corresponding short-circuit relay 36a.i and closing its connecting relay 36b.i. As a result, the accumulator supplies electrical power. This preferably, but not necessarily, occurs automatically, for example, via control unit 27. Disconnection of a battery 20.i is effected by (a) the corresponding short-circuit relay 36a.i closing or remaining closed and (b) the connection relay 36b.i closing or remaining closed. After removing a battery from its storage connection 12.i, the connection relay 36b.i opens. Another battery 20'.i is then connected to the storage connection 12.i. If necessary, the corresponding short-circuit relay 36a.i opens and the connection relay 36b.i closes. This also preferably, but not necessarily, takes place automatically, for example, by means of the control unit 27. Thus, the new battery 20'.i is connected. Ó / UUUUO l The number N of battery connections is preferably selected so that it is not necessary to connect all the batteries in series, so that the sum of the voltages is within the required voltage range Z. Preferably, the number N is chosen so that at most half, and in particular at most one-third, of the battery connections are connected, so that the sum of the voltages is within the required voltage range Z. If a battery has reached or fallen below the minimum voltage Umin, it is bypassed as described above. It is then advisable, but not required, for control unit 27 to issue a signal indicating that the corresponding battery can be removed. Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a battery discharge device 10 according to the invention, whose inverter 17 is connected to a public electrical network 68' to provide feedback of electrical energy. Alternatively or additionally, the inverter 17 is connected to an electrical network 38 to which the electricity consumers 40. j (j = 1, 2. . . J) are connected. By means of a power meter 42 it is possible to measure the electrical power P40 of the electricity consumers 40. j as a function of time. Control unit 27 is configured for automatic detection of electrical power P40, which represents the required output power Psoii of the battery discharge device 10. If the actual power output Pist, i.e., the actual output power of the battery data device 10, falls below the required output power Psoii, power is drawn from the public electricity grid 38. Conversely, if the actual power output Pist exceeds the required output power Psoii, power is supplied from the public grid 38. To prevent this, the control unit can be configured to reduce the actual output power Pist, for example, by disconnecting one or Ó / UUUUO l more accumulators outside the circuit. Alternatively or additionally, the battery discharge device 10 may comprise an electrical intermediate storage tank 44. The intermediate storage tank 44 may be, for example, a battery. The intermediate storage tank 44 is interconnected so that the electrical energy that the battery discharge device 10 draws from the batteries 20 can be stored at least partially and / or at least temporarily in the intermediate storage tank. The control unit 27 is configured, for example, so that it introduces electrical energy into the intermediate storage tank 44 when the required output power Psoii is smaller than the actual output power Pist- For example, so much electrical energy is introduced into the intermediate storage tank 40 that the electrical energy introduced into the public electricity network 38' is minimized. List of reference symbols 10 Battery discharge device 12 Battery connection 14 Charging connection 16 Charging 17 Inverter 18 Discharge connection 20 Battery 22 Voltmeter 24 Short-circuit switch 26 Connection contacts 27 Control unit 28 Display 30 Reverse polarity protection circuit 32 Polarity reversal circuit connection 34 Thermal imaging camera 36a First switching element, relay short circuit 3 6b Second switching element, Relay connection Ó / UUUUO l 38 Electrical network 38 ' Public electrical network 40 Consumer 42 Power meter 44 Intermediate storage device f Frequency i Current index of the accumulator connections j Current index of the consumers N Number of accumulator connections P solí Required output power Pist Actual output power s Field of view Ti Accumulator temperature i-mo Twarn Warning temperature Uac AC voltage U2o.i Accumulator voltage Umin Minimum voltage Ua Ü Output voltage Accumulator voltage change Z Required voltage range It is noted that with regard to this date, the best method known to the applicant to implement the aforementioned invention is what is clear from the present description of the invention.
Claims
1. A battery discharge device for discharging batteries, comprising a first battery connection for connecting a first battery, a second battery connection for connecting a second battery, at least a third battery connection for connecting a third battery, and a charging connection for a load to conduct power when discharging the batteries, characterized in that it comprises a discharge circuit comprising a first short-circuit switch, a first voltmeter arranged to measure a first battery voltage, which decreases via the first battery connection, a second short-circuit switch, a second voltmeter arranged to measure a second battery voltage, which decreases via the second battery connection, a third short-circuit switch, and a third voltmeter arranged to measure a third battery voltage.which decreases by way of the third accumulator connection, and a control unit, the control unit being configured for the automatic execution of a method with the steps: for all voltmeters to detect the respective accumulator voltage, when the respective accumulator voltage exceeds a predetermined minimum voltage, connect the corresponding accumulator in series with at least one other accumulator and, if the respective accumulator voltage does not exceed the minimum voltage, remove the corresponding accumulator from the series connection, by means of the corresponding short-circuit switch.
2. Battery discharge device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a load that is connected to the load connection, in the form of an inverter for generating an alternating voltage of a predetermined frequency and voltage and / or a DC converter for generating a direct voltage of a predetermined voltage from a direct voltage applied to the load connection.
3. Accumulator discharge device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a display for indicating the accumulators whose respective accumulator voltage drops below the minimum voltage and / or those accumulator connections whose connection contacts are short-circuited.
4. Battery discharge device in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a reverse polarity protection circuit to automatically detect a battery connected in incorrect polarity and issue a reverse polarity warning message, and / or connect the battery connected in reverse polarity with correct polarity.
5. Battery discharge device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit is configured to automatically carry out a method comprising the steps of: (i) determining the temporary changes in battery voltage and (ii) bypassing the corresponding battery by means of the corresponding short-circuit switch and / or issuing a voltage interruption warning if the temporary battery voltage change is outside a predetermined tolerance range.
6. Accumulator discharge device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit is configured to automatically carry out a method consisting of the step of: connecting a portion of the accumulators to the series connection, so that a sum of the accumulator voltages is within a predetermined required voltage Ó / UUUUO l, wherein, if two or more combinations of accumulator voltages are within the required voltage, the combination with the highest number of accumulator voltages is chosen.
7. Accumulator discharge device in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one heat detector, in particular a thermographic camera, which is arranged to detect a temperature of at least one of the accumulators.
8. Battery discharge device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit is configured to automatically perform the following steps: detect a battery connected to a battery connection and that it does not exceed the minimum voltage, close or hold closed a first switching element, in particular a short-circuit relay, of the battery connection short-circuit switch, close or hold closed a second switching element, in particular a switching relay, of the battery connection short-circuit switch, emit a signal encoding that the battery can be removed, detect that there is no battery connected to the battery connection, open or hold open the second switching element, then open or hold open the first switching element and then close the second switching element.
9. Accumulator discharge device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inverter is connected to an electrical network, to which the electrical consumers are connected, the control unit is configured to automatically carry out a method with the steps of registering a required output power of the accumulator discharge device and reducing a discharge power of the accumulators when an actual supplied power exceeds the required output power.
10. Accumulator discharge device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an electrical energy storage device, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically carry out a method with the steps of: detecting the required output power of the accumulator discharge device, and charging the intermediate storage device so that the actual output power does not exceed the required output power.
11. Method for discharging a plurality of accumulators, characterized in that it is carried out automatically with the steps: continuous measurement of an accumulator voltage and of a plurality of accumulators, respectively; connecting the accumulators whose accumulator voltages do not fall below a predetermined minimum voltage, in a series connection, so that the accumulators are discharged, and disconnecting an accumulator whose accumulator voltage falls below the specified minimum voltage, so that it is no longer connected in series.
12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises the step of: issuing a message that encodes those accumulators whose respective accumulator voltage drops below the minimum voltage and / or those accumulator connections whose connection contacts are short-circuited.
13. Method according to any of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that it comprises the steps of detecting a battery connected with reverse polarity and issuing a reverse polarity warning message and / or connecting the battery connected with reverse polarity with correct polarity.