Apparatus and method for setting charging protocol

Abstract

An apparatus for setting a charging protocol according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a charging unit configured to charge a battery so that the battery repeatedly enters a charging state and an idle state; a measurement unit configured to measure the voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged; a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of the battery while the battery is being charged; and a control unit configured to control the charging unit so that the battery is charged at a preset first C-rate, calculate the resistance for each state of charge (SOC) of the battery on the basis of the voltage drop in the idle state, determine a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate on the basis of the SOC and the resistance, and set a charging protocol including a correspondence between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

Description

Charging protocol setting device and method

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0190291, filed on December 22, 2023, the entire contents of which are disclosed in the specification and drawings of the said application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a device and method for setting a charging protocol, and more particularly, to a device and method for setting a charging protocol for a battery.

[0003] Recently, as the demand for portable electronic products such as laptops, video cameras, and mobile phones has rapidly increased, and the development of electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, robots, and satellites has been in full swing, research into high-performance batteries capable of repeated charging and discharging is actively being conducted.

[0004] Currently commercialized batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium batteries. Among these, lithium batteries are receiving attention for their advantages of being able to charge and discharge freely, having a very low self-discharge rate, and having a high energy density, as they have almost no memory effect compared to nickel-based batteries.

[0005] With the commercialization of electric powertrains such as electric vehicles, electric motorcycles, and electric bicycles, the demand for high-capacity and high-performance batteries is increasing. However, as battery capacity increases, the time required to charge the battery also increases, highlighting the drawback. To address this issue, rapid charging technologies are being developed. However, there are concerns that rapid charging may accelerate battery degradation. Therefore, to prevent battery degradation due to rapid charging, a rapid charging protocol capable of efficiently charging batteries is required.

[0006] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a charging protocol setting device and method for setting a charging protocol.

[0007] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood through the following description and will be more clearly understood through the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0008] A device for setting a charging protocol according to one aspect of the present invention may include: a charging unit configured to charge a battery such that the battery repeats a charging state and an idle state; a measuring unit configured to measure a voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged; a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature of the battery while the battery is being charged; and a control unit configured to control the charging unit to charge the battery at a first C-rate that is preset, calculate a resistance according to a State of Charge (SOC) of the battery based on a voltage drop in the idle state, determine a first upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the SOC and the resistance, and set a charging protocol including a correspondence between the first C-rate and the first upper limit SOC.

[0009] The control unit may be configured to control the charging unit so that the battery is charged at a second C-rate different from the first C-rate, determine a second charge upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C-rate for the battery, and include a correspondence between the second C-rate and the second charge upper limit SOC in the charging protocol.

[0010] The second charge upper limit SOC may be less than the first charge upper limit SOC if the first C-rate is less than the second C-rate.

[0011] The second charge upper limit SOC may exceed the first charge upper limit SOC when the first C-rate exceeds the second C-rate.

[0012] The temperature control unit may be configured to flow a coolant so that the temperature of the battery is maintained below a preset threshold temperature.

[0013] The above measurement unit may be configured to further measure the temperature of the battery.

[0014] The temperature control unit may be configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the coolant as the temperature of the battery approaches the critical temperature.

[0015] The control unit may be configured to set a resistance profile indicating a correspondence between the resistance and the SOC, select a target point that satisfies a predetermined condition from the resistance profile, and determine an SOC corresponding to the selected target point as the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0016] The control unit may be configured to select a feature point having the largest corresponding SOC among the feature points included in the resistance profile as the target point.

[0017] The control unit may be configured to determine a maximum point included in the resistance profile as the feature point.

[0018] The control unit may be configured not to determine the first charge upper limit SOC if there is no target point satisfying the predetermined condition in the resistance profile.

[0019] A charging control device according to another aspect of the present invention may be configured to control charging of a battery to be charged based on the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0020] A battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention may include a charge control device according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0021] A vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention may include a charging control device according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0022] A charging protocol setting method according to another aspect of the present invention may include a SOC-specific resistance calculation step of calculating a resistance of the battery based on a voltage drop in the idle state while the battery is being charged at a preset first C-rate while repeating a charging state and an idle state; a charging upper limit SOC determination step of determining a first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the SOC and the resistance; and a charging protocol setting step of setting a charging protocol including a correspondence relationship between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0023] A charging protocol setting method according to another aspect of the present invention may be configured to perform the SOC-specific resistance calculation step, the charging upper limit SOC determination step, and the charging protocol setting step based on the second C-rate so that a correspondence relationship between a second C-rate different from the first C-rate and a second charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C-rate is included in the charging protocol.

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, battery degradation due to charging is prevented, so that the battery can be safely charged and the expected lifespan of the battery can be increased.

[0025] That is, the charging protocol setting device has the advantage of being able to set a charging protocol that can increase the expected life of the battery by preventing unnecessary degradation of the battery.

[0026] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

[0027] The following drawings attached to this specification serve to further understand the technical idea of ​​the present invention together with the detailed description of the invention described below, and therefore the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the matters described in such drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging protocol setting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a charging process according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of resistance by SOC of a first battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of temperature by SOC of a first battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a comparative example of resistance by SOC of a second battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a comparative example of temperatures by SOC of a second battery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a first charging protocol and a second charging protocol according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging control device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing of a charging device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating a charging protocol setting method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts that conform to the technical spirit of the present invention, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concept of the term to explain his or her own invention in the best possible manner.

[0041] Accordingly, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modified examples that can replace them at the time of filing this application.

[0042] In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description is omitted.

[0043] Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used to distinguish one of the various components from the rest, and are not used to limit the components by such terms.

[0044] Throughout the specification, whenever a part is said to "include" a component, this does not mean that it excludes other components, but rather that it may include other components, unless otherwise stated.

[0045] Additionally, throughout the specification, when we say that a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly connected" but also cases where it is "indirectly connected" with other elements in between.

[0046]

[0047] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0048] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a charging protocol setting device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 1, the charging protocol setting device (100) may include a charging unit (110), a measuring unit (120), a temperature control unit (130), and a control unit (140).

[0050] The charging unit (110) may be configured to charge the battery so that the battery repeats a charging state and an idle state.

[0051] Here, a battery refers to a physically separate, independent cell having a negative terminal and a positive terminal. For example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium polymer battery may be considered a battery. Furthermore, the battery may be of a cylindrical type, a prismatic type, or a pouch type. Furthermore, a battery may also refer to a battery bank, a battery module, or a battery pack in which multiple cells are connected in series and / or parallel. For convenience of explanation, the term "battery" will be described herein below as referring to a single, independent cell.

[0052] Specifically, the charging unit (110) can charge the battery with constant current (CC) and / or constant power (CP). For example, when the charging unit (110) receives a charging command for the battery from the control unit (140), the charging unit (110) can charge the battery. Here, the charging command may include C-rate information for charging. For example, when C-rate information for 1C is included in the charging command, the charging unit (110) can charge the battery at 1C.

[0053] Additionally, the charging unit (110) may enter a rest state during charging. Here, the rest state refers to a state in which charging is stopped. For example, when the charging unit (110) is in a rest state, the battery is in a no-load state. That is, during the battery charging process, charging periods and rest periods may be repeated.

[0054] Preferably, the charging unit (110) can enter a rest state whenever the SOC (State of Charge) of the battery increases by a preset unit SOC. Here, the rest period can be a preset unit time.

[0055] For example, the charging unit (110) may remain in a rest state for 1 second whenever the SOC of the battery increases by 1%. Thereafter, the charging unit (110) may charge the battery again until the SOC of the battery increases by 1%.

[0056] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a charging process according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the charging unit (110) can charge the battery. Here, the charging current is Ic. The charging unit (110) is in a charging state before Ts and after Td, and is in a resting state between Ts and Td. That is, the charging period is the period before Ts and after Td, and the resting period is the period between Ts and Td. During the resting period, the voltage of the battery can decrease from Vs to Vd. Thereafter, as the state of the charging unit (110) is switched to a charging state, the voltage of the battery can increase again.

[0058] The measuring unit (120) may be configured to measure the voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged.

[0059] Specifically, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage across the battery. The measuring unit (120) can be connected to the positive terminal of the battery to measure the positive voltage, and can be connected to the negative terminal of the battery to measure the negative voltage. In addition, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery by calculating the difference between the positive voltage and the negative voltage.

[0060] For example, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery according to a preset voltage measurement cycle. In addition, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery in an unloaded state when the charging unit (110) is in an idle state.

[0061] Preferably, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery during the charging period according to a preset voltage measurement cycle. In addition, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery at the start and end of the idle period.

[0062] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery according to a preset voltage measurement cycle during the charging period (the period before Ts and the period after Td). In addition, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery as Vs [V] at Ts, which is the start point of the idle period, and can measure the voltage of the battery as Vd [V] at Td, which is the end point of the idle period.

[0063] The temperature control unit (130) may be configured to control the temperature of the battery while the battery is being charged.

[0064] Specifically, the temperature control unit (130) may be configured to flow a cooling medium so that the temperature of the battery is maintained below a preset threshold temperature. For example, the temperature control unit (130) may maintain the temperature of the battery below the threshold temperature by flowing at least one of coolant, antifreeze, insulating oil, and cooling gas.

[0065] Preferably, the temperature control unit (130) can maintain the temperature of the battery below the critical temperature during the battery charging process. For example, during the battery charging process, the charging unit (110) may alternate between a charging state and an idle state, but the temperature control unit (130) can maintain the temperature of the battery below the critical temperature even when the charging unit (110) is in an idle state.

[0066] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the temperature control unit (130) can cause the coolant to flow so that the temperature of the battery is maintained below the critical temperature at points before Ts, between Ts and Td, and after Td.

[0067] Meanwhile, as long as the temperature control unit can control the temperature of the battery through a refrigerant, there are no particular restrictions on the structure, shape, or connection with the battery of the temperature control unit.

[0068] The control unit (140) may be configured to control the charging unit (110) so that the battery is charged at a preset first C-rate.

[0069] Specifically, the control unit (140) can transmit a charging command to the charging unit (110). Here, the charging command can include C-rate information.

[0070] The control unit (140) may be configured to calculate the resistance of the battery according to its SOC based on the voltage drop in the resting state.

[0071] Specifically, the control unit (140) can be connected to the measurement unit (120) to enable wired and / or wireless communication. The control unit (140) can receive voltage information about the battery from the measurement unit (120).

[0072] In addition, the control unit (140) can calculate the battery resistance according to the voltage drop based on the received voltage information. That is, the control unit (140) can calculate the battery resistance based on the voltage drop during the idle period. Specifically, the control unit (140) can calculate the battery resistance every time the charging unit (110) enters the idle state.

[0073] For example, the control unit (140) can calculate the resistance of the battery by considering the charging current and the voltage drop during the idle period. Assuming that the charging unit (110) enters the idle state every time the SOC of the battery increases by 1%, the control unit (140) can calculate the resistance corresponding to each SOC of the battery.

[0074] For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the voltage drop is Vs-Vd and the charging current is Ic. The control unit (140) can calculate the formula “(Vs-Vd)÷Ic” to derive the resistance corresponding to the SOC.

[0075] The control unit (140) may be configured to determine a first charge upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the SOC and resistance.

[0076] Specifically, the control unit (140) may be configured to set a resistance profile indicating a correspondence between resistance and SOC. Here, the resistance profile is a profile indicating a correspondence between SOC and resistance. For example, when the X-axis is set to SOC and the Y-axis is set to resistance, the resistance profile can be expressed as a two-dimensional graph.

[0077] The control unit (140) may be configured to select a target point that satisfies a predetermined condition in the resistance profile. Here, the target point is a point that satisfies a predetermined condition in the resistance profile, and the SOC of the target point may be determined as the charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate.

[0078] Specifically, the control unit (140) may be configured to select a feature point having the largest corresponding SOC among the feature points included in the resistance profile as a target point.

[0079] More specifically, the control unit (140) may be configured to determine a local maximum included in the resistance profile as a feature point. Here, a local maximum is a point in the resistance profile where the instantaneous rate of change of resistance with respect to SOC is 0 and has an upward convex shape. That is, the slope of the SOC immediately before the local maximum is positive, and the slope of the SOC immediately after the local maximum is negative. That is, the control unit (140) may select a feature point with the largest SOC among at least one local maximum included in the resistance profile as a target point.

[0080] Preferably, the resistance profile may include one or more feature points. Then, the control unit (140) may select a target point from among one or more feature points included in the resistance profile.

[0081] For example, if the resistance profile includes one feature point, the control unit (140) can select the feature point as the target point.

[0082] As another example, when the resistance profile includes multiple feature points, the control unit (140) can select the feature point with the largest corresponding SOC among the multiple feature points as the target point.

[0083] The control unit (140) may be configured to determine the SOC corresponding to the selected target point as the first charge upper limit SOC. Here, the first charge upper limit SOC means the charge termination SOC of the battery when the battery is charged at the first C-rate.

[0084] In general, during the rapid charging process, a lithium plating phenomenon may occur due to the non-uniform reaction within the battery, in which lithium metal is precipitated. In particular, the target point of the resistance profile is the point where the battery resistance decreases, and the decrease in the battery resistance is due to the precipitation of lithium metal. In other words, the target point of the resistance profile can be viewed as the point where lithium plating begins. Therefore, the first charge upper limit SOC, which is the SOC of the target point, refers to the charge upper limit SOC or the charge termination SOC in the first C-rate charge.

[0085] The control unit (140) may be configured to set a charging protocol including a correspondence between the first C-rate and the first charge upper limit SOC.

[0086] Specifically, the control unit (140) can set a charging protocol by mapping the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC. That is, the charging protocol can include mapping information of the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0087] For example, when a battery is charged at a first C-rate according to a charging protocol, charging of the battery may be terminated when the SOC of the battery reaches the first charge upper limit SOC.

[0088] A charging protocol setting device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can effectively prevent lithium plating from occurring during the charging process by determining a charging upper limit SOC for each C-rate. Therefore, by preventing battery degradation due to charging, the battery can be safely charged, and its expected lifespan can be increased.

[0089]

[0090] Meanwhile, the control unit (140) provided in the charging protocol setting device (100) may optionally include a processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), another chipset, a logic circuit, a register, a communication modem, a data processing device, etc. known in the art to execute various control logics performed in the present invention. In addition, when the control logic is implemented in software, the control unit (140) may be implemented as a set of program modules. At this time, the program modules may be stored in a memory and executed by the control unit (140). The memory may be located inside or outside the control unit (140) and may be connected to the control unit (140) by various well-known means.

[0091] In addition, the charging protocol setting device (100) may further include a storage unit (150). The storage unit (150) may store data or programs required for each component of the charging protocol setting device (100) to perform operations and functions, or data generated in the process of performing operations and functions. The storage unit (150) is not particularly limited in type as long as it is a known information storage means known to be capable of recording, erasing, updating, and reading data. As an example, the information storage means may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, etc. In addition, the storage unit (150) may store program codes defining processes executable by the control unit (140).

[0092] For example, the battery's voltage information, resistance profile, and charging protocol can be stored in the storage unit (150).

[0093]

[0094] Specifically, the control unit (140) can set a charging protocol corresponding to a plurality of C-rates. That is, the control unit (140) can set a charging protocol indicating a correspondence relationship between a plurality of C-rates and a plurality of charging upper limit SOCs.

[0095] The control unit (140) may be configured to control the charging unit (110) so that the battery is charged at a second C-rate that is different from the first C-rate.

[0096] Preferably, the control unit (140) can transmit a charging command to the charging unit (110) so that the battery is charged at the second C-rate after the charging protocol according to the first C-rate is set. The charging unit (110) that receives the charging command can charge the battery at the second C-rate while repeating the charging state and the resting state.

[0097] For example, when a charging protocol according to the first C-rate is set, the battery may be in a fully charged state. Here, a fully charged state means that the battery is fully charged until the SOC of the battery reaches a preset charge termination SOC or 100% SOC. Accordingly, the battery may be discharged until the SOC of the battery reaches a preset discharge termination SOC or 0% SOC. In one embodiment, the battery may enter a stable state after a predetermined period of rest (e.g., 30 minutes) after the discharge is completed. Thereafter, the battery may be charged at a second C-rate.

[0098] The control unit (140) may be configured to determine a second charge upper limit SOC corresponding to a second C-rate for the battery.

[0099] The control unit (140) can generate a resistance profile indicating the correspondence between the SOC and resistance of the battery. In addition, the control unit (140) can select a target point from the resistance profile and determine the SOC of the selected target point as the second charging upper limit SOC.

[0100] The control unit (140) may be configured to include a correspondence between the second C-rate and the second charge upper limit SOC in the charging protocol.

[0101] Preferably, the magnitude of the C-rate and the upper limit SOC of the charge can be inversely proportional. That is, as the C-rate increases, the corresponding upper limit SOC of the charge can decrease. Conversely, as the C-rate decreases, the corresponding upper limit SOC of the charge can increase.

[0102] For example, if the first C-rate is less than the second C-rate, the second charge upper limit SOC may be less than the first charge upper limit SOC. Conversely, if the first C-rate is greater than the second C-rate, the second charge upper limit SOC may exceed the first charge upper limit SOC.

[0103]

[0104] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of resistance according to SOC of a first battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating six resistance profiles set by charging the first battery at 0.5C, 1C, 1.5C, 2C, 2.5C, and 3C, respectively.

[0105] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the temperature of a first battery according to its SOC according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the temperature control unit (130) can control the temperature of the first battery so that the temperature of the first battery is maintained below the critical temperature (K) during the charging process of the first battery. Accordingly, during the charging process according to each C-rate, the temperature of the first battery is maintained below the critical temperature (K).

[0106] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the target point of each resistance profile is the point indicated by "●". When the first battery is charged at 0.5C, the SOC of the target point is s1, so the charge upper limit SOC corresponding to 0.5C is s1. When the first battery is charged at 1C, the SOC of the target point is s2, so the charge upper limit SOC corresponding to 1C is s2. When the first battery is charged at 1.5C, the SOC of the target point is s3, so the charge upper limit SOC corresponding to 1.5C is s3. When the first battery is charged at 2C, the SOC of the target point is s4, so the charge upper limit SOC corresponding to 2C is s4. When the first battery is charged at 2.5C, the SOC of the target point is s5, so the charge upper limit SOC corresponding to 2.5C is s5. When the first battery is charged at 3C, the SOC of the target point is s6, so the upper charge limit SOC corresponding to 3C is s6.

[0107] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a comparative example of resistance by SOC of a second battery according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating six resistance profiles set by charging the second battery at 0.5C, 1C, 1.5C, 2C, 2.5C, and 3C, respectively.

[0108] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram comparing the temperatures of a second battery according to an embodiment of the present invention at different SOCs. Specifically, unlike the first battery, the temperature of the second battery was not regulated to remain below the critical temperature (K) during the charging process. Therefore, the higher the C-rate, the higher the measured temperature at different SOCs.

[0109] In the comparative example of Fig. 5, the target point of each resistance profile is the point indicated by "●". When the second battery is charged at 0.5C, the SOC of the target point is c1, so the upper charge limit SOC corresponding to 0.5C is c1. When the second battery is charged at 1C, the SOC of the target point is c2, so the upper charge limit SOC corresponding to 1C is c2. When the second battery is charged at 1.5C, the SOC of the target point is c3, so the upper charge limit SOC corresponding to 1.5C is c3. When the second battery is charged at 2C, the SOC of the target point is c4, so the upper charge limit SOC corresponding to 2C is c4. When the second battery is charged at 2.5C or 3C, since there is no target point, the upper charge limit SOC is not determined.

[0110] Specifically, if the battery temperature is not controlled during the charging process, the battery resistance may increase due to heat generation. Furthermore, since the battery temperature may continue to increase due to heat generation, the battery resistance may also continue to increase as the charging process progresses. In other words, the target point is selected as one of the characteristic points (e.g., a local maximum) included in the resistance profile. However, if the resistance continues to increase due to battery heat generation, the characteristic point may not exist. Therefore, if the temperature is not controlled during the charging process, the resistance profile may not include the characteristic point.

[0111] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first charging protocol (P1) and a second charging protocol (P2) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the first charging protocol (P1) is a charging protocol set for a first battery, and the second charging protocol (P2) is a charging protocol set for a second battery. Since the second charging protocol (P2) includes a charging upper limit SOC affected by the heat generation of the second battery, it does not include a charging upper limit SOC corresponding to 2.5C and 3C.

[0112] In addition, at 0.5C, 1C, and 2C, the charge upper limit SOC included in the first charging protocol (P1) and the second charging protocol (P2) are different. Specifically, at 0.5C, the charge upper limit SOC according to the first charging protocol (P1) is s1, and the charge upper limit SOC according to the second charging protocol (P2) is c1. At 1C, the charge upper limit SOC according to the first charging protocol (P1) is s2, and the charge upper limit SOC according to the second charging protocol (P2) is c2. At 1.5C, the charge upper limit SOC according to the first charging protocol (P1) is s3, and the charge upper limit SOC according to the second charging protocol (P2) is c3.

[0113] The charging protocol setting device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can determine a charge upper limit SOC for each C-rate that minimizes the influence of battery heat generation by maintaining the temperature of the battery below a critical temperature during the charging process. Accordingly, since an optimal charge upper limit SOC that prevents lithium precipitation can be determined for each C-rate, the battery can be safely charged according to the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device (100).

[0114]

[0115] Meanwhile, the measuring unit (120) may be configured to further measure the temperature of the battery.

[0116] The temperature control unit (130) may be configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the coolant as the temperature of the battery approaches the critical temperature.

[0117] Specifically, since the temperature of the battery rises during the charging process, it may not be possible to maintain the temperature of the battery below the critical temperature with a constant temperature maintenance control.

[0118] For example, in the comparative example of Fig. 5, if the battery temperature is not controlled during the charging process, the battery temperature may continuously rise. In particular, the temperature rise is steeper in the low SOC range than in the high SOC range. In other words, the temperature rise rate in the low SOC range is greater than the temperature rise rate in the high SOC range.

[0119] Accordingly, the temperature control unit (130) may be configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the coolant as the temperature of the battery approaches the critical temperature. That is, the temperature control unit (130) may increase the total amount of coolant so that more coolant can have a greater effect on the battery, or may increase the flow rate of the coolant so that the coolant can have a more frequent effect on the battery.

[0120] For example, it is assumed that the temperature control unit (130) controls the temperature of the battery through coolant. The temperature control unit (130) can control the temperature of the battery below the critical temperature by increasing the amount and / or flow rate of the coolant as the temperature of the battery approaches the critical temperature.

[0121] As another example, the temperature control unit (130) may control the temperature of the battery by adding cooling gas while controlling the temperature of the battery using coolant.

[0122] The charging protocol setting device (100) can set a charging protocol that minimizes the impact of heat generation by controlling the temperature of the battery during the charging process. Therefore, according to the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device (100), the battery can be safely charged, thereby preventing unintended battery deterioration due to charging. In other words, the charging protocol setting device (100) has the advantage of being able to set a charging protocol that can increase the expected lifespan of the battery by preventing unnecessary battery deterioration.

[0123]

[0124] Meanwhile, the control unit (140) may be configured not to determine the first charging upper limit SOC if there is no target point that satisfies a predetermined condition in the resistance profile.

[0125] When the temperature control unit (130) controls the temperature of the battery, the resistance profile generated by the control unit (140) is one in which the influence of battery heat generation is minimized. Therefore, preferably, the resistance profile may include at least one characteristic point, so that the upper limit SOC of the charge corresponding to the C-rate can be determined.

[0126] However, if the battery is severely degraded or its degradation is accelerated, the resistance at each SOC may continue to increase even if it is not due to battery overheating. In this case, since the resistance profile represents the relationship between SOC and resistance, the resistance profile may not include any characteristic points.

[0127] If the temperature of the battery is controlled during the charging process but the target point cannot be selected from the resistance profile, the control unit (140) may not determine the upper limit SOC of the charge corresponding to the corresponding C-rate. That is, since information regarding the corresponding C-rate is excluded from the charging protocol, the battery may not be charged at the corresponding C-rate according to the charging protocol.

[0128]

[0129] FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of a charging control device (200) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0130] Referring to FIG. 8, the charging control device (200) may include a memory (210) and a processor (220).

[0131] Specifically, the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device (100) may be stored in the memory (210). Then, when the processor (220) needs to control the charging of the battery to be charged, it may access the memory (210) and obtain the stored charging protocol. Then, the processor (220) may be configured to control the charging of the battery to be charged based on the charging protocol.

[0132] Preferably, since the charging protocol is a protocol that minimizes the influence of heat generation on the battery, the temperature of the battery to be charged does not need to be specifically controlled during the process in which the charging control device (200) charges the battery to be charged according to the charging protocol.

[0133] Meanwhile, the processor (220) provided in the charging control device (200) may optionally include a processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), another chipset, a logic circuit, a register, a communication modem, a data processing device, etc. known in the art to execute various control logics performed in the present invention. In addition, when the control logic is implemented as software, the processor (220) may be implemented as a set of program modules. At this time, the program modules may be stored in a memory and executed by the processor (220). The memory may be located inside or outside the processor (220) and may be connected to the processor (220) by various well-known means.

[0134] In addition, the memory (210) provided in the charging control device (200) can store data or programs required for each component of the charging control device (200) to perform operations and functions, or data generated in the process of performing operations and functions. The memory (210) is not particularly limited in type as long as it is a known information storage means known to be capable of recording, erasing, updating, and reading data. As an example, the information storage means may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, EEPROM, registers, etc. In addition, the memory (210) can store program codes defining processes executable by the processor (220).

[0135]

[0136] In addition, the charging control device (200) according to the present invention may be provided in a battery pack (1). That is, the battery pack (1) according to the present invention may include the charging control device (200) described above and one or more battery cells. In addition, the battery pack (1) may further include electrical components (relays, fuses, etc.) and a case, etc.

[0137] FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing of a battery pack (1) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0138] The positive terminal of the battery (10) can be connected to the positive terminal (P+) of the battery pack (1), and the negative terminal of the battery (10) can be connected to the negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (1).

[0139] The measuring unit (20) can be connected to a first sensing line (SL1), a second sensing line (SL2), and a third sensing line (SL3). Specifically, the measuring unit (20) can be connected to a positive terminal of the battery (10) through the first sensing line (SL1), and can be connected to a negative terminal of the battery (10) through the second sensing line (SL2). The measuring unit (20) can measure the voltage of the battery (10) based on the voltage measured at each of the first sensing line (SL1) and the second sensing line (SL2).

[0140] In addition, the measuring unit (20) can be connected to the current measuring unit (A) via the third sensing line (SL3). For example, the current measuring unit (A) can be an ammeter or a shunt resistor capable of measuring the charging current and discharging current of the battery (10). The measuring unit (20) can measure the charging and discharging current of the battery (10) via the third sensing line (SL3).

[0141] Battery information measured by the measuring unit (20) may be transmitted to the charging control device (200). For example, the measuring unit (20) and the charging control device (200) may be connected to enable communication via a cable and / or wirelessly. Battery information received from the measuring unit (20) may be stored in the memory (210) and input to the processor (220). In addition, the processor (220) may access the memory (210) to obtain the stored battery information.

[0142] A charging device (2) can be connected to the positive terminal (P+) and negative terminal (P-) of the battery pack (1). Here, the charging device (2) is a device for charging the battery (10).

[0143] The processor (220) may be connected to the charging device (2) via a communication line (CL) to enable wired and / or wireless communication. For example, the processor (220) may perform power-line communication (PLC) with the charging device (2). The processor (220) may determine, based on a charging protocol stored in the memory (210), whether the SOC of the battery (10) has reached the upper charge limit SOC corresponding to the current C-rate. If the SOC of the battery (10) has reached the upper charge limit SOC, the processor (220) may command the charging device (2) to decrease the C-rate. Preferably, the processor (220) may select a C-rate lower than the current C-rate in the charging protocol and command the charging device (2) to charge at the selected C-rate.

[0144]

[0145] FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing of a charging device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0146] A battery pack (1) may include a battery (10), a measuring unit (20), and a BMS (Battery Management System) (30). Here, the BMS (30) is a battery management system that diagnoses the status of the battery and controls the charging and discharging of the battery. For example, the BMS (30) may be a configuration widely used in the past.

[0147] The charging device (2) may include a charging control device (200). For example, the charging device (2) may output a charging current at a C-rate set by the charging control device (200).

[0148] The BMS (30) can be connected to the charging device (2) via a communication line (CL) to enable wired and / or wireless communication. Preferably, the charging device (2) can receive battery information from the BMS (30). The battery information can be stored in the memory (210) and input to the processor (220). In addition, the processor (220) can access the memory (210) to obtain the stored battery information.

[0149] The processor (220) can determine whether the SOC of the battery (10) has reached the upper limit SOC of the charge corresponding to the current C-rate based on the charging protocol stored in the memory (210). If the SOC of the battery (10) has reached the upper limit SOC of the charge, the processor (220) can reduce the charging C-rate. That is, the processor (220) can reduce the charging current output from the charging device (2). Preferably, the processor (220) can select a C-rate lower than the current C-rate in the charging protocol and change the C-rate of the charging current output from the charging device (2) to the selected C-rate. Therefore, the charging device (2) can output a charging current corresponding to the lowered C-rate toward the battery (10).

[0150]

[0151] FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0152] Referring to FIG. 11, a battery pack (1110) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be included in a vehicle (1100), such as an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid vehicle (HV). Furthermore, the battery pack (1110) may drive the vehicle (1100) by supplying power to a motor through an inverter provided in the vehicle (1100). Here, the battery pack (1110) may include a charge control device. That is, the vehicle (1100) may include a charge control device.

[0153]

[0154] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating a charging protocol setting method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 12, the charging protocol setting method may include a step of calculating resistance by SOC (S100), a step of determining a charging upper limit SOC (S200), and a step of setting a charging protocol (S300).

[0156] Preferably, each step of the charging protocol setting method can be performed by the charging protocol setting device (100). In the following, for convenience of explanation, any content that overlaps with the previously described content will be omitted or briefly described.

[0157] The SOC-specific resistance calculation step (S100) is a step of calculating the SOC-specific resistance of the battery based on the voltage drop in the resting state while the battery is being charged by repeating the charging state and resting state at a preset first C-rate, and can be performed by the control unit (140).

[0158] Specifically, the charging unit (110) can charge the battery based on a command signal received from the control unit (140). In addition, the measuring unit (120) can measure the voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged. The control unit (140) can receive voltage information about the battery from the measuring unit (120) and calculate the resistance of the battery according to its SOC based on the voltage drop during the idle period.

[0159] The charging upper limit SOC determination step (S200) is a step of determining the first charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the SOC and resistance, and can be performed by the control unit (140).

[0160] Specifically, the control unit (140) can generate a resistance profile indicating a correspondence between SOC and resistance. Then, the control unit (140) can select a target point from the resistance profile and determine the SOC of the selected target point as the charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the corresponding C-rate.

[0161] The charging protocol setting step (S300) is a step for setting a charging protocol including a correspondence between the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC, and can be performed by the control unit (140).

[0162] Specifically, the control unit (140) can set a charging protocol by mapping the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC. That is, the charging protocol can include mapping information of the first C-rate and the first charging upper limit SOC.

[0163] The charging protocol setting method can perform a step of calculating resistance by SOC (S100), a step of determining the charging upper limit SOC (S200), and a step of setting the charging protocol (S300) based on the second C-rate so that a correspondence between a second C-rate different from the first C-rate and a second charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C-rate is included in the charging protocol.

[0164] Specifically, the control unit (140) can set a charging protocol corresponding to a plurality of C-rates. That is, the control unit (140) can set a charging protocol indicating a correspondence relationship between a plurality of C-rates and a plurality of charging upper limit SOCs.

[0165] For example, the control unit (140) can include mapping information between multiple C-rates and the charging upper limit SOC in the charging protocol by performing a resistance calculation step (S100) for each SOC, a charging upper limit SOC determination step (S200), and a charging protocol setting step (S300) for multiple C-rates.

[0166]

[0167] The embodiments of the present invention described above are not implemented only through devices and methods, but may also be implemented through a program that realizes a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiments of the present invention or a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and such implementation can be easily implemented by an expert in the technical field to which the present invention belongs based on the description of the embodiments described above.

[0168] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is obvious that various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention and the equivalent scope of the patent claims to be described below by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0169] In addition, the present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the attached drawings, and all or part of each embodiment may be selectively combined and configured so that various modifications can be made, as those skilled in the art can make various substitutions, modifications, and changes within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0170] (Explanation of symbols)

[0171] 1: Battery pack

[0172] 2: Charging device

[0173] 10: Battery

[0174] 20: Measurement section

[0175] 30: BMS

[0176] 100: Charging protocol setting device

[0177] 110: Charging part

[0178] 120: Measurement section

[0179] 130: Temperature control unit

[0180] 140: Control Unit

[0181] 150: Storage

[0182] 200: Charging control device

[0183] 210: Memory

[0184] 220: Processor

[0185] 1100: Car

[0186] 1110: Battery Pack

Claims

1. A charging unit configured to charge the battery so that the battery alternates between a charging state and an idle state; A measuring unit configured to measure the voltage of the battery while the battery is being charged; a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of the battery while the battery is being charged; and A charging protocol setting device comprising: a control unit configured to control the charging unit so that the battery is charged at a preset first C-rate, calculate a resistance according to a state of charge (SOC) of the battery based on a voltage drop in the resting state, determine a first charge upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the SOC and the resistance, and set a charging protocol including a correspondence between the first C-rate and the first charge upper limit SOC.

2. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it controls the charging unit so that the battery is charged at a second C-rate different from the first C-rate, determines a second charge upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C-rate for the battery, and includes a correspondence between the second C-rate and the second charge upper limit SOC in the charging protocol.

3. In paragraph 2, The above second charging upper limit SOC is, If the above first C-rate is less than the above second C-rate, it is less than the first charge upper limit SOC, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it is configured to exceed the first charge upper limit SOC when the first C-rate exceeds the second C-rate.

4. In paragraph 1, The above temperature control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it is configured to flow a coolant so that the temperature of the battery is maintained below a preset threshold temperature.

5. In paragraph 4, The above measuring unit is configured to further measure the temperature of the battery, The above temperature control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it is configured to increase at least one of the amount and flow rate of the coolant as the temperature of the battery approaches the critical temperature.

6. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized by being configured to set a resistance profile indicating a correspondence between the resistance and the SOC, select a target point satisfying a predetermined condition from the resistance profile, and determine the SOC corresponding to the selected target point as the first charging upper limit SOC.

7. In paragraph 6, The above control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it is configured to select a feature point having the largest corresponding SOC among the feature points included in the above resistance profile as the target point.

8. In paragraph 7, The above control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it is configured to determine a maximum point included in the above resistance profile as the feature point.

9. In paragraph 6, The above control unit, A charging protocol setting device characterized in that it is configured not to determine the first charging upper limit SOC if there is no target point satisfying the predetermined condition in the above resistance profile.

10. A charging control device configured to control charging of a battery to be charged based on the charging protocol set by the charging protocol setting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A battery pack comprising a charge control device according to Article 10.

12. A vehicle comprising a charging control device according to Article 10.

13. A SOC-specific resistance calculation step for calculating the SOC-specific resistance of the battery based on the voltage drop in the idle state while the battery is being charged by repeating the charge state and the idle state at a preset first C-rate; A charge upper limit SOC determination step for determining a first charge upper limit SOC corresponding to the first C-rate based on the above SOC and the above resistance; and A charging protocol setting method, characterized by including a charging protocol setting step for setting a charging protocol including a correspondence relationship between the first C-rate and the first charge upper limit SOC.

14. In paragraph 13, A charging protocol setting method characterized in that the step of calculating the resistance for each SOC, the step of determining the charging upper limit SOC, and the step of setting the charging protocol are performed based on the second C-rate so that a correspondence relationship between a second C-rate different from the first C-rate and a second charging upper limit SOC corresponding to the second C-rate is included in the charging protocol.

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