Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Serially connected batteries or cells
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2002-02-05
Tso, Edward H. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Serially connected batteries or cells
C320S150000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06344728
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a battery power source device providing, on a battery pack including an assembly of single batteries, means for controlling this battery pack to maintain an appropriate operating condition.
BACKGROUND ART
Battery power source devices of this type are known in which a plurality of single batteries including secondary batteries are electrically and mechanically connected in series to constitute battery modules, a required output voltage being obtained by series connection of a prescribed number of such battery modules accommodated in a holder case, these being capable of being freely charged or discharged.
However, since a battery power source device constructed as described above is exposed to severe conditions of use when carried in an electric automobile or hybrid vehicle, maintaining it in a suitable operating condition by controlling the temperature and/or charging/discharging of the battery etc. is demanded. In order to meet this demand, it is necessary to know the condition of the battery power source device itself by detecting the temperature and/or voltage etc. of the battery power source and to report to the external device that uses the battery power source data indicating the operating condition of the battery power source, such as the detected temperature, voltage, current and SOC (State Of Charge), which indicates the amount of electricity stored relative to the battery capacity at 25° C.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a battery power source device comprising sensors for detecting the operating condition of the battery, means for control in the event of failure, and means for reporting the operating condition to the outside etc.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention according to a first aspect thereof provides a battery power source device comprising: a battery pack wherein battery modules are formed by connecting in series electrically and mechanically a plurality of single cells constituting secondary cells, a plurality of battery modules being held in a holder case in a three-dimensionally parallel arrangement and a plurality of battery modules being electrically connected in series; cooling means whereby coolant is forcibly made to flow within this battery pack; and means for detecting temperature that detect the temperature of a single or a plurality of battery module units.
The characteristic of a battery depends on its temperature and, in particular in the case of a module in which a large number of batteries are collected, rise in temperature can easily occur, making the operating condition of a battery power source unstable. However, with this construction, temperature detection can be achieved by the means for temperature detection at single or a plurality of battery module units, so temperature management can be performed for single or a plurality of battery module units, making it possible to control charging/discharging and/or the cooling means such that each battery module has a uniform temperature, thereby making it possible to maintain the temperature in the battery pack to a correct level.
The cooling means in the above construction is constituted such as to cause coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the battery modules, and the means for temperature detection detect the temperature of battery modules on an upstream side and a downstream side of the coolant flow, and can be arranged to calculate the temperature of the battery modules in an intermediate flow region from the detected temperatures of the battery modules on the upstream side and downstream side, in accordance with a temperature distribution trend within the battery pack. Thus the temperature of the battery modules in the intermediate flow region can be calculated by looking up the detected temperatures of the battery modules on the upstream side and downstream side of the coolant flow on the temperature distribution trend, thereby making it possible to detect the temperature at the battery modules in the intermediate flow region without providing temperature sensors there. Consequently, temperature detection of the battery module units becomes possible even though the number of means for temperature detection that are provided is small.
Also, by arranging the cooling means such as to cause coolant to flow in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the battery modules, with the means for temperature detection detecting the temperature of a single battery module arranged in parallel in the direction orthogonal with the direction of coolant flow, it can be arranged that the temperature of the other battery modules that are arranged in parallel is calculated in accordance with the temperature distribution trend within the battery pack, and, by finding the temperature distribution trend in the direction orthogonal to the direction of coolant flow beforehand, it is possible to calculate, from the temperature distribution trend, the temperature of the other battery modules in positions that are parallel therewith, by detecting the temperature of a single battery module arranged in parallel therewith in the direction orthogonal to the direction of coolant flow.
Also, by providing a construction such that the cooling means cause coolant to flow in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the battery modules and that the means for temperature detection calculate the temperature of other battery modules in accordance with the temperature distribution trend within the battery pack by detecting the temperature of a single battery module; the temperature of the other battery modules can be calculated from temperature detection of a single battery module, by finding the temperature distribution trend at the battery module units within the battery pack.
The temperature distribution trend within the battery pack can be found from the flow rate and temperature of the coolant and data of the charging/discharging mean power; since the temperature distribution trend within the battery pack in which the cooling structure is formed in a fixed condition can be acquired as data corresponding to changes in factors that produce temperature change, the temperature at points other than the reference point can be calculated from the temperature distribution trend by detecting the temperature at a reference point by a sensor.
Also, the means for temperature detection may include a temperature sensor that detects the temperature at a single or a plurality of battery module units; although detection accuracy is raised if temperature sensors are provided for each battery module, taking into consideration costs and the space for their arrangement etc., it is possible to calculate the temperature of battery modules where temperature sensors are not arranged by providing temperature sensors at chief locations, from the previously known temperature distribution trend, using these as reference.
Also, by controlling the operation of the cooling means in accordance with the detection temperature obtained by the means for temperature detection, the temperature within the battery pack can be controlled to an appropriate condition by adjustment of the flow rate and/or flow speed of coolant.
The present invention according to a second aspect thereof provides a battery power source device comprising: a battery pack wherein battery modules are formed by connecting in series electrically and mechanically a plurality of single cells constituting secondary cells, a plurality of battery modules being held in a holder case in a three-dimensionally parallel arrangement and a plurality of battery modules being electrically connected in series; cooling means whereby coolant is forcibly made to flow within this battery pack; means for voltage detection that detect voltage at a plurality of positions arranged on said battery pack; and means for current detection that detect a charging/discharging current of the battery pack.
With this construction, the charging
Inui Kiwamu
Kanamaru Kunio
Kimura Tadao
Kouzu Katsumi
Marukawa Shuuhei
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Tso Edward H.
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