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US 10,833,513 B2Granted
Method, system and device for balancing individual electric energy storage cells
AssigneeVito NV
InventorPeter Coenen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for monitoring individual cell voltages of an energy storage system. The measured cell voltages can be reported back to a central controller. Based on parameters such as the overall health of the system, this controller can be adapted to decide which cells to balance, in which direction and optionally for how long. Balancing can be performed by cell monitoring and balancing units which can be implemented in hardware, i.e. as one or more circuits. The decision information from the controller can be reported to the cell monitoring and balancing units as a command. The cell monitoring and balancing means can execute the command, for example irrespective of the voltage or SoC of the cell connected to it.
Claims20
A system for balancing individual electric energy storage cells in an electric energy storage system comprising:
- individual energy storage devices connected in series,
- measurement devices to measure an electrical parameter of individual cells related to cell health, charge or state of charge,
- a controller,
- means for reporting measured parameter values to the controller,
- the controller being adapted to decide if one or more individual cells are to be balanced and in which direction of charging or discharging, the decision being based on the measured parameter,
- a balancing unit being connected to a measured cell and being adapted for measuring an electrical parameter of the measured cell and for receiving a balancing command from the controller and for performing cell balancing of the cell connected to it,
- wherein the balancing unit at least comprises a first balancing unit comprising a plurality of switches for transferring charge, on the one hand, charge from an electric charging device or from an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for charging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit, and, on the other hand, for transferring charge to the energy charging device or to an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for discharging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit independently of whether the energy storage system as a whole is being charged or discharged or is idle, and
- wherein the plurality of switches are configured to determine a direction of current through the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit.
5 more elements
A method for balancing individual electric energy storage devices in an electric energy storage system comprising:
- individual energy storage devices connected in series, the method comprising:
- measuring an electrical parameter of individual energy storage devices related to device health, charge or state of charge,
- deciding if one or more individual energy storage devices are to be balanced and in which direction charging or discharging, the decision being based on the measured parameter values, and
- performing balancing of the one or more energy storage devices,
- wherein performing the balancing comprises transferring charge using a first balancing unit comprising a plurality of switches, on the one hand, charge from an electric charging device or from an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for charging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit, and, on the other hand, for transferring charge to the energy charging device or to an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for discharging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit independently of whether the energy storage system as a whole is being charged or discharged or is idle, and
- wherein the plurality of switches control a direction of current through the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit.
3 more elements
A system for balancing individual electric energy storage cells in an electric energy storage system comprising:
- individual energy storage devices connected in series,
- measurement devices to measure an electrical parameter of individual cells related to cell health, charge or state of charge,
- a controller,
- means for reporting measured parameter values to the controller,
- the controller being adapted to decide if one or more individual cells are to be balanced and in which direction of charging or discharging, the decision being based on the measured parameter,
- a balancing unit being connected to a measured cell and being adapted for measuring an electrical parameter of the measured cell and for receiving a balancing command from the controller and for performing cell balancing of the cell connected to it,
- wherein the balancing unit at least comprises a first balancing unit comprising a first data input port connected to a first terminal of the measured cell, a second data input port connected to a second terminal of the measured cell, an input terminal for receiving an input signal from the controller, said input terminal being electrically connected to the first data input port and the second data input port by a first switch and a second switch,
- wherein the first switch and the second switch are configured for transferring charge, on the one hand, charge from an electric charging device or from an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for charging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit, and, on the other hand, for transferring charge to the energy charging device or to an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for discharging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit independently of whether the energy storage system as a whole is being charged or discharged or is idle, and
- wherein the first switch and the second switch are configured to determine a direction of current through the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit.
6 more elements
A system for balancing individual electric energy storage cells in an electric energy storage system comprising:
- individual energy storage devices connected in series,
- measurement devices to measure an electrical parameter of individual cells related to cell health, charge or state of charge,
- a controller,
- means for reporting measured parameter values to the controller,
- the controller being adapted to decide if one or more individual cells are to be balanced and in which direction of charging or discharging, the decision being based on the measured parameter,
- a balancing unit being connected to a measured cell and being adapted for measuring an electrical parameter of the measured cell and for receiving a balancing command from the controller and for performing cell balancing of the cell connected to it,
- wherein the balancing unit at least comprises a first balancing unit comprising a plurality of diodes and transistors for transferring charge, on the one hand, charge from an electric charging device or from an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for charging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit, and, on the other hand, for transferring charge to the energy charging device or to an energy storage cell assigned to another balancing unit for discharging the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit independently of whether the energy storage system as a whole is being charged or discharged or is idle, and
- wherein the plurality of diodes and transistors are configured to determine a direction of current through the energy storage cell assigned to the first balancing unit.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.