Equalizer overload management
AssigneeVolvo Construction Equipment AB
InventorsGrégoire Artur Du Plessis, Frederic Leroy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a method of operating an electrical system including a first battery, a second battery coupled in series with the first battery, and a battery equalizer coupled to the first battery and the second battery and configured to supply an equalizing current to the first battery. The method includes monitoring a level of the equalizing current, determining, based on monitoring of the level of the equalizing current, that the equalizing current is saturated, and reducing a level of current supplied at a positive terminal of the first battery in response to determining that the equalizing current is saturated. The methods may take an action to reduce the demand for current that is supplied by the first battery.
Claims19
A method of operating an electrical system including a first 12V battery, a second 12V battery coupled in series with the first 12V battery, and a battery equalizer coupled to the first 12V battery and the second 12V battery and configured to supply an equalizing current to the first 12V battery, the method comprising:
- monitoring a level of the equalizing current;
- determining, based on monitoring of the level of the equalizing current, that the equalizing current is saturated;
- and
- reducing a level of 12V current supplied to a load at a positive terminal of the first 12V battery in response to determining that the equalizing current is saturated.
A vehicle electrical system, comprising:
- a first 12V battery;
- a second 12V battery coupled in series with the first 12V battery;
- a battery equalizer coupled to the first 12V battery and the second 12V battery, wherein the battery equalizer is configured to supply an equalizing current to the first 12V battery;
- and
- an electrical control unit comprising a controller programmed to perform operations including:
- monitoring a level of the equalizing current;
- determining, based on monitoring of the level of the equalizing current, that the equalizing current is saturated;
- and
- reducing a level of 12V current supplied at a positive terminal of the first 12V battery in response to determining that the equalizing current is saturated.
A vehicle electrical system, comprising:
- a first 12V battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal and configured to supply power to a 12V subsystem of a vehicle from the positive terminal of the first 12V battery;
- a second 12V battery having a negative terminal coupled to the positive terminal of the first 12V battery and having a positive terminal and being configured, in combination with the first 12V battery, to supply power to a 24V subsystem of the vehicle from the positive terminal of the second 12V battery;
- a battery equalizer coupled to the positive terminal and negative terminal of the first 12V battery and to the positive terminal and negative terminal of the second 12V battery, wherein the battery equalizer is configured to supply an equalizing current to the positive terminal of the first 12V battery in response to detecting a charge imbalance between the first 12V battery and the second 12V battery;
- and
- an electrical control unit comprising a microcontroller programmed to perform operations including:
- monitoring a level of the equalizing current supplied to the positive terminal of the first 12V battery;
- determining, based on monitoring of the level of the equalizing current, that the equalizing current is saturated and that at least one of (a) a state of charge of the first 12V battery is below a first threshold or (b) a difference in state of charge of the first 12V battery and the second 12V battery is greater than a second threshold;
- and
- reducing a level of 12V current supplied to the 12V subsystem at the positive terminal of the first 12V battery in response to the determination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.