Dynamic system for balancing charging voltage for battery modules

A method for controlling a battery comprising a plurality of battery modules which are electrically connected in an electrical circuit by a switching unit which comprises a plurality of switches as well as a balancing system for balancing a charge of said battery modules, the method comprising:

• controlling, via control circuitry, the switches of the switching unit in order to connect said battery modules in series with one another, during a phase of charging said battery by a charger;
• and
• controlling, via the control circuitry, the balancing system of the switching unit in order to divert some of the current delivered in a direction of one of the battery modules, which is overcharged, to another of the battery modules, which is undercharged, during a mixed phase during which the battery is simultaneously charged by the charger and discharged to a consumer circuit, wherein
• the balancing system comprises at least one main balancing unit, the main balancing unit comprising a switch connected in series with a coil and in parallel with a diode, and
• a closure period of the switch of the main balancing unit is controlled by pulse-width modulation.

A battery for storing electrical energy comprising:

• a plurality of battery modules which are electrically connected by an electrical circuit, each battery module being configured to store electrical energy;
• and
• a switching unit which comprises a plurality of switches which are arranged on the electrical circuit and configured to connect the battery modules in series in the electrical circuit during a phase of charging the battery by a charger,
• wherein the switching unit further comprises a balancing system for balancing the charge of the battery modules, which is arranged on the electrical circuit and configured to modify the electrical circuit in order to divert some of a current delivered in a direction of one of the battery modules, which is overcharged, to another of the battery modules, which is undercharged, during a mixed phase during which the battery is simultaneously charged by the charger and discharged to a consumer circuit which the battery supplies with electrical energy,
• wherein the balancing system comprises at least one main balancing unit is arranged as a branch from part of a branch of the electrical circuit connecting two positive terminals of two distinct battery modules, the main balancing unit comprising a switch connected in series with a coil and in parallel with a diode,
• wherein the battery modules include a first battery module and a second battery module, a negative terminal of the first battery module is connected to a positive terminal of the second battery module via a first and a second diode connected in series with one another, a current input terminal of the first diode being connected to the negative terminal of the first battery module, and a current output terminal of the second diode being connected to the positive terminal of the second battery module,
• wherein the switching unit comprises:
• a first switch having a first contact point intended to be connected to a positive terminal of the charger and a second contact point connected to the positive terminal of the first battery module,
• a second switch having a first contact point intended to be connected to a negative terminal of the charger and a second contact point connected to the negative terminal of the second battery module,
• a third switch having a first contact point connected to the positive terminal of the second battery module and a second contact point connected to one terminal of the consumer circuit,
• a fourth switch having a first contact point connected to the negative terminal of the second battery module and a second contact point connected to the other terminal of the consumer circuit,
• a fifth switch having a first contact point connected to the positive terminal of the first battery module and a second contact point connected to the current output terminal of the second diode, and
• a sixth switch having a first contact point connected to the negative terminal of the second battery module and a second contact point connected to the current input terminal of the first diode, and
• wherein the main balancing unit of the balancing system is arranged on the electrical branch connecting the positive terminal of the first battery module and a current input terminal in the second diode, the current input terminal of the diode of the main balancing unit being connected to the current output terminal of the first diode.