Online measurement of anode potential for the maximization of charging power at low temperatures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022014035-A1
Application number	US-202117368158-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery system includes a non-reference battery cell; a reference battery cell including a cathode, an anode, and a reference electrode; a potential measuring means configured to measure a reference potential of the anode relative to the reference electrode, of the reference battery cell, and to generate a signal corresponding to the reference potential; and a controlling means configured to receive the signal and to reduce, during a charging process of the battery system, a charging current applied to the battery system when the signal indicates that the reference potential is below a predetermined threshold voltage. The non-reference battery cell may be disposed at a first position in the battery system, and the reference battery cell may be disposed at a second position in the battery system, the second position being a position that has a lowest temperature, among the first and second positions, during the charging process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery system, comprising:
a non-reference battery cell; a reference battery cell, the reference battery cell including a cathode, an anode, and a reference electrode; a potential measuring means configured to measure a reference potential, which is a potential of the anode relative to the reference electrode, of the reference battery cell, and to generate a signal corresponding to the reference potential; and a controlling means configured to receive the signal and to reduce, during a charging process of the battery system, a charging current applied to the battery system when the signal indicates that the reference potential is below a predetermined threshold voltage, wherein: the non-reference battery cell is disposed at a first position in the battery system, and the reference battery cell is disposed at a second position in the battery system, the second position being a position that has a lowest temperature, among the first and second positions, during the charging process.

2 . The battery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the non-reference battery cell is provided in plural, at least one reference battery cell is provided, and a ratio of a number of the non-reference battery cells relative to an overall number of battery cells in the battery system is greater than 2.

3 . The battery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode is a lithium electrode.

4 . The battery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controlling means is configured to adjust the charging current in dependence of a temperature of the reference battery cell.

5 . The battery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controlling means is configured to adjust the charging current in dependence of a state of charge of the reference battery cell.

6 . The battery system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second position, in which the reference battery cell is disposed, is in a corner of the battery system.

7 . The battery system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a heating system having a heating fluid channel, the heating fluid channel having an outlet.

8 . The battery system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second position, in which the reference battery cell is disposed, is farther from the outlet than the first position, in which the non-reference battery cell is disposed.

9 . The battery system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second position, in which the reference battery cell is disposed, is farther from the heating fluid channel than the first position, in which the non-reference battery cell is disposed.

10 . A battery pack comprising the battery system as claimed in claim 1 .

11 . A vehicle comprising the battery system as claimed in claim 1 .

12 . A vehicle comprising a battery pack as claimed in claim 10 .

13 . A method for charging a battery system, the method comprising:
measuring a reference potential of a reference battery cell, the reference potential being a potential of an anode of the reference battery cell relative to a reference electrode of the reference battery cell, the reference battery cell including the anode, a cathode, and a reference cathode that is the reference electrode; generating a signal corresponding to the reference potential; and reducing a charging current applied to the battery system during a charging process when the signal indicates that the reference potential is below a predetermined threshold voltage, wherein: the battery system includes the reference battery cell and a non-reference battery cell, the non-reference battery cell is disposed at a first position in the battery system, and the reference battery cell is disposed at a second position in the battery system, the second position being a position that has a lowest temperature, among the first and second positions, during the charging process.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the charging current applied during the charging process is determined in dependence of a temperature of the reference battery cell.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the charging current applied during the charging process is determined in dependence of a state of charge of the reference battery cell.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising increasing the charging current applied during the charging process when the signal indicates that the reference potential exceeds the predetermined threshold voltage.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein:
the reference battery cell is provided in plural to include a first reference battery cell and a second reference battery cell, and the method further comprises adjusting the charging current applied during the charging process when a first signal corresponding to the reference potential of the first reference battery cell indicates a reference potential of the first reference battery cell being equal to the predetermined threshold voltage and a second signal corresponding to the reference potential of the second reference battery cell indicates a reference potential of the second reference battery cell being larger than the predetermined threshold voltage.

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Janek Alex

Classifications

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/96 Primary

  in response to battery voltage · CPC title

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/975

  in response to temperature · CPC title

• H02J7/80

  including monitoring or indicating arrangements · CPC title