DESC:HIERARCHICAL BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICTIONS
The present application claims priority from Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 202321051263 filed on 31/07/2023, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to a battery management system. The present disclosure specifically relates to a hierarchical battery management system.
BACKGROUND
Conventionally, the energy has been generated from non-renewable sources as the same have been reliable source of energy for the humans from along period of time. However, the non-renewable energy sources cause harm to the environment. As the environmental destruction and the depletion of energy resources continues, newer sources of renewable energy are increasingly drawing attention. Renewable energy that does not generate pollution. However, the renewable energy sources are not able to supply constant power for a long period of time. Thus, a lot research is being conducted for the development of the energy storage systems, that in combination with the renewable sources can replace the existing non-renewable energy sources in a cleaner manner.
The energy storage system typically comprises multiple racks of battery storage systems. Each rack of the battery storage system comprises multiple battery packs wherein each of the battery pack is a combination or arrangement of multiple battery devices coupled together to be used as a power source. Such energy storage systems are managed by high-capacity battery management systems that have a hierarchical structure with multiple units managing different hierarchies of the battery packs. The battery management system of a battery pack keeps the battery pack within the safe operating ranges by monitoring physical quantities such as charge, current, voltage and temperature. Based on these quantities, state of charge and state of health of the battery pack can also be determined.
Typically, the high-capacity BMS are hierarchical and generally composed of three-level management system to monitor a status of the plurality of battery packs. However, due to the hierarchical structure, the flow of information between the hierarchical levels is delayed leading to slower response of the battery management system. Such slow response leads to inefficient monitoring and may even lead to failure of the battery pack if not controlled properly. Furthermore, the existing hierarchical BMS utilize either active balancing or passive balancing. However, the particular type of balancing may not be feasible in all the conditions leading to inefficient operation of the energy storage system.
Therefore, there exists a need for a battery management system that reduces failure rate during transmission of the status and overcomes the one or more problems associated as set forth above.
SUMMARY
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a hierarchical battery management system with active and passive balancing.
In accordance with first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a hierarchical battery management system (BMS) for managing a plurality of battery packs. The hierarchical BMS comprises a first management unit, a plurality of second management units communicably coupled with the first management unit, and a plurality of third management units. The plurality of third management units, wherein each of the third management unit is communicably with a respective second management unit of the plurality of second management units. Each of the third management unit comprises a plurality of interface modules and a processing unit, wherein each of the plurality of interface modules are individually connected to the processing unit and to a respective battery pack of the plurality of battery packs. The plurality of interface modules comprises a data circuit, an active balancing circuit, a passive balancing circuit, and an Analog Front End. The data circuit, the active balancing circuit, and the passive balancing circuit are connected to the respective battery pack and the Analog Front End.
The hierarchical battery management system, as disclosed by the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of reducing failure rate during transmission of status information. Beneficially, the hierarchical battery management system is capable of efficiently monitoring the status of the plurality of battery packs. Furthermore, the hierarchical battery management system is advantageous in terms of minimizing transmission time of the status information within the hierarchical battery management system than a transmission time of the status information in a conventional three-level battery management system. Furthermore, the hierarchical battery management system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of dynamically controlling the entity of the hierarchical battery management system based on requirement of output of battery packs without changing the structure of the battery management system. Furthermore, the hierarchical battery management system of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of efficiently balance the plurality of cells of the battery pack.
Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments constructed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a hierarchical battery management system, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an interface module, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognise that other embodiments for carrying out or practising the present disclosure are also possible.
The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of a hierarchical battery management system and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilised. The description sets forth the various structures and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimised to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.
As used herein, the terms “energy storage system”, “energy storage solution”, and “energy storage unit” are used interchangeably and refer to multiple individual battery pack connected together to provide a higher combined voltage or capacity than what a single battery pack can offer. The energy storage system is designed to store electrical energy and supply it as and when required. Furthermore, the energy storage system may include additional circuitry, such as a battery management system (BMS), to ensure the safe and efficient charging and discharging of the battery packs. The energy storage system comprises a plurality of battery modules which in turn comprises a plurality of battery cells.
As used herein, the terms “battery pack” “battery module” are used interchangeably and refer to an assembled unit of a plurality of cell arrays that are connected together electrically to form a larger energy storage capable of delivering required amount of energy for high power applications. The battery modules may be arranged in series or parallel configuration depending on the desired voltage and capacity requirements. It is understood that connecting battery modules in series increases the overall voltage of the energy storage system, while connecting them in parallel increases the capacity. The electrical connections in the battery module are formed by connecting the terminals of the battery cells with bus bars. Furthermore, in addition to the individual cells, a battery module may also include circuitry for balancing the charge levels of the cells, managing the charging and discharging processes, and providing safety features such as overcharge and over-discharge protection. The battery module, along with the associated electronics and packaging, forms the core component of a energy storage system, enabling the efficient and reliable storage and delivery of electrical energy.
As used herein, the terms “plurality of battery cells”, “cells” and “battery-cell” are used interchangeably and refer to basic unit that generates and stores electrical energy. A battery module is typically composed of one or more individual cells connected together. The cells may be comprised of different chemistry including lithium-ion cells, solid state cells, zinc-carbon and alkaline cells, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium and so forth. Furthermore, the battery cells may include various types of cells including cylindrical cells, prismatic cells, pouch cells, coin cells or any customised shape cells.
As used herein, the terms “battery management system” and “hierarchical battery management system” are used interchangeably and refer to an electronic system that monitors and regulates the charging and discharging of battery modules and energy storage systems. The battery management system monitors the battery's voltage, current, temperature, and other parameters to ensure that it is operating within its safe operating area. Furthermore, the battery management system protects the battery from damage by preventing overcharging, over-discharging, overheating, and other abnormal conditions. Furthermore, the battery management system balances the voltage across the individual cells in a battery pack to extend the battery's life and improve its performance. Moreover, the battery management system estimates the battery's state of charge (SoC), state of health (SoH), and remaining capacity.
As used herein, the terms “first management unit”, and “first unit” are used interchangeably and refer to master unit for management of the energy storage system. The first management unit interacts with the rack monitoring units and control the whole energy storage system on various parameters including supply of energy from the energy storage system.
As used herein, the terms “second management unit”, and “second unit” are used interchangeably and refer to a rack management unit for management of energy racks comprising plurality of battery packs in the energy storage system. The second management unit interacts with the module monitoring units and control the energy storage racks on various parameters including supply of energy from the racks in the energy storage system.
As used herein, the terms “third management unit” and “third unit” are used interchangeably and refer to a module management unit for management of energy storage modules in the plurality of racks of the energy storage system. The third management unit interacts with interface modules connected to the battery packs to manage individual battery packs in the racks of the energy storage system. The third management unit monitor sand controls individual battery packs in the energy storage system.
As used herein, the term “interface module” refers to an electronic circuit that establishes an interface between the third management unit and the battery packs. Interface modules are connected with each of the battery packs in the energy storage system for monitoring the battery packs. The interface modules interact with the battery packs and collects required data from the associated battery packs. The collected data is sent to a processing unit of the third management unit for monitoring and control the battery packs. It is to be understood that the interface modules may comprise suitable sensors for collection of the required data from the battery packs.
As used herein, the terms “data processing unit” and “processing unit” are used interchangeably and refer to a computational element that is operable to respond to and processes instructions. Optionally, the processing unit includes, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a micro-controller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processing circuit. Furthermore, the term “processor” may refer to one or more individual processors, processing devices and various elements associated with a processing device that may be shared by other processing devices. Furthermore, the processing unit may comprise ARM Cortex-M series processors, such as the Cortex-M4 or Cortex-M7, or any similar processor designed to handle real-time tasks with high performance and low power consumption. Furthermore, the processing unit may comprise custom and/or proprietary processors.
As used herein, the term ‘communicably coupled’ refers to a bi-directional connection between the various components of the battery management system. The bi-directional connection between the various components of the battery management system enables exchange of data between two or more components of the battery management system.
As used herein, the term “sensor arrangement” and “sensors” are used interchangeably and refers to a configuration of sensors in the system to measure, monitor or detect specific parameters, conditions and/or events. The sensors may receive information such as a cell temperature, a battery ambient temperature, humidity, a charging amount, a cell voltage, a charging and discharging current, and a battery pack voltage among various factors which may influence the deterioration of the battery pack. The sensors include one or more sensors, such as, magnetic, mechanical, thermal, chemical, and/or other type of sensors for monitoring various parameters of the battery pack.
As used herein, the term “data circuit” refers to an electronic circuit capable of collecting and communicating required data from the battery packs. The data circuit may comprise suitable sensors for collecting the required data.
As used herein, the term “analog front end” refers to circuitry that interfaces between the battery pack and the processing unit. The analog front end is responsible for amplifying, filtering, and converting the analog signals from the battery into digital signals that the processing unit can process.
As used herein, the term “data selector” refers to circuitry that filters the data received from the sensors before supplying it to the analog from end for further processing.
As used herein, the term “active balancing circuit” refers to circuitry designed to maintain equal voltage levels across each cell in a battery pack. The active balancing circuits redistribute the charge between cells, improving overall battery performance and lifespan. The active balancing circuit may be capacitor based, inductor based, switched capacitor based, DC-DC converter based and so on.
As used herein, the term “passive balancing circuit” refers to circuitry that dissipates excess energy from overcharged cells as heat.
Figure 1, in accordance with an embodiment describes a hierarchical battery management system (BMS) 100 for managing a plurality of battery packs 112. The hierarchical BMS 100 comprises a first management unit 102, a plurality of second management units 104 communicably coupled with the first management unit 102, and a plurality of third management units 106. The plurality of third management units 106, wherein each of the third management unit 106 is communicably with a respective second management unit 104 of the plurality of second management units 104. Each of the third management unit 106 comprises a plurality of interface modules 108 and a processing unit 110, wherein each of the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually connected to the processing unit 110 and to a respective battery pack 112 of the plurality of battery packs 112. Each of the plurality of interface modules 108 comprises a data circuit 114, an active balancing circuit 122, a passive balancing circuit 124, and an Analog Front End 116. The data circuit 114, the active balancing circuit 122, and the passive balancing circuit 124 are connected to the respective battery pack 112 and the Analog Front End 116.
The hierarchical battery management system 100 is advantageous in terms of reducing failure rate during transmission of status information from the battery packs 112 to the third management unit 106. Beneficially, the hierarchical battery management system 100 is capable of efficiently monitoring the status of the plurality of battery packs 112. Furthermore, the hierarchical battery management system 100 is advantageous in terms of minimizing transmission time of the status information within the hierarchical battery management system 100 than a transmission time of the status information in a conventional three-level battery management system. Furthermore, the hierarchical battery management system 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of dynamically controlling the entity of the hierarchical battery management system 100 based on requirement of output of battery packs 112 without changing the structure of the battery management system 100. Furthermore, the hierarchical battery management system 100 of the present disclosure is advantageous in terms of efficiently balance the plurality of cells of the battery pack 112.
In an embodiment, each of the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually connected to the processing unit 110 via a Controller Area Network communication bus. Beneficially, connecting the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually to the processing unit 110 via the Controller Area Network communication bus enhances the speed of communication between the plurality of interface modules 108 and the processing unit 110.
In an embodiment, each of the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually connected to the processing unit 110 in a star topology, a bus topology or a parallel topology. Beneficially, the star topology, the bus topology or the parallel topology improves the robustness of the system 100 and reduces the chances of failure. It is to be understood that the aforementioned topologies individually connect the plurality of interface modules 108 with the processing unit 110. Thus, in a condition when one of the interface module fails, it does not affects the functioning of the other interface modules.
In an embodiment, the data circuit 114 comprises a plurality of sensors 118 and a data selector 120. Furthermore, the data selector 120 filters the sensed information to remove any noise present in the sensed information. The plurality of sensors 118 may comprise at least one of: a magnetic, a mechanical, a thermal, a chemical, and/or other type of sensors.
In an embodiment, the plurality of sensors 118 are configured to sense information of a plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Beneficially, the plurality of sensors 118 sense at least one of: cell temperature, a battery ambient temperature, humidity, a charging amount, a cell voltage, a charging and discharging current, and a battery pack voltage.
In an embodiment, the data selector 120 is configured to transmit the sensed information of the plurality of cells to the Analog Front End 116. Beneficially, the data selector 120 is configured to convert the sensed information of the plurality of cells to make it readable (compatible) with the Analog Front End 116. Beneficially, the analog front end 116 amplifies, filters, and converts signal received from the data circuit 114 for processing by the processing unit 110.
In an embodiment, the Analog Front End 116 activates the active balancing circuit 122 or the passive balancing circuit 124 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. It is to be understood that the Analog Front End 116 determines the type of balancing (active or passive) suitable for particular condition, based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Beneficially, the Analog Front End 116 efficiently balances the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112 by suitably utilizing either active balancing or passive balancing.
In an embodiment, the active balancing circuit 122 is configured to transfer energy between the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Beneficially, the active balancing circuit 122 efficiently balances the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112 without much energy loss.
In an embodiment, the passive balancing circuit 124 is configured to transfer energy from at least one cell of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Beneficially, the passive balancing circuit 124 balances the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112 when the active balancing is not possible due to efficiency reason. In an example, when the energy difference between the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112 is below a threshold level, the passive balancing is activated by the Analog Front End 116.
In an embodiment, the processing unit 110 of the third management unit 106 controls the plurality of battery packs 112 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112.
In an embodiment, the respective second management unit 104 of the plurality of second management units 104 control the plurality of third management units 106 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112.
In an embodiment, the first management unit 102 controls the plurality of second management units 104 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112.
In an embodiment, the hierarchical BMS 100 comprises the first management unit 102, the plurality of second management units 104 communicably coupled with the first management unit 102, and the plurality of third management units 106. The plurality of third management units 106, wherein each of the third management unit 106 is communicably with the respective second management unit 104 of the plurality of second management units 104. Each of the third management unit 106 comprises the plurality of interface modules 108 and the processing unit 110, wherein each of the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually connected to the processing unit 110 and to the respective battery pack 112 of the plurality of battery packs 112. Each of the plurality of interface modules 108 comprises the data circuit 114, the active balancing circuit 122, the passive balancing circuit 124, and the Analog Front End 116. The data circuit 114, the active balancing circuit 122, and the passive balancing circuit 124 are connected to the respective battery pack 112 and the Analog Front End 116. Furthermore, each of the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually connected to the processing unit 110 via the Controller Area Network communication bus. Furthermore, each of the plurality of interface modules 108 are individually connected to the processing unit 110 in the star topology, the bus topology or the parallel topology. Furthermore, the data circuit 114 comprises the plurality of sensors 118 and the data selector 120. Furthermore, the plurality of sensors 118 are configured to sense information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Furthermore, the data selector 120 is configured to transmit the sensed information of the plurality of cells to the Analog Front End 116. Furthermore, the Analog Front End 116 activates the active balancing circuit 122 or the passive balancing circuit 124 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Furthermore, the active balancing circuit 122 is configured to transfer energy between the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Furthermore, the passive balancing circuit 124 is configured to transfer energy from at least one cell of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Furthermore, the processing unit 110 of the third management unit 106 controls the plurality of battery packs 112 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Furthermore, the respective second management unit 104 of the plurality of second management units 104 control the plurality of third management units 106 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112. Furthermore, the first management unit 102 controls the plurality of second management units 104 based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack 112.
Figure 2, in accordance with an embodiment describes the interface modules 108. Each of the plurality of interface modules 108 comprises a data circuit 114, an active balancing circuit 122, a passive balancing circuit 124, and an Analog Front End 116. The data circuit 114, the active balancing circuit 122, and the passive balancing circuit 124 are connected to the respective battery pack 112 and the Analog Front End 116.
In the description of the present invention, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms “disposed,” “mounted,” and “connected” are to be construed broadly, and may for example be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, either mechanically or electrically. They may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Modifications to embodiments and combination of different embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non- exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural where appropriate.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A hierarchical battery management system (100) for managing a plurality of battery packs (112), comprising:
- a first management unit (102);
- a plurality of second management units (104) communicably coupled with the first management unit (102); and
- a plurality of third management units (106), wherein
- each of the third management unit (106) is communicably with a respective second management unit (104) of the plurality of second management units (104); and
- each of the third management unit (106) comprises a plurality of interface modules (108) and a processing unit (110), wherein each of the plurality of interface modules (108) are individually connected to the processing unit (110) and to a respective battery pack (112) of the plurality of battery packs (112), and
wherein each of the plurality of interface modules (108) comprises:
- a data circuit (114),
- an active balancing circuit (122),
- a passive balancing circuit (124), and
- an Analog Front End (116),
wherein the data circuit (114), the active balancing circuit (122), and the passive balancing circuit (124) are connected to the respective battery pack (112) and the Analog Front End (116).
2. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of interface modules (108) are individually connected to the processing unit (110) via a Controller Area Network communication bus.
3. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of interface modules (108) are individually connected to the processing unit (110) in a star topology, a bus topology or a parallel topology.
4. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data circuit (114) comprises a plurality of sensors (118) and a data selector (120).
5. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors (118) are configured to sense information of a plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).
6. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the data selector (120) is configured to transmit the sensed information of the plurality of cells to the Analog Front End (116).
7. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Analog Front End (116) activates the active balancing circuit (122) or the passive balancing circuit (124) based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).
8. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing unit (110) of the third management unit (106) controls the plurality of battery packs (112) based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).
9. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective second management unit (104) of the plurality of second management units (104) control the plurality of third management units (106) based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).
10. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first management unit (102) controls the plurality of second management units (104) based on the sensed information of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).
11. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the active balancing circuit (122) is configured to transfer energy between the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).
12. The hierarchical battery management system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the passive balancing circuit (124) is configured to transfer energy from at least one cell of the plurality of cells of the respective battery pack (112).