CN115882542A

CN115882542A - Charging control method and device, battery and electric device

Info

Publication number: CN115882542A
Application number: CN202111153891.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 王康玉; 帅令; 请求不公布姓名; 吴维清; 黄振慧
Original assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-09-29
Filing date: 2021-09-29
Publication date: 2023-03-31

Abstract

The application provides a charging control method and device, a battery and an electric device. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a first current when a first battery module is charged and discharged, judging whether the first current is larger than a first current threshold value, and if so, consuming the first current through a first load branch circuit. Through the mode, the current of the battery during charging and discharging can be reduced, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

Description

Charging control method and device, battery and electric device

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of battery technologies, and in particular, to a charging control method and device, a battery, and an electric device.

Background

The lithium ion battery has the advantages of high monomer voltage, large specific energy, long cycle life and the like, so the lithium ion battery is widely applied to the fields of new energy automobiles, consumer electronics, energy storage systems and the like. At present, in order to increase the battery capacity, a plurality of lithium ion batteries can be generally connected in parallel, and in order to increase the terminal voltage of the battery, a plurality of lithium ion batteries can be connected in series.

However, when a plurality of lithium ion batteries are connected in parallel to increase the battery capacity, if a voltage difference exists between different batteries, a loop current may exist between the batteries connected in parallel, and the loop current may affect the safe and stable operation of the batteries, and may even cause damage to the batteries.

Disclosure of Invention

The application aims to provide a charging control method and device, a battery and a power utilization device, which can reduce the current of the battery during charging and discharging and prolong the service life of the battery.

In order to achieve the above object, in a first aspect, the present application provides a charge and discharge control method. The method is applied to a battery, and the battery comprises a first battery module which is used for being connected with a first load branch. The method comprises the following steps: the first current of the first battery module during charging and discharging is obtained. It is determined whether the first current is greater than a first current threshold. If so, consuming a first current through the first load branch.

In the charge and discharge process of the first battery module, if the first current is detected to be larger than the first current threshold value, the first current is consumed through the first load branch circuit, so that the first current is reduced, and the risk that the first battery module is damaged due to overlarge current can be reduced. Secondly, at the parallelly connected in-process of a plurality of batteries, when there is great loop current, and lead to first electric current too big, also can consume first electric current through first load branch road to reach the purpose that reduces first electric current, be favorable to playing the guard action to first battery module, play the guard action to the battery promptly, thereby, prolonged the life of battery.

In an optional mode, the first battery module is further configured to be connected to a first switch branch, and the first switch branch is connected to the first load branch. Consuming a first current through a first load branch, comprising: and controlling the switching state of the first switching branch circuit to control the first current to flow through the first load branch circuit.

When the first battery module normally works, the first load branch circuit is arranged to not influence the first battery module so as to keep the stability of the first battery module. Then, through setting up first switch branch road, can be when first electric current is greater than first electric current threshold value, with first load branch road access first battery module place return circuit to reduce first electric current, can keep the electric current that flows through first battery module not more than first electric current threshold value, be favorable to reducing the impaired risk of first battery module.

In an optional mode, a circuit formed by connecting the first load branch and the first switch branch in parallel is connected in series with the first battery module, wherein the first load branch includes a first resistor. Controlling a switching state of the first switching leg to control a first current to flow through the first load leg, comprising: the first switch branch circuit is controlled to be disconnected so as to control a first current to flow through the first resistor.

Under normal conditions, first load branch road and first switch branch road are parallelly connected, and first switch branch road is the closed condition, and first load branch road is short-circuited, and first load branch road does not cause the influence to first battery module. When the first current is larger than the first current threshold, the first switch branch is disconnected, and the first current flows through the first resistor and is consumed by the first resistor. Therefore, the first current is reduced to keep the current flowing through the first battery module not larger than the first current threshold value, the risk that the first battery module is damaged due to overcharge or overdischarge is reduced, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

In an optional mode, a circuit formed by connecting the first battery module and the first switch branch in series is connected in parallel with the first load branch, wherein the first load branch comprises a first capacitor. Controlling a switching state of the first switching leg to control a first current to flow through the first load leg, comprising: the first switch branch circuit is controlled to be disconnected so as to control a first current to flow through the first capacitor.

Normally, the first switch branch is closed, and the first current does not flow through the first load branch. When the first current is larger than the first current threshold, the first switch branch is disconnected, the current on the first battery module is reduced to zero, and the first battery module is protected. Meanwhile, the first current flows through the first capacitor and is consumed by the first capacitor, so that the first current is reduced. Then, when the first current is not greater than the first current threshold value, the first switch branch is closed again, and the first battery module recovers normal work, so that the current on the first battery module can be kept not greater than the first current threshold value all the time, the risk that the first battery module is damaged due to overcharge or overdischarge is favorably reduced, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a charge and discharge control method, which is applied to a battery, where the battery includes a second load branch, a second battery module, and a third battery module, and the second load branch is connected to the second battery module and the third battery module, respectively. The method comprises the following steps: and acquiring a second current when the second battery module is charged and discharged and acquiring a third current when the third battery module is charged and discharged. And if the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold, consuming the total current of the battery in the charging and discharging process through the second load branch circuit.

When the second current is greater than the second current threshold value and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold value, the total current in the battery charging and discharging process can be consumed through the second load branch circuit, so that the second current and/or the third current can be reduced, the second current is not greater than the second current threshold value and the third current is not greater than the third current threshold value, the risk that the second battery module and the third battery cell module are damaged due to the fact that the current is too large can be reduced, the battery can also be protected, and the service life of the battery can be prolonged.

In an optional manner, the battery further includes a second switching branch, and the second switching branch is connected to the second load branch.

When the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is increased to be greater than the third current threshold, the second switch branch can be used for enabling the total current to flow through the second load branch so as to reduce the second current and/or the third current, and therefore the risk that the second battery module and the third battery module are damaged is reduced.

In an optional manner, the second load branch includes a second resistor and a third resistor, and the second switching branch includes a second switch and a third switch. The circuit formed by the parallel connection of the second resistor and the second switch is connected with the second battery module in series, and the circuit formed by the parallel connection of the third resistor and the third switch is connected with the third battery module in series. If the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold, consuming the total current of the battery in the charging and discharging process through the second load branch circuit, including: and if the second current is larger than the second current threshold, controlling the second switch to be switched off so as to control the second current to flow through the second resistor. And if the third current is larger than the third current threshold, controlling the third switch to be switched off so as to control the third current to flow through the third resistor.

Under normal conditions, the second switch and the third switch are closed to short-circuit the first resistor and the second resistor, and the second load branch does not affect the second battery module and the third battery module. When the second current is larger than the second current threshold value, the second switch is switched off, the second current flows through the second resistor and is consumed by the second resistor, and the second current is reduced; and when the third current is larger than the third current threshold, the third switch is switched off, the third current flows through the third resistor and is consumed by the third resistor, and the third current is reduced. Therefore, the second current can be kept to be not larger than the second current threshold, and the third current is not larger than the third current threshold, so that the risk that the second battery module and the third battery module are damaged due to overcharge or overdischarge is reduced, and the purpose of prolonging the service life of the battery is achieved.

In an optional manner, the second load branch includes a second capacitor, and the second switching branch includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch. A circuit formed by connecting the third switch and the second battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel, and a circuit formed by connecting the fourth switch and the third battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel. If the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold, consuming the total current of the battery in the charging and discharging process through the second load branch circuit, including: and if the second current is larger than the second current threshold, controlling the fourth switch to be switched off so as to control the total current to flow through the second capacitor. And if the third current is larger than the third current threshold, controlling the fifth switch to be switched off so as to control the total current to flow through the second capacitor.

Under normal conditions, the fourth switch and the fifth switch are closed, and the total current does not flow through the second capacitor. When the second current is larger than the second current threshold, the fourth switch is switched on, and the total current flows through the second capacitor; when the third current is greater than the third current threshold, the fifth switch is turned off and the total current flows through the second capacitor. Then, the second capacitor can consume the total current to reduce the second current and/or the third current, and can protect the second battery module and the third battery module. And meanwhile, the fourth switch is closed when the second current is not greater than the second current threshold value so as to enable the second battery module to recover to normal work, and the fifth switch is closed when the third current is not greater than the third current threshold value so as to enable the third battery module to recover to normal work. Therefore, the current on the second battery module can be kept to be smaller than the second current threshold value all the time, and the current on the third battery module is smaller than the third current threshold value all the time, so that the risk that the second battery module and the third battery module are damaged due to overcharge or overdischarge is favorably reduced, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a charge and discharge control device, which is applied to a battery, wherein the battery includes a first battery module, and the first battery module is used for being connected to a first load branch. The device comprises: the first acquisition unit is used for acquiring a first current of the first battery module during charging and discharging. The first judging unit is used for judging whether the first current is larger than a first current threshold value or not. The first current consumption unit is used for consuming a first current through the first load branch.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a charge and discharge control device, which is applied to a battery, wherein the battery includes a second load branch, a second battery module, and a third battery module, and the second load branch is connected to the second battery module and the third battery module respectively. The device comprises: the second obtaining unit is used for obtaining a second current when the second battery module is charged and discharged and obtaining a third current when the third battery module is charged and discharged. And the second current consumption unit is used for controlling the total current consumed in the charging and discharging process of the battery through the second load branch circuit if the second current is greater than a second current threshold value and/or the third current is greater than a third current threshold value.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a battery management unit comprising: at least one processor and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the at least one processor being capable of performing the method as in the first aspect.

In a sixth aspect, the present application provides a battery management unit comprising: at least one processor and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the at least one processor being capable of performing the method as in the second aspect.

In a seventh aspect, the present application provides a battery comprising: the first battery module is used for charging or discharging. As in the battery management unit of the fifth aspect.

In an optional manner, the first load branch is connected to the first switch branch, the first battery module is connected to the first load branch and the first switch branch, and the first switch branch is connected to the first load branch and the battery management unit.

In an alternative, the first load branch comprises a first resistor and the first switch branch comprises a first switch. The first resistor is connected with the first switch in parallel, and a circuit formed by connecting the first resistor and the first switch in parallel is connected with the first electric battery module in series.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides a battery comprising: the second battery module, the third battery module, the second switch branch and the second load branch. The second switch branch is connected with the second load branch, the second switch branch is respectively connected with the second battery module and the third battery module, and the second load branch is respectively connected with the second battery module and the third battery module. As in the battery management unit of the sixth aspect, the battery management unit is connected to the second switching leg.

In an optional manner, the second load branch includes a second resistor and a third resistor, and the second switching branch includes a second switch and a third switch. The circuit formed by the second resistor and the second switch in parallel is connected with the second battery module in series. And a circuit formed by connecting the third resistor and the third switch in parallel is connected with the third battery module in series.

In an optional manner, the second load branch includes a second capacitor, and the second switching branch includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch. The circuit formed by connecting the fourth switch and the second battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel. The circuit formed by the series connection of the fifth switch and the third battery module is connected with the second capacitor in parallel.

In an eighth aspect, the present application provides an electric device, comprising: the battery of the seventh aspect, and/or the battery of the eighth aspect.

In a ninth aspect, the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium comprising: stored are computer-executable instructions arranged as the method flows in the first and second aspects.

The beneficial effects of the embodiment of the application are that: according to the charge and discharge control method, the first current is consumed through the first load branch when the first current is larger than the first current threshold value through obtaining the first current when the first battery module is charged and discharged. Therefore, the first current can be kept to be not larger than the first current threshold, and the risk that the first battery module of the first battery module is damaged due to overlarge current is reduced. Simultaneously, when a plurality of batteries are connected in parallel, if there is great loop current and lead to first electric current when too big, also can consume first electric current through first load branch road to reach the purpose that reduces first electric current, be favorable to playing the guard action to first battery module, play the guard action to the battery promptly, thereby, prolonged the life of battery.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments of the present application will be briefly described below, and it is obvious that the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and it is obvious for a person skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on the drawings without any creative effort.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 2 is a flowchart of a charge and discharge control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a cell according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of step 23 shown in FIG. 2, as disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a battery disclosed in another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of step 41 shown in FIG. 4, as disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural view of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of another implementation of step 41 shown in FIG. 4 as disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic view of a structure of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a schematic structural view of a charge and discharge control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a battery management unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a circuit configuration of a battery disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic circuit diagram of a battery disclosed in another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a flowchart of a charge and discharge control method disclosed in another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic view of a structure of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of step 142 shown in FIG. 14, as disclosed in one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 18 is a schematic illustration of another implementation of step 142 shown in FIG. 14 as disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 19 is a schematic view of a structure of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 20 is a schematic illustration of yet another implementation of step 142 shown in FIG. 14 as disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 21 is a schematic view of a structure of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 22 is a schematic structural view of a charge and discharge control device disclosed in another embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram of a battery management unit disclosed in another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 24 is a schematic circuit diagram of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 25 is a schematic circuit diagram of a battery disclosed in yet another embodiment of the present application;

fig. 26 is a schematic circuit diagram of a battery according to still another embodiment of the present application.

In the drawings, the drawings are not necessarily to scale.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present application will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are provided to illustrate the principles of the application, but are not intended to limit the scope of the application, i.e., the application is not limited to the described embodiments.

In the description of the present application, it is to be noted that, unless otherwise specified, "a plurality" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," and the like, indicate an orientation or positional relationship that is merely for convenience in describing the application and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. "vertical" is not strictly vertical, but is within the tolerance of the error. "parallel" is not strictly parallel but within the tolerance of the error.

The directional terms used in the following description are intended to refer to directions shown in the drawings, and are not intended to limit the specific structure of the present application. In the description of the present application, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood as appropriate by one of ordinary skill in the art.

With the increasing severity of energy problems and environmental problems, the strong support of new energy sources in China and the increasing maturity of power battery technology, electric vehicles have become a new direction for the development of the automobile industry in the future. The range of electric vehicles is an important factor affecting the popularity of electric vehicles. The battery as a key part is a main power source of the electric vehicle, and the stability and reliability of the product quality are very important.

In the process of implementing the present application, the inventors of the present application found that: when the electric vehicle requires higher energy, it is generally necessary to use a plurality of batteries in parallel. In the process of using multiple batteries in parallel, system resistance and system voltage of different batteries may be different, so that loop current exists between different batteries connected in parallel. The loop current may affect the safe and stable operation of the battery, and even damage the battery. For example, during the charging process of an electric vehicle, the charging current of the battery may exceed the upper limit value of the charging current due to the existence of the loop current, so that the battery may have a risk of lithium precipitation, the service life of the battery may be shortened, and even the battery may be damaged.

Based on the above, the applicant designs a charge and discharge control method, which consumes current by using a load branch circuit when the current is too large in the charge and discharge process of the battery, so as to reduce the current, thereby reducing the risk that the battery is damaged due to the too large current, and being beneficial to prolonging the service life of the battery.

The battery disclosed in the embodiment of the application can be used in electric equipment such as vehicles, ships or aircrafts, but not limited to. Can use to possess the disclosed electrical equipment's of battery of this application electrical power generating system of constitution such as battery, like this, can reduce because of the risk that loop current leads to, be favorable to playing the guard action to the battery to the life of extension battery, thereby can provide stable operating voltage for the consumer, in order to promote the stability of consumer work.

The embodiment of the application provides an electric device using a battery as a power supply, wherein the battery comprises at least one battery cell. The powered device may be, but is not limited to, a cell phone, a tablet, a laptop, an electric toy, an electric tool, a battery car, an electric car, a ship, a spacecraft, and the like. The electric toy may include a stationary or mobile electric toy, such as a game machine, an electric car toy, an electric ship toy, an electric airplane toy, and the like, and the spacecraft may include an airplane, a rocket, a space shuttle, a spacecraft, and the like.

For convenience of description, the following embodiments will be described by taking a power-driven apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application as an example of the vehicle 10.

Referring to fig. 1, fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The vehicle 10 may be a fuel automobile, a gas automobile, or a new energy automobile, and the new energy automobile may be a pure electric automobile, a hybrid electric automobile, or a range-extended automobile, etc. A Battery 11 and a Battery Management System (BMS) 12 are provided inside the vehicle 10, and the Battery 11 includes a plurality of Battery packs connected in parallel. The battery 11 may be disposed at the bottom or the head or the tail of the vehicle, and the battery 11 is disposed at the head of the vehicle in fig. 1 as an example. Any battery pack in the battery 11 includes at least one battery cell, and the battery cell is used for charging or discharging, and can be repeatedly charged in a manner of cyclic recharging. The battery 11 may be used for power supply of the vehicle, and for example, the battery 11 may serve as an operation power source of the vehicle.

In some embodiments of the present application, the battery 11 may be used not only as an operating power source of a vehicle, but also as a driving power source of the vehicle, instead of or in part of fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle.

The battery management system 12 and the battery 11 may be connected by a wiring harness, which includes a data acquisition wiring harness and a power wiring harness. The battery management system 12 includes a control system for protecting the safety of the battery 11, and is used for monitoring the use status of the battery 11. For example, the battery management system 12 can read the variation of parameters such as voltage, current, and temperature of the battery 11 during the charging or discharging process of the battery 11, and can determine whether the battery 11 is abnormal (for example, the charging or discharging current of the battery exceeds the upper limit of the charging or discharging current allowed by the battery), and then can take corresponding measures to protect the battery 11 in time.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the electric device is taken as an electric vehicle, and in other embodiments, the electric device may also be an electric motorcycle, an electric bicycle, an electric tool, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, an energy storage product, or any other suitable device.

Next, fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating only the battery 11. In other embodiments, the battery may include more or less elements, or have different element configurations, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application. For example, the battery in the embodiment of the present application may be a lithium ion battery, a lithium metal battery, a lead-acid battery, a nickel-metal-insulator battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a lithium sulfur battery, a lithium air battery, a sodium ion battery, or the like, which is not limited herein. In terms of scale, the battery in the embodiment of the present application may be a single battery cell, or a battery module formed by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series and/or in parallel, or a battery pack formed by connecting a plurality of battery modules in series and/or in parallel, or a power supply device formed by connecting a plurality of battery packs in parallel, which is not limited herein. From the application scene, the battery can be applied to power devices such as automobiles and ships. For example, the power supply device can be applied to a power automobile to supply power to a motor of the power automobile as a power source of the electric automobile. The battery can also supply power for other electric appliances in the electric automobile, such as an air conditioner in the automobile, a vehicle-mounted player and the like.

Please refer to fig. 2 and fig. 3, wherein fig. 2 is a flowchart of a charging/discharging control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The charge and discharge control method is applied to the battery shown in fig. 3, the battery includes a first battery module BAT1, and the first battery module BAT1 is used for being connected with a first load branch 10. The first battery module BAT1 includes at least one electric core. The load is an electronic component connected to a circuit and consuming electric energy, and is a device working by using electric energy, which is also called an electric device. Common loads are resistors, refrigerators, coolers, air conditioners, fans, or the like. The first load branch 10 represents a branch comprising a load.

As shown in fig. 2, the charge and discharge control method includes the steps of:

step 21: the first current of the first battery module during charging and discharging is obtained.

The first current is a current flowing through the first battery module BAT1 during the charging or discharging process.

The first current may be obtained by a shunt resistor, a current transformer, or a hall effect sensor, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. For example, in one embodiment, a current sensor (composed of a hall effect sensor) is provided in series with the first battery module BAT1 to obtain a first current when the first battery module BAT1 is charged and discharged.

Step 22: and judging whether the first current is larger than a first current threshold value or not.

The first current threshold may be a preset value, or may be a value automatically generated according to the material or type of the first battery module BAT1, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. Meanwhile, the first battery threshold may be set to be less than or equal to a maximum current that the first battery module BAT1 is allowed to flow when charging and discharging (i.e., an upper limit value of the current of the first battery module BAT1 when charging and discharging). When the current flowing through the first battery module BAT1 is greater than the maximum current, abnormalities such as lithium precipitation and the like may occur in the first battery module BAT1, and even the first battery module BAT1 may be damaged. For example, in an embodiment, the maximum current allowed to flow by the first battery module BAT1 during charging and discharging is 20A, and the first current threshold may be set to 20A, 19A, 18A, or the like.

Step 23: if so, consuming a first current through the first load branch.

When the first current exceeds the first current threshold, the first current may cause abnormality such as lithium precipitation in the first battery module BAT1, or even cause damage to the first battery module BAT 1. At this time, the first current is consumed by the first load branch 10 to reduce the first current, so that the risk that the first battery module BAT1 is damaged due to the excessive current can be reduced.

Secondly, if the batteries shown in fig. 3 are connected in parallel, a larger loop current may be generated, which in turn causes the first current to increase to be greater than the first current threshold. Under this kind of condition, also can consume first electric current through first load branch road 10 to reduce first electric current, be favorable to playing the guard action to first battery module, play the guard action to the battery promptly, thereby, prolonged the life of battery.

For example, in one embodiment, if the battery is applied to an electric vehicle, the first load branch 10 may include an air conditioner in the electric vehicle. When the first current increases to be larger than the first current threshold, a Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) in the electric Vehicle controls the first current to flow through the air conditioner, so that the air conditioner consumes the first current, thereby reducing the first current.

In an embodiment, referring to fig. 4 and fig. 5, as shown in fig. 5, the first battery module BAT1 is further configured to be connected to the first switching branch 20, and the first switching branch 20 is connected to the first load branch 10. A switch is an electronic component that includes a closing and opening function, and may refer to an electronic component that can open a circuit, interrupt a current, or allow a current to flow to another circuit. For example, in one embodiment, a switch closed indicates that current is allowed to flow, and a switch open indicates that current is not allowed to flow. The first switching leg 20 represents a leg comprising a switch.

As shown in fig. 4, the process of consuming the first current through the first load branch in step 23 includes the following steps:

step 41: and controlling the switching state of the first switching branch circuit to control the first current to flow through the first load branch circuit.

The switching state of the first switching branch comprises closing and opening. When the first switching leg 20 is closed, it means that each switch in the first switching leg 20 is closed; when the first switching leg 20 is open, it means that each switch in the first switching leg 20 is open. When the first battery module BAT1 works normally, that is, under the condition that the first current is smaller than the first current threshold, which may also be referred to as a normal condition, the first current does not flow through the first load branch 10, and the first load branch 10 does not affect the first battery module BAT1, which is beneficial to maintaining the stability of the first battery module BAT1 in the charging and discharging process.

Furthermore, by providing the first switching branch 20, it is possible to cause the first current to flow through the first load branch 10 only when the first current is greater than the first current threshold, so as to reduce the first current. Therefore, the current flowing through the first battery module BAT1 can be kept smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the first battery module BAT1, the risk that the first battery module BAT1 is damaged is favorably reduced, and the service life of the first battery module BAT1 is prolonged.

It should be noted that each switch (for example, each switch in the first switch branch) in the embodiment of the present application may be any power electronic component that can perform a switching function, for example, a field effect transistor MOSFET, an insulated gate bipolar transistor IGBT, a thyristor SCR, a gate turn-off thyristor GTO, a power transistor GTR, or the like, or may be any commonly used switch, for example, a contactor, a relay, a delay switch, a photoelectric switch, a tact switch, a proximity switch, or the like, or may be a combination of the above types.

In an embodiment, referring to fig. 6 and 7, as shown in fig. 7, the first load branch 10 is connected in parallel with the first switch branch 20, and a circuit formed by the first load branch 10 and the first switch branch 20 connected in parallel is connected in series with the first battery module BAT1, wherein the first load branch 10 includes a first resistor R1.

As shown in fig. 6, the process of controlling the first current flowing through the first load branch by controlling the switching state of the first switching branch in step 41 includes the following steps:

step 61: the first switch branch circuit is controlled to be disconnected so as to control a first current to flow through the first resistor.

Normally, the first load branch 10 is connected in parallel with the first switching branch 20, and the first switching branch 20 is closed, and the first load branch 10 is short-circuited. The first current does not flow through the first resistor R1 in the first load branch 10, and the first load branch 10 does not affect the first battery module BAT 1.

When the first current is greater than the first current threshold, the first switch branch 20 is turned off, the first current flows through the first resistor R1 and is consumed by the first resistor R1, and the first current decreases. In addition, by selecting the first resistor R1 with a proper resistance value, the first current can be reduced to be smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow by the first battery module BAT1, the risk that the first battery module BAT1 is damaged due to overcharge or overdischarge can be reduced, and the service life of the battery can be prolonged.

For example, in one embodiment, the resistance value of the first resistor R1 is selected to be any value in the range of [200m Ω,500m Ω ]. Within this range, on the one hand, the first resistor R1 can function as an effective current drain; on the other hand, it is possible to reduce the risk that the first current is still larger than the first current threshold value due to the resistance value of the first resistor R1 being too small, and also reduce the risk that the first current is excessively consumed due to the resistance value of the first resistor R1 being too large.

In an embodiment, referring to fig. 8 and 9 together, as shown in fig. 9, the first battery module BAT1 is connected in series with the first switch branch 20, and a circuit formed by the first battery module BAT1 connected in series with the first switch branch 20 is connected in parallel with the first load branch 10, wherein the first load branch 10 includes the first capacitor C1.

As shown in fig. 8, the process of controlling the first current flowing through the first load branch by controlling the switching state of the first switching branch in step 41 includes the following steps:

step 81: the first switch branch circuit is controlled to be disconnected so as to control a first current to flow through the first capacitor.

Under normal conditions, the first switch branch 20 is closed, and the first current does not flow through the first load branch 10, and the first load branch 10 does not affect the first battery module BAT 1.

When the first current is greater than the first current threshold, the first switch branch 20 is turned off, and the current of the first battery module BAT1 is reduced to zero, thereby protecting the first battery module BAT 1. Meanwhile, the first current flows through the first capacitor C1, and the first capacitor C1 consumes the first current by storing energy brought by the first current, thereby reducing the first current. Then, when the first current is not greater than the first current threshold, the first switch branch 20 can be closed again, and the first battery module BAT1 recovers to work normally, so that the current on the first battery module BAT1 can be kept to be smaller than the first current threshold all the time, the risk that the first battery module BAT1 is damaged due to overcharge or overdischarge is favorably reduced, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

Referring to fig. 10, which shows a schematic structural diagram of a charge and discharge control device according to an embodiment of the present application, the charge and discharge control device 1000 includes: a first acquisition unit 1001, a first determination unit 1002, and a first current consumption unit 1003.

The first obtaining unit 1001 is configured to obtain a first current of the first battery module during charging and discharging.

The first determining unit 1002 is configured to determine whether the first current is greater than a first current threshold.

The first current consuming unit 1003 is configured to consume a first current through the first load branch.

The product can execute the method provided by the embodiment of the application shown in fig. 2, and has corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method. For technical details that are not described in detail in this embodiment, reference may be made to the methods provided in the embodiments of the present application.

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a battery management unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 11, battery management unit 1100 includes one or more processors 1101 and memory 1102. Fig. 11 illustrates an example of one processor 1101.

The processor 1101 and the memory 1102 may be connected by a bus or other means, such as by a bus in FIG. 11.

The memory 1102, which is a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, may be used to store non-volatile software programs, non-volatile computer-executable programs, and modules, such as program instructions/modules (e.g., the units shown in fig. 10) corresponding to the charging and discharging control method in the embodiment shown in fig. 2. The processor 1101 executes various functional applications and data processing of the charge and discharge control apparatus, that is, implements the charge and discharge control method in the method embodiment shown in fig. 2 and the functions of the respective units of the above-described apparatus embodiment, by running the nonvolatile software program, instructions, and modules stored in the memory 1102.

The memory 1102 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one magnetic disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1102 may optionally include memory located remotely from the processor 1101, which may be connected to the processor 1101 by a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

The program instructions/modules are stored in the memory 1102 and, when executed by the one or more processors 1101, perform the charging and discharging control method in the method embodiment shown in fig. 2 described above, for example, perform the respective steps shown in fig. 2, 4, 6 and 8 described above; the functions of the various elements described in fig. 10 may also be implemented.

The present embodiment provides a battery, which includes the first battery module BAT1 in any one of the above embodiments, and the battery management unit 1100 in any one of the above embodiments.

In one embodiment, the battery further includes the first load branch 10 and the first switch branch 20 in any of the above embodiments. In one embodiment, the first load branch 10 includes a first resistor R1. In another embodiment, the first load branch 10 includes a first capacitor C1.

It is understood that the structure of the battery herein can refer to the description in fig. 3, fig. 5, fig. 7 and fig. 9, and the description thereof is omitted. Meanwhile, the first load branch 10 and the first switch branch 20 may be disposed inside the battery at the same time, or may be external circuits connected to the battery at the same time.

For better understanding of the present application, the following description will be given taking as an example the circuit configuration of the battery shown in fig. 12 and 13.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 12, the battery includes n battery modules, n current sensors, n battery management units, n switches, and n resistors.

The n battery modules comprise a first battery module BAT11, a second battery module BAT12, a third battery module BAT13 \8230andan nth battery module BAT1n. The battery module BAT11 may be represented by a combination of a power supply C1 and a resistor r1 connected in series, where the power supply C1 is a voltage across the battery module BAT11, and the resistor r1 is an internal resistance of the battery module BAT 11. Similarly, the battery module BAT12 may be represented as a combination of a power supply C2 and a resistor r2 connected in series; the battery module BAT13 may be represented as a combination of a power source C3 and a resistor r3 connected in series (823030), and the battery module BAT1n may be represented as a combination of a power source C1n and a resistor r1n connected in series. It should be understood that the battery modules BAT11, BAT12, BAT13, 8230n and BAT1n may be the same or different, for example, in one embodiment, the battery modules BAT11, BAT12, BAT13, 8230and BAT1n are the same. n is a positive integer.

The n current sensors include a current sensor A11, a current sensor A12 and a current sensor A13 \8230anda current sensor A1n. The n battery management units comprise a battery management unit BMU11, a battery management unit BMU12, a battery management unit BMU13 \8230anda battery management unit BMU1n. The n resistors comprise a first resistor R11, a second resistor R12 and a third resistor R13 \8230andan nth resistor R1n. The n switches comprise a first switch S11, a second switch S12, a third switch S13 \8230andan nth switch S1n. Here, the functions that can be realized by any of the battery management units BMU11, BMU12, and BMU13 \ 823030, and BMU1n may be the same as those realized by the battery management unit 1100. For example, any of the battery management units may perform the various steps shown in fig. 2, 4, 6, and 8 described above; the functions of the various elements described in fig. 10 may also be implemented.

In this embodiment, each battery management unit is configured to control the on or off of a corresponding switch, for example, the battery management unit BMU11 is configured to control the on or off of the switch S11, and the battery management unit BMU12 is configured to control the on or off of the switch S12. Each current sensor is configured to detect a current flowing through a corresponding battery module, for example, the current sensor a11 is configured to detect a current flowing through the battery module BAT 1. Each battery management unit is further configured to obtain an output signal of the current sensor to obtain a current flowing through the corresponding battery module, for example, the battery management unit BMU11 may obtain a current flowing through the battery module BAT11 by obtaining an output signal of the current sensor a 11.

Under normal conditions, the current acquired by each battery management unit and flowing through the corresponding battery module is smaller than the corresponding current threshold value, the switch S11, the switch S12 and the switch S13 \8230, the switch S1n are closed, the resistor R11, the resistor R12 and the resistor R13 \8230, and the resistor R1n are short-circuited. At this time, the resistor R11, the resistor R12 and the resistor R13 \ 8230, and the resistor R1n do not affect the corresponding battery module BAT11, the battery module BAT12, the battery module BAT13 \ 8230, and the battery module BAT1n.

When the current of any battery module is larger than the corresponding current threshold value during charging and discharging, the switch connected with the battery module is disconnected. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT11 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the control switch S11 is turned off, so that the current of the battery module BAT11 during charging and discharging flows through the resistor R11 to reduce the current. For another example, when the current of the battery module BAT12 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the control switch S12 is turned off, so that the current of the battery module BAT12 during charging and discharging flows through the resistor R12, thereby reducing the current. The specific setting manner of each current threshold is similar to that of the first current threshold, the second current threshold and the third current threshold in this application embodiment, and each current threshold may be the same or different, which is not limited in this application embodiment. Therefore, even when the loop current is generated when the battery modules are connected in parallel and the current flowing through each battery module is increased to be larger than the maximum current allowed to flow, the current flowing through each battery module can be reduced by consuming the current through the corresponding resistor. Therefore, by the mode, the current flowing through each battery module can be smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the battery module, so that each battery module is protected, the stability of the battery in the charging and discharging process can be improved, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 13, fig. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery provided in the embodiment of the present application. The battery shown in fig. 13 differs from the battery shown in fig. 12 in that: the load branch in the cell shown in fig. 12 includes resistor R11, resistor R12, and resistor R13 8230, while the load branch in the cell shown in fig. 13 includes capacitor C11. The same portions of the battery shown in fig. 13 as those of the battery shown in fig. 12 have been described in the above embodiment, and are not described again.

In this embodiment, under normal conditions, switch S11, switch S12, switch S13 \8230, and switch S1n are all closed. At this time, there is no current flowing through the capacitor C11.

When the current of any battery module during charging and discharging is larger than the corresponding current threshold value, the switch connected with the battery module is disconnected. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT11 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU11 controls the switch S11 to be turned off, and the current flowing through the battery module BAT11 is reduced to 0. For another example, when the current of the battery module BAT12 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU12 controls the switch S12 to be turned off, and the current flowing through the battery module BAT12 is reduced to 0. At this time, since the total current (the sum of the currents flowing through the battery modules) also increases, the total current flows through the capacitor C11 to be consumed by the capacitor C11, and the total current decreases. The current flowing through each battery module is a shunt of the total current, so when the total current is reduced, each shunt is reduced. And then, when the current flowing through each battery module is not greater than the corresponding current threshold value, the corresponding switch is closed so that the battery modules can recover to work normally. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT11 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU11 controls the switch S11 to be turned off, the total current flows through the capacitor C11, and the total current is consumed and reduced. When the total current is reduced to a value which enables the current of the battery module BAT11 during charging and discharging to be not larger than the corresponding current threshold value, the battery management unit BMU11 controls the switch S11 to be closed, and the battery module BAT11 recovers to normal work. Therefore, the current flowing through each battery module is enabled to be not more than the maximum current allowed to flow through each battery module all the time, the protection effect on each battery module is facilitated, the stability of the battery in the charging and discharging process is improved, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

Please refer to fig. 14 and fig. 15, wherein fig. 14 is a flowchart of a charging and discharging control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The charge and discharge control method is applied to a battery shown in fig. 15, and the battery includes a second battery module BAT2, a third battery module BAT3, and a second load branch 30. The second load branch 30 is connected to the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3, respectively. The second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 each include at least one electric core. The second load branch 30 represents a branch including a load.

As shown in fig. 14, the charge and discharge control method includes the steps of:

step 141: and acquiring a second current when the second battery module is charged and discharged and acquiring a third current when the third battery module is charged and discharged.

The second current is a current flowing through the second battery module BAT2 during the charging or discharging process. The third current is a current flowing through the third battery module BAT3 during the charging or discharging process. Meanwhile, the second current and the third current are obtained in a manner similar to that of the first current, which is within a range easily understood by those skilled in the art, and are not described herein again.

Step 142: and if the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold, consuming the total current in the charging and discharging process of the battery through the second load branch circuit.

The total current in the charging and discharging process of the battery is the output current or the input current of the battery, namely the total current in the charging and discharging process of the battery comprises a second current and a third current.

It should be noted that the second current threshold and the third current threshold are set in a manner similar to the first current threshold, which is within a range easily understood by those skilled in the art, and are not described herein again. Next, the first current threshold, the second current threshold, and the third current threshold may be the same or different, and this is not limited in this embodiment of the application.

In this embodiment, when the second current is greater than the second current threshold, the second current may cause abnormality such as lithium deposition in the second battery module BAT2, or even cause damage to the second battery module BAT 2; when the third current is greater than the third current threshold, the third current may cause abnormalities such as lithium separation in the third battery module BAT3, and even damage to the third battery module BAT 3. At this time, the total current is consumed by the second load branch 30 to reduce the second current and/or reduce the third current, i.e., the risk that the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 are damaged due to the excessive current can be reduced. Therefore, the battery can be protected, and the service life of the battery can be prolonged.

For example, in one embodiment, if the battery is used in an electric vehicle, the second load branch 30 may include an air conditioner in the electric vehicle. When the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 are connected in parallel, a larger loop current is generated, and then the second current is increased to be larger than the second current threshold value, and/or the third current is increased to be larger than the third current threshold value, the VCU in the electric vehicle controls the total current to flow through the air conditioner, and the total current is consumed through the air conditioner, so that the second current and/or the third current are reduced, the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 are protected, and the probability of damage of the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 is reduced.

In an embodiment, referring to fig. 16 and 17, as shown in fig. 17, the battery further includes a second switch branch 40, and the second switch branch 40 is connected to the second load branch 30, the second battery module BAT2, and the third battery module BAT 3. The second switching leg 40 represents a leg that includes a switch.

As shown in fig. 16, the step 142 of consuming the total current in the battery charging and discharging process through the second load branch includes the following steps:

step 161: and controlling the switching state of the second switching branch circuit to control the total current to flow through the second load branch circuit.

The switching state of the second switching branch 40 includes closed and open. When the second switching leg 40 is closed, it means that each switch in the second switching leg 40 is closed; when the second switching leg 40 is open, it means that each switch in the second switching leg 40 is open. By providing the second switching branch 40, the total current can be made to flow through the second load branch to reduce the second current and/or the third current in case the second current increases to be larger than the second current threshold and/or the third current increases to be larger than the third current threshold. Accordingly, the current flowing through the second battery module BAT2 can be kept smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the second battery module BAT2, and the current flowing through the third battery module BAT3 can be kept smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the third battery module BAT 3. The risk that the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 are damaged is favorably reduced, and the service lives of the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 are prolonged.

In an embodiment, referring to fig. 18 and fig. 19 together, as shown in fig. 19, the second load branch 30 includes a second resistor R2 and a third resistor R3, and the second switch branch 40 includes a second switch S2 and a third switch S3. The circuit formed by the second resistor R2 and the second switch S2 in parallel is connected in series with the second battery module BAT2, and the circuit formed by the third resistor R3 and the third switch S3 in parallel is connected in series with the third battery module BAT 3.

As shown in fig. 18, if the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold in step 142, the process of consuming the total current in the battery charging and discharging process through the second load branch includes the following steps:

step 181: and if the second current is larger than the second current threshold, controlling the second switch to be switched off so as to control the second current to flow through the second resistor.

Step 182: and if the third current is larger than the third current threshold, controlling the third switch to be switched off so as to control the third current to flow through the third resistor.

Normally, the second resistor R2 is connected in parallel with the second switch S2, the third resistor R3 is connected in parallel with the third switch S3, and both the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 are closed, and the second resistor R2 and the third resistor R3 are short-circuited. The second current and the third current do not flow through the second load branch 30, and the second load branch 30 does not affect the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT 3.

When the second current is larger than the second current threshold, the second switch S2 is turned off, the second current flows through the second resistor R2 and is consumed by the second resistor R2, and the second current decreases. The current flowing through the second battery module BAT2 is also reduced, and can be reduced to be smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the second battery module BAT 2.

Similarly, when the third current is larger than the third current threshold, the third switch S3 is turned off, the third current flows through the third resistor R3 and is consumed by the third resistor R3, and the third current decreases. The current flowing through the third battery module BAT3 is also reduced, and can be reduced to be smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the third battery module BAT 3.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the current flowing through the second battery module BAT2 can be kept within the allowable current range, and the current flowing through the third battery module BAT3 can be kept within the allowable current range, so that the risk of damage to the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 due to overcharge or overdischarge can be reduced, and the service life of the battery can be prolonged.

In an embodiment, referring to fig. 20 and 21 together, as shown in fig. 21, the second load branch 30 includes a second capacitor C2, and the second switch branch 40 includes a fourth switch S4 and a fifth switch S5. A circuit formed by connecting the fourth switch S4 and the second battery module BAT2 in series is connected in parallel with the second capacitor C2, and a circuit formed by connecting the fifth switch S5 and the third battery module BAT3 in series is connected in parallel with the second capacitor C2.

As shown in fig. 20, if the second current is greater than the second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than the third current threshold in step 142, the process of consuming the total current in the battery charging and discharging process through the second load branch includes the following steps:

step 201: and if the second current is larger than the second current threshold, controlling the fourth switch to be switched off so as to control the total current to flow through the second capacitor.

Step 202: and if the third current is larger than the third current threshold, controlling the fifth switch to be switched off so as to control the total current to flow through the second capacitor.

Under normal conditions, the second switch branch 40 is closed, that is, the fourth switch S4 and the fifth switch S5 are both closed, the second current and the third current do not flow through the second capacitor C2 in the second load branch 30, and the second load branch 30 can be regarded as an open circuit, which does not affect the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT 3.

When the second current is greater than the second current threshold, the fourth switch S4 is turned off, and the current of the second battery module BAT2 is reduced to zero, so as to protect the second battery module BAT 2. Meanwhile, the total current of the battery including the second battery module BAT1 flows through the second capacitor C2 in the charging and discharging processes, and is consumed by the second capacitor C2, so that the total current is reduced. Similarly, when the third current is greater than the third current threshold, the fifth switch S5 is turned off, and the current of the third battery module BAT3 is reduced to zero, so as to protect the third battery module BAT 3. Meanwhile, the total current flows through the second capacitor C2 and is consumed by the second capacitor C2, reducing the total current.

Furthermore, since the second current and the third current are obtained by dividing the total current, when the total current is decreased, the second current and the third current are also decreased. If the second current is reduced to be not larger than the second current threshold, the fourth switch S4 is closed again, and the second battery module BAT2 recovers to work normally; if the third current is reduced to be not greater than the third current threshold, the fifth switch S5 is closed again, and the third battery module BAT3 resumes normal operation. Therefore, the current on the second battery module BAT2 can be kept to be smaller than the second current threshold value all the time, and the current on the third battery module BAT3 is kept to be smaller than the third current threshold value all the time, so that the risk that the second battery module BAT2 and the third battery module BAT3 are damaged due to overcharging or overdischarging is favorably reduced, and the service life of the battery can be prolonged.

Referring to fig. 22, which shows a schematic structural diagram of a charge and discharge control device according to an embodiment of the present application, the charge and discharge control device 2200 includes: a second acquisition unit 2201 and a second current consumption unit 2202.

The second obtaining unit 2201 is used for obtaining a second current when the second battery module is charged and discharged and obtaining a third current when the third battery module is charged and discharged.

The second current consumption unit 2202 is configured to control a total current consumed in a charging and discharging process of the battery through the second load branch circuit if the second current is greater than a second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than a third current threshold, where the total current is an output current or an input current of the battery, and the total current includes the second current and the third current.

The product can execute the method provided by the embodiment of the application shown in fig. 14, and has corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method. For technical details that are not described in detail in this embodiment, reference may be made to the methods provided in the embodiments of the present application.

Fig. 23 is a schematic diagram of a battery management unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 23, the battery management unit 2300 includes one or more processors 2301 and a memory 2302. In fig. 23, one processor 2301 is taken as an example.

The processor 2301 and the memory 2302 may be connected by a bus or other means, and the bus connection is exemplified in fig. 23.

The memory 2302 is a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and can be used for storing non-volatile software programs, non-volatile computer-executable programs, and modules, such as program instructions/modules (for example, the units shown in fig. 22) corresponding to the charging and discharging control method in the embodiment shown in fig. 14. The processor 2301 executes various functional applications and data processing of the charge and discharge control apparatus, that is, implements the charge and discharge control method in the method embodiment shown in fig. 14 and the functions of the respective units of the above-described apparatus embodiment, by running the nonvolatile software program, instructions, and modules stored in the memory 2302.

The memory 2302 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one magnetic disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 2302 optionally includes memory that is remotely located from the processor 2301, and such remote memory can be coupled to the processor 2301 via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

The program instructions/modules stored in the memory 2302, when executed by the one or more processors 2301, perform the charging and discharging control method in the method embodiment shown in fig. 14, for example, perform the steps shown in fig. 14, 16, 18 and 20 described above; the functions of the various units described with respect to fig. 22 may also be implemented.

The embodiment of the present application provides a battery, which includes the second battery module BAT2, the third battery module BAT3, the second load branch 30, the second switch branch 40, and the battery management unit 2300 in any one of the above embodiments.

In one embodiment, the second load branch 30 includes a second resistor and a third resistor, and the second switching branch 40 includes a second switch and a third switch. In another embodiment, the second load branch 30 includes a second capacitor, and the second switching branch 40 includes a fourth switch and a fifth switch.

It is understood that the structure of the battery herein can refer to the description above with respect to fig. 15, 17, 19 and 21, and will not be described herein again.

For better understanding of the present application, the following description will be given taking as an example the circuit configuration of the battery shown in fig. 24, 25, and 26.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 24, the battery includes m battery modules, m current sensors, m switches, m resistors, and a battery management unit.

The m battery modules comprise a first battery module BAT21, a second battery module BAT22 and a third battery module BAT23 \8230, and the m battery module BAT2m. The battery module BAT21 may be represented by a combination of a power supply C21 and a resistor r21 connected in series, where the power supply C21 is a voltage across the battery module BAT21, and the resistor r21 is an internal resistance of the battery module BAT 21. Similarly, the battery module BAT22 may be represented as a combination of a power supply C2 and a resistor r2 connected in series; the battery module BAT23 can be represented as a combination (8230) of a power supply C3 and a resistor r3 connected in series, and the battery module BAT2m can be represented as a combination of a power supply C2m and a resistor r2m connected in series. It should be understood that the battery modules BAT21, BAT22 and BAT23 \8230, and the battery modules BAT2m may be the same or different, for example, in one embodiment, the battery modules BAT21, BAT22 and BAT23 \8230, and the battery modules BAT2m are the same battery modules. m is a positive integer.

The m current sensors comprise a current sensor A21, a current sensor A22 and a current sensor A23 \8230, and a current sensor A2m. The m resistors comprise a first resistor R21, a second resistor R22 and a third resistor R23 \8230andan m resistor R2m. The m switches comprise a first switch S21, a second switch S22 and a third switch S23 \8230andan m-th switch S2m.

Here, the functions that can be realized by the battery management unit BMU21 may be the same as those realized by the battery management unit 2300. For example, the battery management unit BMU21 may perform the respective steps shown in fig. 14, 16, 18, and 20 described above; the functions of the various units described with respect to fig. 22 may also be implemented.

In this embodiment, the battery management unit BMU21 is configured to control the closing or opening of the respective switches (including the switch S21, the switch S22, the switch S23 \8230; the switch S2 m). The battery management unit BMU21 is further configured to obtain output signals of the current sensors (including the current sensor a21, the current sensor a22, and the current sensor a23 \8230; the current sensor A2 m) to obtain a current flowing through the battery module connected to the current sensors, for example, the battery management unit BMU21 can obtain the current flowing through the battery module BAT21 by obtaining the output signal of the current sensor a 21.

Under normal conditions, the current flowing through each battery module acquired by the battery management unit BMU21 is smaller than the current threshold corresponding to each battery module, the switch S21, the switch S22 and the switch S23 \8230, the switch S2m is closed, the resistor R21, the resistor R22 and the resistor R23 \8230, and the resistor R2m are short-circuited. At this time, the resistor R21, the resistor R22 and the resistor R23 \8230, and the resistor R2m do not affect the corresponding battery module BAT21, battery module BAT22, battery module BAT23 \8230, and battery module BAT2m.

When the current of any battery module during charging and discharging is larger than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch connected with the battery module to be switched off. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S11 to be turned off, so that the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging flows through the resistor R21 to reduce the current. For another example, when the current of the battery module BAT22 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S22 to be turned off, so that the current of the battery module BAT22 during charging and discharging flows through the resistor R12 to reduce the current. The specific setting manner of each current threshold is similar to that of the first current threshold, the second current threshold and the third current threshold in this application embodiment, and each current threshold may be the same or different, which is not limited in this application embodiment.

Therefore, even when the loop current is generated when the battery modules are connected in parallel and the current flowing through each battery module is increased to be larger than the maximum current allowed to flow, the current flowing through each battery module can be reduced by consuming the current through the corresponding resistor. Therefore, by the mode, the current flowing through each battery module can be smaller than the maximum current allowed to flow through the battery module, so that each battery module is protected, the stability of the battery in the charging and discharging process can be improved, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 25, fig. 25 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery provided in the embodiment of the present application. The battery shown in fig. 25 differs from the battery shown in fig. 24 in that: the load branch in the cell shown in fig. 24 includes resistor R21, resistor R22, resistor R23 \ 823030and resistor R2m, while the load in the cell shown in fig. 25 includes capacitor C21. The same portions of the battery shown in fig. 25 as those of the battery shown in fig. 24 have been described in the above embodiment and will not be described again.

In this embodiment, under normal conditions, switch S21, switch S22, switch S23 \8230, and switch S2m are all closed. At this time, the current in the charging and discharging processes of each battery module does not flow through the capacitor C21.

When the current of any battery module during charging and discharging is larger than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch connected with the battery module to be switched off. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to turn off, so that the current flowing through the battery module BAT21 is reduced to 0, thereby protecting the battery module BAT 21. For another example, when the current of the battery module BAT22 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S22 to turn off, so that the current flowing through the battery module BAT22 is reduced to 0, and the battery module BAT22 is protected. At this time, since the total current (the sum of the currents flowing through the battery modules) also increases, the total current flows through the capacitor C21 to be consumed by the capacitor C11, and the total current decreases. The current flowing through each battery module is a shunt of the total current, so when the total current is reduced, each shunt is reduced. And then, when the current flowing through each battery module is not greater than the corresponding current threshold value, the corresponding switch is closed so that the battery modules can recover to work normally. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to be turned off, the total current flows through the capacitor C21, and the total current is consumed and reduced. When the total current is reduced to a value which enables the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging to be not larger than the corresponding current threshold value, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to be closed, and the battery module BAT21 recovers to normal work. Therefore, the current flowing through each battery module is not larger than the maximum current allowed to flow through each battery module all the time, the protection effect on each battery module is facilitated, the stability of the battery in the charging and discharging process is improved, and the service life of the battery is prolonged.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 26, fig. 26 is a schematic structural diagram of a battery provided in the embodiment of the present application.

The battery shown in fig. 26 is different from the battery shown in fig. 24 or 25 in that: the battery shown in fig. 26 includes only switches, does not include a load branch, and is connected to a load L21 external to the battery. Meanwhile, the battery management unit BMU21 is connected to the control unit U21. The same portions of the battery shown in fig. 26 as those of the battery shown in fig. 24 have been described in the above embodiment, and are not described again.

In this embodiment, under normal conditions, switch S21, switch S22, switch S23 \8230, and switch S2m are all closed. At this time, the current during the charge and discharge of each battery module does not flow through the load L21.

When the current of any battery module during charging and discharging is larger than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch connected with the battery module to be switched off. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to turn off, so that the current flowing through the battery module BAT21 is reduced to 0, thereby protecting the battery module BAT 21. Meanwhile, the battery management unit BMU21 sends a signal to the control unit U21 so that the control unit U21 controls the total current to flow through the load L21, the total current is consumed by the load L21, and the total current is reduced. For example, when the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to turn off and sends a signal to the control unit U1, so that the control unit U1 controls the total current to flow through the load L21, and the total current is consumed and reduced. When the total current is reduced to a value that the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is not greater than the corresponding current threshold value, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to close and sends a signal to the control unit U1, so that the control unit U1 controls the total current to stop flowing through the load L21, and the battery module BAT21 recovers to normal operation. Thereby, can realize making the electric current that flows through each battery module be not more than the maximum current that each battery module allowed to flow through all the time, be favorable to playing the guard action to each battery module to promote the stability of battery at the charge-discharge in-process, prolonged the life of battery.

For example, in an embodiment, the battery shown in fig. 26 is applied to an electric vehicle, and then the control unit U21 may be a vehicle control unit in the electric vehicle, i.e., VCU, and the load L21 may be an air conditioner in the electric vehicle. Since the control processes of the battery modules are similar, for the sake of understanding, only the battery module BAT21 is taken as an example. If the current of the battery module BAT21 during charging and discharging is greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to be turned off, and sends a signal to the VCU, so that the VCU controls the total current to be consumed through the air conditioner. When the current flowing through the battery module BAT21 is not greater than the corresponding current threshold, the battery management unit BMU21 controls the switch S21 to close and sends a signal to the VCU, so that the VCU controls to stop the total current from flowing through the air conditioner.

The embodiment of the application also provides an electric device which comprises the battery in any one of the embodiments.

The embodiment of the application also provides a nonvolatile computer storage medium, where the computer storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, and the computer-executable instructions are executed by one or more processors, so that the one or more processors can execute the charging and discharging control method in any method embodiment. For example, the respective steps shown in fig. 2, 4, 6, 8, 14, 16, 18, and 20 described above are performed; the functions of the respective units described in fig. 10 or fig. 22 can also be realized.

The above-described embodiments of the apparatus or device are only schematic, where the unit modules described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and the parts displayed as module units may or may not be physical units, may be located in one place, or may be distributed on multiple network module units. Some or all of the modules may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of this embodiment.

Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by software plus a general hardware platform, and certainly can also be implemented by hardware. With this in mind, the above-described technical solutions may be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as ROM/RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes instructions for a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device) to execute the methods described in the embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

While the application has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, various modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way as long as there is no structural conflict. The present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein but is to cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A charge and discharge control method is applied to a battery, wherein the battery comprises a first battery module, and the first battery module is used for being connected with a first load branch;

the method comprises the following steps:

acquiring a first current when the first battery module is charged and discharged;

judging whether the first current is larger than a first current threshold value;

and if so, consuming the first current through the first load branch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first battery module is further configured to be connected to a first switching leg, the first switching leg being connected to the first load leg;

said consuming said first current by said first load branch comprises:

and controlling the switching state of the first switching branch to control the first current to flow through the first load branch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a circuit of the first load branch in parallel with the first switching branch is connected in series with the first battery module, wherein the first load branch comprises a first resistor;

the controlling the switching state of the first switching leg to control the first current to flow through the first load leg comprises:

and controlling the first switch branch circuit to be disconnected so as to control the first current to flow through the first resistor.

4. The charge and discharge control method according to claim 2, wherein a circuit formed by connecting the first battery module in series with the first switching branch is connected in parallel with the first load branch, wherein the first load branch comprises a first capacitor;

the controlling the switching state of the first switching branch to control the first current to flow through the first load branch comprises:

and controlling the first switch branch circuit to be disconnected so as to control the first current to flow through the first capacitor.

5. A charge and discharge control method is applied to a battery, wherein the battery comprises a second load branch, a second battery module and a third battery module, and the second load branch is respectively connected with the second battery module and the third battery module;

the method comprises the following steps:

acquiring a second current when the second battery module is charged and discharged and acquiring a third current when the third battery module is charged and discharged;

and if the second current is greater than a second current threshold value and/or the third current is greater than a third current threshold value, consuming the total current in the battery charging and discharging process through the second load branch circuit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the battery further comprises a second switching leg connected with the second load leg;

the consuming of the total current in the battery charging and discharging process through the second load branch circuit includes:

controlling a switching state of the second switching leg to control the total current to flow through the second load leg.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second load branch comprises a second resistor and a third resistor, and the second switching branch comprises a second switch and a third switch;

a circuit formed by connecting the second resistor and the second switch in parallel is connected with the second battery module in series, and a circuit formed by connecting the third resistor and the third switch in parallel is connected with the third battery module in series;

if the second current is greater than a second current threshold and/or the third current is greater than a third current threshold, consuming the total current of the battery in the charging and discharging process through the second load branch, including:

if the second current is larger than the second current threshold, controlling the second switch to be switched off so as to control the second current to flow through the second resistor;

and if the third current is larger than the third current threshold, controlling the third switch to be switched off so as to control the third current to flow through the third resistor.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second load branch comprises a second capacitance, the second switching branch comprising a fourth switch and a fifth switch;

a circuit formed by connecting the fourth switch and the second battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel, and a circuit formed by connecting the fifth switch and the third battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel;

if the second current is larger than the second current threshold, controlling the fourth switch to be switched off so as to control the total current to flow through the second capacitor;

and if the third current is larger than the third current threshold, controlling the fifth switch to be switched off so as to control the total current to flow through the second capacitor.

9. A charge and discharge control device is applied to a battery, wherein the battery comprises a first battery module, and the first battery module is used for being connected with a first load branch;

the device comprises:

the first acquisition unit is used for acquiring a first current of the first battery module during charging and discharging;

a first judging unit for judging whether the first current is larger than a first current threshold value;

a first current consuming unit for consuming the first current through the first load branch.

10. A charge and discharge control device is applied to a battery, wherein the battery comprises a second load branch, a second battery module and a third battery module, and the second load branch is respectively connected with the second battery module and the third battery module;

the device comprises:

the second acquisition unit is used for acquiring a second current when the second battery module is charged and discharged and acquiring a third current when the third battery module is charged and discharged;

and the second current consumption unit is used for controlling the total current consumed in the charging and discharging process of the battery through the second load branch circuit if the second current is greater than a second current threshold value and/or the third current is greater than a third current threshold value.

11. A battery management unit, comprising:

at least one processor and memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor capable of performing the method of any of claims 1-4.

12. A battery management unit comprising:

at least one processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor capable of performing the method of any of claims 5-8.

13. A battery, comprising: the first battery module is used for charging or discharging;

the battery management unit of claim 11.

14. The battery of claim 13, wherein the battery further comprises:

the battery management system comprises a first load branch and a first switch branch, wherein the first battery module is respectively connected with the first load branch and the first switch branch, and the first switch branch is respectively connected with the first load branch and the battery management unit.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein the first load branch comprises a first resistance, the first switching branch comprises a first switch;

the first resistor is connected with the first switch in parallel, and a circuit formed by connecting the first resistor and the first switch in parallel is connected with the first battery module in series.

16. A battery, comprising: the second battery module, the third battery module, the second switch branch and the second load branch are connected with the first load branch;

the second switch branch is connected with the second load branch, the second switch branch is respectively connected with the second battery module and the third battery module, and the second load branch is respectively connected with the second battery module and the third battery module;

the battery management unit of claim 12, the battery management unit being connected to the second switching leg.

17. The battery of claim 16, wherein the second load branch comprises a second resistor and a third resistor, and the second switching branch comprises a second switch and a third switch;

a circuit formed by connecting the second resistor and the second switch in parallel is connected with the second battery module in series;

and a circuit formed by connecting the third resistor and the third switch in parallel is connected with the third battery module in series.

18. The battery of claim 16, wherein the second load branch comprises a second capacitor, the second switching branch comprising a fourth switch and a fifth switch;

a circuit formed by connecting the fourth switch and the second battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel;

and a circuit formed by connecting the fifth switch and the third battery module in series is connected with the second capacitor in parallel.

19. An electrical device comprising: a battery as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, and/or a battery as claimed in claims 16 to 18.

20. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising: stored with computer-executable instructions arranged as the method flow of any one of claims 1 to 8.