WO2013185345A1

WO2013185345A1 - Battery energy draining method and system

Info

Publication number: WO2013185345A1
Application number: PCT/CN2012/076998
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter G. Diehl; Lee FENG; Paul R MUELLER
Original assignee: Qoros Automotive Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2012-06-15
Filing date: 2012-06-15
Publication date: 2013-12-19
Also published as: CN103748735A; CN103748735B

Abstract

An energy draining system (1) of a battery (12) in a car or other device after damage to the device (for example, a car crash) includes a first switch (15) in series with the battery (12), with the first switch (15) configured to close upon receipt of a signal independent of the state of the battery (12). Further, a first enclosure (24) has a first space (24a) and a second space (24b) which are separated by a separation device (25), with the first space (24a) configured to hold a first material (26) and the second space (24b) having a resistor (17) therein in series with the first switch (15). The separation device (25) activates also upon receipt of the signal. The second enclosure (27) is configured to hold a second material (28). A second switch (29) is interposed between the first (24) and the second enclosure (27) and configured to transmit the second material (28) to the first space (24a) upon receipt of the signal to cause an endothermic reaction. An energy draining method of a battery (12) is disclosed.

Description

BATTERY ENERGY DRAINING METHOD AND SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001 ] At least one embodiment of the present invention pertains to batteries, and more particularly, to a system and method for draining a battery upon receipt of a signal independent of a state of the battery.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The battery of a vehicle (pure electric, hybrid, conventional) or other device may be damaged in an accident or in abnormal conditions (e.g., abnormal or unexpected climatic conditions), which may lead to an internal short circuit and further cause uncertain thermal problems immediately or after a period of time , e.g., 2 weeks. The thermal problems may include over-heating, combustion and explosion. The potential thermal problems are very dangerous to the device or vehicle, rescue workers, operators, and mechanics/electricians that recover and fix the device or vehicle.

[0003] Accordingly, a new system and method may be needed to drain a damaged battery.

SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments are disclosed herein that drain a battery upon receipt of a signal independent of battery state (e.g., damage). In an embodiment, a battery energy draining system comprises a first switch, a first enclosure, a second enclosure and a second switch. The first switch is in series with a battery and configured to close upon receipt of a signal independent of a state of the battery (e.g., from an airbag sensor). The first enclosure has a first space and second space separated by a separation device. The first space is configured to hold a first material while the second space has a resistor therein in series with the first switch. The second enclosure configured to hold a second material. The second switch is interposed between the first and second enclosures and configured to transmit the second material to the first space upon receipt of the signal to cause an endothermic reaction.

[0005] In another embodiment, a battery energy draining system comprises a switch and an enclosure. The switch is in series with a battery and is configured to close upon receipt of a signal independent of a state of the battery. The enclosure has a resistor therein in series with the first switch. Further, the enclosure holds a solid salt that phase changes when current flows through the resistor.

[0006] In an embodiment, a battery energy draining method comprises: receiving a signal from a sensor independent of a battery state; closing, in response to the receiving, a first switch in series with the battery; and transmitting, in response to the receiving, a first material from a first enclosure to a second enclosure holding a second material and a resistor in series with the first switch, wherein the first material and the second material produce an endothermic reaction when mixed. In an embodiment in which the system only comprises one switch and one enclosure, only the switch needs to be closed in the method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] One or more embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements.

[0008] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0009] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a battery energy draining module of the system of Figure 1 .

[0010] Figure 3 is a diagram showing a battery energy draining module of the system of Figure 1 according to another embodiment.

[001 1 ] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a battery energy draining technique.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] References in this description to "an embodiment", "one embodiment", or the like, mean that the particular feature, function, structure or characteristic being described is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Occurrences of such phrases in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. On the other hand, such references are not necessarily mutually exclusive either.

[0013] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The system 1 includes a battery having a cathode 12a and an anode 12b (collectively, battery 12) with a resistor R1 13 therebetween. The battery is coupled to a battery energy draining module 10. More specifically, the cathode 12a is coupled to a resistor R2 17 through a switch 15. The resistor R2 17, which is located within an endothermic process device 18, is coupled to the anode 12b. The switch 15 and the endothermic process device 18 are communicatively coupled to a sensor 5, such as an airbag control unit. The sensor 5 operates independently of battery 12 state/condition and transmits a signal based on a measurement unrelated to the battery 12

state/condition.

[0014] In an embodiment, the sensor 5 can be integrated with the battery energy draining module 10 or external to it. The sensor 5 can include other sensors besides an airbag control unit, such as a wireless receiver to receive instructions externally (e.g., from a control site), a g meter to measure g force, and/or a temperature sensor to measure external, etc. In another embodiment, the system 1 may include a second sensor (not shown) to measure battery 12 temperature as a failsafe.

[0015] The system 1 may be installed in a vehicle or other device (e.g., portable computer, mobile phone, etc.). In the event of damage to the device or the system 1 , the battery may have internal short circuit 1 1 with a resistor R1 13. The resistor R1 13 short circuit may lead to the thermal problems, e.g. over-heating, combustion and explosion. Accordingly, to prevent thermal problems, the battery draining module 10 receives a signal from the sensor 5, which then drains the battery, as will be discussed further below. The draining can brick the battery or maintain a minimal charge in the battery to enable later retrieval, repair and recharge of the battery if needed.

[0016] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the battery energy draining module 10 of the system 1 of Figure 1 . As mentioned above, the battery energy draining module 10 includes a first switch 15 coupled to the battery 12, which is coupled to the R2 17, which is enclosed in a first enclosure 24 of the endothermic process device 18. The endothermic process device 18 further includes a second switch 29 coupled to a second enclosure 27. The first enclosure 24 includes an upper (or first) space 24a and a lower (or second) space 24b. The upper space 24a and lower space 24b are separated by a separation device 25. The upper space 24a is configured to hold a material A 26 while lower space 24b is configured to hold the R2 17. A resistance of R2 17 is less than a resistance of R1 13 (FIG. 1 ). The second enclosure 27 is configured to hold a material B 28. The module 10 can be located adjacent to the battery 12 in an embodiment (e.g., at a side of the battery 12).

[0017] During normal operation of the battery energy draining module 10, the endothermic process device 18 ensures the material A 26, material B 28, and resistor R2 17 are separated from each other. Material A 26 and Material B 28 are stable when maintained separately in enclosures 24 and 27, respectively, under normal operating conditions but cause an endothermic process when mixed.

[0018] In one embodiment, the material A 26 includes sodium sulfate (Na₂S0₄) and the material B 28 includes water (H₂0). When sodium sulfate is dissolved into water, the sodium sulfate is ionized to Na⁺ and S0₄ ^2". The ionization process absorbs heat released from the resistor R2 27 during the battery draining process, as will be discussed further below. The ionization process for sodium sulfate is:

[0019] N¾S0₄ - 2 Na⁺ + S0₄ ^2"

[0020] In another embodiment, potassium chloride can be used in place of sodium sulfate.

[0021 ] When the battery 12 is damaged (e.g., when an electric vehicle holding the battery is crashed in an accident), the sensor 5 (e.g., Airbag Control Unit (ACU)) is activated to trigger the battery energy draining module 10. The first switch 15 and second switch 29 are closed causing electricity to flow to the resistor R2 17. The resistor R2 17 starts to discharge the energy of battery 12. Further, material B 28 is delivered from the second enclosure 27 to the upper space 24a of the first enclosure 24 to mix with material A 26. The delivery can be by gravity or other mechanism, e.g., a pump.

[0022] The separation device 25 is opened after the material A 26 is mixed with the material B 27. The device 25 can include a valve. Then the mixture of material A 26 and material B 28 are dropped into the lower space 24b and surround the resistor R2 17. Thus, the endothermic process mentioned above is caused to absorb the heat from the resistor R2 17.

[0023] Accordingly, in a vehicle embodiment, the battery energy draining module 10 is triggered by an independent sensor 5 (e.g., ACU), instead of the detection of a battery 12 condition/state. It is more reliable for a vehicle. Further, the material A 26 and material B 28 are stable before mixing with each other and therefore suitable for a vehicle.

[0024] In another embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the resistor R2 17 is surrounded (e.g., encased) in a solid salt 26b in an enclosure 24b instead of using the material A 26 and material B 28. Accordingly, no second switch 29, upper space 24a or second enclosure 27 is needed. During operation of the battery energy draining module 10, the sensor 5 causes the first switch 15 to close. Current then flows through the resistor R2 17 causing the solid salt to phase change (melt) and absorb the heat of the resistor R2, thereby draining the battery 12.

[0025] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a battery energy draining technique 3. First, the battery energy draining module 10 receives (410) a signal to activate. More specifically, the first and second switches 15 & 29 receive the signal from the sensor 5 and close. In an embodiment, the module 10 may include an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or other controlling device that in turn activates the switches 15 and 29. The switch 29 then delivers (420) material B 28 to the upper space 24a of the first enclosure 24, where material B 28 mixes with material A 26 and then transfers to the lower space 24b of the first enclosure 24. The resistor R2 17 then discharges (430) the energy of the battery 12 by generating heat, which is absorbed by the combined material A 26 and material B 28. In the embodiment disclosed in Figure 3, only switch 15 needs to close in order for an endothermic reaction to occur to absorb the heat from the resistor R2 17 during discharge (430). The technique 3 then ends.

[0026] Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be recognized that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1 . A battery energy draining system, comprising:

a first switch in series with a battery, the first switch configured to close upon receipt of a signal independent of a state of the battery;

a first enclosure having a first space and second space separated by a separation device, the first space configured to hold a first material, the second space having a resistor therein in series with the first switch;

a second enclosure configured to hold a second material; and

a second switch interposed between the first and second enclosures and configured to transmit the second material to the first space upon receipt of the signal to cause an endothermic reaction.

2. The battery energy draining system of claim 1 , wherein the separation device is configured to opens upon receipt of the signal.

3. The battery energy draining system of claim 1 , wherein the first material is sodium sulfate and the second material is water.

4. The battery energy draining system of claim 1 , wherein the signal includes an airbag control unit signal.

5. The battery energy draining system of claim 1 , further comprising a battery temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the first and second switches and the separation device and configured to transmit a second signal to close the switches and activate the separation device.

6. The battery energy draining system of claim 1 , wherein a resistance of the resistor is less than a resistance of a resistor located between a cathode and an anode of the battery.

7. The battery energy draining system of claim 1 , wherein the resistor is positioned within the second space such that when a mixture of the materials surrounds the resistor when the mixture enters the second space.

8. A battery energy draining method, comprising:

receiving a signal from a sensor independent of a battery state;

closing, in response to the receiving, a first switch in series with the battery; and transmitting, in response to the receiving, a first material from a first enclosure to a second enclosure holding a second material and a resistor in series with the first switch, wherein the first material and the second material produce an endothermic reaction when mixed.

9. The battery energy draining method of claim 8, wherein the first material is sodium sulfate and the second material is water.

10. The battery energy draining method of claim 8, wherein the signal is received from an airbag control unit.

1 1 . The battery energy draining method of claim 8, wherein a resistance of the resistor is less than a resistance of a resistor located between a cathode and an anode of the battery.

12. The battery energy draining method of claim 8, wherein the resistor is positioned within the second enclosure such that when a mixture of the materials surrounds the resistor when the mixture first material is transmitted to the second enclosure.

13. The battery energy draining method of claim 8, wherein

the second enclosure comprises a first space and a second space separated by a separation device;

the first space holds the second material;

the second space contains the resistor; and

the method further comprises opening the separation device upon receipt of the signal.

14. A battery energy draining system, comprising:

a switch in series with a battery, the switch configured to close upon receipt of a signal independent of a state of the battery; and

an enclosure having a resistor therein in series with the first switch, the enclosure further holding a solid salt that phase changes when current flows through the resistor.

15. The battery energy draining system of claim 14, wherein the signal includes an airbag control unit signal.