EP-4735292-A1 - BATTERY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRIC POWER FLOW CONTROL THEREIN

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a battery system for powering at least one electric traction motor of a mining vehicle, the battery system comprising a first battery portion, a second battery portion; each battery portion comprising one or more battery cells, one or more thermal management system (TMS), one or more main electric box (MEB) and one or more high power DC-DC module; wherein said first battery portion and said second battery portion are adapted for simultaneous providing of an electric power flow to said at least one electric traction motor; and wherein said electric power flow to and/or from the first battery portion and/or the second battery portion being controlled by at least one high power DC-DC module. The disclosure also relates to a vehicle comprising said battery system and a method for controlling electric power flow in a battery system.

Inventors

• HUBELE, Andrew

Assignees

• Epiroc Rock Drills Aktiebolag

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20230629

Claims (1)

1. 110602pc 13 CLAIMS 1. A battery system for powering at least one electric traction motor of a mining vehicle, the battery system comprising a first battery portion, a second battery portion; each battery portion comprising one or more battery cells, one or more thermal management system (TMS), one or more main electric box (MEB) and one or more high power DC-DC module; wherein said first battery portion and said second battery portion are adapted for simultaneous providing of an electric power flow to said at least one electric traction motor; and wherein said electric power flow to and/or from the first battery portion and/or the second battery portion being controlled by at least one high power DC-DC module. 2. The battery system according to claim 1, wherein said first battery portion comprising a first TMS and a first MEB and said second battery portion comprising a second TMS and a second MEB. 3. The battery system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a first battery portion is connectable to a first battery charger and a second battery portion is connectable to a second battery charger. 4. An electric mining vehicle comprising: at least one electric traction motor configured to drive at least one wheel on a front axle or a rear axle of the electric mining vehicle; a battery system comprising a first battery portion, a second battery portion; each battery portion comprising one or more battery cells, one or more thermal management system (TMS), one or more main electric box (MEB) and one or more high power DC-DC module; wherein said first battery portion and said second battery portion are adapted for simultaneous providing of an electric power flow to said at least one electric traction motor; and wherein said electric power flow to and/or from the first battery portion and/or the second battery portion being controlled by at least one high power DC-DC module. 110602pc 14 5. The electric mining vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said first battery portion comprising a first TMS and a first MEB and said second battery portion comprising a second TMS and a second MEB. 6. The electric mining machine according to any one of claim 4-5, wherein a first battery portion is connectable to a first battery charger and a second battery portion is connectable to a second battery charger. 7. A method for controlling electric power flow in a battery system for powering at least one electric traction motor of a mining vehicle, the battery system comprising a first battery portion, a second battery portion; each battery portion comprising one or more battery cells, one or more thermal management system (TMS), one or more main electric box (MEB) and one or more high power DC-DC module; wherein said first battery portion and said second battery portion are adapted for simultaneous providing of an electric power flow to said at least one electric traction motor, said method comprising the step of: - controlling said electric power flow to and/or from at least one battery portion with at least one high power DC-DC module provided in the electric power flow between said first and second battery portions or from at least one battery portion and said electric traction motor and thereby controlling at least one of State Of Charge (SOC) and/or charge rate of said first and/or said second battery portion. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of controlling the temperature of the battery system with a first thermal management system (TMS1) for the first battery portion and a second thermal management system (TMS2) for the second battery portion. 9. The method according to any one of claim 7 or 8, further comprising the steps of: - charging the first battery portion with a first battery charger, - charging the second battery portion with a second battery charger. 110602pc 15 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said first and second batteries are charged simultaneously.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC POWER FLOW CONTROL IN A BATTERY SYSTEM Technical field [0001] The present disclosure relates generally to battery powered electric vehicles and in particular to a method and an apparatus for electric power flow control in a battery powered electric mining vehicle. Background [0002] There exist various types of vehicle propulsion systems comprising electric machines. For example, a vehicle can be operated by means of an electric machine solely, or by means of an arrangement comprising both an electric machine and an internal combustion engine. The latter alternative is often referred to as a hybrid vehicle (HEV). According to known technology, electric machines are operated by means of a storage system for electric energy arranged in the vehicle, typically in the form of a battery unit which is formed by a plurality of rechargeable battery cells and an associated control unit. [0003] For a driver of an electrically operated vehicle, it is necessary to obtain information related to the capacity of a battery. Such information can be useful for example for determining the remaining distance which can be travelled with the vehicle until the battery is discharged to such a low level that the vehicle cannot be operated. [0004] In order to estimate the capacity of a traction battery for a vehicle, it is useful to determine the so-called state of charge (SOC) of the battery. The SOC parameter is normally expressed in percent and corresponds to the present battery energy capacity as a percentage of its nominal capacity. The SOC can be determined by integrating the battery current over time, based on a start SOC as well as the battery capacity, which varies over time. The battery capacity can be determined by integrating the current over time and linking it to the SOC at start and finish of the integration process. 110602pc 2 [0005] One problem with current battery powered electric vehicles is the stationary charging time of the battery system; the larger the battery capacity the longer it normally takes to charge the battery with a standard charger. Another problem with battery powered electric vehicles is that the battery systems often lack an efficient power flow control to control where electric power/energy is pushed and pulled from during different modes of electric vehicle operation such as stationary charging, motoring and re-generation. Summary [0006] It is therefore an object of the embodiments herein to provide an approach for reducing the stationary charging time and at the same time improving an electric power flow control in stationary charging mode, motoring mode and/or regeneration mode in a battery powered electric vehicle to better control at least one of SOC and charging rate of the battery system. [0007] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, it is provided a battery system according to claim 1, i.e., a battery system for powering at least one electric traction motor of a mining vehicle. The battery system comprises a first battery portion and a second battery portion; each battery portion comprising one or more battery cells, one or more thermal management system (TMS), one or more main electric box (MEB) and one or more high power DC-DC module; wherein said first battery portion and said second battery portion are adapted for simultaneous providing of an electric power flow to said at least one electric traction motor; and wherein said electric power flow to and/or from the first battery portion and/or the second battery portion being controlled by at least one high power DC-DC module. [0008] This provides the advantage that the battery system may be connected to two battery chargers at once. This may double the rate at which the battery may be charged. [0009] Another advantage is that the battery system may have a reduced arc flash probability and/or severity. 110602pc 3 [0010] In various example embodiments of the present disclosure said first battery portion comprises a first TMS and a first MEB and said second battery portion comprises a second TMS and a second MEB. [0011] The advantage of these example embodiments is that the thermal management systems may be adapted and optimized for different types of battery portions. [0012] In various example embodiments of the present disclosure a first battery portion is connectable to a first battery charger and a second battery portion is connectable to a second battery charger. [0013] The advantage of these example embodiments is that stationary charging time may be reduced as two chargers may be charging the two battery portions at the same time. Another advantage of these embodiments is that a first battery charges may be adapted for charging the first battery portion and a second battery charger nay be adapted for charging the second battery portion, where said first and second battery portions may have different battery chemistry for instance. [0014] In another aspect of the present disclosure, it is p