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EP-4741218-A1 - A CONTROLLER AND A METHOD FOR LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT OF A BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM

EP4741218A1EP 4741218 A1EP4741218 A1EP 4741218A1EP-4741218-A1

Abstract

A controller for lifecycle management of a battery energy storage system of an electric vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to: employ a lifecycle management model that defines a plurality of lifecycle options, wherein each lifecycle option has a priority level and is associated with minimum requirements with regard to one or more health indicators of the battery energy storage system; obtain data points for the one or more health indicators from the battery energy storage system; and determine a lifecycle decision based on the lifecycle management model and the obtained data points, wherein the lifecycle decision involves the selection of the lifecycle option that has the highest priority level and meets its associated minimum requirements.

Inventors

  • JANA, Malay
  • MOHANAN, HARISH
  • SENGUPTA, Amrita
  • Mishra, Nikhilesh

Assignees

  • Volvo Energy AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (15)

  1. A controller (110, 160) for lifecycle management of a battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) of an electric vehicle (100A, 100B), wherein the controller is configured to: employ a lifecycle management model that defines a plurality of lifecycle options, wherein each lifecycle option has a priority level and is associated with minimum requirements with regard to one or more health indicators of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); obtain data points for the one or more health indicators from the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); apply the obtained data points to the lifecycle management model; and determine a lifecycle decision based on the lifecycle management model and the obtained data points, wherein the lifecycle decision involves the selection of the lifecycle option that has the highest priority level and meets its associated minimum requirements.
  2. The controller (110, 160) of claim 1, wherein the lifecycle options, in order of priority level, comprise: retain the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) in its current application; repurpose the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) for a different application with lower minimum requirements; and recycle the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) if no further application is viable.
  3. The controller (110, 160) of claim 2, wherein the lifecycle options further comprise: reparametrize the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) in its current application, and wherein the order of priority is: retain, reparametrize, repurpose and recycle.
  4. The controller (110, 160) of any of claims 2-3, wherein the lifecycle options further comprise: repair the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B), and wherein repair has a priority level below retain and above repurpose.
  5. The controller (110, 160) of any of claims 1-4, wherein the one or more health indicators comprise remaining cycle life and internal resistance growth.
  6. The controller (110, 160) of any of claims 1-5, wherein obtaining data points for the one or more health indicators comprises at least one of: obtaining data points from a battery management system (121A, 121B) of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); obtaining data points from physical testing of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); and obtaining usage data from the electric vehicle (100A, 100B) and processing said usage data to obtain data points for one or more health indicators.
  7. A central battery energy storage system, BESS, management node (150) for lifecycle management of a group of battery energy storage systems (120A, 120B) comprising a controller (160) according to any of claims 1-6.
  8. The central BESS management node (150) of claim 7, wherein the controller (160) is further configured to: maintain a database of battery energy storage systems for which a lifecycle decision to repurpose has been made, wherein for each battery energy storage systems the obtained data points of one or more health indicators are stored; maintain a list of applications for which a repurposed battery energy storage system has been requested, wherein each application has specified minimum requirements with regard to one or more health indicators; and match the available battery energy storage systems in the database to the applications in the list such that the specified minimum requirements are satisfied.
  9. A method for lifecycle management of an energy storage system (120A, 120B) of an electric vehicle (100A, 100B), wherein the method comprises: employing (S 1) a lifecycle management model that defines a plurality of lifecycle options, wherein each lifecycle option has a priority level and is associated with minimum requirements with regard to one or more health indicators of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); obtaining (S2) data points for the one or more health indicators from the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); applying the (S3) the obtained data points to the lifecycle management model; and determining (S4) a lifecycle decision based on the lifecycle management model and the obtained data, wherein the lifecycle decision involves the selection of the lifecycle option that has the highest priority level and meets its associated minimum requirements.
  10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises: maintaining (S5) a database of battery energy storage systems for which a lifecycle decision to repurpose has been made, wherein for each battery energy storage systems the obtained data points of one or more health indicators are stored; maintaining (S6) a list of applications for which a repurposed energy storage system (120) has been requested, wherein each application has specified minimum requirements with regard to one or more health indicators; and matching (S7) the available battery energy storage systems in the database to the applications in the list such that the specified minimum requirements are satisfied.
  11. The method of any of claims 9-10, wherein the lifecycle options, in order of priority level, comprise: retain the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) in its current application; repurpose the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B) for a different application with lower minimum requirements; and recycle if no further application is viable.
  12. The method of any of claims 9-11, wherein obtaining (S2) data points for the one or more health indicators further comprises: receiving input data points from a battery management system (121A, 121B) of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); receiving usage data from the electric vehicle (100A, 100B); and obtaining data points for one or more health indicators by combining the input data points and the usage data.
  13. The method of claim 12, wherein the lifecycle options further comprise: repair the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); and wherein repair has a priority level below retain and above repurpose.
  14. The method of any of claims 9-13, wherein obtaining (S2) data points for the one or more health indicators comprises at least one of: obtaining data points from a battery management system (121A, 121B) of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); obtaining data points from physical testing of the battery energy storage system (120A, 120B); and obtaining usage data from the electric vehicle (100A, 100B) and processing said usage data to obtain data points for one or more health indicators.
  15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of any of claims 9-14.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to battery energy storage systems. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to a controller and a method for lifecycle management of a battery energy storage system. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, as well as other applications that utilize battery energy storage systems. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND The global transportation sector is undergoing a major transformation, shifting from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles powered by battery energy storage systems. As the battery energy storage systems in electric vehicles begin to underperform and can no longer deliver the required power under varying conditions, they are often recycled despite maintaining a significant portion of their original capacity. For instance, while these systems may still hold a substantial amount of capacity and energy, their inability to deliver the required power or energy throughput means they are not suitable for continued use in a vehicle under the same conditions. Consequently, the absence of a lifecycle management framework for these systems often leads to inefficient utilization and premature recycling. Hence, there is a need for a comprehensive method to manage the lifecycle of battery energy storage systems, optimizing use and extending viability before recycling. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a controller for lifecycle management of an energy storage system of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The controller is configured to employ a lifecycle management model that defines a plurality of lifecycle options, wherein each lifecycle option has a priority level and is associated with minimum requirements with regard to one or more health indicators of the battery energy storage system. The controller is configured to obtain data points for the one or more health indicators from the battery energy storage system. The controller is further configured to determine a lifecycle decision based on the lifecycle management model and the obtained data points, wherein the lifecycle decision involves selecting the lifecycle option that has the highest priority level and meets its minimum requirements with regard to the obtained data points. The first aspect of the disclosure may seek to extend utilization of the battery energy storage system before recycling. A technical benefit may include enhanced utilization through lifecycle decisions based on the progression of health indicators. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the lifecycle options, in order of priority level, comprise: retain the battery energy storage system in its current application; repurpose the battery energy storage system for a different application with lower minimum requirements; and recycle the battery energy storage system if no further application is viable. A technical benefit may include extending the battery's operational lifespan by repurposing for a different application before recycling. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the lifecycle options further comprise: reparametrize the battery energy storage system in its current application, and wherein the order of priority is: retain, reparametrize, repurpose and recycle. A technical benefit may include extending the battery's operational lifespan by imposing restrictions, such as limiting battery output power. Moreover, the ability of onboard systems to promptly implement a decision to reparametrize minimizes vehicle downtime. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the lifecycle options further comprise: repair the battery energy storage system, and wherein repair has a priority level below retain and above repurpose. A technical benefit may include extending the battery's operational lifespan by prioritizing maintenance and repair options before repurposing. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the one or more health indicators comprise remaining cycle life and internal resistance growth. A technical benefit may include improving lifecycle decisions by using remaining cycle life and internal resistance growth, as these two health indicators complementarily reflect the battery's health status and can therefore enhance lifecycle decision-making. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, obtaining data points for the one or more health indicators comprises obtaining data points from a battery management system of the battery energy storage system. A technical benefit may include enabling prompt lifecycle decisions through direct access to health indicators from the battery management system. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferre