KR-20260066391-A - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BALANCING BATTERY

KR20260066391AKR 20260066391 AKR20260066391 AKR 20260066391AKR-20260066391-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery balancing device and a method thereof, comprising a battery including a plurality of battery cells and a processor that sets a simultaneous balancing mode to set the plurality of battery cells into a plurality of channels, and performs voltage sensing for a battery cell included in a first channel among the plurality of channels while performing a balancing operation for a battery cell included in a second channel, thereby simultaneously performing voltage sensing and balancing operations, the time required for balancing the battery cells can be shortened and balancing of the battery cells can be completed to prevent thermal runaway, and the efficiency of the battery can be improved and the lifespan extended.

Inventors

박미리
여영근

Assignees

현대모비스 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241104

Claims (10)

A battery comprising a plurality of battery cells; and A battery balancing device comprising: a processor that sets the plurality of battery cells into a plurality of channels and performs a balancing operation for a battery cell included in a second channel while performing voltage detection for a battery cell included in a first channel among the plurality of channels.
In Article 1, A battery balancing device characterized by the processor setting a battery cell among the battery cells included in the second channel, in which the voltage difference between adjacent battery cells is greater than or equal to a certain value, as a balancing target based on a pre-measured voltage, and performing a balancing operation on the balancing target.
In Article 1, A battery balancing device characterized by the processor setting a third channel to the plurality of battery cells and controlling voltage detection for the battery cells included in the third channel when voltage detection of the first channel and balancing operation of the second channel are completed.
In Paragraph 3, A battery balancing device characterized by the processor setting a battery cell located at the boundary point between the first channel and the second channel as the third channel.
In Paragraph 3, A battery balancing device characterized by the processor controlling that a balancing operation is not performed on another channel while voltage detection of the third channel is being performed.
In Paragraph 3, When voltage detection for the third channel is completed, the processor sets the fourth channel and the fifth channel by adding or excluding the battery cells included in the third channel to the first channel and the second channel, and A battery balancing device characterized by performing a balancing operation for a battery cell included in the fourth channel and detecting the voltage of a battery cell included in the fifth channel.
A processor sets a plurality of battery cells included in a battery into a plurality of channels; The step of the processor requesting voltage detection for a battery cell included in the first channel among the plurality of channels; and A battery balancing method comprising: a step in which, while voltage sensing of the first channel is being performed, the processor performs a balancing operation for a battery cell included in the second channel.
In Article 7, A battery balancing method characterized in that, in the step of performing the above balancing operation, the processor sets a battery cell among the battery cells included in the second channel, wherein the voltage difference between adjacent battery cells is greater than or equal to a certain value, based on a pre-measured voltage, as a balancing target, and performs a balancing operation on the balancing target.
In Article 7, After the step of performing the above balancing operation, When the voltage detection of the first channel and the balancing operation of the second channel are completed, the processor sets a third channel including a battery cell among the plurality of battery cells located at the boundary point between the first channel and the second channel; and The step of controlling voltage detection for a battery cell included in the third channel; is included, A battery balancing method characterized by the processor controlling that a balancing operation is not performed on another channel while voltage detection of the third channel is performed.
In Article 9, When voltage detection for the third channel is completed, the processor sets the fourth channel and the fifth channel by adding or excluding the battery cells included in the third channel to the first channel and the second channel; The step of the processor performing a balancing operation for a battery cell included in the fourth channel; and A battery balancing method comprising: a step of controlling the processor to detect the voltage of a battery cell included in the fifth channel while the balancing operation for the fourth channel is being performed.

Description

Battery Balancing Apparatus and Method {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BALANCING BATTERY} The present invention relates to a battery balancing device and a method thereof for controlling the balancing operation of a battery cell. As electric vehicle-related technologies develop, the required battery voltage is increasing, and the number of battery packs is also increasing. Accordingly, the importance of balancing technology, which prevents overcharging and controls deviations between cells, is steadily increasing. Battery cell balancing is the process of reducing deviations between battery cells while preventing overcharging. If sufficient time is not secured to perform the balancing operation, the balancing between battery cells will not be completed, and consequently, the battery will repeatedly charge and discharge without the voltage deviation being resolved. If this condition persists, the battery may experience thermal runaway. If such thermal runaway occurs, it can not only cause a fire in the electric vehicle but also threaten the driver's life. The balancing operation is performed sequentially based on the detected voltage after first performing a sensing operation to detect the voltage of the battery cells. At this time, since balancing the battery cells takes a certain amount of time, there are cases where cell balancing is not completed until the ignition is turned off. Accordingly, the balancing operation may continue to be performed even when the electric vehicle is in a parked state. For example, when sensing N channels, a total of N x 1 channel conversion time is required, and balancing is not performed during this time. Additionally, balancing is not performed when diagnosing battery cells. For these reasons, there are cases where the battery lacks sufficient time to complete balancing. In cases where sufficient balancing time is not secured, the battery may continuously experience overcharging, the variation between cells may increase, and consequently, there is a problem of shortened battery cell lifespan. A related technology is Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2667738, 'Battery balancing method and device'. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the control configuration of a battery balancing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram referenced to explain battery balancing according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a balancing method of a battery balancing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a simultaneous balancing method of a battery balancing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the timing diagram for sensing and balancing of a battery balancing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the sensing and balancing operation of a first section of a battery balancing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the sensing and balancing operation of a second section of a battery balancing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating the sensing and balancing operation of a third section of a battery balancing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a diagnostic sequence of a battery balancing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In this process, the thickness of lines or the size of components depicted in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of clarity and convenience of explanation. Furthermore, the terms described below are defined considering their functions in the present invention, and these may vary depending on the intent or convention of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be based on the content throughout this specification. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the control configuration of a battery balancing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the battery balancing device (100) includes a memory (120), a communication unit (130), a sensor (140), a battery (190), and a processor (110). The memory (120) can store vehicle data, battery data, battery state of charge (SOC), and sensor data. The memory (120) can store data regarding the temperature, current, and voltage of the battery cell measured through the sensor (140). Additionally, the memory (120) can store data regarding a channel that is temporarily set during balancing of the battery cell. The memory (120) may include storage means such as non-volatile memory, flash memory, etc., such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erased Programmable ROM). The communi