The present invention relates to a battery system which includes a plurality of batteries.
In a battery system which includes a plurality of batteries, it is important to equalize, between each set of batteries, resistance caused by the batteries and distribution cables connected to the batteries.
In patent documents 1 to 3, there are described wiring techniques in which, in a battery system including a plurality of batteries, the resistance values of the distribution cables connected to the batteries are equalized by equalizing the length, cross-section area and resistivity of the distribution cables from each of the batteries, and consequently the resistance of each of the batteries are equalized.
The techniques described in patent documents 1 to 3 are effective in a case where the internal resistance is small enough compared with that of the distribution cables, for example in a case of a lead battery. However, with respect to a lithium battery or the like where the internal resistance is larger than that of a lead battery, the internal resistance component of the battery is not negligible, and further the internal resistance varies due to the heat generation during discharge and charge. Thus, even when the resistance of the distribution cable is equalized, the resistance of each of the batteries becomes uneven due to the change of the internal resistance of the batteries. As a result, the electrical load is concentrated on the battery whose internal resistance is small. This can be a cause of disturbing effective use of the electrical power of the battery system, or accelerating deterioration of the batteries due to concentration of the load.
In light of the above, the present invention has been made, and the purpose of the invention is to deal with the difference between the internal resistances of the batteries.
For solving the problem above, the present invention is a battery system including a plurality of batteries connected, wherein a resistance of a distribution cable connected to a battery located on a location where a temperature becomes high is made larger than that of a distribution cable connected to a battery located on a location where a temperature does not become high.
According to the present invention, it is possible to deal with a difference of the internal resistance of batteries.
Hereinafter, a mode for implementing the present invention (called an “embodiment”) will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, similar symbols are used to denote similar components, and redundant explanations are omitted.
Here, in this embodiment, the battery system is considered as normal when it is in operation in thermally-stable condition.
In a battery system 1 according to the embodiment, battery modules 3 including a plurality of cell batteries (not shown) are horizontally stored per each column in the chassis 2. Here, a group of battery modules 3 in each column is called as a battery group 4.
On the upper surface of the chassis 2, there is provided a fan 5 for releasing heat generated in the chassis 2. The fan 5 may be omitted as needed.
The inventor found that, as shown in
As shown in
As explained in
Therefore in this embodiment, the resistance of the battery groups 4 on both the uppermost and lowermost parts of the chassis 2 are equalized by increasing the resistance of the distribution cables 11 connected to the battery groups 4 on the uppermost part of the chassis 2, and decreasing the resistance of the distribution cables 11 connected to the battery groups 4 on the lowermost part of the chassis 2.
In the example of
As shown in
In
However, in contrast to the battery groups 4 in
Thus, the resistance of each of the groups 21 may be equalized by dividing the battery groups 4 into a plurality of upper and lower groups 21, and making the length of the distribution cable 11 longer for the group 21 that is located on the higher position and making the resistance larger accordingly.
In other words, assuming that the battery group 4a, battery group 4b, battery group 4c, and battery group 4d are defined in the same way as
Hereinafter, a case where the battery modules 3 are stored vertically as shown in
In a battery system 1a shown in
Here, right and left end parts of the chassis 2 storing the battery group 4 are called as a double end part, and a part positioned in the middle of the chassis 2 in a horizontal direction is called as a central part.
Meanwhile, a fan 5 may be disposed on the upper surface of the chassis 2.
In a case where the fan 5 is disposed on the upper surface of the chassis 2 (not shown in
In the example of
From the left of the figure, symbols are given as, a battery group 4e, a battery group 4f, a battery group 4g, a battery group 4h, and a battery group 4i, a distribution cable 11a connected to the battery group 4e and the battery group 4i, a distribution cable 11b connected to the battery group 4f, the battery group 4g, and the battery group 4h.
Here, the length of the distribution cables 11 is determined so that the following relation is satisfied: distribution cable 11a>distribution cable 11b. More specifically, the distribution cable 11a is made longer than the distribution cable 11b at a position shown with a symbol 601.
In other words, the battery group 4e and the battery group 4i are located where the temperature is high, and the distribution cables 11a connected to these batteries are made long. The battery group 4f, the battery group 4g and the battery group 4h located are located where the temperature is low, and the distribution cables 11b connected to these batteries are made short.
By doing so, the distribution cables 11a connected to the battery group 4e and the battery group 4i located on the double end part where the temperature tends to be high are made longer. Thus the resistance thereof is made larger than those of the distribution cables 11b connected to the battery group 4f, the battery group 4g and the battery group 4h located on the central part. As a result the resistance of the battery groups 4 is equalized.
Meanwhile, also in the second embodiment, a plurality of the battery groups 4 may be grouped such that each of the groups is connected in parallel with the output terminal 12.
Further, in the embodiments (the first and second embodiments), although the resistance of the distribution cable 11 is increased by making the strength longer, the resistance may also be increased by making the distribution cable 11 thinner, or using material having larger resistance for the distribution cable 11, or inserting a resistor element on the way.
In addition, in the embodiments, although the output terminal 12 is disposed on the lowermost part, it does not necessarily be disposed on the lowermost part as long as the resistance of the distribution cable 11 connected to the battery group 4, which is located on a location where the temperature is high, can be made larger. For example, the output terminal 12 may be disposed on other location than the lowermost position, if the resistance of the distribution cable 11 can be made larger by making the distribution cable 11 thinner, or using material having larger resistance for the distribution cable 11, inserting a resistor or coil or the like on the way.
Further, in the embodiments, five battery modules 3 constitute a battery group 4, and four or five battery groups 4 are stored in the chassis 2 as shown in the example. In addition, in
In the present embodiments, the resistances of the battery groups 4 are equalized by making the length longer of the distribution cable 11 connected to the battery groups 4 located where the temperature is high, and shortening the distribution cable 11 connected to the battery groups 4 located where the temperature is low. In other words, the present invention does not equalize the resister values of the distribution cables 11 connected to the batteries like the patent documents 1 to 3. Instead, the resister values of the distribution cable 11 is varied in accordance with the connected battery groups 4 by design.
Thus, including batteries having the large internal resistance such as a lithium battery, it is possible to equalize the resistance of the battery groups 4 and prevent load from being concentrated on one battery.
Herewith, it is possible to effectively use the power in the battery systems 1 and 1a, and to prevent the deterioration of the batteries due to load concentration from occurring.
This application is a National Stage Application of PCT/JP2011/064041, filed on Jun. 20, 2011, and which application is incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to the above disclosed application.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP11/64041 | 6/20/2011 | WO | 00 | 2/23/2012 |