The present disclosure relates to a method for increasing the discharge capacity of a battery cell. It also relates to a charge system adapted to such method.
As compared to other rechargeable batteries operating at the ambient temperatures such as alkaline-electrolyte and acid-electrolyte based batteries, lithium-ion batteries (LIB) show the best combined performances in terms of energy density (Ea), power density (Pa), life span, operation temperature range, lack of memory effect, lower and lower costs and recyclability.
The LIB market is expanding exponentially to cover the three main applications: a) mobile electronics (ME) (cellphones, handhold devices, laptop PCs . . . ), b) electromobility (EM) (e-bikes, e-cars, e-buses, drones, aerospace, boats, . . . ), and c) stationary energy storage systems (ESS) (power plants, buildings/houses, clean energy (solar, wind, . . . )), industry, telecom . . . .
The fastest growing market segment of LIB is the electromobility market.
In electromobility, energy density goes with the operation time and driving range of any electric vehicle (EV). Higher Ed provides longer driving range when using a battery pack of a fixed weight (kg) and volume (l).
The energy density of LIB has been steadily improved since their commercialization. However, recent years showed a slowdown in Ea increase with a plateau around 250 Wh/kg and 700 Wh/l at the cell level.
Because of Ea and Pa limitations, current EV, which are mostly LIB powered, have a driving range of about 250 km to 650 km per full charge and a full charging time above 60 min.
Current internal combustion cars can fill a tank in 5-10 min and provide a driving range up to 900 km.
To ensure success public acceptance of EV for the coming energy transition the most serious option today is fast charging. Current fast charging stations for EV provide a limited amount of charge below 60 min because of: 1) overheating (reaching a safety temperature limit), and/or 2) overcharging (reaching a safety voltage limit).
Common charging methods for Lithium-Ion Batteries are disclosed in the Journal of Energy Storage 6 (2016) 125-141, as shown by Prior Art
Except for the “voltage trajectory” method, all other LIB charging methods apply a constant current and/or a constant voltage in at least a step of the charging process.
There is no indication of cell cycle life nor of the cell temperature profile when these methods are used for 0-100% full charging of a LIB in less than 60 minutes (fast charging). There is no indication the methods apply to any battery chemistry
With reference to Prior Art
During the rest time, current is nil, and voltage drops to reach an open-circuit voltage (OCV).
During the CC discharge, the current is fixed, and voltage drops to a limit (here 2.5V).
During the following rest time, current is nil, and voltage increases to a new OCV value.
With reference to Prior Art
I1 is applied until voltage reaches a first value V1, then I2 is applied until voltage reaches a value of V2, and so on.
Other currents Ij can be applied until a voltage Vj is reached, where V1>V2>V3> . . . Vj>Vj+1.
The MSCC charge process ends when either the target capacity is reached, or a voltage high limit is reached or temperature limit is reached.
CCCV and MSCC are the most popular charging methods used in lithium-ion batteries today. CCCV and MSCC are simple and convenient methods if the full charging time is above 2 hours.
Both CCCV and MSCC are based on applying one or several charging constant current(s) (CC) up to preset voltage limit(s), then for CCCV by applying a constant voltage (CV).
Both CCCV and MSCC cannot realistically be used to charge a battery in less than one hour because of: 1) excess heat generation, 2) lithium metal plating on the anode side, which may create an internal short circuit and thermal runaway event, 3) the reduction of the battery life due to accelerated ageing.
Moreover, when used for charging battery cells connected in series, CCCV requires cell balancing, as discussed, for example, in the paper “Implementation of a LiFePO4 battery charger for cell balancing application,” by Amin et al./Journal of Mechatronics, Electrical Power, and Vehicular Technology 9 (2018)81-88.
Active cell balancing, which is required for high power applications, has the disadvantage of slow balancing speed and thus time-consuming, complex switching structures. Active cell balancing also needs advanced control techniques for switch operation.
Fast charging (FC) protocols are reviewed in the paper “Lithium-ion battery fast charging: a review” published in eTransportation 1 (2019) 100011. Issues of fast-charging are identified for fast-charging with charging time<1 h: heat generation, lithium plating, materials degradation, limited charge uptake within tch (ΔSOC<100%), reduced cycle life, safety, and thermal runaway.
The paper in Journal of Energy Storage 29 (2020) 101342 recites CCCV limitations in fast charging and discloses that cycle life decreases when the Total Charge Time (TCT)=CCCT+CVCT decreases.
As recited in eTransportation 1 (2019) 100011, to date, no reliable onboard methods exist to detect the occurrence of crucial degradation phenomena such as lithium plating or mechanical cracking. Techniques for detecting lithium plating based on the characteristic voltage plateau are promising for online application, but fully reliable methods to distinguish lithium stripping from other plateau-inducing phenomena, or to detect plating where no plateau is observed, have not yet been reported.
Many studies on fast charging protocols have been of empirical or experimental nature, and therefore their performance has only been assessed for a limited range of cell chemistries, form factors, and operating conditions. Such results cannot be easily extended to other cell types or ambient temperatures, as supported by the often-conflicting findings reported by different authors.
The rated capacity of a battery cell is usually determined by charging the battery cell with a CCCV process and then discharging it very slowly (typically 10 hs).
Presently, many research programs are implemented worldwide for increasing the capacity of LIB. Considerable budgets are committed to these programs, while the actual capacities of existing batteries have not yet been explored.
A main objective of the present disclosure is to propose an alternative to this costly trend by proposing a new method for increasing the discharge capacity of a battery cell beyond its own rated capacity, in order to get an augmented battery.
i, I=Electric current intensity (A, mA . . . )
v, V=Cell voltage (in Volt, V)
Qch, qch=charge capacity (Ah, mAh . . . )
Qdis, qdis=discharge capacity (Ah, mAh . . . )
Qnom=cell nominal capacity (Ah, mAh . . . )
C-rate=current intensity relative to the charge time in hour
SOC=state of charge relative to Qnom (in %)
SOH=state of health is the actual full capacity of the cell relative to the initial Qnom
SOS=state of safety estimated risk of thermal runaway
A=The time derivative of voltage
ts=step time (in s)
tch=charge time (in min)
The goal of getting an augmented battery is reached with a method for increasing the discharge capacity (Qdisch) of a battery cell having a rated capacity and provided with charge/discharge terminals to which a charging voltage can be applied with a flowing charging current, the method comprising:
The calculating step implements parameters such as the upper voltage limit, and/or the step time, and/or voltage step DV and/or ΔI/Δt for the voltage step transition.
The charge cycles are proceeded until either one of the following conditions is reached:
The method of the present disclosure can further comprise an initial step for determining a K-value and a charge step from inputs including charging instructions for C-rate, voltage and charge time, and a step for detecting a Cshift threshold, leading to a step for determining a shift voltage, by applying a non-linear voltage equation and using K-value and ΔC-rate.
This method can be applied to a combination of battery cells arranged in series and/or un parallel.
The method of the present disclosure can further comprise a step for collecting in the battery cell data related to the rated capacity for the battery cell, and this collect step can include reading a QR code on the battery cell.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is proposed a system for fast-charging a battery cell having a rated discharge capacity, implementing the method as described herein, the system comprising an electronic converter connected to a power source and designed for applying a charging voltage to the terminals of a battery cell, the electronic converter being controlled by a charging controller designed to process battery cell flowing current and cell voltage measurement data and charging instruction data, characterized in that the charging controller is further designed to control the electronic converter so as to proceed a plurality of charge cycles, each charge cycle comprising steps for;
The charge cycles can be proceeded until either one of the following conditions is reached:
In a specific embodiment of a charge system according to the present disclosure, this charge system includes a control device for entering a request for extra-charge of a battery cell or a battery system.
The extra-charge system of the present disclosure can also be automated by reading the QR code attached to a battery.
The main characteristics of the extra-charge system of the present disclosure implementing Voltage Staged Intermittent Pulse charge method, are:
VSIP is a universal charging technology that applies to all types of rechargeable batteries, including lead acid, alkaline, lithium ion, lithium polymer and solid-state lithium cells and for any application, including but not limited to ME, EM and ESS.
VSIP fully charges batteries (from 0 to 100% SOC) below 60 min and below 30 minutes, while keeping the cell temperature below 50° C. (safety) and providing long life span.
VSIP can apply for quality control (QC) of batteries for specific applications (stress test).
Because VSIP is an adapted charging method it extends the life span of batteries under any operation conditions (power profile, temperature, . . . ).
VSIP increases the energy density of battery cells versus their rated energy density.
Although VSIP is designed for fast charging it also applies to longer charging times tch>60 min.
VSIP 100% SOC charge below 20 min is possible while keeping low temperatures (<45° C.) and long cycle life (>1300 #).
Partial charge (ΔSOC<100%) can be performed in under 10 min.
Voltages above 4.5V can be safely reached under VSIP charge.
No sign of lithium plating during VSIP charge.
Over 1000 charge-discharge cycles can be achieved with ΔSOC<100% with VSIP charge.
VSIP can be used for: 1) cell's quality control. 2) single cells and for cells arranged in series and in parallel, 3) storage capacity enhancement,
Fast charging performance index can be used as a metrics to compare fast charge protocols.
Furthermore, with the NLV based fast-charge method according to the present disclosure, it is no longer necessary to provide cell balancing for the charging of battery cells connected in series, since it is the charging voltage that is now controlled. Thus, the fast-charging method of the present disclosure provides intrinsic balancing between the battery cells.
Figures illustrating Prior Art:
Figures illustrating the present disclosure:
For programming a controller implementing the fast-charging method according to the present disclosure, with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach, a list of duty criteria is proposed:
The variables in the fast-charging method according to the present disclosure are:
A Bayesian optimization is used to adjust the Non Linear Voltammetry (NLV) variables.
The NLV variables are adjusted at each cycle to meet the criteria:
With reference to
As shown in
A shown in
During a rest time, as illustrated by
As shown in
During a voltage plateau Vj, the current at sub-step j,p decreases from Ij,pini to Ij,pfin shown in
For a large number of charging cycles operated with the fast-charging method according to the present disclosure, the voltage variations ΔV experienced between the successive voltage plateau within successive voltage stages Vj, Vj+1 globally decrease with time, as shown in
During a voltage charge VSIP sequence lasting 26 min full charge time as shown in
The VSIP fast charging method according to the present disclosure clearly differs from a conventional Linear Voltammetry (LV) method, with respective distinct voltage and current profiles shown in
The variability of voltage and current profiles is also observed when the charge time is modified, for example, from 60 min, 45 min, 30 min to 20 min, with reference to respective
As shown in
With reference to
Thus, the VSIP charging method according to the present disclosure can also be used as stress quality control (QC) test before using a cell in a system for fast charging.
With reference to
With reference to
The VSIP charging method according to the present disclosure can be implemented for charging 4 LIB cells assembled in parallel in about 35 min, as shown in
With reference to
As shown in
Note that in this configuration, the charging method is particularly advantageous, compared to CCCV, as it no longer requires a time-consuming and energy using active cell balancing.
As shown in
With reference to
The VSIP system 10 further includes a VSIP controller 1 designed for receiving and processing:
The user interface 6 is designed to receive as inputs, information on a rated capacity value for the battery cell B and a target capacity value, and a “extra charge” signal from a physical or virtual button 32.
The VSIP controller 1 is further designed to control power electronics components within the converter 11 so as to generate a charge voltage profile according to the VSIP method until at least of one the termination criteria for ending 9 the charging process are met.
The augmented-battery fast-charge method implements a VSIP method 100 receiving inputs data including the rated-capacity value 20 and the target-capacity value 21.
These VSIP termination criteria 5 include:
From inputs “C-Rate,” “Voltage” and “elapsed charge Time,” which can be entered as instructions 6 by an user, the VSIP controller 1 first determines an initial K value and a charge step.
Provided that no charge termination criterion is met and a predetermined threshold for C-Rate is not reached, the VSIP controller 1 launches a charge sequence 2 by applying voltage for a charge step duration and C-Rate—which is an image of the current flowing into the battery cell—is measured.
When current reaches a pre-set C-rate value, the VSIP controller 1 commutes to a rest period 3 during which no voltage is applied to the battery cell. The duration of this rest period depends on the measured C-Rate before current decreasing.
If the C shift reaches the determined threshold 8, the VSIP controller 1 calculates a shift voltage 4 required to maintain a sufficient charge of the battery cell. This calculation is based on the NLV equation using K-value and ΔC-rate. The calculated shift voltage is then applied for applying a new voltage stage to the battery cell.
A step 22 for determining or estimating the discharge capacity is proceeded at the end of each VSIP charge cycle. The value of the discharge capacity is then compared (step 23) to the target capacity. As long as the discharge capacity has not reached the target capacity, a new VSIP charge cycle is proceeded. When the target capacity is reached, the augmented-battery charge method (step 24) of the present disclosure is ended.
With reference to
The cell was then charged with NLV with target capacity 7%, 10%, 13% and 27% higher than its initial rated capacity.
Cell was discharged at same 1C-rate to 2.7V, the discharge capacity was then determined.
During NLV charge, the C-rate, Voltage and Temperature profiles varied according to the target capacity, as shown in Table 1.
In all NLV tests the discharge capacity was identical to the target capacity.
During NLV charge tests temperature remained below 50 C.
The maximum C-rate during charge with NLV is almost constant vs. target capacity.
Up to 27% capacity augmentation was achieved with NLV charging with the same battery cell without modifying its composition.
Of course, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described examples and other embodiments can be considered without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10202010561W | Oct 2020 | SG | national |
This application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application PCT/IB2021/059889, filed Oct. 26, 2021, designating the United States of America and published as International Patent Publication WO 2022/090934 A1 on May 5, 2022, which claims the benefit under Article 8 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty to Singapore Patent Application Serial No. 10202010561W, filed Oct. 26, 2020.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2021/059889 | 10/26/2021 | WO |