Volvo Truck Corporation

Tobias Smidebrant

Jerker Lennevi

Niklas Legnedahl

Hanna Bryngelsson

Faisal Altaf

Anton Klintberg

Simon Brunet

Tommy Hjelle

Annika Carlsson

Bengt Larsson

Johanna Gustafsson

A master electronic control unit controls a plurality of batteries, and is communicatively connected to each one of the battery control units. The master electronic control unit provides a predefined electric interference to the traction voltage bus after a signal to open the at least one contactor of each battery has been provided. Each battery control unit detects the predefined electric interference, and when the predefined electric interference is detected, the at least one battery control unit issues a signal that the predefined electric interference was detected.

Battery control system

A switching arrangement for reducing contactor wear of an energy storage system having a plurality of battery packs arranged in parallel for powering a load. The switching arrangement includes a contactor for each battery pack. The contactors connect and disconnect the battery packs relative to the load by closing and opening, respectively, an electric arc reducing circuitry associated to one of the contactors. The switching arrangement is configured to electrically disconnect the battery packs from the load by means of the contactors such that the contactor being associated with the electric arc reducing circuitry is opened last.

Contactor for battery packs

An energy storage system for a vehicle, includes one or more battery units for storing electrical energy; at least one high voltage switch for connection and disconnection of the one or more battery units to at least one load, such as an electrical machine; a fuse for disconnection of the one or more battery units when the energy storage system experiences an overcurrent being above a predetermined overcurrent value. The energy storage system is configured to during use, identify if a condition has occurred which requires immediate shutdown of the energy storage system.

Energy storage system for a vehicle

A method for operating a switching arrangement of an energy storage system, the energy storage system comprising a plurality of parallelly arranged battery packs and the switching arrangement comprising an associated contactor for each battery pack, the contactors being configured to connect and disconnect the battery packs relative a load by closing and opening, respectively. The method comprises disconnecting the battery packs from the load by means of the contactors such that the battery packs are disconnected in a sequence in which one contactor is opened last and thereby subject to increased disconnection wear, controlling the sequence in which the battery packs are disconnected in such a way that the increased disconnection wear is accounted for and used to distribute contactor wear among the contactors during subsequent disconnections of the battery packs from the load.

Method for operating a switching arrangement of an energy storage system

The invention relates to a method () for determining an adjusted state-of-charge (SOC) operating window of a battery pack assembly in a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of determining () an energy throughput or an electrical current through put of the battery pack assembly; determining () a SOC operating window margin based on said determined energy throughput or electrical current through put of the battery pack assembly;adjusting () the SOC operating window in response to the determined SOC operating window margin.

Method for determining a state-of-charge operating window of a battery

The invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of an energy storage system () in a vehicle (), preferably an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, said energy storage system () comprising at least two battery packs () connected in parallel, said energy storage system () being adapted to provide at least a nominal power functionality for propulsion of said vehicle () using an allowed operating extent of all of said battery packs () of said energy storage system (), said allowed operating extent being a nominal working range of said battery packs (); said method comprising disconnecting at least one battery pack (); and setting said allowed operating extent for said remaining connected and active battery pack(s) () to an increased working range so as to enable said energy storage system () to provide said nominal power functionality to said vehicle (), the method further comprising monitoring at least one accumulated parameter indicative of the operation of said energy storage system () from the time of disconnection of said at least one battery pack (), and when said accumulated parameter reaches a threshold value, setting said allowed operating extent for said remaining battery pack(s) () to a decreased working range. The invention also relates to a control unit for controlling the operation of an energy storage system ().

Method and a device for controlling the operation of an energy storage system in a vehicle

A traction voltage system in a vehicle includes a junction box with multiple connectors for electrical components, which components include electrical supplies and electrical loads, and an electronic control unit arranged to monitor current flowing flow to or from the components. A controller or a circuit breaker is arranged to control the supply of power to each respective component, and at least all but one of the connectors are provided with a current sensor arranged to transmit a signal representing detected current values to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is arranged to determine an instantaneous current value flowing to or from each component, to compare the instantaneous current value with a predetermined limit value for each connector, and to take action in response to the comparison. A method for controlling the traction voltage system is also provided.

Traction voltage system in a vehicle and method for controlling such a system

A device/method for the control of a charge operation and the State Of Charge (SOC) of an electrical Energy Storage System (ESS), e.g. a battery, that includes a multitude of cells is provided. The ESS is electrically connected to a propulsion system of a vehicle in order to power an Electric Motor. The method includes charging the ESS from an electrical power source, e.g., the grid, when the vehicle is at standstill, stopping the charging when the SOC level of the ESS is above a maintenance limit for the SOC level of the ESS, monitoring the battery and/or performing a service operation of the ESS after the ESS has been charged to a SOC level above the maintenance limit for the SOC level of the ESS, deliberately discharging the ESS to lower the SOC level. The SOC level of the ESS is reduced to a take-off limit for the SOC level of the ESS which is set in order to allow the vehicle to be controlled to use regenerative braking for charging of the ESS under subsequent driving when the vehicle is restarted and takes off.

Method and device for charging an electric energy storage system in a vehicle

A method is provided for operating a hybrid electric vehicle including an internal combustion engine and an electrical system, which electrical system includes at least one electronic control unit, an engine-driven electric machine (operable as a motor for driving the vehicle or as a generator for supplying power to one or more electrical loads via a high voltage traction bus, and a high voltage battery pack coupled to the high voltage traction bus by at least one contactor arranged to connect the battery pack to the high voltage traction bus. If it is determined that the at least one parameter indicates a condition preventing the battery pack from being connected to the high voltage bus, the electric machine is operated in voltage control mode during operation of the vehicle until the condition is eliminated, whereafter the high voltage bus is pre-charged and the high voltage battery pack reconnected.

Method and arrangement for operating a hybrid electrical vehicle

A method is provided for balancing an energy storage system that includes a plurality of connected battery cells in a vehicle including an electric machine arranged for propulsion of the vehicle. The method includes monitoring a need for balancing of the cells, initiating a request for the balancing based on the operational condition related to the battery cells, discharging or charging the energy storage system until the state of charge of the energy storage system has reached a predetermined level, and balancing the voltage of the battery cells. The method further includes allowing input instructions representing a time schedule for the balancing upon initiating the request for balancing, and initiating the discharging so that the energy storage system reaches the predetermined level of the state of charge in accordance with the input instructions. An arrangement for balancing an energy storage system is also provided.

Method and arrangement for balancing an energy storage system

A method is provided for balancing the voltage of multiple series-connected electrochemical cells of an electrical storage system of a hybrid electric vehicle. The method includes discharging the electrical storage system by operating at least one large electrical machine of the vehicle at vehicle standstill until the state of charge of the electrical storage system or the cell having the lowest state of charge has reached a predetermined level, and subsequently balancing the voltage of the cells.

Method for balancing the voltage of battery cells

A method for estimation of state-of-health (SOH) characteristics of a battery in hybrid vehicles includes charging and discharging the battery at least one time within an upper region of a state-of-charge (SOC) window, wherein the battery; charging and discharging the battery at least one time within a lower region of the SOC window, calibrating a battery management unit included in the hybrid vehicle by using the reached levels outside the SOC window, and estimating the SOH characteristics of the battery during the charge and discharge periods by using the battery management unit.

Method for estimating state of health of a battery in a hybrid vehicle

A method is provided for monitoring a state of health of a vehicle system and includes measuring a plurality of parameter values for the system at different running conditions as an end of line test, storing the parameter values in a fingerprint file, measuring the same plurality of parameter values that is comprised in the fingerprint file after a predefined time interval, adding a predefined ageing offset to the fingerprint file, where the ageing offset corresponds to a predicted wear of the system during the predefined time interval, thereby obtaining a time modified fingerprint file for the system, comparing the measured values with the time modified fingerprint file, and issuing a message if the measured values deviates from the time modified fingerprint file. The state of health can be compared with initial measurements such that the state of health of a vehicle system or component can be monitored over a longer time period.

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Göteborg, Sweden

Tobias Smidebrant