KR102146456B1 - Method for controlling of apparatus for preventing over discharge in non-rechargeble lithium batteries - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application relates to a control method of an overdischarge blocking device, and according to an aspect of the present application, the unit battery is different from the conventional mechanical method that waits unconditionally for a certain time in consideration of the initial voltage delay characteristic of the primary lithium unit battery. During the pre-production period (storage, use and disposal after production), the remaining capacity is continuously predicted, and the estimated residual capacity and the reference capacity are compared to determine whether the initial voltage delay phenomenon of the unit cell is resolved, and the initial voltage delay phenomenon is When it is resolved, the output voltage of the unit cell is measured, and by generating an output signal that selectively blocks the unit potential and load according to the monitored output voltage, over-discharge caused by excessive use of the unit cell and the resulting burst/explosion accident Can be prevented in advance.

Description

Control method of low-cost over-discharge blocking device for primary lithium battery {METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OF APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING OVER DISCHARGE IN NON-RECHARGEBLE LITHIUM BATTERIES}

The present application relates to a control method of an overdischarge blocking device.

In the case of a unit battery, for example, a primary lithium unit battery, there is a problem that over-discharge occurs due to excessive use of a user and a burst/explosion accident occurs. However, for reasons of low-cost production and sales, such a primary lithium unit battery does not apply an over-discharge blocking device for securing stability, or even if it is applied, the existing over-discharge blocking device has various problems.

1 is a diagram showing discharge characteristics for each section of a primary lithium unit battery. In FIG. 2, section a is an initial voltage delay section, section b is a normal discharge section, and section c is a ending section in which over-discharge rapidly passes through the end voltage.

Referring to Figure 1, the conventional over-discharge blocking device considers the initial voltage delay (Initial Voltge Delay), a characteristic characteristic of the primary lithium unit battery, and the cut-off voltage or stop voltage, not the electronic circuit operation concept. When the voltage) is reached, it is driven in a way that operates after waiting for a certain time. In other words, since the conventional over-discharge blocking device is designed without dividing the sections a, b, and c of FIG. 2, the waiting time considering the initial voltage delay phenomenon was unconditionally applied. However, the mechanical judgment method (using FET element or IC element) that waits unconditionally for a certain period of time has a problem that the overdischarge cutoff device does not operate within an appropriate reaction rate when a burst/explosion accident occurs due to overdischarge of a unit cell. However, this leads to a secondary safety accident.

This application compares the remaining capacity of the unit cell with the predicted remaining capacity and the reference capacity, determines whether to monitor the output voltage of the unit cell, and permanently cuts off the unit cell and the load according to the monitored output voltage of the unit cell. By generating an output signal, there is provided a control method of an overdischarge blocking device capable of effectively preventing the occurrence of overdischarge of the unit cell due to excessive use of the unit cell and rupture/explosion caused by the unit cell, and software configured with the control method.

The present application relates to an overdischarge cutoff device of a unit cell that supplies power to a load, the step of performing a zeroth mode of initializing the overdischarge cutoff device by storing an initial current value of the unit cell as a correction value, and the correction value When the storage is complete, performing a first mode comparing the estimated remaining capacity of the unit cell with the reference capacity using the current integration method, and monitoring the output voltage of the unit cell when the remaining capacity of the unit cell is greater than or equal to the reference capacity And, when the monitored output voltage reaches the end voltage, the second mode is determined as a discharge state, and if the discharge state is determined, a third mode is performed to generate an output signal that permanently blocks the unit battery and the load. It provides a control method of an over-discharge blocking device comprising the step of.

The control method of the overdischarge cut-off control device according to an embodiment of the present application is, unlike the conventional mechanical method in which an unconditional waiting period is performed for a certain time in consideration of an initial voltage delay characteristic of a primary lithium unit battery, After production, storage, use and disposal) continuously predicts the remaining capacity, compares the predicted remaining capacity and the reference capacity to determine whether the initial voltage delay of the unit cell is resolved, and when the initial voltage delay is resolved, the unit cell It monitors the output voltage of the unit and generates an output signal that selectively cuts off the unit potential and the load according to the monitored output voltage, thereby preventing overdischarge caused by excessive use of the unit cell and resulting burst/explosion accidents. can do.

1 is a diagram showing discharge characteristics of a general primary lithium unit battery.
2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary control method of the present application for performing the 0th to 3rd modes.
3 is a flowchart illustrating a step of performing a mode 0 of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a step of performing a first mode of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment.
5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating steps of performing a second mode of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment.
7 is a flowchart illustrating an activation step of the overdischarge device of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a step of determining whether an overcurrent is generated/released by the overdischarge blocking device of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment.
9 is a block diagram of an active control element, which is a component of an overdischarge blocking device to which the control method of the present application is applied, according to an exemplary embodiment.

The present application relates to a control method of an overdischarge blocking device. An exemplary control method may be a control method executed by software, and may be applied to an overdischarge blocking device of a unit battery that supplies power to a load. The overdischarge blocking device may be composed of an active control element, and specifically, may be an 8-bit microcomputer (MCU). Referring to FIG. 9, the active control element, which is a component of the overdischarge blocking device, may include a residual capacity prediction unit, an end voltage monitoring unit, a time counting unit, and a memory unit.

Specifically, the residual capacity prediction unit is a component for predicting the residual capacity of the unit cell by using an ADC comparator through an analog comparator using an input value measured by an electronic element of the overdischarge blocking device, and the end voltage monitoring unit A component that monitors whether the input value (output voltage of the unit cell) measured in the electronic device has reached the reference value (termination voltage), and the time counting unit is the operating time of the unit cell of the unit cell through the overdischarge blocking device. Is a configuration unit that counts, and the memory unit is a configuration unit that stores operation information.

The exemplary control method of the present application may be applied to an active element that is a component of an over-discharge blocking device including a residual capacity estimation unit, an end voltage monitoring unit, a time counting unit, and a memory unit.

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present application will be described in detail with reference to an operation flowchart of the attached software active control element so that a person of ordinary skill in the art can easily implement it. However, the present application may be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in order to clearly describe the present invention in the flowchart, parts not related to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.

2 to 8 are diagrams illustrating a flow chart of a control method of the present application according to an embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an exemplary control method of the present application performing the 0th to 3rd modes. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a step of performing a mode 0 of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a step of performing a first mode of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment. 5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating steps of performing a second mode of the present application according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2, the control method of the present application includes performing the 0th mode to the third mode (S100, S200, S300, S400).

Specifically, the step of performing the 0th mode (S100) is a step of initializing the overdischarge blocking device by storing the initial voltage value of the unit cell as a correction value, and specifically, initializing the active control element of the overdischarge blocking device Step. In the active control element, a counter for counting the operating time of the unit cell is operated from the point when the unit cell and the load are connected, and the 0th mode may be a mode for setting an initial point in which the counter of the active control element is operated. .

In one embodiment, the 0th mode may be corrected so that a difference between an input value and an initial value of an active control element, which is a component of the overdischarge blocking device, is '0' under no load condition. The correction value may be stored as a correction value of the ADC port. In the above, the term "input value" refers to all operation information required in the step of performing the 0th to the third mode, and the operation information is, for example, an initial current value of a unit battery, current consumption (or current consumption) , Voltage (or voltage difference), but is not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, the step of performing the 0th mode (S100) stores (or writes) the correction values of the two ADC port terminals according to the input value of the active control element (measured by the analog comparator) of the overdischarge blocking device. ), and if there is no load, the voltage values of the two ADC ports are measured and the difference value can be corrected to be '0'. In the above, the presence or absence of a load can be determined using two ADC comparators. For example, if the output of two ADC comparators is 0, it can be determined that there is no load.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the step of performing the 0th mode (S100), when the unit cell and the load are connected, the input value may be determined as the initial voltage value of the unit cell after a predetermined waiting time. A value can be measured, for example, the waiting time may be 10 minutes (S110).

In one embodiment, the correction values of the two ADC comparators may be stored in the memory unit of the overdischarge blocking device in hexadecimal machine code (Hex code). The memory unit may be, for example, an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) (S120).

In the step of performing the 0th mode (S100), when the storage of the correction value of the ADC comparator is completed in the 0th mode, the first mode is set (S130), and is switched to the'B' port to perform the first mode.

Specifically, the step of performing the first mode (S200) is a step of comparing the estimated residual capacity of the unit battery and the reference capacity using the current integration method.

In the above, the term ``reference capacity'' is an index for determining whether the initial voltage delay phenomenon of the unit cell is resolved, and the reference capacity may be 20% of the nominal capacity of the unit cell, for example, the nominal voltage is 3.6V. The reference capacity of the primary lithium unit battery may be 3Ah.

In one example, in the first mode, when the predicted remaining capacity of the unit cell is greater than or equal to the reference capacity, it may be determined that the initial voltage delay state of the unit cell is resolved. The remaining capacity of the unit battery can be calculated from an input value (current consumption or voltage) measured by a component of the overdischarge blocking device. In the above, the term "resolve the initial voltage delay state" means when the unit cell passes through the initial voltage delay section (section a in Fig. 1) and is introduced into the normal discharge section (section b in Fig. 1).

In one embodiment, in the step of performing the first mode (S200), when the input value of the external analog comparator is greater than or equal to the reference capacity of the unit cell predicted through the two ADC comparators, for example, in the first mode. When the predicted residual capacity of the unit cell is 20% or more, 15% or more, or 10% or more of the nominal capacity of the unit cell, it is determined that the initial voltage delay state is resolved and the second mode may be performed (S220, S230).

In one example, the first mode may perform a current integration method in the ADC comparator with an input value (current consumption or voltage) along a predetermined time interval, and the time interval may be 0.5 seconds, but is not limited thereto. (S210).

For example, in the step of performing the first mode (S200), the remaining capacity of the unit battery may be estimated by integrating the output value time through the ADC comparator according to the input value (current consumption) (S210, S220). In the above, the term "consumption current or use current" means a current flowing through a resistance of an electronic circuit in which an overdischarge blocking device is mounted, and the consumption current is classified as an input value of an active control device.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, when the current flowing through the electronic circuit of the overdischarge blocking device is 100 mA or more, the port is switched to the'C-in' (S210), and as shown in FIG. 6, the current consumption is reduced for a predetermined period of time. The recording is performed at intervals (S211), and when the recording is completed, it is switched to the'C-out' port to estimate the remaining capacity of the unit battery (S220).

In an embodiment, in performing the first mode (S200), an output value of the ADC comparator may be set to low or high. For example, if the current consumption measured by the resistance of the overdischarge blocking device is 100mA or less, it may be set to Low, and if it is 100mA or more, it may be set to High. In the step of performing the first mode, the consumption current is determined to be high, and at this time, if the difference between the two ADC output values is '0' or '1', it is calculated as 100 mA, and the difference between the ADC output values in the same way If is '2', it can be calculated as 200mA. In the step of performing the first mode, two ADC comparator output values are generated as input values by an external analog comparator of the overdischarge blocking device, the calculated current is accumulated, and the remaining capacity of the unit battery may be predicted from the accumulated value.

In one example, when the output value difference is greater than '0', the first mode may store an operating time and an integrated value.

In one embodiment, when 20% of the nominal capacity of the unit cell is consumed (3 Ah in the case of a primary lithium battery), the first mode may be switched to the second mode (S230). For example, the active control element of FIG. 9 may maintain the first mode until the remaining capacity of the primary lithium unit battery is exhausted to 3Ah, and may perform the second mode when the remaining capacity of the primary lithium unit battery is exhausted to 3Ah or more.

In performing the second mode (S300 ), when the residual capacity of the unit potential predicted in the first mode is greater than or equal to the reference capacity, the second mode is performed.

In the step of performing the second mode (S300), the remaining capacity is continuously predicted (S310), the output voltage of the unit cell is monitored (S320), and the discharge state is determined when the monitored output voltage reaches the end voltage. Perform 2 mode (S330). In the above, the term ``end voltage'' means an allowable voltage or cut-off voltage of a unit cell, the end voltage corresponds to an intrinsic value of the unit cell, and the unit cell whose output voltage reaches the end voltage is rapidly discharged. It can lead to an overdischarge condition. For example, the end voltage of the primary lithium unit battery may be 2.0V.

In the step of performing the second mode (S300), the output voltage of the unit cell is monitored from the consumption current flowing through the electronic circuit of the overdischarge blocking device (S310), and when the output voltage of the unit cell is monitored below the end voltage, a predetermined It may be provided to continuously monitor the output voltage of the unit cell at a predetermined number of times along the time interval (S320, S330). The time interval and the number of times may be, for example, 0.5 seconds, but are not limited thereto.

In one embodiment, if the input value (output voltage of the unit cell) measured by the electronic circuit of the overdischarge blocking device after continuous monitoring in the second mode is less than or equal to the end voltage, it may be determined as a discharge state. If the output voltage of the unit cell after continuous monitoring in the second mode is less than or equal to the end voltage, the third mode may be performed (S340).

In the performing of the third mode (not shown), when the unit battery is determined to be in a discharged state in the second mode, a third mode is performed. In the second mode, a unit cell in which the output voltage of the unit cell reaches the end voltage is no longer usable, and thus, the third mode may be a cut-off mode for prohibiting reuse of the unit cell in a discharged state.

The step of performing the third mode generates an output signal that permanently blocks the unit cell and the load.

In performing the third mode, a cutoff output signal may be output to a component part of the overdischarge cutoff device in order to prohibit reuse of the unit cell in a discharged state. The output signal generated in the third mode may form an open circuit by permanently turning off components of the electronic circuit. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a secondary safety accident that may occur due to the unit cell reaching the end voltage.

In one example, the third mode is a blocking mode, and may be classified as operation information and stored in a memory unit. Accordingly, even when an overdischarge blocking device, for example, an active element unexpectedly reboots, a circuit blocking output signal may be generated based on information stored in the memory unit. By storing the cut-off mode as operation information, it is possible to permanently prohibit reuse of the unit cell in a discharged state, and thus, a secondary safety accident that may be caused by the unit cell in a discharged state may be prevented in advance.

As described above, unlike the existing mechanical plate-dang method, which waits for a certain time unconditionally in consideration of the initial voltage delay of the unit cell, the remaining capacity is continuously predicted during the pre-purchase period of the unit cell, and the predicted residual capacity and the reference capacity are calculated. By comparison, it determines whether or not the initial voltage delay of the unit cell is resolved, and when the initial voltage delay is resolved, the output voltage of the unit cell is monitored, and an output signal that selectively cuts off the unit potential and load according to the monitored output voltage By generating, it is possible to solve the problems of the existing mechanical determination method, for example, the problem that the device does not operate at an appropriate reaction speed when the primary lithium unit battery explodes.

7 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary control method of the present application according to whether or not a unit cell is used. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary control method of the present application according to whether an overcurrent occurs in an overdischarge blocking device.

In one example, the control method of the present application further includes a step (S500) of activating an overdischarge blocking device based on the use of a unit battery, and performing the 0th mode includes the overdischarge blocking device When mounted on the battery, the 0th mode can be performed. As shown in FIG. 7, the activation step (S500) initializes a watch dog provided in the overdischarge blocking device based on the use of a unit battery (S510), and overdischarges using a sleep mode. The blocking device may be activated (S520). Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, when the overdischarge blocking device is activated, it is switched to “A port” (S530), and whether to perform the 0th mode may be determined according to whether an overcurrent occurs.

In one embodiment, the control method of the present application may include the step (S600) of determining whether the overcurrent is generated/released in the active control device when the overdischarge blocking device is activated. For example, in the above step, the current consumption of the unit cell is measured in the overdischarge blocking device, and the active control device may determine whether to generate/release the overcurrent based on the measured input value (current consumption).

In one example, in the determining whether the overcurrent is generated/released (S600), when the measured input value (consumption current) is greater than or equal to a reference current, it is determined that an overcurrent has occurred, and the unit battery and the load may be cut off for a predetermined time. In the above, the term "reference current" is an index for determining the overcurrent, and may be, for example, 5.5 A, but is not limited thereto.

Since the overcurrent is a phenomenon in which the current temporarily increases rapidly (more than 5.5A), in the step of determining whether the overcurrent is generated/released (S600), an output signal for blocking the unit battery and the load is generated according to a predetermined time interval. , It is possible to continuously monitor whether overcurrent is generated/released (S620, S630). The continuous monitoring includes a current flowing through the resistance of the electronic circuit or a voltage applied to the resistance. For example, when the voltage applied to the resistance is less than or equal to the reference voltage, it may be determined that an overcurrent has occurred (S640).

In one embodiment, in the determining whether the overcurrent is generated/released (S600), if the measured current is less than or equal to a reference current (5.5A or less), it is determined that the overcurrent is released, and the zeroth mode may be performed. Referring to FIG. 8, when it is determined that the overcurrent is released, an output signal for maintaining blocking of the unit battery and the load is generated, and the mode is switched to “B port” to perform the 0th mode (S650).

In one example, the control method of the present application may include storing operation information of the 0th to 3rd modes. The storing may store operation information including a discharge capacity of the unit cell, an operation time, a corresponding voltage, and a corresponding mode at predetermined time intervals. The operation information may be arbitrarily set by the user, and for example, whether overcurrent is generated/released or an ADC correction value may be classified as operation information and stored. The time interval may vary depending on the type of operation information, for example, operation information on the operation time may be measured and stored in units of 10 minutes, and operation information on the end voltage may be measured and stored in units of 0.5 seconds. It may be, but is not limited thereto. In the storing step, by storing the operation information of the unit cell, post management and analysis are possible, so that efficient verification in the event of a safety accident may be possible.

In one example, the unit battery may be a primary lithium battery. As the control method of the overdischarge blocking device of the present application is applied to the primary lithium unit battery, overdischarge of the primary lithium unit battery and the resulting burst/explosion accident can be prevented in advance.

This application relates to software. The exemplary software may control the overdischarge blocking device according to the above-described control method, and for example, the software may be applied to an active control element that is a component of the overdischarge blocking device. Accordingly, content overlapping with the above-described content will be omitted.

As described above, although the present application has been described by the limited embodiments and drawings, the present application is not limited thereto, and various modifications and variations may be possible.

Claims (14)

In the overdischarge cutoff device of a unit cell supplying power to a load,
Storing an initial voltage value of the unit cell as a correction value to perform a zeroth mode of initializing an overdischarge blocking device;
When the storage of the correction value is completed, performing a first mode of comparing the estimated residual capacity of the unit cell with a reference capacity using a current integration method;
Performing a second mode of monitoring an output voltage of the unit cell when the remaining capacity of the unit cell is greater than or equal to the reference capacity, and determining a discharge state when the monitored output voltage reaches an end voltage; And
When it is determined as a discharge state, comprising the step of performing a third mode of generating an output signal for permanently blocking the unit cell and the load,
In the first mode, when the predicted remaining capacity of the unit cell is greater than or equal to the reference capacity, the control method of the overdischarge blocking device determines that the initial voltage delay state of the unit cell is resolved. delete The method of claim 1,
In the second mode, when it is determined that the initial voltage delay state of the unit cell is resolved, the control method of the overdischarge cutoff device monitors the output voltage of the unit cell. The method of claim 1,
A control method of an overdischarge blocking device performing a second mode when the remaining capacity of the unit cell predicted in the first mode is 20% or more of the nominal capacity of the unit cell. The method of claim 1,
Control method of an overdischarge blocking device that performs the second mode only in the normal discharge period of the unit cell. The method of claim 1,
In the second mode, when the output voltage of the unit cell is monitored to be less than or equal to the end voltage, the control method of the overdischarge cutoff device continuously monitors the output voltage of the unit cell at a predetermined number of times along a predetermined time interval. The method of claim 6,
In the second mode, after continuously monitoring the output voltage of the unit cell, if the output voltage is less than or equal to the end voltage, the control method of the overdischarge blocking device performs a third mode. The method of claim 1,
Further comprising the step of activating the over-discharge blocking device based on the use of the unit cell,
The step of performing the 0th mode includes a control method of the overdischarge blocking device performing the 0th mode when the overdischarge blocking device is mounted on the unit battery. The method of claim 8,
When the overdischarge blocking device is activated, measuring current consumption of the unit cell and determining whether to generate/release overcurrent based on the measured current consumption; And
In the determining whether the overcurrent is generated/released or not, when the measured current consumption is greater than or equal to the reference current, it is determined that the overcurrent is generated and the unit battery and the load are cut off for a predetermined time. The method of claim 9,
In the 0th mode, if the measured current is less than or equal to the reference current, it is determined that the overcurrent is released. The method of claim 1,
A control method of an overdischarge blocking device comprising the step of storing operation information of the 0th to 3rd modes. The method of claim 11,
The storing step is a control method of an overdischarge blocking device for storing operation information including a discharge capacity of a unit cell, an operation time, a corresponding voltage, and a corresponding mode at predetermined time intervals. The method of claim 1,
The unit cell is a control method of an overdischarge blocking device including a primary lithium unit cell. delete

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