A degradation-determination system includes a volume change detecting unit configured to detect a volume change of a lithium-ion battery, a capacity change detecting unit configured to detect a capacity change of the lithium-ion battery, and a charge control unit configured to control charge of the lithium-ion battery. The charge control unit is configured to determine that the lithium-ion battery is in a state of degradation, upon occurrence of a condition in which volume expansion of the lithium-ion battery is detected by the volume change detecting unit, in conjunction with a condition in which a decrease in a capacity of the lithium-ion battery is not detected by the capacity change detecting unit.

The invention deals with a sensor for sensing electrolyte creepage in a battery, a circuit comprising such sensor, and a battery connected to such circuit, with an application to an electrical circuit comprising the sensor and connecting a monitoring equipment to a to battery.

The sensor element is adapted for being connected within an electrical circuit 1 connected to a battery 2, said battery comprising one or more electrochemical cells containing an electrolyte, wherein the sensor element comprises a electrical conductor element whose at least one electrical property varies when in contact with the electrolyte, such as to allow, when the sensor element is connected in a circuit, detection of an electrolyte creepage from a an electrochemical element of a battery 2 connected to the circuit 1 by measurement of the variation of the one electrical property of the conductor element.

The present invention detects a predictive abnormal phenomenon in a battery pack and prevents the use of the battery pack before power is shut off at a fuse. The battery pack comprises: a battery cell; a connection unit which is electrically connected to the battery cell and is connected to an external electrical apparatus main body; and a control unit which controls the battery cell, wherein, when detecting an abnormal state such as chattering, the control unit causes a charge prevention signal (LS) and a discharge prevention signal (LD) to be continuously output and makes the charge and discharge of the battery pack impossible (steps 226-228). The continuous output of these prevention signals is configured not to be negated by an operation of a user, and the battery pack can be made unusable by software control.

The present invention detects a predictive abnormal phenomenon in a battery pack and prevents the use of the battery pack before power is shut off at a fuse. The battery pack comprises: a battery cell; a connection unit which is electrically connected to the battery cell and is connected to an external electrical apparatus main body; and a control unit which controls the battery cell, wherein, when detecting an abnormal state such as chattering, the control unit causes a charge prevention signal (LS) and a discharge prevention signal (LD) to be continuously output and makes the charge and discharge of the battery pack impossible (steps 226-228). The continuous output of these prevention signals is configured not to be negated by an operation of a user, and the battery pack can be made unusable by software control.

Various embodiments provide a battery, a bulk energy storage system including the battery, and/or a method of operating the bulk energy storage system including the battery. In various embodiment, the battery may include a first electrode, an electrolyte, and a second electrode, wherein one or both of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises direct reduced iron (“DRI”). In various embodiments, the DRI may be in the form of pellets. In various embodiments, the pellets may comprise at least about 60 wt % iron by elemental mass, based on the total mass of the pellets. In various embodiments, one or both of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises from about 60% to about 90% iron and from about 1% to about 40% of a component comprising one or more of the materials selected from the group of SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO, CaO, and TiO.sub.2.

Various embodiments provide a battery, a bulk energy storage system including the battery, and/or a method of operating the bulk energy storage system including the battery. In various embodiment, the battery may include a first electrode, an electrolyte, and a second electrode, wherein one or both of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises direct reduced iron (“DRI”). In various embodiments, the DRI may be in the form of pellets. In various embodiments, the pellets may comprise at least about 60 wt % iron by elemental mass, based on the total mass of the pellets. In various embodiments, one or both of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises from about 60% to about 90% iron and from about 1% to about 40% of a component comprising one or more of the materials selected from the group of SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO, CaO, and TiO.sub.2.

A battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a housing receiving a plurality of battery cells and including a bottom plate and a lateral plate; and a connection board disposed at one end or both ends of the housing, wherein the connection board is bonded to the lateral plate. The lateral plate may include a plurality of bus bar supporting members, at least some among the plurality of bus bar supporting members having a hooking protrusion protruded upward. The connection board may include a hooking member having a hooking groove opened downward. Thus, the hooking protrusion may be inserted into the hooking groove in a state in which the connection board is bonded to the lateral plate.

According to at least one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an electro-hydraulic brake comprising: a main brake unit configured to provide braking hydraulic pressure to a plurality of wheel cylinders by driving a motor; an auxiliary brake unit connected to the main brake unit to be filled with high-pressure braking hydraulic pressure, and configured to provide braking hydraulic pressure to the plurality of wheel cylinders when an operation error of the main brake unit occurs; a main battery configured to supply power to the main brake unit and the auxiliary brake unit; and an auxiliary battery configured to supply power to the auxiliary brake unit when the main battery fails, wherein the auxiliary brake unit comprises an auxiliary brake control unit that controls charging and discharging of the auxiliary battery, and a power module that monitors a state of the main battery and transmits the state to the auxiliary brake control unit, and a battery management module that monitors a state of charge (SOC) of the auxiliary battery and transmits the state of charge to the auxiliary brake control unit.

According to at least one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an electro-hydraulic brake comprising: a main brake unit configured to provide braking hydraulic pressure to a plurality of wheel cylinders by driving a motor; an auxiliary brake unit connected to the main brake unit to be filled with high-pressure braking hydraulic pressure, and configured to provide braking hydraulic pressure to the plurality of wheel cylinders when an operation error of the main brake unit occurs; a main battery configured to supply power to the main brake unit and the auxiliary brake unit; and an auxiliary battery configured to supply power to the auxiliary brake unit when the main battery fails, wherein the auxiliary brake unit comprises an auxiliary brake control unit that controls charging and discharging of the auxiliary battery, and a power module that monitors a state of the main battery and transmits the state to the auxiliary brake control unit, and a battery management module that monitors a state of charge (SOC) of the auxiliary battery and transmits the state of charge to the auxiliary brake control unit.

A battery pack comprises a master battery management system, three or more battery blocks, three or more local battery management systems, three or more optical or magnetic isolated communications, and a wire assembly. Each of the three or more battery blocks comprises a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel so that form a common equipotential positive terminal and a common equipotential negative terminal. The three or more battery blocks comprises a low battery block, a high battery block, and one or more mid-range battery blocks between the low battery block and the high battery block. The negative terminal of each of the one or more mid-range battery blocks is electrically connected to the positive terminal of a respective adjacent battery block of the three or more battery blocks.