Monitoring system for an energy storage system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a monitoring system for an energy storage system, an energy storage system comprising such a monitoring system, a vehicle comprising such an energy storage system and a manufacturing method for such a monitoring system. The monitoring system for an energy storage system comprises a plurality of energy storage cells comprising at least one stretchable electronic unit and a communication element. The stretchable electronic unit is arrangeable at least at one of the energy storage cells. The stretchable electronic unit is configured to generate data based on strain applied on the stretchable electronic unit. The communication element is integrated in the stretchable electronic unit and configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for an energy storage system comprising a plurality of energy storage cells, the monitoring system comprising: at least one stretchable electronic unit; and a communication element; the stretchable electronic unit comprising a processing element; the stretchable electronic unit being arrangeable at least one of the plurality of energy storage cells; the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate data based on strain applied on the stretchable electronic unit; and the communication element being integrated in the stretchable electronic unit and configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit comprising a conductive material and at least one of a stretchable sheet or a conductive fabric, the conductive material being printed on the stretchable sheet.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit being attachable at a surface of the at least one of plurality of energy storage cells.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a processing element, the processing element being connected to the stretchable electronic unit and configured to parse data generated by the stretchable electronic unit.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit being stretchable omnidirectionally.

6. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the communication element comprising a wireless communication means and being configured to broadcast data generated by the stretchable electronic unit to the processing element.

7. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate data based on temperature of the energy storage system.

8. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate data based on a chemical composition inside the energy storage system.

9. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate and parse data based on an electrical and magnetic field magnitudes in a vicinity of the energy storage system.

10. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate and parse data based on capacitance and inductance of the energy storage system.

11. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the processing element being configured to determine a state of health of the energy storage system based on data received from the stretchable electronic unit.

12. The monitoring system according to claim 7, further comprising a control unit, the control unit being configured to log rate of change of the temperature, the chemical composition or the state of health in the energy storage system based on data generated by the stretchable electronic unit.

13. The monitoring system according to claim 12, the control unit being further configured to determine a charging rate or a discharging rate of the energy storage system.

14. The monitoring system according to claim 1, the energy storage cells having a pouch shape, a prism shape or a cylindrical shape.

15. An energy storage system comprising: a plurality of energy storage cells; and a monitoring system comprising: at least one stretchable electronic unit; and a communication element; the stretchable electronic unit comprising a processing element; the stretchable electronic unit being arrangeable at least at one of the energy storage cells; the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate data based on strain applied on the stretchable electronic unit; and the communication element being integrated in the stretchable electronic unit and configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit.

16. A vehicle comprising: an energy storage system, the energy storage system comprising: a plurality of energy storage cells; and a monitoring system comprising: at least one stretchable electronic unit; and a communication element; the stretchable electronic unit comprising a processing element; the stretchable electronic unit being arrangeable at least at one of the energy storage cells; the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate data based on strain applied on the stretchable electronic unit; and the communication element being integrated in the stretchable electronic unit and configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit, and the vehicle being a battery electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, and wherein the battery electric vehicle or the hybrid electric vehicle is for ground, air or water.

17. A manufacturing method for a monitoring system for an energy storage system comprising a plurality of energy storage cells, the manufacturing method comprising: providing at least one stretchable electronic unit; providing a communication element; and integrating the communication element in the stretchable electronic unit; the stretchable electronic unit being arrangeable at least at one of the energy storage cells; the stretchable electronic unit being configured to generate data based on strain applied on the stretchable electronic unit; and the communication element being configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0057] Exemplary embodiments will be described in the following with reference to the following drawing.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of an energy storage system comprising a monitoring system according to the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0059] FIG. 1 shows an energy storage system 100, which may be arranged in an electric vehicle such as a battery electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. The energy storage system 100 may be a high voltage energy storage system and supplies energy to propel the vehicle. The energy storage system 100 comprises a plurality of energy storage cells 20 and a monitoring system 10 for the energy storage system 100. The energy storage cells 20 are pouch shaped cells and stacked next to each other. Alternatively, the energy storage cells 20 may have a different shape, such as a prism shape or cylindrical shape and they may be also arranged spaced apart.

[0060] The monitoring system 10 comprises at least one stretchable electronic unit 30 and a communication element 32. The stretchable electronic unit 30 is arranged at least at one of the energy storage cells 20. The stretchable electronic unit 30 may be attached directly to one or more energy storage cells 20 and/or mounted at a packaging element of the energy storage system 100. The stretchable electronic unit 30 is configured to monitor swelling and/or contraction of the energy storage system 100 and generate data based on strain applied on the stretchable electronic unit 30. The monitoring system 10 may, however, comprise several stretchable electronic units 30, which may be arranged at several energy storage cells 20 and/or several surfaces of the energy storage system 100.

[0061] The stretchable electronic unit 30 comprises a conductive material 31 and a stretchable sheet 33, wherein the conductive material 31 is printed on the stretchable sheet 33. Accordingly, the stretchable electronic unit 30 may form a system-on-film. The conductive material 31 may be selected from the group consisting of carbon, conducting metal family of the periodic table, oxides, sulfides, conductive polymers. The stretchable sheet 33 is formed as a very thin layer and comprises an elastic and stretchable material or a fabric of a conductor. The stretchable electronic unit 30 is compressible or extensible in all directions, i.e. omnidirectionally, and configured to detect deformation of the energy storage system 100 by measuring a distance change and/or a capacitance change of the conductive material 31.

[0062] The stretchable electronic unit 30 is further configured to generate data based on temperature of the energy storage system 100. The stretchable electronic unit 30 is also configured to generate data based on a chemical composition inside the energy storage system 100.

[0063] The stretchable electronic unit 30 is further configured to generate data based on rate of changes in the energy storage system 100.

[0064] The communication element 32 is integrated in the stretchable electronic unit 30 and configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit 30. The communication element 32 comprises a wireless communication means and it is configured to broadcast data generated by the stretchable electronic unit 30 to a processing element 50 and/or a control unit 40. The wireless communication means may comprise the long range communication means such as LTE, 5G, or the short range communication means such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, etc. Accordingly, the processing element and/or the control unit 40 of the energy storage system 100 may not need to be directly attached to the energy storage system 100.

[0065] The communication element 32 may allow data transfer via the internet of things (IoT) technology to the processing element. The communication element 32 may be also configured to transfer data generated by the stretchable electronic unit 30 to a server system and/or a cloud system to collect data for evaluating and predicting a state of the energy storage system 100. Accordingly, the energy storage system 100 may be monitored in real-time and manufactured compactly.

[0066] The communication element 32 may be powered from photovoltaic cells or other arrangement integrated therein for energy harvesting for stand-alone operation.

[0067] The monitoring system 10 further comprises the processing element 50. The processing element 50 is connected to the stretchable electronic unit 30 and configured to parse data generated by the stretchable electronic unit 30. The processing element 50 is configured to receive data from the stretchable electronic unit 30 via the communication element 32. Accordingly, the processing element 50 may be arranged outside the energy storage system 100 independently of an arrangement of the energy storage cells 20. Based on the obtained data, the processing element 50 may analyse, for instance a deformation degree of the energy storage cells 20 and/or the energy storage module.

[0068] The processing element 50 is configured to determine a state of health of the energy storage system 100 based on data received from the stretchable electronic unit 30. Based on the strain/deformation data and the temperature data of the energy storage cells 20 generated by the stretchable electronic unit 30, the processing element 50 may be able to assess a current condition, i.e. a state of the health of the energy storage system 100 compared to its ideal conditions.

[0069] The monitoring system 10 further comprises the control unit 40. The control unit 40 is configured to control heat in the energy storage system 100 based on data generated by the stretchable electronic unit 30 if the temperature of the energy storage system 100 exceeds a temperature threshold. The control unit 40 is configured to receive temperature data directly from the stretchable electronic unit 30 via the communication element 32 and/or from the processing element 50. The control unit 40 may be integrated in a battery management system (BMS) or at least connected to the BMS. The control unit 40 may comprise a capacity for real time computations and data repository.

[0070] The control unit 40 is further configured to determine a charging/discharging rate of the energy storage system 100. The control unit 40 may communicate with the battery management system to optimize the charging speed of the energy storage system 100 based on the deformation degree and/or thermal load, i.e. temperature of the energy storage system 100. In other words, the control unit 40 may determine an optimum charging speed based on the state of the health of the energy storage system 100.

[0071] It has to be noted that embodiments of the disclosure are described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method type claims whereas other embodiments are described with reference to the device type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless otherwise notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination between features relating to different subject matters is considered to be disclosed with this application. However, all features can be combined providing synergetic effects that are more than the simple summation of the features.

[0072] While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing a claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the dependent claims.

[0073] In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items re-cited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are re-cited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.