Series/parallel connection scheme for energy storage devices

摘要

A battery pack has series-parallel connected battery cells. An inrush current limiting circuit has current limiting devices and a current limiting tracking means limits inrush current from shorted battery cells. Each current limiting tracking means is coupled to the current limiting devices such that they limit an inrush current from parallel neighbor battery cells when one battery cell on the column shorts. The current limiting devices are variable buffer resistors with a positive temperature coefficient. The current limiting tracking means are heat sinks that thermally couples the buffer resistors together such that the buffer resistors increase in resistance with a temperature increase caused by current flowing through the buffer resistor associated with the shorted battery cell. Current regulating elements are in series with columns of battery cells for preventing inrush current to the columns of the battery cells.

主权项

1. A current buffer assembly for limiting inrush current within a battery pack comprising a matrix of series-parallel connected battery cells, the current buffer assembly comprising:
a plurality of current limiting devices wherein each of the plurality of current limiting devices has a first terminal connected to a junction of two adjacent battery cells on one column of the matrix of the series-parallel connected batteries and a second terminal connected such that the second terminals of the plurality of current limiting devices coupled to one row of the series-parallel connected batteries are commonly connected and coupled to one measurement terminal of a plurality of measurement terminals of a battery management unit of the battery pack; a plurality of current regulating elements wherein each current regulating element of the plurality of current regulating elements is in series with the battery cells of one column of the matrix of series-parallel connected battery cells for preventing a large inrush current to the column of the battery cells on which the current regulating element is disposed; and a plurality of heat sinks, wherein each of the plurality of heat sinks is thermally connected to the current limiting devices and the current regulating element coupled to one column of the series-parallel connected batteries such that the increased temperature resulting from increased current from a shorted battery cell increases the temperature of each of the plurality of current limiting devices and the current regulating element coupled to one column of the series-parallel connected batteries for limiting an inrush current from parallel neighbor battery cells of the matrix of series-parallel connected battery cells for preventing overcharging or over-discharging the battery cells within the matrix of series-parallel connected battery cells when one battery cell on the column shorts.