Battery discharge system and method of operation thereof
View Patent ↗A battery based power supply assembly is disclosed. The system comprises a discharge initiating device and a plurality of battery modules electrically connected with one another. Each of the battery modules comprises a plurality of battery cells, a discharge load connected in series with the battery cells, a switch coupled between the battery cells and the discharge load, a temperature sensor, and a controller adapted for placing the switch in its electrically connected state upon being driven by the discharge initiating device. The invention further provides a safe method of draining the energy from the power supply assembly disclosed herein.
1. A battery based power supply assembly having a forced-discharge mechanism, comprising a discharge initiating device and a plurality of battery modules electrically connected with one another, each of the battery modules comprising:
a plurality of battery cells electrically connected with one another;
at least one discharge load connected in series with the battery cells;
at least one switch coupled between the battery cells and the discharge load; and
at least one controller adapted for placing the switch in its electrically connected state in reaction to determining a temperature within the battery module is below a safe discharge threshold, upon being notified by the discharge initiating device.
2. The battery based power supply assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the battery modules further comprises at least one temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the battery cells thereof and transmitting a reading of the detected temperature to the controller.
3. The battery based power supply assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge initiating device comprises an impact sensor.
4. The battery based power supply assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge initiating device is an automobile central processing unit.
5. The battery based power supply assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the battery modules having their electrical connections brought out to at least one common external port.
6. A process of forced discharging of electric power from a battery based power supply assembly of an electric vehicle, wherein the power supply assembly comprises a discharge initiating device and a plurality of battery modules electrically connected with one another, each of the battery modules comprising a plurality of battery cells, a discharge load connected in series with the battery cells, a switch coupled between the battery cells and the discharge load, a temperature sensor, and a controller adapted for placing the switch in its electrically connected state upon being notified by the discharge initiating device, the process comprising:
a) allowing the controller to receive a discharge initiating signal from the discharge initiating device;
b) allowing the controller to verify, upon receiving a reading of a temperature of the battery module as measured by the temperature sensor, that the temperature is lower than a predetermined safety threshold; and
c) placing the switch in its electrically connected state to permit the battery cells in the battery module to discharge electric power via the discharge load, responsive to determining that the temperature of the battery module is lower than the predetermined safety threshold.
7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the step c) further comprises the sub-steps of:
c1) placing the switch in its electrically connected state to permit the battery cells in the battery module to discharge electric power via the discharge load for a predetermined time period;
c2) measuring a power level remaining in the battery module; and
c3) repeating the step b), if the power level of the battery module is higher than a danger threshold.