Method for driving micro-hybrid system for vehicle and energy storage unit, and hybrid system for implementing the same

1. A method for driving a micro-hybrid system with braking recovery for a vehicle, said micro-hybrid system ( 1 ) including an electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) and an electronic control unit ( 14 ), said electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) including a plurality of elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ) mounted in series, the method comprising the steps of:

reading elementary electric voltages (V) of said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ); and

deriving a state information on a state of the electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) from said read elementary voltages (V);

said state information including state of health data comprising the difference in voltage DeltaV=Vmax−Vmin between a maximum elementary voltage (Vmax) defined by a voltage of the elementary cell which is the most charged (C 2 ) and a minimum elementary voltage (Vmin) defined by a voltage of the elementary cell which is the least charged (C 9 ) of said electric energy storage unit ( 12 );

said state of health data (DeltaV) being representative of the capacity of the electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) to fulfil its function in said micro-hybrid system ( 1 );

the method further comprising the step of defining an optimal driving of said micro-hybrid system ( 1 ) by taking into account, in said electronic control unit ( 14 ), said state information including said state of health data (DeltaV).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said state information includes a temperature measurement (Temp) in said electric energy storage unit ( 12 ).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said state information includes differential capacitance data (DeltaC) representative of the maximum change in electric capacitance between said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ).

4. The method according to claim 3 , further including the steps of:

measuring, over a predetermined length of time (T) in said electric energy storage unit ( 12 ), a predetermined current (I=20 A); and

deriving, at the end of said predetermined length of time (T), said differential capacitance data (DeltaC) based on the difference in maximum voltage (DeltaV) detected between said read elementary voltages (V) and based on said measurement of said predetermined current over said predetermined length of time (T).

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said state information includes differential parasitic resistance data (DeltaR) representative of the maximum change in parasitic resistance between said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ).

6. The method according to claim 5 , said method further including the steps of:

deriving a first difference in maximum voltage (DeltaV 1 ) between said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ) based on said read elementary voltages (V) when no significant current circulates in said electric energy storage unit ( 12 );

injecting into said electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) a predetermined current (I=200 A) over a predetermined short length of time (t);

deriving a second difference in maximum voltage (DeltaV 2 ) between said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ) based on said read elementary voltages (V) during said injection of said predetermined current; and

deriving said differential parasitic resistance data (DeltaR) based on the difference (DeltaV 2 −DeltaV 1 ) between said first and second variations in voltage and based on the intensity level (I=200 A) of said predetermined current of short duration.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) includes a plurality of super condenser elements (C 1 to C 10 ) mounted in series as said elementary cells.

8. A vehicle equipped with a micro-hybrid system with braking recovery for a vehicle including means for implementing the method according to claim 1 .

9. An electric energy storage unit including a plurality of super condenser elements (C 1 to C 10 ) forming elementary cells mounted in series, and electronic means ( 120 ) comprising additional means ( 1201 ) for implementing a method for driving a micro-hybrid system with braking recovery for a vehicle, said micro-hybrid system including said electric energy storage unit and an electronic control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

reading elementary electric voltages (V) of said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ); and

deriving a state information on a state of the electric energy storage unit from said read elementary voltages (V);

said state information including state of health data comprising the difference in voltage DeltaV=Vmax−Vmin between a maximum elementary voltage (Vmax) defined by a voltage of the elementary cell which is the most charged and a minimum elementary voltage (Vmin) defined by a voltage of the elementary cell which is the least charged of said electric energy storage unit;

said state of health data (DeltaV) being representative of the capacity of the electric energy storage unit to fulfil its function in said micro-hybrid system;

the method further comprising the step of defining an optimal driving of said micro-hybrid system by taking into account, in said electronic control unit, said state information including said state of health data (DeltaV).

10. The electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) according to claim 9 , wherein said additional means comprise electronic circuits ( 1201 ) capable of generating at least one transmission signal conveying at least one of items of said state information, said at least one transmission signal being intended to be transmitted to said electronic control unit ( 14 ).

11. A transmission signal generated by electronic circuits ( 1201 ) contained in an electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) according to claim 10 , comprising a component of useful information conveying at least one of said items of said state information and a component of phase difference 1V, 1 mA capable of enabling an electric continuity fault in a signal transmission carrier ( 1214 ) to be detected and/or the effects of contact corrosion in at least one connector of the system to be counteracted.

12. A transmission signal generated by electronic circuits ( 1201 ) contained in an electric energy storage unit ( 12 ) according to claim 10 , wherein said transmission signal is of the pulse width modulated (PWM) type.

13. The transmission signal according to claim 11 , wherein a bandwidth of said transmission signal is about a few hundred Hertz.

14. A micro-hybrid system with braking recovery for a vehicle, said micro-hybrid system including an electric energy storage unit and an electronic control unit, said electric energy storage unit including a plurality of elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ) mounted in series, said micro-hybrid system further including means for implementing a method for driving said micro-hybrid system comprising the steps of:

reading elementary electric voltages (V) of said elementary cells (C 1 to C 10 ); and

deriving a state information on a state of the electric energy storage unit from said read elementary voltages (V);

said state information including state of health data comprising the difference in voltage DeltaV=Vmax−Vmin between a maximum elementary voltage (Vmax) defined by a voltage of the elementary cell which is the most charged and a minimum elementary voltage (Vmin) defined by a voltage of the elementary cell which is the least charged of said electric energy storage unit;

said state of health data (DeltaV) being representative of the capacity of the electric energy storage unit to fulfil its function in said micro-hybrid system;

the method further comprising the step of defining an optimal driving of said micro-hybrid system by taking into account, in said electronic control unit, said state information including said state of health data (DeltaV).

15. A micro-hybrid system with braking recovery for a vehicle according to claim 14 , comprising an electric energy storage unit ( 12 ), an electronic control unit ( 14 ), an electrical rotating machine ( 10 ), an AC-DC voltage converter ( 11 ) and a DC-DC voltage converter ( 13 ).

16. The micro-hybrid system according to claim 15 , wherein said electronic control unit ( 14 ) is contained at least partially in said AC-DC converter ( 11 ) and/or said DC-DC voltage converter ( 13 ).