Active Cell Balancing via Transformer Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
In battery systems for electric vehicles, inaccurate control of battery discharge levels can lead to premature failure of battery cells, resulting in reduced service life and unnecessary replacement costs, as some cells are discharged to lower states of charge than others.
Innovation Solution
A battery cell balancing system that uses switching circuits and transformers to equalize charge levels across multiple battery cells and sub-groups by reversing connections at specific frequencies, ensuring all cells achieve the desired number of cycles during their service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If control system sets target discharge level to desired value, then service life of battery system is extended, but manufacturing precision or control accuracy is required to maintain desired discharge level for each battery cell
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a control system that monitors the discharge level of each battery cell and provides feedback to the control module. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect deviations from the target discharge level and adjust charging/discharging operations accordingly, ensuring all cells remain within the desired state of charge range without requiring excessive manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically adjusts the charging and discharging rates for different battery cells based on their individual states. By making real-time adjustments to the operation of each cell, the system maintains optimal discharge levels and extends overall battery system service life while accommodating variations in cell characteristics
2Productivity
If control system is not accurate in maintaining desired discharge level, then some battery cells are discharged to lower state of charge, but this results in premature end of service life for those cells and waste of remaining service life in other cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating each battery cell individually with customized charging and discharging control. The control module monitors and adjusts the state of charge for each specific cell based on its own characteristics and current state, rather than applying uniform control to all cells. This localized approach prevents any single cell from being discharged to excessively low levels, thereby maintaining reliability consistency across the entire battery system while maximizing overall capacity utilization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system extends the service life of battery cells by maintaining balanced discharge levels, thereby optimizing the number of charge/discharge cycles and reducing the need for premature replacement.
Implementation Method 1
A first transformer includes a first core and N sets of windings wound around the first core, wherein the N sets of windings are connected to the N switching circuits, respectively
Data Source
AI summary
A battery cell balancing system includes N switching circuits connected to first terminals and second terminals of N battery cells, respectively, where N is an integer greater than one. A first transformer includes a first core and N sets of windings wound around the first core. The N sets of windings are connected to the N switching circuits, respectively. A first control module controls switching of the N switching circuits to reverse first connections between the first terminals and the second terminals of the N battery cells and the N sets of windings, respectively, at a first frequency to balance charge levels of the N battery cells.