Battery Balancing Circuit Using Differential Amplifier and Diode
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable battery assemblies face energy efficiency issues due to excessive energy conversion into heat during discharging, which affects the uniformity of voltage delivery and overall performance.
Innovation Solution
A rechargeable battery assembly is designed with a differential amplifier and a coupling element, such as a diode or transistor, to prevent excessive discharging while allowing charging, thereby maintaining energy efficiency by minimizing heat conversion and optimizing voltage balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If voltage balancing circuits are used to balance rechargeable battery units, then voltage uniformity is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to excessive discharging converting energy into heat
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discharging the highest voltage battery unit to balance voltages (conventional approach), the invention charges the highest voltage unit by reversing the current direction through the coupling element. This inversion transforms the balancing mechanism from energy-wasting discharge to energy-retaining charge, eliminating unnecessary heat conversion while maintaining voltage uniformity across battery units
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element (diode or transistor) acts as an intermediary between the differential amplifier and the second rechargeable battery unit. It selectively controls current flow to enable charging while preventing excessive discharging, thereby mediating the conflict between voltage balancing and energy efficiency by allowing beneficial energy transfer while blocking harmful energy loss
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 solution enhances energy efficiency by reducing unnecessary energy conversion to heat and optimizing voltage balancing, ensuring that the battery units are charged more efficiently and discharged less, thereby improving the overall performance of the battery assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a differential amplifier having an inverting input, a non-inverting input and an output, at which an amplified difference between the signal at the inverting input and the signal at the non-inverting input is present
Implementation Method 2
The coupling element provided according to the invention thus prevents the second rechargeable battery unit from being discharged to an excessively great extent, or it completely prevents such discharging, while at the same time the charging of the second rechargeable battery unit is possible without being hindered
Data Source
AI summary
A rechargeable battery assembly has a first battery unit with a first terminal and a second terminal; a second battery unit which is serially connected to the first battery unit and which has a first terminal and a second terminal; and a differential amplifier with an inverting input, a non-inverting input, and an output at which an amplified difference between the signal at the inverting input and the signal at the non-inverting input is produced. The non-inverting input of the differential amplifier is connected to the second terminal of the first battery unit and to the first terminal of the second battery unit. The inverting input of the differential amplifier is coupled to the first terminal of the first battery unit and to the second terminal of the second battery unit. The output of the differential amplifier is connected to the second terminal of the second battery unit. A coupling element with two load connections is connected between the output of the differential amplifier and the second terminal of the second battery unit. The coupling element allows the second battery unit to be charged via the coupling element but at most allows a minimal discharge of the second battery unit in the direction of the output of the differential amplifier.