Battery Balancing Circuit Reusing Switches for Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrochemical cell balancing methods, particularly active balancing solutions, are complex and costly, with issues of energy inefficiency and continuous charging due to direct energy feedback to batteries, and are incompatible with sampling functions, leading to increased circuit complexity.
Innovation Solution
A battery electrical energy balancing circuit with a controller, battery control switches, filter capacitor control unit, and sampling unit that enables active balancing and sampling without affecting each other, using a transformer for indirect energy feedback and reducing high-frequency switch count, allowing for efficient energy utilization and reduced circuit complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive balancing is used with resistors to consume energy for voltage balancing, then the circuit structure is simple and costs are low, but energy utilization efficiency is reduced due to energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a capacitor as an intermediary energy storage element between high-voltage and low-voltage batteries. The capacitor absorbs energy from high-voltage batteries and releases it to low-voltage batteries, enabling active balancing without direct energy transfer. This intermediary approach maintains simple circuit structure while significantly improving energy utilization efficiency by avoiding resistive energy consumption.
2Loss of energy
If active balancing is used to transfer energy from higher-voltage to lower-voltage electrochemical cells, then energy utilization efficiency is improved, but circuit complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the balancing circuit with multi-functional components that serve both balancing and sampling functions. The same circuit topology and control switches are used for both active balancing operations and battery voltage sampling, eliminating the need for separate dedicated circuits. This universal approach reduces circuit complexity and component count while maintaining high energy utilization efficiency through active energy transfer.
3Loss of energy
If existing active balancing solutions are used with direct energy feedback to battery, then energy transfer is achieved, but continuous charging occurs when battery is fully charged due to transformer stored energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control mechanism that continuously monitors battery voltage and dynamically adjusts the balancing operation. When the battery reaches full charge voltage, the control system detects this condition and immediately stops energy transfer, preventing overcharging. The feedback loop ensures that the transformer's stored energy is properly managed and discharged only when appropriate, eliminating the continuous charging problem while maintaining efficient energy transfer.
4Ease of operation
If separate circuits are used for active balancing and sampling functions, then each function can be optimized independently, but overall circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the active balancing circuit and sampling circuit into a single integrated topology. The same transformer, control switches, and control logic are used for both balancing operations and voltage sampling. By combining these functions, the patent reduces overall circuit complexity, minimizes component count, and lowers system costs while still allowing independent optimization of each function through software control.
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 proposed solution simplifies the battery management system, reduces costs, and achieves efficient energy utilization by reusing battery control switches for both active balancing and sampling, preventing continuous charging and lowering the complexity of the overall circuit.
Implementation Method 1
The transformer isolation uses an isolation transformer to achieve bidirectional conversion of energy
Implementation Method 2
The filter capacitor control unit is configured to filter a current input by the balancing unit to the target battery
Data Source
AI summary
A battery electrical energy balancing circuit and method and an energy storage system include a controller, N battery control switches, a filter capacitor control unit, a balancing unit, and a sampling circuit. The balancing unit charges/discharges a target battery, and the sampling unit detects a voltage of the target battery. The filter capacitor control unit performs filtering. The controller controls a battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed, to obtain the voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit; or controls the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery.