Battery Pack Balancing Voltage Drop Compensation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery management systems for electric vehicles face measurement errors in battery cell voltage due to voltage drops in electrical wires, leading to inaccurate balancing and reduced efficiency, requiring frequent disconnection and reconnection of balancing circuits to minimize errors.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that calibrate electrical wire coefficients by measuring voltage drops when the vehicle is stationary, allowing for continuous balancing by updating coefficients based on temperature changes, enabling accurate voltage compensation without disrupting the balancing process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the balancing resistance is connected to discharge overcharged cells, then cell voltage deviations are reduced and battery pack deterioration is prevented, but voltage drops in electrical wires cause measurement errors in cell voltage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell balancing accuracyVSAvoidcell voltage measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct voltage measurement with current measurement. Instead of measuring voltage directly (which is affected by wire resistance), the system measures the current flowing through the balancing resistance and calculates voltage from this current measurement, substituting a more accurate measurement approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary measurement approach by measuring current through the balancing resistance rather than directly measuring cell voltage. This intermediary current measurement serves as a proxy that is not affected by wire resistance, allowing accurate voltage calculation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If voltage measurement is performed by disconnecting the balancing process, then measurement accuracy is improved, but balancing efficiency is reduced and noise is generated from periodic commutations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell voltage measurement accuracyVSAvoidbalancing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables continuous balancing operation by measuring current through the balancing resistance without disconnecting or interrupting the balancing process. This maintains continuous useful action while obtaining accurate measurement data for voltage calculation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the mechanical disconnection/reconnection process with a continuous electrical measurement process. By measuring current continuously through the balancing resistance, the system eliminates the need for periodic disconnection while maintaining measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

This approach reduces measurement errors and maintains balancing efficiency by continuously monitoring and compensating for voltage drops, ensuring accurate cell balancing and extending battery pack lifespan.

Implementation Method 1

the resistance of the electrical wires, a tension drop is produced into said electrical wires

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical Resistance: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentEP3323665B1A battery pack balancing system and method
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 FICO TRIAD
  • EP3323665B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3323665B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3323665B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Battery pack balancing method and system for a vehicle, comprising: - a plurality of battery cells (1), - a battery balancer (2) connected to each battery cell (1) having a resistance RB (3), - a cell monitor (4) configured to measure the voltage of each battery cell (1) and to manage the battery balancer (2), connected through an electrical wire (5) being the resistance of the electrical wire RC (6). The balancing method comprises the following steps: - modelling each electrical wire (5) connecting the cell monitors (4) and the battery cells (1), and - performing a balancing process of the battery cells (1) compensating the error of the voltage measurement.