Rechargeable Battery Cell Switching for Charger-Free Current Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery chargers are bulky and cause significant losses during electrical current processing, and they struggle to efficiently charge batteries from various energy sources while ensuring that the charging intensity does not exceed the maximum admissible limits of the energy storage elements.
Innovation Solution
A battery system with a control unit that measures voltage and current at high frequencies, dynamically adjusts the connection and shunting of energy storage elements to maintain optimal charging conditions, using a coil with appropriate inductance to manage current flow and prevent excessive charging, and operates without a traditional charger between the power terminals and cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional charger is used between the power supply terminals and the battery cells, then the battery can be charged from various electrical energy sources, but the charger increases the device size and causes significant energy losses during current processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the conventional charger component from the battery system entirely. Instead of using a separate charger with transformer, rectifier, and regulation circuits, the invention integrates charging control directly into the battery management system through electronic switches that can operate in rectifying mode, eliminating the need for dedicated charging hardware and reducing energy losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic switches in the battery cells perform multiple functions: they act as isolation switches for cell protection, shunt switches for current distribution, and simultaneously function as rectifiers during charging operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate charger components while maintaining the ability to charge from various AC and DC sources.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional charger is used to charge the battery, then charging from multiple energy sources is enabled, but the charger increases the overall device complexity and size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex charger circuitry (transformer, diode rectifier, smoothing capacitor, regulation circuit) from the battery system. The charging functionality is instead achieved through the existing battery management electronic switches operating in different modes, significantly simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the charging control function with the existing battery management system. The same electronic switches used for cell isolation and current shunting are also utilized for rectifying and controlling charging current, consolidating multiple functions into a single integrated system rather than having separate charger and battery management circuits.
3Productivity
If the charging current is increased to reduce charging time, then charging speed improves, but the maximum permissible charging current of individual cells may be exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is divided into multiple cells, each with its own isolation and shunt switches controlled independently. This segmentation allows the control unit to manage current distribution at the cell level, enabling parallel charging paths that can collectively handle high charging currents while ensuring no single cell exceeds its maximum permissible current limit.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the state of electronic switches at frequencies greater than 1 kHz based on real-time current measurements. This dynamic control allows the system to rapidly respond to changing charging conditions, optimizing current distribution across cells to maintain high charging speeds while preventing any cell from exceeding its current limits.
4Measurement precision
If the control frequency is increased to improve current regulation precision, then charging control accuracy improves, but the computational load and switching losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously measures the current flowing between power supply terminals and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the switch states. By operating at frequencies greater than 1 kHz, the system achieves precise current regulation while the feedback mechanism ensures that switching actions are optimized to minimize unnecessary transitions and associated losses.
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 results in a battery with a reduced footprint and minimized losses during charging, capable of efficiently handling different electrical energy sources while ensuring that the charging current remains within safe limits for the energy storage elements.
Implementation Method 1
a coil connected in series with the set of cells connected in series between two power supply terminals
Data Source
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AI summary
The battery comprises: - a set of cells (12) connected in series, each cell (12) comprising an energy storage element (14), - a coil (32) connected in series with the set of cells (12), - a sensor (51) for measuring the current (Ich) flowing between the supply terminals (30A, 30B), and - a control unit (25) comprising means for, at a frequency greater than 1 kHz, adding an energy storage element (14) in series in the set of energy storage elements (14) connected in series if the measured current (Ich) is greater than a maximum current (Ich_max) and shunting an energy storage element (14) in series in the set of energy storage elements (14) connected in series if the measured current is less than a minimum current (Ich_min).