Used Battery Cellar Control for Degradation-Based Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recycling of used batteries is costly and labor-intensive due to the varying performance degradation of batteries, necessitating effective storage and management to optimize their utilization during the storage period and reduce replacement costs.
Innovation Solution
A battery management system and method that integrates degradation evaluation and power system demand response to efficiently rank and replace batteries based on their performance, utilizing a battery cellar as a virtual power plant to optimize charging and discharging, thereby reducing labor and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If batteries are stored in a distribution center for a certain period before being shipped out, then the batteries can be effectively utilized during the storage period through demand response, but the storage cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery management system automatically monitors degradation levels and predicts future degradation without manual intervention. The system self-manages the battery portfolio by identifying replacement candidates and executing swaps, eliminating the need for continuous human monitoring and reducing operational costs during the storage period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary degradation analysis and predicts future battery performance before actual replacement is needed. By proactively identifying batteries that will degrade below reference capacity within a predetermined period, the system prepares replacement strategies in advance, optimizing both utilization and cost management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If batteries with varying degradation levels are stored in a storage cabinet, then the batteries can be managed individually, but the labor and cost for replacing degraded batteries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the degradation level of each battery and uses this feedback to predict future performance. Based on this feedback loop, the system automatically identifies which batteries will reach the reference degradation threshold within the predetermined period, enabling data-driven replacement decisions that minimize manual labor and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual battery inspection and replacement decisions with an automated server-based system that uses algorithms to predict degradation and identify replacement candidates. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated computational methods significantly reduces labor requirements and operational costs.
3Device complexity
If batteries are replaced only when degradation reaches the reference value, then replacement timing is simple to determine, but the number of replacements increases leading to higher labor and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary predictions about future battery degradation before the actual replacement point is reached. By forecasting which batteries will degrade below the reference capacity within a predetermined period, the system schedules replacements in advance, consolidating multiple potential replacements into single operational events and reducing overall replacement frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic prediction capabilities that adapt to individual battery degradation patterns. Rather than using a static replacement threshold, the system continuously updates degradation forecasts based on historical data and environmental conditions, allowing flexible optimization of replacement timing to minimize the number of replacements while maintaining performance standards.
Data Source
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AI summary
The battery cellar (2) includes a storage cabinet (21) that stores a plurality of used batteries, a power converter (an AC/DC converter (22) and a DC/DC converter (23)) electrically connected between the plurality of used batteries stored in the storage cabinet (21) and a power system (5), and a server (20) that controls the power converter to charge or discharge the plurality of batteries in response to a demand response request from the power system (5). The server (20) selects, from the plurality of used batteries, a first battery, the degradation degree of which has reached a reference value, and a second battery, the degradation degree of which does not reach the reference value but is predicted to reach the reference value within a predetermined period, as replacement target batteries.