Rechargeable Battery Charge Balancing Circuitry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable battery systems face challenges in balancing the states of charge among individual cells, which can lead to overcharging or undercharging, potentially damaging the cells and affecting the overall efficiency and capacity of the battery system.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of charge balancing circuitry, including shunting and charge shuttling mechanisms, to monitor and adjust the charging electrical energy provided to each cell, ensuring that all cells reach a balanced state of charge, thereby preventing damage and maximizing the battery's capacity and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If individual battery cells are charged simultaneously without balancing, then charging speed is improved, but cells may become unbalanced leading to overcharging or undercharging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the battery system into individual cell groups that can be charged independently through separate charging paths. Each cell group has its own charging control, allowing simultaneous charging of multiple groups while maintaining balance within each group. This segmentation enables fast charging without compromising cell balance reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements monitoring circuitry that continuously tracks the state of charge of individual cells and provides feedback to the charging control system. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts charging current distribution to maintain cell balance while achieving high charging speeds. The feedback mechanism prevents overcharging and undercharging by real-time correction.
2Reliability
If charge balancing circuitry is implemented, then cell balance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the charging control and balancing functions into an integrated system. The same charging circuitry that provides charge to the cells also performs balancing by selectively routing current through different cell groups. This merging eliminates the need for separate balancing circuitry, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable cell balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging control system is designed to perform multiple functions: it charges cells, monitors cell states, distributes charging current, and maintains cell balance. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for dedicated balancing hardware, reducing system complexity while ensuring reliable cell balance through the universal charging control mechanism.
3Loss of time
If charging current is increased to speed up charging, then charging time is reduced, but heat generation and energy loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic charging current adjustment based on real-time cell state monitoring. The charging current is varied during the charging process, being higher when cells can accept more charge and lower when approaching full charge or when balance corrections are needed. This dynamic approach reduces overall charging time while minimizing heat generation and energy loss by avoiding excessive current at all times.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic monitoring and adjustment of charging parameters. The system periodically checks cell states and adjusts charging current in cycles, allowing high current charging during periods when cells can handle it while inserting lower current periods for balance maintenance and heat dissipation. This periodic action reduces average energy loss while maintaining fast charging capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Rechargeable battery systems and rechargeable battery system operational methods are described. According to one aspect, a rechargeable battery system includes a plurality of rechargeable battery modules coupled between a plurality of terminals, wherein the rechargeable battery modules individually comprise a plurality of rechargeable battery cells and charge balancing circuitry configured to implement, for individual ones of the rechargeable battery modules, first charge balancing operations with respect to the rechargeable battery cells of individual ones of the rechargeable battery modules, and to implement second charge balancing operations with respect to the rechargeable battery modules.