Multi-Parallel Battery Charger with Dynamic Path Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chargers for multi-parallel battery packs often result in imbalanced state of charge among battery banks, leading to potential overcharging and reduced overall battery capacity, as they finish charging when any one bank is fully charged, regardless of others, and existing solutions complicate charge control and may not accurately detect full charge due to heat interactions.
Innovation Solution
A charger with a constant voltage and current DC power source, multiple charging circuits with current limiting resistors and switching capabilities, and a controller that dynamically switches between charging paths based on voltage differences among batteries, ensuring all batteries are charged equally and preventing overcharging by adjusting charging currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If charging is finished when any one battery bank is fully charged, then charging time is reduced, but state of charge balance among battery banks deteriorates and overcharging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the charging path selectable based on real-time battery conditions. The controller dynamically switches between first charging path (with current limiting resistors for balance) and second charging path (without resistors for speed) according to whether voltage differences exist among battery banks, optimizing both time and balance
2Reliability
If charge control is implemented on each battery bank to detect full charge and finish charging one by one, then state of charge balance is improved, but control procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of multiple battery banks into a unified control scheme. Instead of independently controlling each battery bank, the controller uses a single detection criterion (voltage difference) to determine the charging path for all banks, simplifying the control procedure while maintaining balance
3Reliability
If full charge detection is performed on each battery bank, then charging balance is improved, but detection accuracy deteriorates due to heat interaction effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat interaction effect from the detection criterion by using voltage difference rather than absolute voltage or charge state. This eliminates the interference of heat effects on detection accuracy, as voltage difference remains a reliable indicator of charge balance regardless of thermal conditions
4Reliability
If low charging current is used to repeatedly charge each battery bank, then state of charge balance is improved, but charging speed deteriorates and full charge is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by switching charging paths based on battery conditions. During the balancing phase, current is limited to maintain balance, but when voltage differences are eliminated, the system transitions to high-speed charging path, achieving both balance and full charge without prolonged low-current operation
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 solution allows for simultaneous full charging of all battery banks in minimal time without overcharging, simplifies charge control, and reduces costs by eliminating the need for complex procedures, ensuring balanced state of charge and maintaining primary battery capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a constant voltage and constant current DC power source; a plurality of charging circuits each including current limiting resistors, a first charging path that supplies the batteries with DC power that is outputted from the constant voltage and constant DC current power source
Implementation Method 2
charging circuits each including current limiting resistors, a first charging path that supplies the batteries with DC power that is outputted from the constant voltage and constant DC current power source via the current limiting resistors
Data Source
AI summary
The charger 10 includes a first charging path that charges battery banks via current limiting resistors R1 to R3, a second charging path that charges the battery banks without passing through the current limiting resistors R1 to R3, and a circuit that is capable of selectively switching the first and second charging paths to one another, being provided to the respective battery banks, and being identical in resistance values of the current limiting resistors R1 to R3. A battery voltage detection circuit detects the voltages of the battery banks; and a controller 16 controls the first to third charging circuits so that the battery banks are charged through the first charging path when there is difference in the voltages of the battery banks. The battery banks are charged through the second charging path when there is no difference in the voltages of the battery banks.