Battery Tester Conductance Estimation Load Test Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery testing methods, such as the Adjustable Load Test, are cumbersome, require batteries to be fully charged, can discharge batteries, are not portable, and provide inaccurate results due to temperature variations, making it difficult to assess storage battery condition effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using dynamic battery parameters like conductance, coupled with voltage and temperature, to estimate how a battery would perform under a load test, eliminating the need for full charge and allowing for portable, accurate assessments by comparing estimated load test voltage to minimum requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the Adjustable Load Test is used to test battery condition, then the test provides useful data for determining battery condition, but the test requires the battery to be fully charged and becomes cumbersome and not portable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical adjustable load test system with an electronic conductance testing system. The electronic tester measures battery conductance directly without requiring manual adjustment of load resistors or heavy current handling equipment. This substitution eliminates the need for bulky mechanical components while providing automated, portable battery condition assessment through electrical measurements of conductance and voltage.
2Reliability
If the Adjustable Load Test is used, then battery condition data is obtained, but the equipment is heavy and bulky making it not portable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical load testing equipment with a lightweight electronic conductance measurement system. Instead of using large variable resistors and high-current handling apparatus, the invention uses electronic circuits to measure battery conductance and voltage, dramatically reducing equipment weight while maintaining assessment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from current-load based testing to conductance-based testing. By measuring conductance (the reciprocal of resistance) and voltage under minimal load conditions, the system obtains battery condition data without requiring heavy current handling equipment, enabling portable testing while preserving reliability.
3Reliability
If the standard load test is used, then battery performance is tested, but the test takes finite time and equipment must be cooled between tests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the time-consuming mechanical load application and removal process with immediate electronic conductance measurement. The electronic tester captures battery conductance and voltage data instantaneously without requiring load application for extended periods, eliminating the need for equipment cooling cycles and enabling rapid sequential testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent skips the lengthy load application and discharge phases of traditional testing by directly measuring conductance parameters. This rushing through the essential measurement in a single instantaneous reading rather than requiring sustained load application eliminates time delays and enables high-speed battery assessment.
4Productivity
If the conductance testing technique is used, then the test is rapid and portable, but it requires estimation of load test voltage from dynamic parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces conductance as an intermediary parameter that correlates with battery condition and load test performance. Instead of directly measuring load test voltage under actual load conditions, the system measures conductance under minimal load and uses this intermediary measurement to estimate the load test voltage, enabling rapid testing while maintaining prediction accuracy through established conductance-voltage relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the directly measured parameter from load test voltage to conductance, then uses mathematical relationships to estimate the desired load test voltage. This parameter transformation allows instantaneous measurement without sustained load application, improving speed while preserving the ability to predict actual load performance through conductance-voltage correlation models.
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 enables rapid, accurate, and portable battery condition assessment without discharging the battery, providing reliable predictions of load test performance across varying temperatures, thus improving the efficiency and accuracy of battery testing.
Implementation Method 1
battery testers, which determine the condition of the battery as a function of measured dynamic conductance of the battery, carry out the conductance measurement by injecting or drawing a small AC current (less than about 2 amperes) through the battery and measuring the resulting AC voltage
Implementation Method 2
Storage batteries, such as lead acid storage batteries of the SLI (Starting, lighting and ignition) type used in the automotive industry
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus is provided for rapidly and safely estimating the high-rate load test voltage of a storage battery utilizing open-circuit voltage, temperature and a dynamic parameter such as conductance or resistance. An output indicative of the condition of the battery is provided as a function of the estimated load test voltage of the battery compared to industry standards without the necessity to charge the battery or discharge the battery with high-rate loads using bulky load testing equipment.