Battery Formation Cooling With Movable IR Temperature Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging and discharging apparatuses for secondary batteries face issues with temperature deviations during the formation process and capacity testing, leading to inaccurate capacity calculations due to insufficient cooling and ambient temperature measurement, which affects resistance and voltage.
Innovation Solution
A charging and discharging apparatus with a non-contact temperature measuring device that measures each secondary battery's temperature individually and adjusts the direction and output of cooling fans based on real-time temperature information, using a movable temperature sensor unit and transfer devices to minimize temperature deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-rate charging is performed with larger C-rate to reduce process time, then productivity is improved, but heat generation increases causing temperature deviation between batteries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the temperature measurement and cooling control into individual battery units. Each battery is equipped with its own temperature sensor and cooling fan, allowing independent temperature management. This segmentation enables high-rate charging to proceed while maintaining uniform temperature across all batteries by addressing each battery's thermal state separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements localized cooling by assigning individual cooling fans to each battery position. The cooling fan output is adjusted based on the specific temperature conditions of each battery, allowing targeted cooling where needed rather than uniform cooling across all batteries. This local quality approach effectively manages temperature deviations during high-rate charging.
2Device complexity
If a single cooling fan operates at constant output for all batteries, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature deviation between batteries cannot be effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling fans, each assigned to specific battery positions. This allows the system to maintain relatively simple individual fan units while achieving complex temperature control across the battery array. Each fan operates independently based on local temperature conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fan outputs are made dynamic rather than constant. Each cooling fan's output is adjusted in real-time based on the temperature measurements from corresponding batteries. This dynamic control enables the system to adapt to varying thermal conditions during charging, effectively reducing temperature deviations.
3Device complexity
If thermocouple measures ambient temperature in tray instead of each battery, then measurement device complexity is reduced, but temperature deviation between batteries cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature measurement system is segmented to include individual temperature sensors for each battery rather than a single ambient temperature sensor. This segmentation enables the system to detect and measure the specific temperature of each battery, providing the data needed for precise thermal management and capacity correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces contact-based thermocouple measurement with non-contact infrared temperature measurement. This substitution allows temperature measurement of each battery without physical contact, simplifying the measurement process while enabling individual battery temperature detection. The infrared sensor can measure temperatures through the tray structure without interfering with battery connections.
4Ease of operation
If cooling fan output is not adjusted according to actual battery temperature, then ease of operation is improved, but cooling effectiveness is insufficient to reduce temperature deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system implements feedback control where temperature measurements from each battery are continuously monitored and used to adjust the corresponding cooling fan output. This feedback mechanism automatically responds to temperature changes during charging, ensuring effective cooling without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates to maintain temperature uniformity across all batteries.
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
Accurate temperature measurement and targeted cooling ensure uniform charging and discharging quality by reducing temperature deviations, improving the accuracy of capacity tests and ensuring consistent battery performance.
Implementation Method 1
a non-contact temperature sensor unit inserted into a space between the plurality of secondary batteries to measure a temperature of a facing secondary battery in a non-contact manner
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of cooling fans provided to cool down the plurality of secondary batteries and of which directions of wind and outputs are individually adjusted based on temperature information
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a charging and discharging apparatus including a temperature measuring device suitable for measuring a temperature of each secondary battery and a cooling fan for cooling secondary batteries by utilizing temperature information using the temperature measuring device, such that a temperature deviation between the secondary batteries, which may occur during charging and discharging in a formation process and a capacity test after a secondary battery assembly process, is considered. The charging and discharging apparatus includes a movable non-contact temperature measuring device and cooling fans of which directions of wind and outputs are individually adjusted based on temperature information measured by the temperature measuring device according to a location in each secondary battery.