Parallel Battery Group Management for Failure Replacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current power supply installations with parallel electrochemical batteries, such as LMP type, lack effective methods to optimize module lifespan and maintain normal operation in the event of battery failure.

Innovation Solution

A method that separates modules into groups for alternating use, allowing for rapid discharge cycles and virtual management of faulty modules by replacing them with functional ones from other groups, ensuring continuous power delivery without degrading the storage modules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If multiple batteries are used in parallel to ensure sufficient power supply autonomy, then the power supply capability is improved, but the management complexity and difficulty of detecting failures increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply capabilityVSAvoidmanagement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the parallel battery system into multiple groups (first group, second group, etc.) with designated primary and secondary roles. This segmentation allows the management system to track and monitor each group separately, reducing the complexity of managing the overall parallel battery system while maintaining sufficient power supply capability through the coordinated operation of multiple groups.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If batteries are used in parallel configuration, then the reliability of power supply is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring battery failures increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply reliabilityVSAvoidfailure detection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The management system continuously monitors the state of charge and operational status of each battery group, providing feedback to identify failures. When a primary battery group fails, the system detects this through monitoring and automatically activates the secondary battery group, ensuring that failures are promptly identified and addressed while maintaining reliable power supply.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Duration of action of moving object

If rapid discharge cycles are applied to optimize battery life, then the duration of action is improved, but the stress on batteries increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery lifespanVSAvoiddischarge stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic alternating operation between primary and secondary battery groups. After a primary group completes a discharge cycle, it switches to secondary status for recharging, while another group becomes primary. This periodic rotation distributes the discharge stress across multiple groups over time, allowing each group to undergo rapid discharge cycles optimized for lifespan without any single group bearing continuous stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

4Duration of action of stationary object

If battery modules are separated into groups for alternating use, then the lifespan of modules is optimized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodule lifespanVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each battery group is designed with dual functionality, serving alternately as primary (power supply) and secondary (standby/recharge) groups. This universality means that each group can perform both power delivery and power reception roles, reducing the need for dedicated components for each function and optimizing module lifespan through distributed usage patterns while managing system complexity through role flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3472911B1Method and system for managing electrochemical batteries of a power supply facility in case of battery failure.
Publication Date: 2020.10.21 BLUE SOLUTIONS
  • EP3472911B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP3472911B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~3
  • EP3472911B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5b

AI summary

The invention relates to a method (300) for managing multiple rechargeable electrical energy storage modules of a power supply facility, arranged in parallel, said method (300) comprising: - separating (302) the modules into at least two groups, and - supplying power (304) using said groups one at a time; the method (300) also comprising a step (314) of replacing a faulty module of a group, referred to as the active group, while being supplied by an available module of another group, referred to as the available group. The invention also relates to a system implementing such a method and a power supply facility implementing such a method or system.