Battery Module Heating Control for SOC Balancing in Cold Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Variations in State of Charge (SOC) and charge amount among battery modules in a secondary battery system can limit input/output power, restricting the system's performance, especially in temperature extremes.
Innovation Solution
A secondary battery system with a controller that adjusts the power supplied to heating devices in each battery module based on SOC and temperature, ensuring uniformity by increasing power to modules with higher SOC or lower temperatures, thereby reducing variations and maintaining optimal operating temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If heating devices are supplied with equal power to all battery modules, then power distribution is simple and uniform, but SOC variations among battery modules increase, limiting input/output power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by distributing different power levels to heating devices in different battery modules based on their individual SOC levels. Specifically, battery modules with higher SOC are allocated higher heating power, while those with lower SOC receive lower power, creating a non-uniform but optimized power distribution strategy that equalizes SOC across modules
2Reliability
If heating power is increased for battery modules with higher SOC, then SOC variations are reduced, but total power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the power consumption parameter dynamically by adjusting heating power allocation based on real-time SOC measurements. The controller modifies the power supplied to each heating device according to the specific SOC conditions of each battery module, optimizing the balance between SOC uniformity and energy consumption
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 reduces SOC variations, ensures consistent input/output power, and maintains battery performance by effectively utilizing electric power and reducing wasteful consumption, even in cold environments.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device 11b, and a distribution circuit 11d connected in parallel with the battery 11a. The heating device 11b is wired to the distribution circuit 11d so as to be supplied with power through the distribution circuit 11d, and is configured so that an amount of heat produced increases according to a supplied power
Data Source
AI summary
A controller is configured to control distribution circuits of a plurality of battery modules. A first process determines a supplied power supplied to a heating device of each of the plurality of battery modules so that when at least one of the plurality of battery modules has a higher state of charge (SOC) or a higher amount of charge than other ones, the supplied power to the heating device of the at least one battery module is higher than the other ones.