Battery Management System Relay Switch Overcharge Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery packs in electric vehicles face challenges due to limited power capacity and the need for safe disconnection of charge/discharge current lines during over-charge conditions to prevent damage.
Innovation Solution
A battery management system that includes a charge/discharge relay with a relay switch, a driving coil, a motor control unit (MCU), and a switching device controlled by a switching control unit, which operates independently to safely disconnect the charge/discharge current line during over-charge conditions, protecting the battery pack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells interconnected electrically in series/parallel to increase overall capacity and voltage, then the power capacity is improved, but the risk of over-charge damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay switch as an intermediary component between the battery pack and the charge/discharge current line. This relay switch can be controlled to disconnect the current line from the battery pack, providing a protective mechanism against over-charge damage while maintaining the high power capacity configuration of multiple battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the protective function from the main battery management system by implementing an independent relay control mechanism. This separate control system can autonomously disconnect the charge/discharge current line when over-charge conditions are detected, providing an additional layer of protection beyond the primary battery management controls.
2Reliability
If a relay switch is used to disconnect the charge/discharge current line, then the protection against over-charge is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay switch serves as a simple intermediary component that provides reliable disconnection capability without requiring complex control circuitry. By using this dedicated protective component with straightforward on/off control, the system achieves robust over-charge protection while minimizing the addition of complex control systems.
3Reliability
If an independent switching control unit is added to control the relay driving unit, then the safety and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control function by introducing a dedicated switching control unit that operates independently from the main battery management system. This segmented approach allows the protective function to be controlled separately, enhancing reliability through independent operation while keeping the overall system architecture modular and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The independent switching control unit acts as an intermediary between the battery management system and the relay driving unit. This separate control layer provides an additional protective mechanism that can autonomously respond to over-charge conditions, improving safety and reliability through redundant independent control.
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
The system effectively prevents overcharging by independently controlling the current path, ensuring the battery pack's safety and reliability by interrupting the charge/discharge current in case of an over-charge condition, thereby extending the battery's lifespan and maintaining system stability.
Implementation Method 1
a charge/discharge relay including a relay switch coupled to a charge/discharge current path of a battery pack and a driving coil for driving the relay switch
Data Source
AI summary
A battery management system capable of safely disconnecting a charge/discharge current line from a battery pack in an over-charge condition is provided. The battery management system includes a charge/discharge relay including a relay switch coupled to a charge/discharge current path of a battery pack and a driving coil for driving the relay switch, a relay driving unit for controlling the driving coil, a motor control unit (MCU) for controlling the relay driving unit, the MCU being coupled to the relay driving unit, a switching device being coupled between the driving coil and the relay driving unit, and a switching control unit for controlling on/off operations of the switching device to control a current of the relay driving unit.