Battery Management Unit for Intermittent Power Stabilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Intermittent electricity production sources, such as wind and photovoltaic, pose challenges due to their unpredictable nature, leading to fluctuations in electricity supply that can destabilize the electrical network and require large energy storage capacities, which are economically unprofitable.

Innovation Solution

A control unit for an energy storage battery that determines a reference trajectory of the battery's state of charge and implements closed-loop servo-control to regulate the battery's state of charge, allowing for efficient management of energy storage and supply of smooth total electrical power to the network without requiring large storage capacities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If large energy storage capacities are used to stabilize electricity supply from intermittent sources, then the stability and predictability of power supply improve, but the system cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of electricity supplyVSAvoidenergy storage capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary actions by predicting future production variations of intermittent sources and pre-adjusting the battery state of charge trajectory accordingly. This allows the system to stabilize power output without requiring maximum storage capacity, as the battery is proactively managed to prevent deviations before they occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements closed-loop feedback control where the control unit continuously monitors actual production deviations and adjusts the battery power output in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables stable power supply with smaller storage capacities by dynamically optimizing battery discharge/charge cycles based on actual versus predicted production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the battery state of charge is strictly controlled to avoid exhaustion or saturation, then the reliability of power supply maintenance improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery operational reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit calculates a reference state of charge trajectory in advance that inherently avoids exhaustion and saturation conditions. By pre-planning the SOC path based on predicted production variations and battery constraints, the system maintains reliability without requiring complex real-time control algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the battery power setpoint based on the deviation between actual and predicted production, while keeping the control logic relatively simple. The adaptive nature of the control allows the system to handle varying conditions without increasing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2907212B9Energy storage battery management unit
Publication Date: 2017.11.15 ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
  • EP2907212B9 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2907212B9 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2907212B9 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a control facility, and the associated control method, for an energy storage battery (2) intended to be coupled to an intermittent electrical production source for providing an electrical energy network with a total electrical power approximating a total power setpoint (Prod (T)) according to a production plan, the control facility (1) is adapted for determining a reference trajectory of the state of charge of the battery (SOC_ref(t)) on the basis of a modelling of the battery (5) and of an optimized battery setpoint (Pbatt(T)), said optimized battery power setpoint (Pbatt(T)) being determined on the basis of the total power setpoint (Prod(T)), and the control facility (1) is adapted for implementing a closed‑loop regulation of the state of charge of the battery so as to force the state of charge (SOC(t)) to follow the reference trajectory of the state charge of the battery (SOC_ref(t)).