Battery Module Redistribution for Uniform Grid Storage Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility scale battery electric storage systems face degradation issues, leading to reduced energy capacity, with existing solutions often resulting in waste and inefficiency due to the disposal of still-useful batteries and the introduction of batteries with lower impedance, disrupting power distribution.
Innovation Solution
A battery power system with a degradation monitoring and control system that selectively implements replacement, replenishment, or redistribution of battery modules based on energy capacity thresholds, ensuring efficient maintenance by redistributing modules with similar state-of-health to maintain uniform power output and minimize waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If degraded batteries are disposed of and replaced with new batteries, then the power system can maintain adequate energy capacity, but this results in waste of batteries that still have useful capacity and introduces batteries with lower impedance that provide disproportionate power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and redistributes degraded battery modules that still possess useful capacity to other battery containers where they can continue to contribute to power output. Instead of disposing of these modules, the system identifies containers with higher degradation levels and transfers modules to extend their operational life, thereby reducing waste while maintaining system reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent monitors and manages battery modules based on their state-of-health parameters, specifically impedance and energy capacity. By tracking these parameters and redistributing modules based on their degradation levels, the system optimizes power distribution and prevents the waste associated with premature disposal of usable batteries
2Reliability
If new batteries with lower impedance are introduced to replace degraded batteries, then energy capacity is maintained, but the new batteries provide a disproportionate amount of power relative to existing batteries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by redistributing battery modules with similar state-of-health characteristics to specific battery containers. Rather than introducing uniformly new batteries with lower impedance, the system matches modules to containers based on their degradation levels, ensuring that modules within each container have comparable impedance and contribute uniformly to power output
Solution Approach 2:
The patent promotes homogeneity by ensuring that battery modules within each container have similar impedance characteristics through selective redistribution. This prevents the heterogeneity that would arise from mixing new low-impedance batteries with degraded high-impedance batteries, thereby maintaining uniform power distribution across the system
3Stability of the object's composition
If all battery modules are replaced to maintain uniform performance, then power output consistency is maintained, but this increases cost and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers partially degraded battery modules that still have useful capacity and redistributes them to appropriate containers. This selective recovery and redistribution approach maintains power output uniformity by ensuring each container has modules of similar state-of-health, while avoiding the waste associated with replacing all modules including those that are still functional
Solution Approach 2:
The patent manages battery uniformity by monitoring state-of-health parameters and redistributing modules based on these parameters. This targeted approach maintains the homogeneity needed for uniform power output without requiring complete replacement of all modules, thereby reducing waste while preserving system stability
Data Source
AI summary
One example includes a battery power system that includes a plurality of battery containers. Each of the battery containers can include a plurality of battery modules that provide output power to a point-of-interconnect associated with a power grid. Each of a portion of the plurality of battery containers includes a plurality of original battery modules and at least one of a plurality of redistributed battery modules from a redistributed battery container. The redistributed battery container includes battery modules of a substantially similar state-of-health to the plurality of original battery modules of each of the portion of the plurality of battery containers. The redistributed battery container includes a plurality of newer battery modules with a substantially similar state-of-health that is greater than the state-of-health of the plurality of original battery modules and which were subsequently installed after redistribution of the plurality of redistributed battery modules.