Battery Cell OCV Profiling for Nondestructive Electrode Capacity Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery cell performance testing methods are limited in providing precise, nondestructive measurements of electrochemical performance and capacity distribution between positive and negative electrodes, often requiring disassembly and affecting actual electrochemical characteristics.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method using a controller, memory, and sensing unit to measure open-circuit voltage variations, estimating electrode limits and capacities through profile data and optimization algorithms, allowing nondestructive testing of battery cells without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a three-electrode test method is used to measure usage area and maximum capacity of each electrode, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability deteriorates due to disassembly requirements and reference electrode interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the reference electrode from the testing system. Instead of using a three-electrode configuration with a reference electrode inserted into the battery cell, the invention uses a two-electrode configuration where only the positive and negative electrodes are used for measurement. This eliminates the need for disassembly and avoids interference with electrochemical characteristics while maintaining measurement capability through alternative voltage profile analysis methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional measurement approach by not directly measuring electrode potentials against a reference electrode. Instead, it measures the overall cell voltage and infers individual electrode characteristics through voltage profile analysis and comparison with reference data. This indirect measurement method achieves the same information goal without the physical intrusion of a reference electrode.
2Measurement precision
If a three-electrode test method is used to measure usage area and maximum capacity of each electrode, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to reference electrode affecting electrochemical characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the reference electrode from the testing system. Instead of using a three-electrode configuration with a reference electrode inserted into the battery cell, the invention uses a two-electrode configuration where only the positive and negative electrodes are used for measurement. This eliminates the need for disassembly and avoids interference with electrochemical characteristics while maintaining measurement capability through alternative voltage profile analysis methods.
3Ease of operation
If traditional performance test method is used to estimate maximum capacity value, then ease of operation is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates as only rough information about usage area can be identified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces voltage profile reference data as an intermediary element. By comparing the measured cell voltage profile against pre-established reference voltage profiles obtained from cells with known electrode characteristics, the system can infer detailed information about positive and negative electrode usage areas. This intermediary reference data enables precise measurement without requiring complex direct measurement techniques or battery disassembly.
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
Enables precise estimation of electrochemical performance, capacity distribution, and irreversible capacity without disassembling the battery cell, facilitating rapid defect detection and accurate performance assessment.
Implementation Method 1
a sensing unit configured to measure an open-circuit voltage of a test cell according to a variation in a state of charge (SOC) of the test cell
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are apparatus and method of testing electrochemical performance of a battery cell in a nondestructive manner. The apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a memory configured to store first profile data, second profile data, a first positive electrode upper limit, a first positive electrode lower limit, a first negative electrode upper limit, and a first negative electrode lower limit that are determined in advance through a preliminary experiment with respect to each of a plurality of reference cells; a sensing unit configured to measure an open-circuit voltage of a test cell according to a variation in a state of charge (SOC) of the test cell; and a controller electrically connected to the memory and the sensing unit. The controller is configured to test performance of the test cell in a nondestructive manner based on data regarding the reference cells and data measured by the sensing unit stored in the memory.