Battery Pack Cross-Communication for Abnormality Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems face issues where the loss of power to the battery status detection circuit due to an abnormality in a battery block can prevent proper detection of the battery status, leading to potential safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A battery system design that includes a plurality of battery packs with a sub-controller and an abnormality detection element, where the abnormality detection element of one pack can communicate with the sub-controller of another pack, allowing for detection of abnormalities even if power is lost to the sub-controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the battery status detection circuit uses the battery block as its power source, then the circuit can be simplified and powered directly from the battery, but if an abnormality occurs in the battery block, power supply to the detection circuit is lost and it cannot detect the abnormality
Solution Approach 1:
A power conversion device is introduced as an intermediary between the battery block and the detection circuit. This device converts power from a different battery block or external source to supply the detection circuit, allowing it to remain operational even when its associated battery block becomes abnormal. The intermediary power conversion device breaks the direct dependency between the battery block and detection circuit power supply.
2Device complexity
If the abnormality detection element is connected to the same battery pack's sub-controller, then the detection system is simple, but the detection fails when power is lost to that sub-controller
Solution Approach 1:
The communication architecture uses other battery packs' sub-controllers as intermediaries to receive abnormality detection data. When one battery pack's sub-controller loses power, its abnormality detection elements can still transmit data through neighboring battery packs' sub-controllers, ensuring continuous monitoring capability across the entire battery system.
Solution Approach 2:
Sub-controllers of battery packs are designed to perform multiple functions: managing their own battery pack and also serving as communication relays for other battery packs. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain detection capabilities even when individual components fail, as other sub-controllers can assume additional monitoring responsibilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system includes a plurality of battery packs and a main controller. Each of the battery packs includes a pack case, a cell module including a plurality of battery cells disposed in the pack case, a sub-controller disposed in the pack case and electrically connected to the cell module to use the cell module as its power source, and an abnormality detection element that detects an abnormality in the entirety of the pack case. The main controller is communicably connected to each of the sub-controllers in the plurality of battery packs. The abnormality detection element of one of the plurality of battery packs is communicably connected to the sub-controller of another one of the battery packs.