Battery Pack Power Path Fault Detection by Parameter Deviation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Energy storage systems in electric vehicles face potential power path faults such as disconnections, increased resistance, and arcing, leading to thermal events and fire risks, which existing technologies struggle to detect and mitigate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A device that monitors energy storage elements by comparing parameter values of individual elements against aggregate functions of other elements, detecting deviations beyond thresholds to identify power path faults, and triggers disconnection or alerts to isolate faulty elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional monitoring methods are used for energy storage systems, then device complexity is reduced, but power path fault detection capability is insufficient leading to safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors parameters of energy storage elements and compares them with historical data and thresholds, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that detects deviations indicating power path faults. This enables real-time safety monitoring while maintaining manageable system complexity through algorithmic rather than hardware-intensive approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a monitoring device that acts as an intermediary between the energy storage elements and the control system. This intermediary processes parameter data, performs comparisons with aggregate values, and triggers alerts or isolation actions, thereby enhancing fault detection capability without requiring direct complex integration into each energy storage element.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If no fault detection system is implemented, then device complexity remains low, but thermal events and fire risks cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of power path faults by continuously monitoring parameters and comparing them against thresholds before thermal events can occur. By detecting deviations in voltage, current, or temperature parameters early, the system can trigger isolation actions preemptively, preventing harmful thermal events rather than responding after they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts potentially harmful undetected faults into detectable parameter deviations. By monitoring electrical parameters that change when power path faults occur, the system transforms the harmful effect (fault development) into a detectable signal that triggers protective actions, thereby converting a safety risk into a controlled event.
3Measurement precision
If detailed parameter monitoring of each energy storage element is performed, then fault detection precision is improved, but loss of information and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the monitoring of multiple energy storage elements by comparing each element's parameters against aggregate values derived from all elements. This combining approach enables precise detection of individual element deviations while processing data in a unified manner, reducing overall processing overhead compared to independently analyzing each element with full detail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial monitoring by focusing on key parameters (voltage, current, temperature) that indicate power path faults, rather than comprehensively monitoring all possible parameters. This selective monitoring approach maintains high detection precision for critical faults while minimizing data processing overhead by ignoring less relevant parameters.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (100) for power path fault detection in an energy storage system, ESS, (130) is provided. The device is configured to obtain values (120) for a parameter of energy storage elements (such as battery packs; 132-1 to 130-N) of the ESS; to determine a deviation of the value of a first energy storage element (132-i) from an aggregate function value, wherein the aggregate function value is formed based on values of the parameter for one or more other energy storage elements than the first energy storage element. The device is configured to determine that the deviation is beyond a first threshold value and, in response thereto, detect a power path fault pertinent to the first energy storage element. A corresponding method, ESS, vehicle, computer program and storage medium are also provided.