Serial Battery Power Path Switching for Voltage Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems with serially connected battery cells face issues of voltage unbalance due to uneven power consumption, leading to instability in electric discharge.
Innovation Solution
A battery system with a first battery connected to a second battery of lower voltage, featuring a battery control unit and electric current control units that manage current flow to prevent voltage imbalance by selectively controlling the supply of power from some battery cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electric power is supplied from some battery cells among serially-connected battery cells, then the battery system can operate, but voltage unbalance expands and electric discharge is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the battery system into two separate power supply paths: one path supplies power to the battery control unit while another path supplies power to the relay. This segmentation prevents the relay from consuming power from the battery cells during normal operation, thereby preventing voltage unbalance while maintaining system operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a relay as an intermediary component that can be controlled to disconnect the power consumption path. By using the relay as a mediator, the system can selectively cut off power consumption from battery cells when not needed, preventing continuous power draw that causes voltage unbalance.
2Ease of operation
If battery cells continuously supply power, then the battery control unit operates, but power consumption causes voltage unbalance expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of power consumption by using a relay that can switch between connected and disconnected states. The relay's contact resistance changes dynamically based on operational needs, allowing the system to minimize power consumption while maintaining control unit operation, thereby preventing voltage unbalance expansion.
Data Source
AI summary
There is fear that some battery cells among battery cells which are serially connected may consume electric power all the time, thereby causing expansion of unbalance in voltage of the battery cells and hindering electric discharge of a battery system. When a second battery has a sufficient voltage, an electric current control board supplies operating power to a battery control unit and a relay via an external minus line and an external plus line. On the other hand, when the voltage of the second battery has decreased, the electric current control board supplies the operating power from a first battery to the battery control unit and the relay via an internal minus line and an internal plus line. A first electric current control unit and a second electric current control unit control the supply of the operating power according to, for example, the decrease in voltage of the second battery.