Battery Charge Control Using Pressure Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery charging systems stop charging prematurely due to overvoltage, leading to incomplete energy storage in degraded batteries, as they do not account for internal pressure changes and overvoltage caused by degradation, resulting in reduced energy availability and potential battery damage.
Innovation Solution
A charging control system that uses temperature, voltage, and pressure sensing to determine a threshold pressure change for full charge, allowing charging to continue beyond initial upper limit voltage if pressure change is within set limits, and terminating charging when pressure change exceeds the threshold, while compensating for creep in battery components by modifying map data based on initial pressure and temperature measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If charging stops when voltage reaches upper bound to prevent overcharging, then battery safety is improved, but energy storage completeness deteriorates due to premature termination in degraded batteries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces internal pressure as an intermediary parameter to mediate between voltage-based safety control and energy storage completeness. Pressure sensors monitor internal pressure changes that occur during degradation, allowing the system to distinguish between safe and unsafe charging states in degraded batteries, thereby enabling continued charging beyond traditional voltage limits when pressure conditions permit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the charging control parameter from solely voltage-based to a combined voltage-pressure parameter system. By monitoring internal pressure changes alongside voltage, the system dynamically adjusts charging termination criteria, allowing the upper voltage limit to be exceeded when pressure changes indicate the battery can safely accommodate additional charge, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and energy storage completeness.
2Use of energy by moving object
If charging continues beyond upper bound voltage to fully charge degraded batteries, then energy storage completeness is improved, but risk of overcharging and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism using internal pressure sensors to continuously monitor battery state during charging. The pressure change information feeds back to the charging control system, which adjusts charging parameters in real-time. When pressure changes approach threshold values indicating potential damage, the system automatically terminates or reduces charging, preventing overcharging damage while allowing extended charging for energy completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static voltage-based charging limit into a dynamic control system that adapts to battery degradation state. The charging termination voltage becomes a dynamic parameter that varies based on real-time pressure measurements, allowing the system to safely extend charging into previously forbidden voltage ranges when degradation patterns indicate safety, thereby improving energy storage completeness without increasing damage risk.
3Device complexity
If traditional voltage-based charging control is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but charging accuracy deteriorates due to degradation-induced overvoltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the charging control system by adding multi-functionality: the existing voltage monitoring continues for safety, while new pressure sensing adds degradation detection and charging accuracy functions. This universal approach allows a single integrated system to handle both safety control and accurate state-of-charge determination, improving measurement precision without completely replacing the existing simple voltage-based control.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging control system for a battery includes a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, a pressure sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine a threshold pressure change associated with a full charge of the battery based on map data selected from a predetermined data map associated with the battery, monitor a present voltage value obtained by the voltage sensing means and a total pressure change based on a present pressure value obtained by the pressure sensing means, continue the charging process when the present voltage value exceeds an upper limit voltage value, and total pressure change is less than threshold pressure change, and terminate the charging process when the present voltage value exceeds the upper limit voltage value, and the total pressure change is greater than or equal to the threshold pressure change.