Battery Categorization Using Two-Stage Safety and Service Life Evaluation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for categorizing batteries for further handling do not effectively separate safety and service life considerations, leading to inaccurate evaluations and inadequate determination of their suitability for reuse or recycling.

Innovation Solution

A two-stage evaluation method that records safety-relevant and service life-relevant operating variables for batteries, using Shannon entropy and Weibull distribution to derive a categorization variable, prioritizing safety over service life and determining a recycling category based on threshold values.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a single-stage evaluation method is used to categorize batteries, then the evaluation process is simple, but the categorization accuracy is insufficient because safety and service life considerations are not effectively separated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecategorization accuracyVSAvoidevaluation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation process is divided into two distinct stages: a first stage that evaluates safety-relevant operating parameters (voltage, temperature, current) and a second stage that evaluates service life-relevant parameters (cycle count, capacity degradation). This segmentation allows safety and service life considerations to be separately assessed and combined, improving categorization accuracy while maintaining manageable process complexity through structured progression.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If safety and service life parameters are combined in a single evaluation, then the evaluation process is simple, but the reliability of categorization is reduced due to inaccurate evaluations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecategorization reliabilityVSAvoidevaluation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The evaluation system is segmented into two independent evaluation streams: one dedicated to safety parameters (voltage, temperature, current) and another to service life parameters (cycle count, capacity degradation). Each stream processes its parameters independently through respective evaluation functions, then combines results to determine the final categorization. This segmentation enhances reliability by preventing safety issues from being masked by service life considerations, while the modular structure keeps system complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different evaluation criteria and threshold values are applied locally to different parameter types. Safety parameters use immediate threshold-based evaluation with strict limits, while service life parameters use progressive degradation models. This local differentiation ensures each parameter type is evaluated with appropriate criteria, improving overall categorization reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If detailed two-stage evaluation is implemented, then categorization accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the evaluation system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecategorization precisionVSAvoidevaluation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments evaluation into two sequential stages with clear boundaries. Stage 1 processes safety parameters through immediate threshold comparison, producing a safety assessment. Stage 2 processes service life parameters through degradation modeling, producing a service life assessment. The final categorization combines both assessments. This segmentation achieves high precision while controlling complexity through structured modularity and clear separation of concerns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of safety parameters in the first stage before proceeding to service life evaluation in the second stage. This preliminary action allows early identification of safety issues and structures the subsequent service life evaluation based on safety assessment results, improving overall precision while managing complexity through staged processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3866250B1Method for categorizing a battery with respect its suitability for further handling and battery recovery system
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3866250B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3866250B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3866250B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To categorize a battery (1) with regard to its suitability for further handling, a multitude of safety-relevant and service life-relevant operating parameters are recorded for at least one battery cell (4) of the battery (1) according to a specific procedure. A categorization parameter (SoR) is then determined by means of a two-stage evaluation of at least one of the operating parameters and/or a calculated parameter derived therefrom. In a first stage, a safety parameter is derived for at least one safety-relevant operating parameter and compared with an associated threshold value. If the threshold value, or one of the potentially multiple threshold values, is undershot, a failure prediction is generated in a second stage using a plurality of the service life-relevant operating parameters. The categorization parameter (SoR) is then determined based on the failure prediction.