Battery Temperature Sensor Validation via Internal Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery systems face challenges in reducing the number of temperature sensors while maintaining accurate measurements, leading to increased construction space constraints and production costs, as well as higher risks of faulty sensor measurements due to limited sensor installation.

Innovation Solution

A method for validating a temperature sensor in a battery system by determining internal resistance and state of charge of battery cells, using a lookup table or functional relationship to derive reference temperatures, allowing for the validation of a single temperature sensor based on characteristic values already obtained in battery systems, thereby reducing the need for additional sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the number of temperature sensors is reduced, then construction space and production costs are improved, but the risk of faulty sensor measurements increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of temperature sensorsVSAvoidsensor measurement reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cell itself serves as the reference for validating the temperature sensor by providing electrical parameters (voltage, current, internal resistance) that are used to calculate an expected temperature through equivalent circuit models. This self-validation mechanism eliminates the need for additional reference sensors while maintaining measurement reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

An equivalent circuit model acts as an intermediary between the electrical measurements and temperature validation. The model translates electrical parameters (voltage, current, internal resistance) into an expected temperature value, which then serves as a reference for validating the actual temperature sensor readings without requiring direct physical comparison with another sensor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If the number of temperature sensors is reduced, then production costs are decreased, but measurement accuracy may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidtemperature measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cell's own electrical characteristics are used to generate a reference temperature for validating the sensor, eliminating the need for expensive additional sensors while maintaining measurement accuracy through the self-validation approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The validation method transforms electrical parameters (voltage, current, internal resistance) into a thermal parameter (expected temperature) through equivalent circuit models, allowing cross-validation between different physical domains to ensure measurement accuracy without additional temperature sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If cross comparison of multiple sensors is used for validation, then sensor reliability is improved, but the number of required sensors increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor validation capabilityVSAvoidnumber of sensors
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring multiple sensors to validate each other, the system uses the battery cell's own electrical measurements to validate the temperature sensor, creating a self-validation mechanism that maintains reliability without increasing sensor quantity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The equivalent circuit model provides a feedback mechanism by calculating an expected temperature from electrical parameters and comparing it with the actual sensor reading. This closed-loop validation ensures sensor reliability without requiring additional sensors for cross-comparison.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3579006B1Validation of a temperature sensor of a battery cell
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP3579006B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3579006B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for validating a temperature sensor, particularly a temperature sensor utilized in a battery module or battery system. The method comprises the step of determining an internal resistance of at least one battery cell in thermal contact with the temperature sensor and the step of determining a state of charge, SOC, of the at least one battery cell. By utilizing these common specific parameters of a battery cell at least one reference temperature is determined from a lookup table, LUT, or a functional relationship, either of which is connecting the internal resistance, the SOC, and the temperature of a reference battery cell. The so obtained at least one reference temperature is then compared with at least one temperature measurement of the temperature sensor. Preferably, a difference is determined between the at least one reference temperature and the temperature measurement of the temperature sensor. Validation of the temperature sensor may be performed based on whether or not the difference exceeds a preconfigured threshold.