Battery Service Unit for High Voltage Pack Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy storage systems, particularly high voltage battery packs used in electric vehicles, require maintenance and management operations that cannot be performed without the battery pack being installed in an operational vehicle, especially in situations where the vehicle or its environment is degraded or compromised, making it difficult to ensure safe charging and discharging without the necessary safety structures.
Innovation Solution
A battery service unit with independently powered charger and discharger components, along with an operating environment simulator, allows for the management and maintenance of high energy battery packs outside of an operational vehicle environment, enabling charging and discharging through primary or secondary high voltage ports, and automatically setting the state of charge (SOC) levels, even when the battery pack is not installed in an operational EV.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery pack is installed in an operational EV to provide safety structures and interfaces, then charging and discharging operations can be performed safely, but the system cannot be serviced when the vehicle is degraded, compromised, or unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a battery service unit as an intermediary device that provides the necessary safety structures and interfaces between the battery pack and the external environment. This service unit replicates the functions normally provided by the vehicle's operational infrastructure, enabling safe charging and discharging operations even when the vehicle is degraded, compromised, or unavailable. The service unit acts as a mediator that bridges the gap between the battery pack's safety requirements and the absence of vehicle-provided safety structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery service unit copies or replicates the safety structures, interfaces, and control mechanisms that would normally be provided by an operational vehicle. By creating a standalone service unit that mimics the vehicle's battery management capabilities, the system enables servicing operations without requiring the original vehicle infrastructure. This copying approach allows the battery pack to be safely serviced in storage, transport, recycling, or emergency situations where the vehicle is not available.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the battery pack is serviced outside the vehicle environment, then servicing can be performed in storage, transport, and recycling scenarios, but the battery management system cannot verify the operating environment is safe
Solution Approach 1:
The battery service unit is independently powered and self-contained, providing all necessary safety structures, interfaces, and control mechanisms without requiring the vehicle environment. The service unit performs self-verification of safety conditions through its own sensors, controllers, and monitoring systems, eliminating the need for the battery management system to verify external operating environment safety. This self-service capability enables servicing in storage, transport, and recycling scenarios where the vehicle is not present.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple access mechanisms are provided for charging and discharging, then the battery pack can be serviced in various scenarios, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery service unit is designed as a universal, multi-functional device that integrates multiple access mechanisms, safety structures, and control interfaces into a single standalone unit. Rather than requiring separate vehicle infrastructure and multiple specialized servicing devices, the service unit combines all necessary functions into one versatile system. This multi-functionality allows the same service unit to handle charging, discharging, monitoring, and safety verification across all servicing scenarios (storage, transport, recycling, emergency), reducing overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for providing energy management and maintenance of a high energy battery pack that does not require installation of the battery pack into an operational EV. A battery service unit has multiple access mechanisms to charge or discharge a high energy battery pack through a primary or secondary high voltage port of the pack, irrespective of whether the battery pack is installed into an operating environment by adding a capability of providing a signature duplicating installation of the pack in the operating environment when necessary.