Battery Short-Circuiting Mechanism for Low-Temperature Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Batteries experience performance degradation at low temperatures due to increased internal resistance, leading to insufficient power supply to connected equipment, with existing solutions like external heating devices being cumbersome, expensive, and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a short-circuiting mechanism within the battery, controlled by a temperature detector, to maintain the battery temperature above a predetermined threshold, utilizing a time duty cycle to ensure continuous operation and efficient heating with minimal energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If external heating devices with reactive products are used to heat the battery, then the battery temperature can be maintained, but the device becomes heavy and requires frequent renewal of reactive products
Solution Approach 1:
The battery itself serves as the heating device by utilizing its internal resistance to generate heat through controlled short-circuiting. The battery's own electrical energy is converted to thermal energy internally, eliminating the need for external heating devices and reactive products. This self-service approach resolves the contradiction by making the battery both the object to be heated and the heating source, thereby reducing weight and eliminating logistical constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating function is extracted from external devices and integrated into the battery's electrical system. By removing the external heating apparatus and reactive products, the solution eliminates their weight and maintenance requirements while achieving the same heating objective through internal electrical resistance heating during controlled short-circuit events.
2Temperature
If the battery is surrounded with a resistor for heating, then heating can be achieved, but the volume and weight of the battery increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is merged with the battery's existing electrical structure by using the battery terminals and internal resistance as the heating elements. Instead of adding external resistors around the battery, the solution combines the heating function with the battery's own electrical pathway, eliminating additional volume and weight while achieving effective heating through controlled short-circuiting.
Solution Approach 2:
The external resistor surrounding is extracted and replaced by utilizing the battery's internal resistance. This removal of external heating components eliminates their volume and weight contributions while achieving the same heating effect through internal electrical energy conversion during short-circuit events.
3Loss of energy
If thermal insulation is applied to the battery-resistor assembly, then heating efficiency improves, but the complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery's internal heating mechanism serves the heating function directly where it is needed, eliminating the need for external insulation layers and complex thermal management systems. By generating heat internally through controlled short-circuiting, the system achieves efficient heating without requiring additional insulation components, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining energy efficiency.
4Temperature
If continuous short-circuiting is applied to heat the battery, then temperature rises quickly, but excessive energy is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous short-circuiting, the solution employs periodic or duty-cycle controlled short-circuiting to heat the battery. The short-circuiting is activated only when needed to raise the battery temperature, and deactivated when the temperature threshold is reached. This periodic action achieves effective heating while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding continuous energy dissipation, thereby resolving the contradiction between heating speed and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
A temperature detection and control system provides feedback to regulate the short-circuiting process. The system monitors battery temperature and adjusts the short-circuiting duty cycle accordingly, activating heating when temperature is below threshold and deactivating when threshold is reached. This feedback control achieves effective heating while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary continuous short-circuiting.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively maintains battery temperature and ensures continuous power supply to equipment by using the short-circuiting mechanism to heat the battery internally, reducing energy consumption and logistical constraints.
Implementation Method 1
Short-circuiting the battery causes a sudden rise in temperature within it. The heating provided is particularly effective, since it intervenes at the heart of the battery
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves short circuiting a battery e.g. lithium ion battery until it reaches a temperature greater than a preset threshold. The battery is short circuited according to a predetermined temporal cyclic ratio for maintaining an electric equipment in permanent operation and for maintaining the temperature of the battery above the preset threshold. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) an electric equipment implementing an electric supply providing method; and (2) a battery implementing an electric supply providing method.