Battery Internal Short Detection Using Degradation Parameters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods fail to effectively detect internal short circuits in batteries, which can lead to efficiency reduction and safety hazards such as battery explosions due to thermal runaway.

Innovation Solution

A processor-implemented method using battery models to acquire and analyze degradation parameters like electrode balance shift and surface resistance to determine the occurrence of internal short circuits, allowing for timely intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional methods (current, voltage, capacity, temperature measurement) are used to detect short circuit, then detection capability is limited, but system complexity remains low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit detection capabilityVSAvoidbattery model complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing degradation parameter relationships in a battery model before actual short circuit detection. The model pre-establishes the correlation between electrode balance shift and surface resistance changes, enabling rapid and accurate short circuit detection without requiring complex real-time calculations when a short circuit event occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If battery operation continues without early detection, then productivity is maintained, but safety hazards increase due to thermal runaway

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery safetyVSAvoidbattery operation continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by detecting internal short circuits at an early stage using degradation parameters (electrode balance shift and surface resistance) before thermal runaway occurs. This early detection enables preventive measures to be taken, maintaining battery safety while minimizing interruption to operation by only suspending charging/discharging when actual short circuit is detected rather than continuously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If multiple degradation parameters are monitored, then detection accuracy improves, but measurement and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit detection accuracyVSAvoiddegradation parameter measurement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a battery model that acts as a mediator between basic measurements (current, voltage, temperature) and degradation parameters. The model translates easily obtainable basic measurements into degradation parameters (electrode balance shift, surface resistance) through established relationships, enabling accurate short circuit detection without requiring direct measurement of difficult-to-obtain degradation parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4198534B1Method and apparatus for detecting internal short circuit in battery
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4198534B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4198534B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4198534B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A method and apparatus for detecting an internal short circuit in a battery are provided. The method includes acquiring values of one or more basic parameters of the battery (610), acquiring values of one or more degradation parameters used in a battery model indicating an internal state of the battery based on the values of the one or more basic parameters (620), determining whether the internal short circuit occurs in the battery based on a first value of a first degradation parameter and a second value of a second degradation parameter from among the one or more degradation parameters (630), and performing an operation in response to the internal short circuit occurring in the battery.