Battery Stack Control via Power Converters for Local Maintenance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Large batteries with multiple stacks of electrochemical cells face challenges in managing individual stack operations while maintaining a global operating strategy, particularly in ensuring consistent state of charge, capacity variations, and safety, without interfering with overall battery performance.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that allows for simultaneous execution of local and global operating strategies within a battery management system, where specific stacks can operate under different modes (e.g., constant power, current, or voltage) to maintain balance and safety, using power converters to control individual stack interactions with the battery bus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If individual stack operations are managed independently, then diagnostic tests and maintenance can be performed on specific stacks, but the global battery operation may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndividual stack maintenance and diagnosticsVSAvoidGlobal battery operation consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery system is divided into multiple independently controllable stacks, each with its own power converter. This segmentation allows individual stacks to be managed separately for diagnostics and maintenance while the overall battery system maintains global operation through coordinated control of all stacks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different stacks can operate under different local operating strategies tailored to their specific conditions (state of charge, capacity, temperature). Each stack's power converter adjusts operating parameters locally while contributing to the global battery performance, enabling customized maintenance without affecting other stacks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If power converters control individual stack interactions with the battery bus, then capacity variations and state of charge balance can be managed, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveState of charge consistencyVSAvoidPower converter system architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each power converter is designed as a multi-functional device that performs multiple tasks: controlling individual stack state of charge, balancing capacity variations, enabling diagnostic modes, and maintaining global battery operation. This universal design consolidates functions that would otherwise require separate systems, managing complexity through integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The power converters dynamically adjust operating parameters (voltage, current, power levels) of individual stacks based on real-time conditions. By changing parameters adaptively, the system maintains state of charge consistency and manages capacity variations without requiring complex structural modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If a stack operates in a local mode different from others, then optimization and diagnostics can be performed, but maintaining global operating strategy becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveLocal operating mode flexibilityVSAvoidControl strategy coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system dynamically switches stacks between different operating modes (normal operation, diagnostic mode, maintenance mode) based on system needs. Each stack can transition to a local mode for optimization or diagnostics when required, while the control architecture dynamically coordinates these changes to maintain the global operating strategy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the state of each stack and provides feedback to the control architecture. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect when a stack deviates from global strategy due to local mode operation and automatically adjust other stacks or the deviating stack to restore global coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11699909B1Controllers for managing a plurality of stacks of electrochemical cells, and associated methods

Publication Date: 2023.07.11 ELEMENT ENERGY INC

AI summary

A method for managing a plurality of stacks of electrochemical cells, where the plurality of stacks are electrically coupled in parallel in a battery. The method includes (a) operating the plurality of stacks to execute a global operating strategy of the battery, (b) changing respective operating points of one or more first stacks of the plurality of stacks to execute a local operating strategy, and (c) changing respective operating points of one or more second stacks of the plurality of stacks to maintain the global operating strategy of the battery while executing the local operating strategy.