Used Battery Storage with Internal SOC Equalization Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for storing used battery units do not effectively manage State of Charge (SOC) to prevent deterioration, leading to inefficient power consumption and increased electricity costs, and lack public interface compatibility with Battery Management Units (BMU) and Cell Control Units (CCU), hindering proper SOC recognition and management.

Innovation Solution

A storage system for used battery units that includes a memory unit for storing SOC ranges, a connection circuit, recognition units for current and voltage values, a selection unit for identifying discharge and charge targets, and a charge/discharge control unit to maintain SOC within predetermined ranges, utilizing power from discharging units to charge others and minimizing external power usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If used battery units are stored without SOC management, then storage simplicity is improved, but battery deterioration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage simplicityVSAvoidbattery deterioration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables battery units to serve themselves by automatically selecting discharge target units and charge target units from the stored batteries, performing charge-discharge cycles without external intervention to maintain SOC within predetermined ranges, thus suppressing deterioration while maintaining storage simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system monitors and adjusts the SOC parameter of battery units by dynamically selecting units for charging and discharging based on their current state, ensuring SOC remains within optimal ranges to prevent deterioration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If battery units are charged to maintain SOC, then deterioration is suppressed, but electricity cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeterioration suppressionVSAvoidelectricity cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system recovers energy by discharging selected battery units and using the generated power to charge other battery units, creating an internal energy circulation that reduces the need for external electricity supply while maintaining SOC levels to suppress deterioration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-charging by utilizing power from discharged battery units to charge other units, reducing dependence on external power sources and minimizing electricity costs while maintaining proper SOC levels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If BMU/CCU interfaces are accessed for SOC recognition, then SOC management accuracy is improved, but interface compatibility complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSOC recognition accuracyVSAvoidinterface compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a mediation mechanism that interfaces with the BMU/CCU of different battery manufacturers, translating and standardizing their proprietary interfaces to enable accurate SOC recognition across diverse battery units without requiring direct compatibility with each manufacturer's specific interface protocol

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3951999B1Used battery unit depository
Publication Date: 2024.01.03 TOYO SYSTEM CO LTD
  • EP3951999B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3951999B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3951999B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Provided is a storage for used battery units capable of economically storing a plurality of used battery units of various manufacturers while suppressing the deterioration of the used battery units during storage. The storage for used battery units includes: a selection unit that selects a discharge target battery unit and a charge target battery unit from among the plurality of used battery units on the basis of the current values and the voltage values of the plurality of used battery units in storage and the predetermined SOC range of each of the plurality of used battery units; and a charge/discharge control unit which causes a discharge target battery unit to be discharged and charges the discharged power into a charge target battery unit such that the SOCs of the discharge target battery unit and the charge target battery unit reach a predetermined SOC range.