Battery System Variable Disconnection Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large battery systems face instability and safety risks due to increased physical connections, which can lead to accidents during natural disasters or maintenance, necessitating the ability to variably control disconnections between battery units to switch between high and low capacity and voltage states.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that includes switches and a control module to disconnect or connect interconnection lines based on sensed dangerous situations, using sensors to determine disconnection levels and transmit commands to switch control modules for safe power management and worker safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the number of physical connections between battery units is increased to provide large capacity and high voltage power, then the power supply capability is improved, but the system stability and safety deteriorate due to greater vulnerability to accidents and natural disasters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply capabilityVSAvoidsystem stability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery system is divided into multiple independent battery units (cells, modules, packs, systems) that can be individually disconnected through switches on interconnection lines. This segmentation allows the system to maintain large capacity and high voltage when needed while enabling selective isolation of problematic units to prevent accident propagation, thus resolving the contradiction between power supply capability and system stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If the battery system is designed with fixed physical connections to ensure high capacity and voltage output, then the power output is improved, but the adaptability to different operational conditions and emergency situations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower outputVSAvoidadaptability to operational conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The battery system incorporates dynamically controllable switches on interconnection lines that can adjust the physical connections between battery units in real-time. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt its capacity and voltage output according to different operational conditions and emergency situations, while maintaining the capability to provide large power output when required, thus resolving the contradiction between fixed power output and operational adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If manual disconnection control is implemented to convert the battery system into a small capacity and low voltage state, then the safety during maintenance is improved, but the operational efficiency and response time to dangerous situations deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety during maintenanceVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates sensors that automatically detect dangerous situations (such as abnormal temperature, smoke, or fire) and provide feedback to the control module. When a dangerous situation is detected, the control module automatically activates the switches to disconnect battery units, converting the system to a small capacity and low voltage state. This automatic feedback mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention, thereby maintaining high safety during maintenance while significantly improving operational efficiency and response time to dangerous situations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2634855B1Apparatus and method for variably controlling disconnection of interconnection lines in battery system
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 LG CHEM LTD
  • EP2634855B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2634855B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2634855B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for variably controlling the disconnection or connection of switch connections between battery units in a large battery system based on the degree of a sensed dangerous external situation to convert the battery system into a small capacity and low voltage state. The apparatus includes: switches provided to interconnection lines between battery assembly units to electrically connect or disconnect the interconnection lines; a switch control module adapted to apply on/off signals to the switches; and a disconnection control module adapted to control the switch control module based on a sensed dangerous level to vary the position and number of the target switches to be opened or closed and the disconnection intervals. According to the apparatus and method, dangerous external situations of a large battery system can be sensed and the disconnection of physical connections between the battery units can be variably controlled. Therefore, the battery system can be stabilized into a small capacity and low voltage state.