Battery System Switching Matrix for Intermediate Voltage Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In electric vehicle traction batteries, series-connected cells with production-related variations in performance parameters lead to uneven charge conditions, affecting the overall performance, service life, and efficiency of the energy store, necessitating cell balancing methods to address these disparities.
Innovation Solution
A battery system utilizing a switching matrix to selectively use battery cells based on their charge condition to generate an intermediate voltage, reducing the aging process of cells and eliminating the need for a secondary battery by optimizing capacity utilization and employing DC current converters for galvanic separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a series connection of battery cells is used to generate high voltage, then the total voltage can span several hundred volts, but production-related variations cause uneven charge conditions among cells, reducing reliability and performance
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple cell groups, where each group contains a specific number of series-connected cells. The switching matrix can selectively connect different combinations of these groups to form various voltage levels. This segmentation allows the system to divide the battery into manageable units that can be independently managed and balanced, addressing the charge condition uniformity issue while maintaining high voltage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic voltage selection through a switching matrix that can reconfigure the battery connections in real-time. Based on the charge conditions of individual cells, the system dynamically selects which cells to include in the high-voltage series connection and which to use for intermediate voltage generation. This dynamic reconfiguration optimizes both the total voltage output and the charge distribution uniformity across all cells.
2Ease of operation
If a second battery is added to provide low voltage, then vehicle voltage can be provided, but system complexity and device weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the battery system universal by enabling it to provide multiple voltage levels (high voltage and intermediate/low voltage) from a single battery assembly. The switching matrix allows the same battery cells to be configured differently to output various voltages as needed. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate batteries for different voltage requirements, reducing system complexity and weight while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of high-voltage power supply and low-voltage supply into a single battery system. Instead of having separate batteries for traction power and auxiliary systems, the invention combines both functions into one unified battery assembly with a reconfigurable switching matrix. This consolidation reduces the number of components, simplifies the system structure, and decreases overall weight while providing both voltage levels when needed.
3Reliability
If cell balancing methods are used to equalize charge conditions, then performance and service life improve, but additional control complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic reconfiguration of battery connections based on real-time charge condition monitoring. The control system dynamically determines which cells should be connected in series for high-voltage output and which should be used to generate intermediate voltage for balancing purposes. This dynamic approach integrates balancing into the normal operation rather than requiring separate balancing circuits, reducing control complexity while extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery system performs self-balancing by using its own cells to generate intermediate voltage for equalizing charge conditions. Instead of requiring external balancing equipment or complex active balancing circuits, the system uses selected cells to directly provide voltage for charging other cells. This self-service approach simplifies the control system while improving reliability and service life through continuous balancing.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If individual cells are selectively used to generate intermediate voltage, then cell aging is slowed and capacity utilization is optimized, but switching control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching matrix provides dynamic reconfiguration capability that adapts to the real-time state of battery cells. The control system dynamically selects which cells to include in the intermediate voltage generation based on their charge conditions, cycle counts, and health status. This dynamic selection optimizes cell utilization and slows aging by rotating which cells provide intermediate voltage, while the modular switching architecture keeps the control complexity manageable through standardized control logic.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a battery system (10), comprising a battery module (11), which comprises a first high-voltage connection (12a), a second high-voltage connection (12b) and a multiplicity of battery cell modules (11a, . . . , 11n) which are connected in series between the first and second high-voltage connections, and a switching matrix (13). The switching matrix comprises a large number of switching rails (14), which are each connected to one of the nodes between in each case two of the battery cell modules which are connected in series, a multiplicity of first switching devices (15a), which are designed to connect in each case one of the switching rails (14) to a first low-voltage connection (13a) of the switching matrix (13), and a multiplicity of second switching devices (15b), which are designed to connect in each case one of the switching rails (14) to a second low-voltage connection (13b) of the switching matrix. In this case, a first total voltage (HV) of all of the battery cell modules (11a, . . . , 11n) which are connected in series is present between the first high-voltage connection (12a) and the second high-voltage connection (12b), and a second total voltage (LV) of some of the battery cell modules (11a, . . . , 11n) which are connected in series is present between the first low-voltage connection (13a) and the second low-voltage connection (13b), depending on the switching state of the first switching devices (15a) and the second switching devices (15b).