Battery Pack Vibration Control Using SOH Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

The performance of traction batteries in electric vehicles degrades over time due to various stress factors, including temperature, state of charge, power levels, and vibrations, leading to reduced lifespan and increased environmental impact from frequent replacements.

Innovation Solution

A method that estimates the state of health of the electrical energy storage system, determines vibration data, and adapts vehicle control parameters such as speed profile, gear-shifting strategy, and dampening mechanisms to reduce the impact of vibrations on the battery's health, using a vibration-SOH model to correlate vibration magnitude and frequency with state of health.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If vehicle operates without vibration mitigation, then vehicle performance and productivity are maintained, but battery lifespan deteriorates due to vibration stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery lifespanVSAvoidvehicle performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of vibration conditions and proactively adjusts vehicle control parameters before excessive vibration damage occurs to the battery. The control unit monitors vibration magnitude and spectrum continuously, and preemptively modifies speed profiles, gear-shifting strategies, or dampening mechanisms to prevent vibration-induced battery degradation, thereby extending battery lifespan without significantly impacting vehicle performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Duration of action of moving object

If vibration mitigation measures are implemented, then battery lifespan is extended, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery lifespanVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the control unit continuously monitors vibration magnitude and frequency spectrum from sensors, assesses the impact on battery health using stored vibration-SOH models, and automatically adjusts vehicle control parameters in response. This closed-loop feedback system manages the complexity by using existing battery management infrastructure and predefined adjustment strategies, rather than requiring entirely new complex vibration mitigation hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages complexity by changing operational parameters (speed profile, gear-shifting strategy, dampening mechanism settings) rather than adding complex physical vibration isolation structures. The control unit modifies these parameters based on real-time vibration assessment and stored models of vibration impact on battery health, achieving vibration mitigation through software-based parameter optimization rather than complex mechanical systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If vibration impact is reduced through parameter adaptation, then battery health is preserved, but measurement and control difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery healthVSAvoidvibration assessment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of vibration conditions and proactively adjusts vehicle control parameters before excessive vibration damage occurs to the battery. The control unit monitors vibration magnitude and spectrum continuously, and preemptively modifies speed profiles, gear-shifting strategies, or dampening mechanisms to prevent vibration-induced battery degradation, thereby extending battery lifespan without significantly impacting vehicle performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Extends the lifespan of traction batteries by mitigating the effects of vibrations, reducing unnecessary downtime, and minimizing environmental impact while maintaining vehicle performance and passenger comfort.

Implementation Method 1

determining vibration data including mechanical vibration magnitude and vibration frequency spectrum of the electrical energy storage system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

adapting at least one vehicle control parameter to vary at least one of the vibration magnitude and the vibration frequency to reduce the degree of impact of the vibrations

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4389497A1Usage of vibration data and SOH feedback for controlling battery pack vibration
Publication Date: 2024.06.26 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4389497A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4389497A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4389497A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a computer implemented-method for improving a lifetime of an electrical energy storage system (2) adapted for providing propulsion power for a vehicle (1), the method comprising: estimating (S102) a present state of health of the electrical energy storage system; determining (S104) vibration data (5) including mechanical vibration magnitude and vibration frequency spectrum of the electrical energy storage system; determining (S106) a degree of impact (S) of the vibrations of the electrical energy storage system on the state of health of the electrical energy storage system by processing the determined vibration magnitude and vibration frequency spectrum in a vibration-SOH model (10) adapted to infer a relationship between vibration magnitude and vibration frequency spectrum, and state of health, and adapting (S110) at least one vehicle control parameter (P) to vary at least one of the vibration magnitude and the vibration frequency to reduce the determining a degree of impact of the vibrations of the electrical energy storage system.