Battery Voltage Balancing via Segmented Cuk Regulator Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy storage systems face inefficiencies due to voltage imbalances between batteries, which worsen as the number of batteries increases, limiting the system's capacity and posing risks such as overcharging and potential explosions, especially in Li and Li-Ion batteries.
Innovation Solution
An energy storage system with a regulator circuit and controller that balances voltages across sets of batteries by using switchable connections and energy storage units, minimizing voltage imbalances and distributing bypass energy to maintain equilibrium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of batteries in series is increased to enhance energy storage capacity, then the energy storage capability is improved, but voltage imbalances between batteries worsen, leading to decreased system efficiency and increased safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the series-connected batteries into multiple parallel strings or groups, with each string containing a subset of batteries. Regulator circuits are applied to each string independently to balance voltages within that string. This segmentation allows the system to scale to more batteries while maintaining voltage balance through localized regulation, resolving the contradiction between increasing battery quantity and maintaining voltage balance reliability.
2Quantity of substance
If more batteries are connected in series to increase energy storage, then the energy storage capacity is improved, but the complexity of voltage balancing increases, requiring more sophisticated regulation systems
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing batteries into multiple strings and applying regulator circuits to each string independently, the patent reduces the complexity of the overall balancing system. Each regulator circuit manages only a subset of batteries, making the control logic simpler and more modular. This segmentation approach allows scaling to more batteries without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies voltage balancing to each individual string or group of batteries rather than attempting to balance all batteries in the system simultaneously. This partial action approach simplifies the regulation task for each controller, as it only needs to manage a subset of batteries, thereby reducing overall system complexity while still achieving effective voltage balance across the entire energy storage system.
3Loss of energy
If traditional voltage balancing methods are used, then the system can operate, but energy losses increase significantly, especially as the number of batteries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery system into multiple strings with dedicated regulator circuits for each string. This segmentation enables more efficient voltage balancing because each regulator operates on a smaller subset of batteries, reducing the total energy loss associated with balancing operations. The localized regulation minimizes unnecessary energy dissipation that would occur in traditional centralized balancing approaches, especially as the overall number of batteries increases.
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
The solution efficiently minimizes voltage imbalances, reducing energy losses to as low as 1-3% and enabling the use of more batteries in series without the need for costly cell voltage balancing, thus enhancing the overall efficiency and safety of the energy storage system.
Implementation Method 1
The regulator circuit may comprise at least one switchable connection and at least one energy storage unit. The at least one switchable connection may connect the at least one energy storage unit to the two sets of batteries.
Implementation Method 2
The regulator circuit is configured to balance voltages across the two sets of the batteries through controlled current flow and energy redistribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are herein disclosed for efficiently and cost-effectively balancing the voltages across batteries and/or cells in an energy storage system. A controller monitors the battery voltages and instructs regulator circuits to balance voltages between any batteries or sets of batteries having imbalanced voltages. Regulator circuits implementing a modified Ćuk converter can be utilized. Regulator circuits can have two capacitive circuits, one inductive circuit, and two switches. Two capacitors, an inductor, and two field effect transistors can be used in each regulator circuit.