Battery Voltage Modulation via Composite Cell Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive vehicles with electric propulsion face efficiency issues due to voltage decline in traction batteries, leading to decreased motor efficiency and charger degradation, as well as cell imbalance and reduced battery capacity and lifetime.
Innovation Solution
The accumulator battery architecture allows cells to be grouped into composite cells with adjustable connections in series or parallel, controlled by a network with breaker switches and a microcontroller to maintain optimal voltage and balance cell charges, ensuring efficient operation and extended battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If cells are connected in series to increase voltage, then voltage level is improved, but cell imbalance and charging efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple composite cells, each containing a subset of battery cells that can be independently configured. This segmentation allows different composite cells to have different internal connections (series or parallel), enabling the system to address cell imbalance by distributing charge/discharge patterns across segmented groups rather than treating all cells uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection configuration within composite cells is made dynamic through controllable switching means (breakers) that can change the series/parallel arrangement based on real-time cell state monitoring. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt to varying cell conditions, optimizing both voltage output and charge balance throughout the battery's operational life.
2Power
If cells are connected in series to reach 400V, then voltage requirement is met, but motor efficiency and charging efficiency deteriorate when voltage declines
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of cells connected in series within composite cells based on real-time voltage monitoring and motor efficiency requirements. When voltage declines below optimal levels for motor efficiency, the system reconfigures composite cells to maintain the desired voltage output, thereby preserving motor efficiency throughout the battery's discharge cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the electrical configuration parameters (series/parallel arrangement) of composite cells in response to voltage variations. By altering the connection topology, the system maintains optimal voltage levels for motor operation and charging efficiency, effectively decoupling the fixed physical cell arrangement from the operational voltage requirements.
3Ease of manufacture
If cells are placed in fixed zones with different cooling, then manufacturing is simplified, but cell constraints and capacity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into composite cells that can be independently configured and managed. This segmentation allows cells in different thermal zones to be grouped into separate composite cells with independent connection control, enabling the system to compensate for thermal variations through differential configuration rather than requiring uniform cell performance across all zones.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery of accumulators including a plurality of power storage cells and an electrical network which connects the cells to one another. The cells are grouped together in composite cells including two identical branches each including at least one cell and the composite cells being connected in series to one another. The electrical network includes: a mechanism for parallel or connection in series of the cells of each composite cell, and a mechanism for controlling the connection mechanism, which is configured to connect the cells of each composite cell in parallel or in series to adapt an output voltage of the battery of accumulators to a desired value and to balance charging states of the cells.