Cyclic Switching Control for Parallel Battery Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging/discharging devices require expensive power sources with high current supply capacity when multiple secondary cells perform charge/discharge operations concurrently in parallel, leading to increased device costs and potential issues with operation if one cell fails.
Innovation Solution
A charging/discharging device with a power unit, multiple power lines for charging and discharging, connection switching units, and a switching control unit that cyclically connects charge/discharge members to power lines to prevent temporal overlap of current peaks, allowing for parallel operation without a high current supply capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple secondary cells perform charge/discharge operations concurrently in parallel using a high current supply power source, then charge/discharge operations can be performed simultaneously, but device cost increases due to expensive power source
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by cyclically switching the connection of each secondary cell to power lines in a predetermined order. The switching control unit controls connection switching units to connect each secondary cell to power lines for charging and discharging in cycles, ensuring that current peaks do not overlap temporally. This periodic switching enables multiple cells to undergo charge/discharge operations sequentially rather than simultaneously, reducing the required current supply capacity while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the connection configuration dynamic through switching control. The connection switching units dynamically change which secondary cells are connected to which power lines based on the operational phase. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to optimize current distribution and prevent temporal overlap of current peaks, enabling concurrent operations with a lower current capacity power source.
2Productivity
If multiple secondary cells perform charge/discharge operations concurrently in parallel, then operation efficiency increases, but reliability decreases if one cell fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the power distribution system into independent connection paths. Each secondary cell can be independently connected or disconnected from power lines through individual connection switching units. This segmentation ensures that a failure in one secondary cell does not affect the operation of other cells, as each cell has its own controllable connection path to the power lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies feedback through the switching control unit that monitors and controls the connection state of each secondary cell. The control unit receives information about the operational status of cells and adjusts connections accordingly, ensuring that failed cells can be isolated while maintaining operations for healthy cells, thus improving system reliability.
3Power
If a high current supply power source is used for parallel charge/discharge operations, then sufficient power is available, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by implementing cyclic switching of cell connections to power lines. By controlling the timing of connections in a periodic manner, the system ensures that current demands from multiple cells do not peak simultaneously. This reduces the required current supply capacity of the power source, allowing the use of a less complex and lower-specification power source while still supporting multiple concurrent operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces connection switching units as intermediary components between the power lines and secondary cells. These switching units act as mediators that control and regulate the flow of current, preventing direct simultaneous high-current draws from multiple cells. This intermediary control mechanism reduces the burden on the power source, enabling the use of a simpler power source with adequate but not excessive current capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A charging/discharging device performs charging and discharging on a plurality of secondary cells concurrently in parallel, without adopting a power source having an extremely high current supply capacity. A plurality of switching units controlled by a switching control unit are interposed respectively between the secondary cells and each of a plurality of charging power lines and discharging power lines. A power unit applies voltages having mutually-different voltage values and the switching control unit controls switching so that the respective secondary cells are connected cyclically in predetermined order to the charging and discharge power lines.