Dual Power Module Battery System for Continuous Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply systems for critical electronic devices, such as implanted heart pumps, often fail to provide continuous power when battery cell failures occur, as they either shut down entirely or require redundant battery packs that increase cost and reduce efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system comprising two power modules and a set of battery cells, where one module provides power when cells are within an operational range, and the second module takes over by using the voltage from remaining functional cells to maintain a stable output when cells fail, ensuring continuous operation without the need for redundant packs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a control circuit shuts down the power supply system when battery cells fail, then the power supply system is protected from damage, but continuous power supply is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively identifies and isolates failed battery cells before they can cause damage to the power supply system or load device. The control circuit continuously monitors cell health and preemptively disconnects problematic cells through switching circuitry, preventing potential damage while maintaining power supply to functional cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is divided into individually controllable cell segments. Each battery cell can be independently monitored and disconnected via separate switching circuitry, allowing the system to isolate only the failed cells while keeping the remaining functional cells operational and connected to the load device.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If a redundant battery pack is used to provide continuous power, then continuous power supply is maintained, but cost increases and efficiency reduces
Solution Approach 1:
The existing battery cells in the pack serve dual purposes: they provide power during normal operation and automatically become the backup power source when failures occur. The system uses its own functional cells to compensate for failed cells through voltage regulation and power management, eliminating the need for separate redundant battery packs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts operational parameters such as voltage and current distribution across the battery cells based on their individual health states. When some cells fail, the control circuit redistributes the power demands among the remaining functional cells, adjusting their operating parameters to maintain the required output voltage and power delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a power supply system includes two power modules each configured to be electrically coupled to a set of battery cells. The set of battery cells produces a first voltage when in a first operational state, and a second voltage when in a second operational state. The second voltage is less than the first voltage. The first power module is configured to provide a third voltage to a load device that is substantially equal to the first voltage, when the set of battery cells is in the first operational state. The second power module is configured to provide a fourth voltage to the load device that is substantially equal to the first voltage, when the set of battery cells is in the second operational state.