ESS Battery Pack Counting via AFE Voltage and SPI Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Accurately determining the number of battery packs in an energy storage system (ESS) is challenging due to modular configurations and potential errors during manufacturing, which affects electricity storage, output, and performance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using analog front-ends (AFEs) to calculate and confirm the number of AFEs through voltage measurement and serial communication, employing a daisy chain connection and SPI communication to ensure accurate detection of battery packs without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ESS configuration is made modular and variable to accommodate diverse applications, then the adaptability of the ESS is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the number of battery packs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection apparatus utilizes existing components within the ESS (battery packs, AFEs, communication lines) to perform self-detection of the battery pack number. The system uses the existing communication infrastructure and voltage measurement capabilities already present in the modular ESS to automatically determine the configuration without requiring external disassembly or specialized detection equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual counting or physical disassembly methods with electronic detection methods. Instead of mechanically opening the ESS to count battery packs, the system uses voltage measurement and serial communication to electronically determine the number of battery packs, thereby substituting mechanical detection with electrical/electronic detection.
2Device complexity
If manual counting methods are used to determine the number of battery packs, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and reliability of the detected number decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The detection apparatus employs feedback mechanisms where the measured voltage information and communication responses from individual battery packs are used to verify and confirm the total count. The system cross-checks the calculated number of battery packs against actual communication responses, providing feedback validation that ensures accurate detection even in complex modular configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection apparatus that acts as a mediator between the battery packs and the external system. This intermediary device collects voltage measurements and communication data from the battery packs, processes this information, and determines the accurate battery pack number, thereby bridging the gap between simple measurement and precise detection.
3Measurement precision
If the ESS is disassembled to accurately count battery packs, then the measurement precision is improved, but the loss of time and productivity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detection apparatus performs preliminary detection actions by measuring voltage and establishing communication with battery packs while the ESS remains assembled. Instead of requiring disassembly first, the system prepares and executes detection procedures in advance, obtaining accurate battery pack counts without the time-consuming disassembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a method and an apparatus for automatically detecting the number of battery packs in an ESS. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the method includes calculating the number of analog front-ends (AFEs) through measurement of voltage of an entire ESS, confirming the number of AFEs using serial communication with the AFEs, determining whether the number of AFEs calculated through the measurement of voltage of the entire ESS and the number of AFEs determined through the serial communication with the AFEs are the same, and when the number of AFEs calculated through the measurement of voltage of the entire ESS and the number of AFEs confirmed through the serial communication with the AFEs are the same, calculating the number of battery packs using the number of AFEs.