Inductor Battery Balancing Circuit Without Transformers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery balancing circuits suffer from low efficiency, large size, and high cost due to inefficiencies in energy transfer and the use of components like transformers.
Innovation Solution
A battery balancing circuit utilizing bridge arms with high-side and low-side switches coupled to an inductor, allowing for alternating energy transfer between battery cells through selective coupling of switches, reducing the need for transformers and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional battery balancing circuits use transformers for energy transfer, then energy transfer is achieved, but circuit size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the transformer component from the battery balancing circuit, replacing it with a simplified topology using bridge arms, switches, and capacitors. This extraction eliminates the bulky transformer while maintaining energy transfer functionality through alternative circuit mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the electromagnetic transformation mechanism (transformer) with an electrical switching and capacitance-based energy transfer mechanism. The bridge arm topology with controllable switches and capacitors replaces the mechanical/electromagnetic coupling of transformers, achieving energy transfer through electrical field manipulation rather than magnetic field coupling.
2Loss of energy
If traditional battery balancing circuits use transformers, then energy transfer is achieved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the transformer component from the battery balancing circuit, replacing it with a simplified topology using bridge arms, switches, and capacitors. This extraction eliminates the bulky transformer while maintaining energy transfer functionality through alternative circuit mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex transformers with cheaper, simpler components such as switches, capacitors, and bridge arms. These simpler components are more readily available, easier to manufacture, and significantly reduce the overall circuit cost while maintaining functional equivalence.
3Device complexity
If battery cells are left unbalanced, then circuit complexity is reduced, but capacity and life span decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery pack into multiple groups (first battery group and second battery group) and uses bridge arms to selectively connect and balance individual cells or groups. This segmentation allows targeted balancing of unbalanced cells without requiring complex circuitry to handle the entire pack simultaneously, reducing overall circuit complexity while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamically controllable switches in the bridge arm topology that can be selectively turned on and off based on the balancing needs of different battery cells. This dynamic control allows the circuit to adapt to varying imbalance conditions, providing effective balancing with simpler, more flexible circuitry compared to fixed-configuration traditional circuits.
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
Enhances energy transfer efficiency and reduces circuit size and cost by enabling balanced energy distribution across battery cells without the need for transformers.
Implementation Method 1
Each middle node of the m bridge arms is configured to be coupled to a first terminal of an inductor... alternately turned on and off to couple the first terminal of the inductor to an anode of a first target battery cell
Data Source
AI summary
A battery balancing circuit for a battery pack with n battery cells connected in series is provided. The battery balancing circuit includes m bridge arms. Each of the m bridge arms includes a high-side switch and a low-side switch. A second terminal of the high-side switch is coupled to a first terminal of the low-side switch to form a middle node. Each middle node of the m bridge arms is coupled to a first terminal of an inductor. One of the m high-side switches and one of the m low-side switches are selected as a pair of operating switches, and alternately turned on and off to couple the first terminal of the inductor to an anode of a first target battery cell from a first battery group of the battery pack and a cathode of a second target battery cell from a second battery group of the battery pack.