Mixed-Chemistry Battery Heating for Low-Temperature Cell Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mixed chemistry lithium-ion batteries, particularly those with nickel-manganese cobalt (NCM) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistries, face performance issues at low temperatures, as NCM batteries outperform LFP batteries below 20 degrees Celsius, necessitating an efficient heating solution to maintain optimal operation.
Innovation Solution
A mixed chemistry battery system with a heating system that includes resistive heating layers adjacent to the second battery cell and a liquid-cooled cooling plate, controlled by a battery monitoring system to selectively heat the first and second battery cells based on temperature thresholds, ensuring optimal performance across varying temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heating system is added to improve low-temperature performance, then battery functionality at low temperatures is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system applies different heating strategies to different battery cells based on their specific chemistry and temperature requirements. LFP cells receive heating when temperature is below threshold, while NCM cells are excluded from heating under certain conditions, creating localized quality control rather than uniform heating across all cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time temperature monitoring and battery chemistry identification. The battery management system activates or deactivates heating for specific cells based on current temperature conditions, creating a dynamic rather than static heating approach.
2Productivity
If selective heating control is implemented to maintain optimal performance, then battery efficiency is improved, but measurement and control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating control system segments the battery pack into different cell groups based on chemistry type (LFP vs. NCM). The system independently controls heating for each segment based on their specific requirements, allowing efficient optimization of each cell type while managing control complexity through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors temperature of individual battery cells and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust heating control. Temperature sensors provide real-time data to the battery management system, which then activates or deactivates heating elements based on predefined temperature thresholds and cell chemistry characteristics.
3Device complexity
If heating is applied to all battery cells uniformly, then simplicity of control is maintained, but harmful effects occur due to overheating certain cell types
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system implements local quality control by applying heating selectively to specific battery cell types based on their chemistry. LFP cells are heated when temperature is below threshold, while NCM cells are excluded from heating under certain conditions, preventing uniform heating that could cause overheating damage to sensitive cell types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary anti-action by preemptively preventing heating of NCM cells under conditions where heating would be harmful. The battery management system identifies NCM cell chemistry and pre-configures the heating control logic to exclude these cells from heating, preventing potential overheating damage before it can occur.
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
The system effectively maintains battery performance by selectively heating the battery cells, improving functionality at low temperatures and preventing overheating, thus enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of the mixed chemistry battery.
Implementation Method 1
The heating system includes one or more resistive heating layers disposed adjacent to the second battery cell
Implementation Method 2
The heating system includes a cooling plate disposed adjacent to the first battery cell and the second battery cell. The cooling plate is a liquid cooled and includes one or more valves that are controlled by the battery monitoring system
Data Source
AI summary
A mixed chemistry battery including a sensing cell having a first chemistry, a battery cell having a second chemistry that is different than the first chemistry. The mixed chemistry battery also includes a sensor configured to measure a temperature of the mixed chemistry battery and a heating system configured to heat the second battery cell. The mixed chemistry battery further includes a battery monitoring system configured to selectively connect the heating system to at least one of the first battery cell and the second battery cell based upon the temperature of the mixed chemistry battery.