Modular Battery Pack with ORing FET Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional battery pack designs face challenges such as increased potential for single points of failure, data loss, and performance impact due to conditioning requirements, which necessitate a scalable, flexible, and fault-tolerant solution.
Innovation Solution
A modular battery pack system with parallel-connected sub-modules, an isolation system using ORing FETs, and a conditioning system that allows selective discharging and replacement of sub-modules, managed by a supervisory control unit, enabling discrete isolation and conditioning of individual sub-modules while maintaining system availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional battery pack designs are used with large capacity energy sources, then the system can handle larger memory sizes and maintain operation during power failure, but the potential for single points of failure increases and data loss exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple independent battery modules, each with its own protection circuitry and control capabilities. This segmentation allows the system to maintain operation even if one module fails, eliminating single points of failure while managing large capacity requirements through distributed architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Each battery module is equipped with localized protection circuits and management capabilities rather than relying on a centralized control system. This local quality ensures that failures are contained to individual modules and do not propagate system-wide, maintaining overall system reliability without increasing overall complexity.
2Reliability
If battery conditioning is performed on traditional battery packs, then cell life and balancing are improved, but the caching mechanism must be shut down for extended periods resulting in lower performance
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple independent modules that can operate autonomously. During conditioning of one module, other modules continue to provide power to the caching mechanism, eliminating the need to shut down the system and maintaining productivity while still achieving reliable cell health management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous power delivery to the caching mechanism during battery conditioning operations by using other healthy modules to supply power. This ensures uninterrupted operation and sustained productivity while conditioning processes occur in the background on specific modules.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the energy source capacity is increased to handle larger memory sizes, then the system can maintain operation during power failure, but the potential for single points of failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
Large energy storage capacity is achieved through parallel connection of multiple battery modules rather than using a single large-capacity battery. This segmentation provides both the required duration of operation during power failures and reduces failure risk through redundancy, as the system can continue operating with remaining modules even if one fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates spare battery modules that can be quickly activated to replace failed modules, providing beforehand cushioning against failures. This ensures continuous operation and maintains reliability while providing sufficient power supply duration for data protection operations.
4Device complexity
If traditional battery designs are used, then the system structure is simpler, but fault tolerance is reduced and serviceability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into standardized, independently replaceable modules with uniform interfaces and connection protocols. This segmentation enables easy serviceability where individual modules can be quickly swapped without affecting other modules, and the modular structure maintains reasonable overall system complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
All battery modules use identical standardized interfaces, connectors, and communication protocols, making them universally interchangeable. This universality greatly enhances serviceability as any module can replace any other, simplifying repair operations while the standardized design prevents exponential growth in system complexity.
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 modular design reduces performance impact during conditioning, enhances fault tolerance, and allows for scalable energy capacity, maintaining system availability and reducing single points of failure.
Implementation Method 1
The isolation system may utilize an ORing FET for each of the battery sub-modules, with each ORing FET operably connected at its input with an output of a corresponding battery sub-module and operably connected at its output with the output of the other ORing FETs.
Implementation Method 2
a conditioning system for conditioning a battery sub-module by discharging at least a portion of the battery sub-module
Data Source
AI summary
A modular battery pack system including a plurality of battery sub-modules operably connected in parallel and an isolation system configured to discretely isolate any one of the battery sub-modules from the remaining battery sub-module(s). The isolation system, in one embodiment, may utilize an ORing FET for each of the battery sub-modules, with each ORing FET operably connected at its input with an output of a corresponding battery sub-module and operably connected at its output with the output of the other ORing FETs. The modular battery pack system may further include a conditioning system for conditioning a battery sub-module by discharging at least a portion of the battery sub-module. Each battery sub-module may be operably and discretely connected to the conditioning system, such that conditioning is selectively applicable to any one or more of the battery sub-modules.