Modular Electrical Device Simulator for Battery Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Testing large and complex electrical systems, such as multi-cell battery packs, is challenging due to the need for rigorous bench testing on large calibration units, which is costly and poses safety concerns when handling high-voltage equipment.
Innovation Solution
A modular system simulates the performance of electrical devices like multi-cell battery packs, allowing for testing without a calibration unit, using a host machine, printed circuit board assemblies, power switching modules, and modular cells that can be updated via control code, to mimic various states and report voltage/current levels, ensuring magnetic isolation and efficient simulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large calibration unit is used for bench testing of multi-cell battery packs, then testing accuracy and reliability are improved, but space requirements and component costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple individual cell units that can be tested separately. Each cell is tested independently using the simulator, allowing parallel testing of multiple cells without requiring a single large calibration unit, thus reducing space requirements while maintaining testing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
An electronic simulator is used to create a virtual model of the battery pack system. The simulator replicates the electrical characteristics and behavior of actual battery cells through software algorithms, eliminating the need for physical calibration units and high-voltage equipment in the laboratory
2Measurement precision
If a large calibration unit is used for bench testing, then testing accuracy is improved, but component costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an electronic simulator that creates a virtual representation of the battery pack system. This software-based model replicates the electrical characteristics, voltage levels, and operational behavior of actual battery cells, providing accurate testing data without requiring expensive physical calibration units and high-voltage components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical and electrical calibration unit system with a software-based simulation system. The simulator uses control code and algorithms to generate accurate voltage and current measurements, substituting physical high-voltage equipment with computational models that achieve the same measurement precision at lower cost
3Adaptability or versatility
If high-voltage equipment is used in laboratory testing, then testing capability is improved, but safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an electronic simulator that creates a safe virtual environment for testing battery pack systems. The simulator replicates high-voltage electrical characteristics and failure modes through software models, allowing researchers to study dangerous scenarios and test safety mechanisms without physically handling high-voltage equipment that could cause injury
Solution Approach 2:
The simulator acts as an intermediary layer between the researcher and the actual high-voltage battery system. It mediates the testing process by providing a safe interface that replicates the electrical behavior of battery cells, allowing testing of high-voltage scenarios without direct exposure to dangerous voltages
4Adaptability or versatility
If individual cell testing is implemented, then testing flexibility is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal simulator platform that can test multiple different cell types, configurations, and scenarios using a single system. The simulator is designed to accommodate various battery chemistries, voltage levels, and test protocols through software configuration rather than requiring different physical equipment, thereby managing complexity while maintaining high flexibility
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
This approach reduces costs and safety concerns by providing an electronic facsimile of the device for testing, enabling effective simulation of failure modes and performance validation without the need for actual high-voltage equipment, thus facilitating safer and more efficient laboratory testing.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of power switching modules (PSMs) that convert the input power from the input power supply to a calibrated DC voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A system for simulating operation of an electrical device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and a host machine. The PCBA includes a communications module, modular power switching modules (PSMs), and modular cells. Using an associated method, each PSM applies a predetermined pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle to AC input power to generate a calibrated DC output voltage. The cells, which are connected to a respective PSM, include a microcontroller. The host machine transmits a controller area network (CAN) cell state message to the communications module. The communications module converts the cell state messages into corresponding serial messages, and transmits the serial messages to the microprocessors of the cells to cause the cells to set their states to the desired simulation state. The cells generate the desired simulation state using PWM and transmit a cell status message back to the host machine via the communications module.