Multi-battery system with proportional power sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage applications with multiple batteries face reliability issues due to unequal power sharing and failure to detect the state of charge, leading to reduced system reliability and shorter battery life, as they often rely on depleted batteries for input voltage.
Innovation Solution
A multi-battery system with a proportional power sharing scheme, where each battery is monitored by a master and individual monitoring circuit, favoring batteries with higher states of charge to supply more power, thereby reducing the load on lower charged batteries and increasing system reliability without the need for redundant components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple batteries are used to provide high voltage and redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but the system becomes large and unwieldy with duplicated components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple battery banks into a single integrated system with a common control circuit that monitors and manages all batteries. Instead of having separate redundant voltage converters for each battery bank, the invention merges the control functions and allows batteries to share the load proportionally based on their state of charge, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If multiple battery banks are used to supply input voltage, then redundancy is improved, but unequal power sharing occurs causing one battery bank to supply the majority of standby power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a control circuit that continuously monitors the state of charge of each battery bank and uses this feedback information to dynamically adjust power distribution. The system detects voltage drops and state of charge levels in real-time, automatically directing more power to depleted batteries and less to fully charged ones, ensuring equal power sharing and preventing any single battery bank from being overburdened
3Productivity
If the system relies on a depleted battery bank for input voltage, then immediate power supply is maintained, but the UPS becomes less reliable overtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary monitoring of battery state of charge levels before depletion occurs. The control circuit detects when a battery bank is becoming depleted and proactively redistributes the load to prevent complete exhaustion. This preliminary action ensures that no single battery bank is overused, maintaining both continuous power supply and long-term system reliability by preventing battery failure
4Ease of operation
If power sharing is implemented between multiple batteries, then equal power consumption is achieved, but the state of charge of batteries is not taken into account
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically changes the power distribution parameters based on the state of charge of each battery. Instead of fixed equal power sharing, the system adjusts the power allocation ratios in real-time according to battery voltage levels and charge states. This parameter adaptation ensures that depleted batteries receive less power while fully charged batteries can handle more load, matching power demands to actual battery capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-battery system comprises a circuit having a circuit positive terminal and a circuit negative terminal. At least two batteries are provided to combine to deliver required system power. The batteries are connected to a protection circuit, an energy storage device, a system output voltage sensor and a logic gate. The protection circuit generates a protection signal and the voltage sensor generates an enabling signal that are fed into the logic gate as true signals to generate a true control signal. The true control signal causes the energy storage device to discharge. The digital enabling signal for each of the circuits is time-shifted by a time “t” so that at any time one of the circuits is discharging and one of the at least two circuits is charging during said time “t”.