N-Phase DCDC Converter Control System for Battery Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems for electric vehicles lack sufficient redundancy in their DCDC converters, particularly in terms of functional safety, which is crucial for meeting availability standards like ASIL B, especially when failures occur in high voltage battery systems or DCDC converters.
Innovation Solution
A control system with an N-phase DCDC converter configuration, utilizing multiple single-phase DCDC converters operated in parallel, with synchronized and autonomous modes to ensure continued functionality even in fault conditions, and microcontrollers for managing duty cycles and communication to maintain power output with reduced ripple current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single DCDC converter is used in the battery system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability is insufficient to meet ASIL B safety standards when failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The DCDC converter is segmented into multiple single-phase converters (N-phase configuration) that can operate independently. Each phase can be controlled by separate microcontrollers, allowing the system to maintain functionality even if one phase fails, thus improving reliability while managing complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements redundancy by configuring multiple DCDC converter phases that can compensate for failures. The control system includes fault detection mechanisms that activate backup phases beforehand, ensuring continuous operation and meeting ASIL B safety standards without requiring complete system redesign
2Reliability
If multiple single-phase DCDC converters are operated in parallel to improve redundancy, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with universal microcontrollers that can control multiple phases. The same control architecture and software can manage different numbers of phases (N-phase configuration), reducing control complexity while maintaining redundancy benefits across various system configurations
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple single-phase DCDC converters are merged into a unified N-phase converter system with shared control logic and communication protocols. This consolidation allows the system to achieve redundancy through parallel operation while managing complexity through integrated control rather than completely separate control systems
3Reliability
If the DCDC converter operates in autonomous mode to ensure continued functionality upon fault detection, then the reliability is maintained, but the power output may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between synchronized operation mode (full power) and autonomous operation mode (reduced power) based on fault detection. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain operational continuity in fault conditions while optimizing power output when full functionality is available, balancing reliability and power delivery
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention refers to a control system (100) for a battery system (200), comprising an N-phase DCDC converter (80) with N single phase DCDC converters (50). The control system (100) further comprises a first microcontroller (10), µC1, configured to control a first fraction (60) of the N single phase DCDC converters (50), and a second microcontroller (20), µC2, configured to control the remaining second fraction (70) of the N single phase DCDC converters (50). Therein, µC1 (10) and µC2 (20) are connected via a data line (30). The control system (100) of the invention is configured to operate in a first operation mode, wherein the control operations of µC1 (10) and µC2 (20) are synchronized via the data line (30) for commonly controlling the N single phase DCDC converters (50) and to operate in a second operation mode, wherein µC1 (10) autonomously controls the first fraction (50) and µC2 (20) autonomously controls the second fraction (70). The invention further relates to a battery system (200) with such control system (100) and to a vehicle with the battery system.