Parallel Battery Branch Maintenance via Single DC/DC Converter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery module management systems face challenges in isolating a branch for maintenance without disrupting power supply to other branches, leading to service interruptions and complex, expensive architectures.
Innovation Solution
A decentralized system using a single bidirectional DC/DC converter and branch controllers allows for individual branch maintenance without interrupting the power supply, utilizing power from other branches and reconnection to maintain system availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a branch is isolated for maintenance, then maintenance operations can be performed, but power supply to the electrical load is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into multiple independent parallel branches, each with its own switching mechanism. This allows one branch to be isolated for maintenance while other branches remain operational and continue to supply power to the electrical load, thus maintaining system reliability during repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
A DC/DC converter is introduced as an intermediary component between the parallel branches and the electrical load. This converter enables seamless power transfer and allows branch isolation without directly interrupting the power supply to the load, as the converter can maintain continuous power delivery from remaining active branches.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a DC/DC converter is assigned to each branch, then individual branch control is achieved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single DC/DC converter is designed to perform multiple functions: it can connect or disconnect any branch from the electrical load, perform maintenance operations on isolated branches, and maintain continuous power supply. This multi-functional converter replaces the need for dedicated converters on each branch, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining individual branch control capability.
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
Enables maintenance operations like balancing and state of charge determination without service unavailability, improving fault tolerance and reducing system complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a bidirectional DC/DC converter, whose input (E) is connected to the external circuit and whose output (S) is connected to the internal circuit (IC)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A battery architecture based on the parallel connection of n branches of battery modules connected to a DC/DC converter, all controlled by an intelligent controller. This allows for the isolation of a branch, its connection to the DC/DC converter, and the charging or discharging of that branch using the available power of the battery modules in the other n-1 branches. The other n-1 branches remain simultaneously available to a user. The isolated branch is then reconnected to the other branches to reconstitute the original system. This architecture enables operations such as voltage balancing between modules, state of charge determination, and capacity measurement. The architecture includes a single bidirectional DC/DC step-up converter capable of individually charging and discharging the module(s) in each branch.