Portable Power Supply Thermal Control for Cold-Start Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable battery power supplies face challenges in enabling functionality at cold ambient temperatures, leading to inability to charge or discharge, and prolonged wait times for resuming operations due to temperature-related thresholds.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a thermal management system powered by a secondary power source, independent of the battery's state of charge, to quickly heat the battery and enable charging or discharging when the battery is too cold, utilizing a controller to manage temperature and charge/discharge functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the battery is used to power the thermal management system in cold conditions, then the system can heat the battery to enable charging, but the charging function remains disabled until the battery reaches sufficient charge level
Solution Approach 1:
The power system is segmented into two independent power sources: the main battery and a secondary power source. This segmentation allows the thermal management system to be powered independently from the battery that needs heating, enabling the battery to be warmed without requiring it to provide power for heating itself. The secondary power source handles the thermal management load, freeing the main battery to focus on charging operations once temperature requirements are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system is activated in advance using the secondary power source to heat the battery before charging begins. This preliminary heating action ensures the battery reaches the required temperature threshold for charging operations, eliminating the delay that would otherwise occur between connecting to a charger and actually beginning charge acceptance.
2Reliability
If the battery temperature is below the charge under-temperature threshold, then charging is disabled to protect battery life, but this results in prolonged wait times before charging can begin
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the battery using the secondary power source before charging operations are initiated. This advance temperature conditioning ensures the battery reaches the minimum temperature threshold required for safe charging, allowing charging to begin immediately when the user connects the charger, thereby eliminating unnecessary wait time while maintaining battery protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary power source acts as an intermediary that provides the energy needed to heat the battery without compromising the battery's charge/discharge cycles. This mediator component enables temperature management independent of the main battery's state of charge, decoupling the thermal management function from the energy storage function.
3Productivity
If a secondary power source is added to power the thermal management system, then charging can begin immediately without waiting for battery heating, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary power source is designed with multi-functionality to justify its addition: it serves both as a power source for the thermal management system and as an auxiliary power source for the battery. This universal component performs multiple functions (heating, auxiliary charging, and potentially powering other system functions), reducing the overall complexity compared to having separate dedicated components for each function.
4Loss of time
If the battery is heated quickly to resume charging in cold conditions, then charging functionality is restored faster, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power system is segmented into two independent power sources: the main battery and a secondary power source. This segmentation allows the thermal management system to be powered independently from the battery that needs heating, enabling the battery to be warmed without requiring it to provide power for heating itself. The secondary power source handles the thermal management load, freeing the main battery to focus on charging operations once temperature requirements are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary power source acts as an intermediary that provides the energy needed to heat the battery without compromising the battery's charge/discharge cycles. This mediator component enables temperature management independent of the main battery's state of charge, decoupling the thermal management function from the energy storage function.
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 solution enables faster resumption of charge/discharge functionality and minimizes wait times in cold conditions by using a secondary power source to manage temperature, ensuring the battery can operate at maximum charge rates as soon as possible.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a secondary power source to power a thermal management system independent of the state of charge of a portable battery power supply... quickly heat the battery and enable charging or discharging when the battery is too cold
Data Source
AI summary
A portable power supply includes an internal power source, a thermal management system configured to control a temperature of one or more internal components of the portable power supply, a power input unit configured to charge the internal power source, a power output unit configured to provide power output by the internal power source, a first sensing circuit configured to detect the temperature of the one or more internal components, a secondary power source, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a first signal from the first sensing circuit, enable the thermal management system based on the temperature of the one or more internal components, and enable charging of the internal power source based on the temperature of the one or more internal components.