Expandable Power Station Battery Level Aggregation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery systems used in portable power stations lack a reliable method to determine the available battery level, which can lead to power interruptions and potential damage from long-term discharge below a certain state of charge, especially in applications requiring uninterrupted power.
Innovation Solution
A power station assembly with an onboard battery system and a control system that determines the number of expansion batteries connected, calculates the battery level of each expansion battery, and displays the combined energy level, allowing operators to assess the available power capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple expansion batteries are connected to increase power station capacity, then the energy storage capacity increases, but the complexity of determining and monitoring the battery level becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control system divides the monitoring task into segments by individually identifying each expansion battery (first, second, third batteries) and separately determining their respective battery levels, then combining these segmented measurements to calculate the total available battery level of the entire system
Solution Approach 2:
The control system merges the battery level information from multiple individual expansion batteries by adding their respective levels together to determine the total available battery level, creating a unified view of the entire battery system's capacity
2Reliability
If the battery level is not accurately monitored, then the system operation is simpler, but power interruptions and damage from deep discharge may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors the battery level of each expansion battery and provides feedback by determining and calculating the total available battery level, enabling the system to take corrective actions when the battery level approaches critical thresholds to prevent deep discharge damage
Solution Approach 2:
The control system determines the battery level in advance before critical discharge occurs, allowing the system to prepare for potential power interruptions or initiate recharging actions before the battery is fully depleted, thereby preventing damage
Data Source
AI summary
A power station includes an onboard battery system and a control system and is couplable to a plurality of expansion batteries to receive power therefrom. The control system of the power station is configured to determine how many expansion batteries are electrically coupled to the power station, determine a battery level of a battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station, and calculate a battery level available to the power station by adding together the battery level of the battery system of each expansion battery electrically coupled to the power station.