Serial Battery Charging with Bypass Circuits and Voltage Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for charging and discharging serially-connected batteries lack efficient methods to prevent overcharging, ensure safe charging and discharging processes, and accurately control the charging and discharging currents to prevent damage to batteries.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system comprising serially-connected bypass circuits, a measurement/control element, and safety circuits that measure voltages across batteries to divert electrical current through bypass circuits when thresholds are reached, allowing for controlled charging and discharging with adjustable current levels and limiting current flow to prevent malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional charging techniques are used for serially-connected batteries, then charging can be performed, but overcharging cannot be prevented and battery damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The charging system is segmented into individual battery cell monitoring units, with each cell having its own bypass circuit controlled by a microcontroller. This allows independent monitoring and control of each cell to prevent overcharging while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback monitoring of voltage across each battery cell during charging. When a cell reaches its maximum voltage threshold, the microcontroller activates the bypass circuit to divert current, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents overcharging and enhances battery safety.
2Productivity
If fast charging is applied to serially-connected batteries, then charging time is reduced, but current control becomes difficult and battery damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts current distribution across battery cells during fast charging. The microcontroller continuously monitors cell voltages and selectively activates bypass circuits to maintain optimal current flow, enabling fast charging while preserving precise current control and preventing battery damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operating parameters by switching between different current levels for each cell based on real-time voltage measurements. When a cell approaches its voltage threshold, the system reduces current to that cell through bypass activation, maintaining precise control during fast charging operations.
3Measurement precision
If voltage monitoring is performed during charging, then overcharging can be detected, but measurement accuracy is insufficient without individual cell monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage monitoring system is segmented to measure each battery cell individually rather than measuring the total pack voltage. Each microcontroller unit monitors its associated cell's voltage with high precision, enabling accurate detection of overcharging conditions while using modular architecture to manage system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex analog voltage division networks with digital voltage measurement circuits integrated into microcontroller units. This substitution provides higher measurement precision for individual cell voltages while reducing overall system complexity through integrated electronic solutions.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of serially-connected bypass circuits, a measurement/control element and a plurality of safety circuits. The bypass circuits are electrically connectable in parallel with a plurality of serially-connected batteries, each bypass circuit being connectable in parallel with a respective battery. The measurement/control element is electrically connected to the bypass circuits, and electrically connectable to the batteries; and the safety circuits are electrically connected to the measurement/control element, and electrically connectable between the measurement/control element and the batteries. The measurement/control element is configured to measure voltages across the respective batteries and, based on the voltages, selectively operate the bypass circuits to divert electrical current to or from the batteries through the respective bypass circuits. And each safety circuit is configured to limit current flow to the measurement/control element.