Service Plug State Detection via BMS Voltage Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Secondary batteries used in electric automobiles face challenges with limited power capacity and safety concerns during maintenance, as existing solutions do not effectively ensure operator safety when checking the state of service plugs.
Innovation Solution
A secondary battery system that includes a battery pack with interconnected cells and a service plug, coupled via plug terminals, and a battery management system (BMS) that measures voltage and current to determine if the service plug is open or closed, ensuring safety by outputting information to an external display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple battery cells are interconnected in series/parallel to increase power capacity, then the overall voltage and capacity are improved, but safety risks during maintenance operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The service plug acts as an intermediary device that completely disconnects the battery pack from external circuits during maintenance. By introducing this physical isolation mechanism, the patent eliminates harmful electrical interactions while maintaining the high power capacity benefits of interconnected battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The BMS provides feedback by detecting the service plug's open/closed state through voltage and current measurements. This feedback mechanism ensures that the system is aware of the service plug state, enabling appropriate safety responses and preventing unauthorized operations during maintenance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the service plug is used to disconnect battery cells for maintenance, then operator safety is improved, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service plug serves multiple functions: it physically disconnects the battery pack for safety, provides a detection point for the BMS to monitor its state, and acts as a clear indicator of maintenance mode. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate safety mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the safety disconnect function with the system monitoring function by integrating the service plug state detection into the existing BMS. The BMS uses the same voltage and current measurement circuits to detect the service plug state, merging safety and monitoring functions rather than adding separate systems.
3Reliability
If the BMS measures voltage and current to detect service plug state, then safety monitoring is improved, but the measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The BMS performs measurements that are partially dedicated to service plug detection (alongside its normal monitoring functions). By using existing measurement circuits for dual purposes, the patent avoids the need for separate high-precision measurement systems, thereby limiting the increase in measurement precision requirements while still achieving reliable service plug state detection.
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
The system effectively determines the state of the service plug, ensuring operator safety by measuring voltage and current, and preventing current flow when the plug is opened for maintenance, thus enhancing safety protocols.
Implementation Method 1
a battery management system (BMS) connected to the battery pack and the service plug for determining whether the service plug is opened or closed by measuring at least one selected from the group consisting of a voltage and a current of the battery pack
Data Source
AI summary
A secondary battery capable of ensuring operator safety by checking whether a service plug is opened or closed. The secondary battery includes a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells, a service plug coupled between each of the plurality of battery cells through a pair of plug terminals for controlling interconnection of the plurality of battery cells according to whether the pair of plug terminals contact the battery cells, and a battery management system connected to the battery pack and the service plug for determining whether the service plug is opened or closed by measuring at least one selected from the group consisting of a voltage and a current of the battery pack and voltages of the plurality of battery cells connected to the service plug.