Battery System Sub Battery Switching Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery systems face disruptions and safety risks when a fault occurs in the main battery, leading to abrupt power losses, particularly in critical applications like electric vehicles, due to the sudden shutdown of the electrical connection.

Innovation Solution

A battery system with a sub battery connected in parallel to the main battery, where a control apparatus manages the switching between the main and sub batteries to ensure continuous power supply to the electrical load, even if the main battery fails, and allows charging of the sub battery from the main battery during operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a battery management system shuts down the electrical connection when a fault occurs to protect the battery, then battery safety is improved, but the operation of the electrical load is disabled and there is a risk of accidents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery safetyVSAvoidelectrical load operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery system is segmented into a main battery and a sub battery that operate independently. When the main battery detects a fault and shuts down, the sub battery can continue to supply power to the electrical load, ensuring both battery safety and operational continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sub battery is pre-configured in the system as a backup power source. Before any fault occurs, the system is prepared with this redundant component that can immediately take over power supply duties, cushioning against the impact of main battery failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If a sub battery is added in parallel to the main battery to ensure continuous power supply, then operational continuity is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational continuityVSAvoidbattery system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control apparatus merges the management of both main and sub batteries into a single integrated unit. This unified control system handles switching between batteries, charge-discharge coordination, and fault detection, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from separate control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sub battery serves multiple functions: it acts as a backup power source when the main battery fails, and it can also be charged by the main battery during normal operation. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing both safety and energy management benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the sub battery is used to supply power during main battery faults, then power supply reliability is improved, but the sub battery requires management and control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower supply reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control apparatus autonomously monitors the main battery's status and automatically switches to the sub battery when faults are detected, without requiring external intervention. The system self-manages the complexity of coordination between batteries, reducing the burden of control mechanism management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3678272B1Apparatus, battery system and method for controlling main battery and sub battery
Publication Date: 2022.08.31 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP3678272B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3678272B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3678272B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an apparatus, a battery system and a method for controlling a main battery and a sub battery. The apparatus includes a first main switch connectable between the main battery and an electrical load, a second main switch connectable between the sub battery and the electrical load, a sub switch connectable between the main battery and the sub battery, a main battery management system and a sub battery management system. The main battery management system transmits a first diagnosis message to the sub battery management system, when a fault of the main battery is detected. The sub battery management system induces the second main switch into a turn on state, in response to the first diagnosis message.