Supercapacitor Cell Reconfiguration for Voltage-Guided Charging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy storage systems, including supercapacitors, face inefficiencies and management challenges during charge and discharge cycles, leading to suboptimal performance and potential damage to the cells.
Innovation Solution
The proposed method involves dynamically reconfiguring the energy storage module of a supercapacitor by adjusting the number of strings and stacks in a parallel and series configuration based on real-time voltage measurements, allowing for optimal energy management during charge and discharge cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the number of strings is increased during charging to improve current distribution and reduce cell stress, then the supercapacitor configuration becomes more complex requiring dynamic reconfiguration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of the supercapacitor module during charge and discharge cycles by switching between different numbers of parallel strings based on the state of charge. During charging, more strings are activated to distribute current and reduce stress on individual cells, while during discharge, fewer strings are used. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the configuration to operational requirements rather than maintaining a fixed complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The supercapacitor module is divided into multiple independent strings that can be selectively activated or deactivated. Each string contains series-connected stacks and cells that can be independently controlled through switching mechanisms. This segmentation allows the system to optimize performance by activating only the necessary number of strings for each operational phase, reducing overall complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Productivity
If real-time voltage measurement and dynamic reconfiguration are implemented to improve energy management efficiency, then the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates real-time voltage measurement of individual cells and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the number of active strings during charge and discharge cycles. The control system monitors cell voltages and automatically reconfigures the module configuration based on measured parameters, improving energy management efficiency through closed-loop control without requiring overly complex external management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The supercapacitor module performs self-management through automatic reconfiguration based on internal voltage measurements. The system uses its own measured voltage data to trigger appropriate configuration changes, reducing the need for complex external energy management systems while maintaining high efficiency in charge and discharge operations.
3Power
If the number of stacks per string is decreased to increase the number of parallel strings, then the voltage per string decreases requiring more strings to maintain system voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the number of parallel strings based on the operational phase and voltage requirements. During charging, when higher current distribution is beneficial, more strings with fewer stacks each are activated. During discharge or when system voltage needs to be maintained, fewer strings with more stacks are used. This dynamic approach optimizes power distribution without requiring a permanently large number of strings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by adjusting the configuration of strings and stacks based on charge state and voltage requirements. The number of stacks per string and the number of parallel strings are variable parameters that are optimized for each operational condition, allowing the system to achieve good current distribution only when necessary rather than maintaining a fixed configuration that compromises voltage efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of managing energy for a supercapacitor includes charging a plurality of cells of an energy storage module of a supercapacitor during a charge cycle. The energy storage module includes a plurality of strings connected to each other in a parallel configuration. Each string of the plurality of strings includes a plurality of stacks connected to each other in a series configuration. Each stack of the plurality of stacks includes a quantity of cells of the plurality of cells. The method includes, during the charge cycle, measuring a voltage of a cell of the plurality of cells. The method includes, during the charge cycle, and based at least in part on the measured voltage, increasing a quantity of the plurality of strings by decreasing a quantity of the stacks of at least one string of the plurality of strings.