Ultracapacitor Charging and Cell Balancing With Unified Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultracapacitor systems face inefficiencies due to decoupled charging and balancing mechanisms, leading to energy loss, potential capacity loss, and increased charge time, as well as limitations in controlling charge strategies due to separate packaging of charging and balancing components.
Innovation Solution
An integrated ultracapacitor system with controller circuitry that manages both charging and cell balancing, allowing for constant-current or constant-power charging modes, temperature-based power derating, and active cell balancing operations, while preventing overcharging through redundant transistors, and enabling remote monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If charging and balancing mechanisms are operated separately, then each mechanism can be independently controlled, but energy loss increases and charge time extends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the charging mechanism and balancing mechanism into a single integrated system with unified control circuitry. The controller simultaneously manages both charging current from the charger and balancing current distribution across multiple ultracapacitor cells, eliminating the energy waste associated with separate operations and enabling coordinated optimization of both functions.
2Ease of manufacture
If charging and balancing mechanisms are operated separately, then component packaging is simpler, but system efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates charging and balancing components into a unified system architecture where the controller simultaneously manages both functions. This integration enables the balancing operation to occur concurrently with charging, significantly reducing total charge time and improving productivity compared to sequential separate operations.
3Ease of operation
If constant current charging is used, then charging simplicity is maintained, but temperature control and power management become less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic charging control where the controller adjusts charging parameters based on real-time temperature feedback from sensors. The system can transition between constant current and constant power modes, and apply power derating factors when temperature thresholds are exceeded, enabling adaptive temperature management while maintaining charging efficiency.
4Productivity
If cell balancing is performed after charging, then charging efficiency is maximized, but overall charge time extends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables balancing operations to occur continuously during the charging process rather than sequentially after charging completes. The controller simultaneously manages charging current and balancing current distribution, allowing both functions to perform useful work concurrently, thereby maintaining charging efficiency while eliminating the additional time required for post-charging balancing.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for integrated control and monitoring of charging and cell balancing in a group of ultracapacitors. Monitoring and control circuitry can be configured for built-in monitoring feedback to the charger and the balancing circuits to dynamically improve performance, extend system lifetime, decrease charging time, increase available power and/or energy, and/or enhance safety and reliability of the group of ultracapacitors.