Vehicle Power Management Device for Lead Battery Cycle Life Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lead storage batteries in vehicles have a short cycle life and are inefficient, especially when the idle stop function increases charging and discharging cycles, leading to premature degradation, and existing solutions fail to effectively utilize remaining capacity when the lead battery becomes unusable.
Innovation Solution
A management device that includes a power supply unit to step down voltage from a lead storage battery, a control unit to monitor and manage a secondary power storage device like a nickel hydride battery, and a switch to electrically connect or disconnect the secondary battery, ensuring continuous power supply to vehicle loads even when the lead battery fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a lead storage battery is used to supply power to vehicle loads, then the system is simple and inexpensive, but the battery has a short cycle life and degrades quickly with increased charging and discharging cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into two independent power storage devices: a lead storage battery and a secondary power storage device (nickel hydride or lithium ion battery). Each battery manages specific loads based on its characteristics, with the secondary battery handling high-power demands and frequent charge-discharge cycles while the lead battery provides baseline power. This segmentation allows each battery to operate in its optimal range, extending overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the lead storage battery by introducing a secondary battery that absorbs high-current draw events. The control unit monitors state of charge and adjusts charging/discharging rates dynamically, preventing deep discharge cycles that degrade lead battery life while maintaining adequate power supply to loads.
2Reliability
If a secondary power storage device is added to reinforce the lead storage battery, then the cycle life and power supply capability are improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management device merges the control functions for both power storage devices into a single integrated system. The control unit simultaneously manages charging/discharging of the secondary battery and monitors the lead battery state, coordinating their operations through unified control logic that simplifies the overall system architecture despite having multiple battery components.
Solution Approach 2:
The management device is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse operations: it controls the secondary battery for high-power demands, monitors the lead battery state, manages charge-discharge cycles for both batteries, and provides backup power management. This universal control approach reduces the need for separate control circuits for each battery type.
3Reliability
If the lead storage battery becomes unusable, then the system fails even though the secondary power storage device has remaining capacity, because the control circuit board cannot be powered
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring the power supply path from the secondary power storage device to the control circuit board. When the lead battery becomes unusable, the control unit has already established the alternative power path, allowing immediate takeover by the secondary battery without system failure. This preliminary configuration ensures continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by designing a redundant power supply architecture where the secondary power storage device serves as a backup power source for the control circuit board. This cushioning arrangement ensures that if the primary power source (lead battery) fails, the control board continues to receive power from the secondary battery, preventing system collapse and enabling graceful degradation.
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 solution effectively extends the life of the lead storage battery by utilizing the secondary power storage device to maintain power supply to vehicle loads, preventing capacity loss and enabling self-traveling to a repair shop when the lead battery is unavailable, thus enhancing overall power management in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a power supply unit that steps down a voltage supplied from the first power storage device
Data Source
AI summary
A management device manages a second power storage device that reinforces a first power storage device for supplying electricity to loads in the vehicle. A power supply unit of the management device steps down a voltage supplied from the first power storage device. A control unit uses, as a power supply voltage, the voltage generated by the power supply unit and monitors the state of the second power storage device to control the charging and discharging of the second power storage device. A switch electrically connects or disconnects the second power storage device to or from the power supply unit. The switch is turned on when an ignition is in an on-state, and is turned off when the ignition is in an off-state.