Vehicle Power Supply System with Segmented Battery Modules
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current power supply systems for electric vehicles face challenges in efficiently managing dynamic power demands and ensuring redundant power supply for security-critical functions, leading to increased complexity and cost, particularly in the DC/DC converter design to meet high functional safety standards.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system comprising stacked battery cells configured to provide both high-voltage and low-voltage boards in an electric vehicle, with a step-down converter and a control unit that dynamically adjusts the conductivity of switching elements to ensure redundant power supply to the low-voltage board net, reducing the safety criticality of the DC/DC converter and avoiding additional costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a DC/DC converter is configured to act as a redundant power supply for the 12V board net to meet high functional safety standards, then the reliability of security-relevant functions is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase drastically
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple battery modules, each capable of independently powering the 12V board net. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functional safety without requiring a complex redundant DC/DC converter, as any single module can serve as a backup power source.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery modules are designed with multi-functionality, where each module can serve both as a primary power source and as a redundant power source for the 12V board net. This eliminates the need for dedicated redundant components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high functional safety standards.
2Reliability
If a DC/DC converter is configured to act as a redundant power supply for the 12V board net, then the reliability of security-relevant functions is improved, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple battery modules, each capable of independently powering the 12V board net. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functional safety without requiring a complex redundant DC/DC converter, as any single module can serve as a backup power source.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery modules are designed with multi-functionality, where each module can serve both as a primary power source and as a redundant power source for the 12V board net. This eliminates the need for dedicated redundant components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high functional safety standards.
3Reliability
If a DC/DC converter is configured to act as a redundant power supply for the 12V board net, then the reliability of security-relevant functions is improved, but the weight of the power supply system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into multiple battery modules, each capable of independently powering the 12V board net. This segmentation allows the system to maintain functional safety without requiring a complex redundant DC/DC converter, as any single module can serve as a backup power source.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery modules are designed with multi-functionality, where each module can serve both as a primary power source and as a redundant power source for the 12V board net. This eliminates the need for dedicated redundant components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high functional safety standards.
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 reduces production costs, weight, and installation space while ensuring continuous operation of security-relevant functions by providing improved redundancy and flexibility in power management, allowing the vehicle to maintain safe operation even in case of low-voltage battery malfunction without interrupting the 12 V board net.
Implementation Method 1
An electrolyte solution is injected into the case to enable charging and discharging of the battery via an electrochemical reaction between the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the electrolyte solution.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply system includes: a plurality of battery cells interconnected between a first stack node and a second stack node and providing a first operation voltage to a high-voltage board net; a low-voltage battery interconnected between the second stack node and a low voltage node and outputting a second operation voltage to a low-voltage board net; a step-down converter interconnected between the first stack node and the second stack node and outputting a third operation voltage to the low voltage node to charge the low-voltage battery; an intermediate node dividing the battery cells into first and second subsets of the battery cells and being connected to the low voltage node via a first switching element; and a control unit configured to detect a terminal voltage of the low-voltage battery and to set the first switching element into a conductive state according to the detected terminal voltage.