Virtual Cell Battery Management for Degraded Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery management systems fail to effectively manage battery cell degradation and overheating due to variations in cell health, leading to accelerated degradation and reduced battery life, as they lack the ability to dynamically share current based on cell health status.
Innovation Solution
A virtual cell method for battery management that involves a virtual cell management controller to balance current among battery cells by determining the reference voltage and providing appropriate voltages, using voltage controllers and a system controller to log and manage battery pack and layer voltages and currents, thereby protecting both healthy and degraded cells from overloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional battery management systems monitor each cell individually and adjust properties of inconsistent cells, then inter-cellular discrepancies are mitigated, but the system complexity increases and cannot effectively manage degraded cells with higher over-potential
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual cell as an intermediary component that mediates between the power source and individual battery cells. The virtual cell management controller acts as a mediator that dynamically adjusts current distribution based on real-time cell health status, enabling effective management of degraded cells without requiring complex individual cell monitoring and adjustment mechanisms for each cell
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual representation (copy) of the battery cell group through the virtual cell concept. This virtual cell model allows the system to manage the entire battery pack as a single entity while still accounting for individual cell variations, simplifying the management architecture while maintaining reliability
2Power
If battery cells are connected in parallel and series, then the battery pack achieves required voltage and capacity, but degraded cells generate excess heat causing overheating and accelerated degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each battery cell to receive customized current based on its individual health status. The virtual cell management controller dynamically adjusts the current flowing through each cell according to its specific condition, enabling degraded cells with higher over-potential to operate within safe thermal limits while maintaining overall battery pack power output
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts current distribution in real-time based on changing cell conditions. The virtual cell management controller continuously monitors cell health status and modifies current allocation accordingly, enabling the battery pack to adapt to varying thermal and electrical conditions while maintaining required power output
3Productivity
If healthy battery cells share current equally, then the battery pack operates efficiently, but healthy cells become overloaded when degraded cells have higher over-potential
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the current distribution parameter dynamically based on cell health status. Instead of equal current sharing, the virtual cell management controller adjusts current allocation according to each cell's over-potential and health condition, maintaining battery pack efficiency while preventing overload of healthy cells by reducing current to degraded cells
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a system, method, and apparatus for battery management. The disclosed method involves current balancing through sinking and/or sourcing current, by at least one virtual cell, for battery cells in a battery pack based on available current and capacity of the battery cells. In one or more embodiments, at least one virtual cell is capable to sink and/or source current for at least one degraded battery cell or at least one dead battery cell