VRLA Battery Performance Analysis via Float Voltage Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for analyzing the performance of valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, such as discharge testing, in-process voltage checking, IR testing, and discharge capacity estimating, are either labor-intensive, inconvenient, or provide misleading results, lacking real-time monitoring and affecting the battery's cycle life.

Innovation Solution

The method involves analyzing the dispersion ratio of battery float charge voltage using cluster and weighted analysis of float charge voltage variables, which are calculated from the changes and dispersions of individual and set voltages, allowing for online, real-time monitoring without impacting the battery's cycle life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If checking discharge testing is used to measure battery capacity, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to great workload and inconvenient operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacity measurementVSAvoidtesting efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical discharge testing process with an electrical measurement system that uses conductance testing and voltage monitoring to estimate battery capacity, thereby eliminating the need for actual discharge cycles and significantly improving testing efficiency while maintaining measurement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual model of battery capacity by using conductance measurements and voltage characteristics as proxies, allowing capacity estimation without performing actual discharge tests, thus achieving high productivity while preserving measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If in-process voltage checking is used for online monitoring, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates as voltage has no relevance to battery capacity during normal operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveonline monitoring capabilityVSAvoidbattery capacity assessment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from monitoring voltage alone to monitoring conductance (the reciprocal of resistance) as the key parameter, which has proven correlation with battery capacity and health status, thereby maintaining online monitoring capability while significantly improving measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces conductance measurement as an intermediary parameter that bridges the gap between easy online monitoring and accurate capacity assessment, using conductance as a mediator that reflects both operational status and capacity health

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If IR (Conductance) testing is used to find failure batteries, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates when battery capacity is above 80%

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of testingVSAvoidcapacity correlation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple measurement approaches by combining conductance testing with voltage monitoring and capacity estimation algorithms, creating a hybrid system that maintains the operational convenience of simple testing while compensating for the limited precision of individual methods through data fusion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite assessment model that integrates multiple parameters (conductance, voltage, capacity estimates) to form a comprehensive battery health evaluation, thereby maintaining ease of operation while improving overall measurement precision across all capacity ranges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Productivity

If discharge capacity estimating is used through load discharge, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to curve changes when performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequick capacity estimationVSAvoidestimated value accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary conductance testing and voltage monitoring before actual capacity estimation, using these preliminary measurements to calibrate and adjust the estimation algorithm, thereby maintaining quick assessment capability while improving accuracy even when discharge curves change due to performance degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8340934B2Method of performance analysis for VRLA battery

Publication Date: 2012.12.25 HANGZHOU GOLD ELECTRONICS EQUIP CO LTD

AI summary

This invention discloses a method of performance analysis for VRLA battery which applies the method of using the float voltage dispersion ratio of the battery to evaluate the battery performance from a new perspective, and it is an online real-time test which applies several ways to evaluate the performance of the VRLA battery. According to the relevance between the dispersion of the float charge voltage of the battery and its performance, the method gets the result of the battery performance through calculating the battery float charge voltage dispersion ratio and making it relevant with the battery performance. It has small workload, convenient operation and no danger to the system when doing online testing. It also won't affect the cycle life of the VRLA battery.