The paper describes how battery performance can be improved and its functionality enhanced by software control of the individual cells in the battery chain. The project was initially set up to find ways of improving high rate battery performance by using cyclic redundancy to enable rest periods to be introduced during both charging and discharging but the solution found gave rise to some surprising results and opportunities. A switching matrix provides controlled access to individual cells and an extra cell in the battery string provides redundancy. The redundant cell is bypassed and rested while remaining cells carry the load. The rest periods reduce the stress on the cells resulting in increased battery lifetime and also charge capacity. Sequential cycling rests each cell in turn so that all cells in the battery age at the same rate. As a bonus, this switching matrix can be used to provide major enhancements in the battery functionality, simply through software, without adding any hardware. The system is particularly suitable for mission critical applications as well as motor controllers such as those used to power Light Electrical Vehicles (LEVs). The package of benefits includes increased cycle life, increased capacity, lower cost per cycle, variable coarse and fine power output directly from the battery, lossless cell balancing during both charging and discharging, more accurate State of Charge (SOC) estimation, immunity to single cell failures and the possibility to deliver a short term power boost.
A software configurable battery
EVS, Electric Vehicle Symposium, 26 ; 252-263
2012
12 Seiten, 13 Bilder, 8 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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