Assisting converter based integrated battery management system for low power applications

This paper introduces a new battery management system for portable electronics applications based on the flyback converter. This new architecture integrates the voltage step-up and balancing functions inside a single converter. The step-up function is obtained using an assisting concept, where the flyback output is placed at the top of the battery pack and is therefore only processing a portion of the output power. As a result, high power processing efficiency and small converter volume are achieved. The operation of the system is regulated by a digital controller that provides voltage regulation and charge balancing of the battery cells at the same time. Experimental results obtained with 8-to-12V, 20W, 250 KHz prototype demonstrate a peak efficiency of 93.4% and show that the assisting flyback requires about 9 times smaller output capacitor than the conventional boost while maintaining approximately the same inductor volume.

[1]  Xi Lu,et al.  Modularized buck-boost + Cuk converter for high voltage series connected battery cells , 2012, 2012 Twenty-Seventh Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[2]  Yuang-Shung Lee,et al.  Battery Equalization Using Bi-directional Cuk Converter in DCVM Operation , 2005, 2005 IEEE 36th Power Electronics Specialists Conference.

[3]  F. Mestrallet,et al.  Multiphase interleaved converter for lithium battery active balancing , 2012, 2012 Twenty-Seventh Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[4]  C.S. Moo,et al.  A Bi-directional Charge Equalization Circuit for Series-connected Batteries , 2005, 2005 International Conference on Power Electronics and Drives Systems.

[5]  Bo-Hyung Cho,et al.  Selective flyback balancing circuit with improved balancing speed for series connected Lithium-ion batteries , 2010, The 2010 International Power Electronics Conference - ECCE ASIA -.

[6]  Philip T. Krein,et al.  Life extension through charge equalization of lead-acid batteries , 2002, 24th Annual International Telecommunications Energy Conference.

[7]  Pascal Venet,et al.  Impact of Periodic Current Pulses on Li-Ion Battery Performance , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[8]  Werner Roessler,et al.  A cost optimized battery management system with active cell balancing for lithium ion battery stacks , 2009, 2009 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference.

[9]  Robert W. Erickson,et al.  Fundamentals of Power Electronics , 2001 .

[10]  Wei Qiao,et al.  A series-connected self-reconfigurable multicell battery capable of safe and effective charging/discharging and balancing operations , 2012, 2012 Twenty-Seventh Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[11]  Siqi Li,et al.  A high efficiency low cost direct battery balancing circuit using a multi-winding transformer with reduced switch count , 2012, 2012 Twenty-Seventh Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[12]  Aleksandar Prodic,et al.  Universal and Fault-Tolerant Multiphase Digital PWM Controller IC for High-Frequency DC-DC Converters , 2007, APEC 07 - Twenty-Second Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition.

[13]  Taejung Yeo,et al.  High efficiency active cell balancing circuit with soft-switching technique for series-connected battery string , 2013, 2013 Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[14]  Phil Mellor,et al.  Comparison of passive cell balancing and active cell balancing for automotive batteries , 2011, 2011 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference.