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This article presents an efficient and fast echelon battery equalization method based on wide voltage range bidirectional converter combined with DBSCAN (density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise) clustering control strategy. Thanks to the wide voltage range and bidirectional buck-boost characteristics of the four-switch bidirectional converter, the battery energy can be reasonably redistributed between the battery and the super capacitor. The converter operating in synchronous rectification mode can not only achieve bidirectional energy flow in a wide voltage range, but also has a high energy conversion efficiency. The DBSCAN clustering algorithm is used to divide all battery cells into groups, and each group may contain one or more adjacent and nonadjacent battery cells. First, the nonadjacent single cells are balanced and integrated into adjacent group with the closest voltage. Then, the groups with different voltages are balanced by group-to-group, thereby realizing rapid balance of the entire battery pack. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, simulations and experimental verification were carried out. The experimental results show that, comparing with traditional battery balancing methods, the proposed method achieves shorter balancing time and higher balancing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large battery packs are used in electric vehicles. Heat is generated when the battery pack is being used. Therefore, it is necessary to predict battery heat generation. An enhanced electro-thermal model is developed to describe the temperature distribution inside a battery pack. It combines the dynamic resistance model and the current distribution model. The resistance model is affected by the thermal and electrical parameters, while the current distribution model considers the interaction between cell status and current variation in the parallel branch. The proposed model can accurately predict the temperature change of cells in the pack under static and dynamic current conditions. Experiments are conducted to validate the prediction accuracy. Most of the average absolute errors (AEave) between the predicted value and test value displayed on the experimental device do not exceed 0.4 °C under static current conditions, and all of them are below 0.1 °C under dynamic current conditions. The two existing models, namely the state-of-charge (SOC)-dependent resistance model [R(SOC)] and SOC-T-dependent resistance model [R(SOC, T)], have AEave values of 1.6 and 0.54 °C when the pack is discharged at 0.5 C. In contrast, the AEave value achieved by our proposed model is 0.4 °C. Under dynamic current conditions, the maximum AEaves are 0.42 °C for the R(SOC) model, 0.26 °C for the R(SOC, T) model, and 0.16 °C for the proposed model. These results demonstrate that the proposed model provides more accurate predictions of the temperature rise inside the pack than the popular existing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid energy storage systems using battery packs and super capacitor (SC) banks are gaining considerable attraction in electric vehicle (EV) applications. In this article, a new modular reconfigurable multisource inverter (MSI) is proposed for active control of energy storage systems in EV applications. Unlike the conventional approaches, which use massive high-power dc–dc converters with bulk magnetic elements for combining SC banks and battery packs, the new approach utilizing the MSI offers magnetic-less structures. This reduces the weight and volume of the power electronics interface and offers simple control. Along with the proposed MSI, a space vector modulation technique and a deterministic state of charge (SOC) controller are also introduced for the control of the switching actions and operation of the SC bank. Simulations using MATLAB/Simulink and experimental results on a scaled down lab prototype are studied to assess the concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article newly suggests two-step Hamming neural network (HNN)-based pattern recognition which combines the discrete wavelet transform (DWT)-based multi-resolution analysis (MRA) for providing an innovative and unique cell distinction. In contrast to the conventional methods, there are some remarkable features. First, the discharging/charging current signals (DCCSs) for reflecting load conditions with various dissimilar scenarios are used as representative patterns in the first-step HNN. Specifically, the usage of decomposed low- or high-frequency components (A5/D5) by the DWT-based MRA enables added characteristic parameters for providing the closest matches. Second, according to state-of-charge (SOC) range, especially in high SOC ranges, the allowable maximum charging currents in constant current/voltage (CC/CV) schemes are adjusted for avoiding over-charging. Third, the second-step HNN finally completes the recognition after closely matching several representative discharging/charging voltage signals applying the selected DCCS in the first step. Finally, simultaneous internal parameter extraction in the equivalent electrical circuit model during the second-step HNN provides useful information for verification of this article. Then, unnecessary experimental procedure and the time required for getting parameters of an arbitrary lithium-ion cell are abbreviated or reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state-of-charge (SOC) estimation approaches based on the pack model can hardly provide precise estimation due to cell difference, while the approaches based on each cell cost high computation resource, which are not suitable for real-time application. The estimation error can be further enlarged without considering balancing current. The SOC estimation approach of the battery pack considering balancing current is proposed, which dynamically searches for the cell with maximum or minimum voltage, and it only needs to calculate the selected cell in every estimation cycle. Compared to the approaches based on the pack model or each single cell, this approach can achieve precise pack SOC and cost less calculation time and resource. It has been verified with ten series-connected 200 Ah Li(NiCoMn)O2 batteries. The SOC estimation error is limited to 0.3% during the charging process, and a reduction of 2.5% is achieved compared to an error of 2.8% based on the pack model. A reduction of 1% is achieved compared to an error of 1.5% based on the pack model during the discharging process. Compared to an error of 1.7% without considering balancing current, a reduction of 1.4% is achieved during the charging process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]