Claims
- 1. A system for continuously managing the charge in individual battery cells in a rechargeable battery cell array to establish an equality of charge among all cells during a single charge cycle, the system comprising:
- a microprocessor for controlling the array;
- a plurality of battery cells arranged in parallel strings, the cells being in series in each string, an identical number of cells being in each string;
- a plurality of string current control elements being continuously dynamically controlled by the microprocessor during a single charge cycle; and
- a shunt element for each battery cell, the shunt element being continuously dynamically controlled by the microprocessor during a single charge cycle to bypass a portion of the string current for each battery cell;
- whereby controlling the string currents and the bypass current for each battery cell, the microprocessor continuously adjusts the charge current for each battery cell in the array and establishes an equality of charge among all cells in the array during a single charge cycle.
- 2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor adjusts the sum of the parallel string currents to control an array current operating point.
- 3. A method for continuously controlling the charge in individual battery cells in a rechargeable battery cell array and establishing an equality of charge among all cells during a single charge cycle, the method comprising the steps of:
- arranging the battery cells in parallel strings, the battery cells being in series in each string, an identical number of battery cells being in each string;
- continuously dynamically controlling the current in each string using a string current control element in each string under the control of a microprocessor; and
- continuously dynamically controlling a portion of the string current bypassing each battery cell during a single charge cycle using a shunt element in each battery cell under the control of the microprocessor;
- wherein controlling the string currents and the bypass current for each battery cell, the microprocessor continuously adjusts the charge current for each battery cell in the array and establishes an equality of charge among all cells in the array during a single charge cycle.
- 4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of adjusting the sum of the parallel string currents to control an array current operating point.
Government Interests
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. FA8002-96-C-0301 awarded by the Department of the Air Force. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (21)