A novel mechanical analogy based battery model for SoC estimation using a multi-cell EKF

The future evolution of technological systems dedicated to improve energy efficiency will strongly depend on effective and reliable Energy Storage Systems, as key components for Smart Grids, microgrids and electric mobility. Besides possible improvements in chemical materials and cells design, the Battery Management System is the most important electronic device that improves the reliability of a battery pack. In fact, a precise State of Charge (SoC) estimation allows the energy flows controller to exploit better the full capacity of each cell. In this paper, we propose an alternative definition for the SoC, explaining the rationales by a mechanical analogy. We introduce a novel cell model, conceived as a series of three electric dipoles, together with a procedure for parameters estimation relying only on voltage measures and a given current profile. The three dipoles represent the quasi-stationary, the dynamics and the istantaneous components of voltage measures. An Extended Kalman Filer (EKF) is adopted as a nonlinear state estimator. Moreover, we propose a multi-cell EKF system based on a round-robin approach to allow the same processing block to keep track of many cells at the same time. Performance tests with a prototype battery pack composed by 18 A123 cells connected in series show encouraging results.Comment: 8 page, 12 figures, 1 tabl

Efficient electrochemical model for lithium-ion cells

Lithium-ion batteries are used to store energy in electric vehicles. Physical models based on electro-chemistry accurately predict the cell dynamics, in particular the state of charge. However, these models are nonlinear partial differential equations coupled to algebraic equations, and they are computationally intensive. Furthermore, a variable solid-state diffusivity model is recommended for cells with a lithium ion phosphate positive electrode to provide more accuracy. This variable structure adds more complexities to the model. However, a low-order model is required to represent the lithium-ion cells' dynamics for real-time applications. In this paper, a simplification of the electrochemical equations with variable solid-state diffusivity that preserves the key cells' dynamics is derived. The simplified model is transformed into a numerically efficient fully dynamical form. It is proved that the simplified model is well-posed and can be approximated by a low-order finite-dimensional model. Simulations are very quick and show good agreement with experimental data

State of charge estimation based on a modified extended Kalman filter

The global transition from fossil-based automobile systems to their electric-driven counterparts has made the use of a storage device inevitable. Owing to its high energy density, lower self-discharge, and higher cycle lifetime the lithium-ion battery is of significant consideration and usage in electric vehicles. Nevertheless, the state of charge (SOC) of the battery, which cannot be measured directly, must be calculated using an estimator. This paper proposes, by means of a modified priori estimate and a compensating proportional gain, an improved extended Kalman filter (IEKF) for the estimation task due to its nonlinear application and adaptiveness to noise. The improvement was achieved by incorporating the residuals of the previous state matrices to the current state predictor and introducing an attenuating factor in the Kalman gain, which was chosen to counteract the effect of the measurement and process noise resulting in better accuracy performance than the conventional SOC curve fitting-based estimation and ampere hour methods. Simulation results show that the standard EKF estimator results in performance with an error bound of 12.9% due to an unstable start, while the modified EKF reduces the maximum error to within 2.05% demonstrating the quality of the estimator

Study and modelling of lithium ion cell with accurate soc measurement algorithm using Kalman filter for electric vehicles

Lithium Ion cells are preferred over lead acid cells for electric vehicles due to their energy density, higher discharge current and size. The cost of lithium ion cells is scaling down compared to ten years earlier, but as their performance characteristics increase, the need for safety and accurate modelling also increases. The absence of a generic cell model is associated to the different makes of cells and different chemistries of Lithium ion cells behave differently under the testing conditions required for every unique application. The focus of this thesis will be on how to provide intelligence to the battery management system for calculating the state of charge of a cell so that the depth of discharge of the pack can be controlled, and to balance the voltage levels of all modules in a battery pack. This will involve cycling of the chosen type of cell, modelling it for its parameters, analyzing the cycling data and choosing the perfect depth of discharge required for the application from the energy or capacity vs open circuit voltage (OCV) graph. The lithium ion model will be evaluated from the transient response of the battery pack. This will then be made as a working prototype on an electric vehicle car and its behavior studied practically