Method for Balancing Ultracapacitor Cells
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsAndrew A. Knitt, Wellington Ying-Wei Kwok
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Abstract
A method (200) of balancing ultracapacitor cells (102) is provided. The method may measure individual ultracapacitor cell voltages, select a balancing setpoint voltage, compare an actual voltage variation within each ultracapacitor cell (102) with a voltage variation threshold, and enable a balancing element (104) associated with the ultracapacitor cell (102) if the actual voltage variation exceeds the voltage variation threshold.
Claims20
A method of balancing ultracapacitor cells, comprising the steps of:
- measuring individual ultracapacitor cell voltages;
- selecting a balancing setpoint voltage;
- comparing an actual voltage variation within each ultracapacitor cell with a voltage variation threshold;
- and
- enabling a balancing element associated with the ultracapacitor cell if the actual voltage variation exceeds the voltage variation threshold.
A method of balancing ultracapacitor cells, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring individual cell voltages of the ultracapacitor cells;
- selecting a balancing setpoint voltage;
- calculating an expected voltage variation based on an expected capacitance variation, the balancing setpoint voltage, and an average cell voltage;
- comparing an actual voltage variation within each ultracapacitor cell with the expected voltage variation and a predefined threshold voltage;
- and
- enabling a balancing resistor associated with the ultracapacitor cell if the actual voltage variation exceeds the allowed voltage variation.
A control system for balancing ultracapacitor cells, comprising:
- a plurality of balancing elements, each balancing element being in selective communication with one of the ultracapacitor cells;
- and
- a controller in communication with the balancing elements and the ultracapacitor cells, the controller being configured to individually measure a cell voltage of each ultracapacitor cell, define a balancing setpoint voltage, compare an actual voltage variation within each ultracapacitor cell with a voltage variation threshold, and selectively enable the balancing elements corresponding to the identified ultracapacitor cells exhibiting actual voltage variations which exceed the voltage variation threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.