Week 6 Session 13

Discuss two new trends in battery system field.

Ans:

• Sodium-ion Battery

The sodium-ion batteries are considered an ideal alternative to lithium-ion batteries for powering electric vehicles as they offer a greater range and carrying capacity. The invention of new sodium-ion battery technology by the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) comes as a massive breakthrough for the electric vehicle industry. These batteries are energy dense, non-flammable, and operate well in colder temperatures. Since sodium is found abundant in nature, they are less expensive than lithium-ion batteries. Besides, sodium-ion batteries are long-lasting, and they are considered to be eco-friendly.

The new technology has been developed by modifying the cathode material and adding a different charge carrier that adds to the additional stability of the entire unit. The current electrolyte recipe developed by researchers extends the number of charging cycles (300 or more) with minimal loss of capacity (>90% retained), which allows sodium ions to pass through while preserving the battery life.

• Battery Management System

A Battery Management System (BMS), which manages the electronics of a rechargeable battery, whether a cell or a battery pack, thus becomes a crucial factor in ensuring electric vehicle safety. It safeguards both the user and the battery by ensuring that the cell operates within its safe operating parameters. BMS monitors the State Of Health (SOH) of the battery, collects data, controls environmental factors that affect the cell, and balances them to ensure the same voltage across cells.

A battery pack with a BMS connected to an external communication data transfer system or a data bus is referred to as a smart battery pack. It may include additional features and functions such as fuel gauge integration, smart bus communication protocols, General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) options, cell balancing, wireless charging, embedded battery chargers, and protection circuitry, all aimed at providing information about the battery’s power status. This information can help the device conserve power intelligently.

A smart battery pack can manage its own charging, generate error reports, detect and notify the device of any low-charge condition, and predict how long the battery will last or its remaining run-time. It also provides information about the current, voltage, and temperature of the cell and continuously self-corrects any errors to maintain its prediction accuracy. Smart battery packs are usually designed for use in portable devices such as laptops and have embedded electronics that improve the battery’s reliability, safety, lifespan, and functionality. These features enable the development of end products that are user-friendly and more reliable. For instance, with embedded chargers, batteries can have longer life cycles as the chargers charge the batteries to optimal, ideal specifications within the temperature limits. Accurate fuel gauges allow users to confidently discharge batteries to their limits and not worry about damaging the cell. GPIO, which stands for General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO), is an interface used to connect electronic devices and microcontrollers such as diodes, sensors, displays, and so on.