Novel lithium battery management and monitoring system for automotive

"This project is to develop highly disruptive innovative technology in the management of lithium ion batteries in power applications, with potentially global economic impact.

The work follows on from completion of a proof-of-concept completed by the applicants in July 2017 (Innovate UK Reference 132250).

Lithium ion batteries provide by far the most effective rechargeable energy supply for power applications, providing very good energy storage and output from a given size and weight of battery. Properly managed, they remain usable for long periods and large numbers of charging cycles.

The challenge for battery and electric vehicle designers is that lithium ion cells are generally prone to fire hazard (""thermal runaway"") and are also very intolerant of overcharging and over-discharging. Thermal runaway events are associated both with overcharging and with undetected cell deterioration, notably internal short-circuits, which can develop and propagate critically in a very short time.

Prior art in power lithium battery management systems (""BMS"") requires complex circuitry and controls for automatically balancing cells during the charge cycle. This aims to maintain battery capacity while preventing damage from over-charging or over-discharging individual cells. Predictive diagnostic capability, however, is generally poor, as demonstrated in the notorious Boeing ""Dreamliner"" battery fires in 2013/14\.

A wholly new BMS design was developed by Intercal (UK) Ltd in laboratory trials commencing in 2012 and completed with the aid of an EU research grant. Patent protection has been sought in the USA, China and Europe.

The key design innovation is the elimination of automated cell balancing and with it the associated complex wiring looms. This greatly simplifies high voltage battery pack design, assembly and maintenance, and reduces potential failure points. However the key proven benefit is that the absence of cell balancing currents allows for game-changing new capabilities in predictive fault diagnosis.

Operationally, the Intercal BMS has successfully completed multiple laboratory trials including a full-scale simulation of a civil airliner's auxiliary power system as part of Innovate project 132250\. This included successful early detection of simulated faults (and one genuine fault) all in line with earlier laboratory experience.

The applicants are commencing automotive field trials in September 2017 using a road-going electric quadbike, in a project funded by the Niche Vehicle Network.

The current project is to further develop the hardware and software and carry out multiple vehicle trials.

If the successful, potential markets globally include all transportation modes and static grid storage."