With thousands of cells in a typical electric vehicle battery pack, reducing the use of individual parts would be a game changer for the industry.
Researchers at a German University may have done just that with a sensor system that could reduce cost and increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries.
The system currently exists as a laboratory prototype.
The team at Ruhr-Universität Bochum developed new current and voltage sensors that can monitor all of a battery’s cells at the same time— cutting out the need for multiple sensors in a single battery pack.
It means the number of cells to monitor a battery pack could be reduced to one current sensor and one voltage sensor. The system can also perform cell balancing.
The innovation would mean battery manufacturers would no longer need to put a voltage sensor on individual cells, and could do away with separate cell balancing technology.
The researchers claim the technology is scalable depending on the number of cells in the battery, which means it could be used for anything from EVs to laptops.
Pic: Philip Dost (right) and Professor Constantinos Sourkounis (left) source- Ruhr-Universität Bochum)
