Cell state-of-charge (SoC) balancing within a battery energy-storage system (BESS) is the key to optimizing capacity utilization of a BESS. Many cell SoC balancing strategies have been proposed; however, control complexity and slow SoC convergence remain as key issues. This paper presents two strategies to achieve SoC balancing among cells: main balancing strategy (MBS) using a cascaded hybrid modular multi-level converter (CHMMC) and a supplementary balancing strategy (SBS) using a cascaded parallel modular dual L-bridge (CPMDLB). The control and monitoring of individual cells with a reduction in the component count and the losses of BESS are achieved by integrating each individual cell into an L-bridge instead of an H-bridge. The simulation results demonstrate a satisfactory performance of the proposed SoC balancing strategy. In this result, SoC balancing convergence point for the cells/modules is achieved at 1000 min when cell-prioritized MBS-CHMMC works without SBS-CPMDLB and at 216.7 min when CPMBS-CHMMC works together with SBS-CPMDLB and when the duration required reduces by 78.33 %. Similarly, a substantial improvement in SoC balancing convergence point for the cells/modules is achieved when module-prioritized MBS-CHMMC works together with SBS-CPMDLB; the duration needed to reach the SoC balancing convergence point for the cells/modules is achieved after 333.3 and 183.3 min.
INDEX TERMSCell balancing, half-bridge multi-level converter, hybrid multi-level converter, lithium-ion battery (Li-ion), state-of-charge (SoC).
Cell state-of-charge (SoC) balancing within each branch of a three-phase battery energy storage system (BESS) and among three branches is crucial to overcome the inability to fully utilise the available capacity of a three-phase BESS. The proposed topology is constructed with one branch instead of three branches to take advantage of its idle cells/modules (Ms) (one-third of the total cells/Ms) and to eliminate the need of SoC balancing among the branches. Contrary to conventional topologies, idle cells/Ms can serve as redundant cells/Ms or can be dropped out of a BESS, thereby leading to a reduction in the cost, control complexity, size, and losses of a BESS. A novel SoC balancing strategy for the proposed topology of a three-phase BESS is introduced in this paper. Moreover, the cell/M activation algorithm is implemented to minimise the duration needed to activate the cells/Ms required to generate voltage for the phases, thereby leading to an improvement of battery operational efficiency. Based on the simulation results, SoC balancing among 3996 cells, 2664 cells, 333/222 Ms, and 12 cells in M with the lowest and the highest average SoC is achieved in 53 min, 48 min, 38 min, 18 min and 53 min, respectively.
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