A battery cell balancing system contains a switch mode circuit employing voltage sensors across the cells, and current sensors on the balancing legs to enable reliable and efficient cell balancing during battery charge.

The method for discharging the cell includes: pulsively discharging a load, where a discharge pulse forms, through current filtering, a current waveform required by the load; a pulse amplitude of the discharge pulse is a discharge current of a cell, a pulse width of the discharge pulse is not greater than a recovery time t.sub.c, and a pulse interval of the discharge pulse is not less than a relaxation time t.sub.r; and the recovery time is a largest continuous discharge time of the cell, and distortion of an electrode structure caused within the time can be eliminated in the subsequent relaxation time. The present invention is applicable to intelligent control of discharging of various electrochemical batteries, so that a load (a working condition), discharging, and battery management are fully matched and optimized, each cell works in a healthy running area, and a battery life is prolonged.

A method for charging a battery includes: calculating a charge pulse at a next moment based on real-time data of the battery, and change information of a first charge time t.sub.c1 and a second charge time t.sub.c2, and change information of a first relaxation time t.sub.r1 and a second relaxation time t.sub.r2, so that the battery has a longest time for being at a highest bearable charge voltage/current in a healthy state, until the battery is fully charged. t.sub.c1/t.sub.r2 is a longest time within which the cell is at an overcharge voltage/current but no irreversible damage has been formed during a charge, and t.sub.r1/t.sub.r2 is a time within which the cell recovers from an overcharged state to a normal state within t.sub.c1/t.sub.c2. Based on the present invention, low-cost and well balanced fast charging is implemented when a requirement of reducing consistency between cells is reduced.

One or more of the present embodiments provide for a battery cell balancing system and strategy that delivers more efficient use of battery capacities as needed for different use cases. For example, a balancing circuit is provided to support targeted battery cell passive and active balancing according to a balancing strategy for the use cases. Further the balancing circuit allows for cell balancing to be performed while the battery cells are collectively being charged or discharged.

A power management and selection system for a class 8 tractor trailer, directs excess solar and vehicular charge capacity to an auxiliary load by measuring available charge capacity from a reefer power system including a reefer battery, solar panel and charge controller for moderating solar power to the reefer batter, and measuring available charge capacity from a cab vehicle power system including a propulsion system battery and alternator. Charge logic, in a selector configured for switching charge capacity to the auxiliary load, determines which of the reefer power system and cab vehicle power system has the most potential excess charge capacity, and directs the determined excess charge capacity to the auxiliary load, while the measured available charge capacity remains sufficient for powering the respective reefer power system or cab vehicle power system.

A battery control method that calculates a boosting ratio for converters based on voltage values of batteries and a preset voltage value, and transmits the calculated boosting ratio to the converters is disclosed. The converters are configured to boost output voltages of the batteries based on the calculated boosting ratio, and a sum of the boosted output voltages is equal to the preset voltage value.

An energy storage system comprising a main bus, a transfer bus, and a pair of anti-parallel thyristors electrically coupled to the main bus and the transfer bus. The system also includes a first and second group of battery cells electrically coupled to the main bus and the transfer bus, and a switching network including a plurality of switches that selectively connect the first and second groups of battery cells to the main bus and the transfer bus. A controller controls the position of the switches and a bias voltage applied to the first and second thyristors so as to seamlessly transition power from the first group of battery cells to the second group of battery cells when the group of battery cells are being discharged and seamlessly transition power between the first group of battery cells and the second group of battery cells when the battery cells are being charged.

One or more of the present embodiments provide for a suite of preset and customizable balancing applications that can be configured, selected and implemented to match the requirements a present use case. The suite of preset and customizable balancing applications may be presented to and selected by a user to tailor the balancing system to a particular use case. Alternatively, the balancing system may automatically select a balancing application, such as based on one or more inputs, to tailor the balancing system to the present use case.

A charging apparatus includes: an electric power source circuit including a first inverter and a second inverter to drive one motor; and a charging port having a positive electrode terminal connected to a positive electrode side of a first storage battery, and a negative electrode terminal connected to a negative electrode side of a second storage battery. In the case where the battery charger outputs first electric power, the first storage battery and the second storage battery are connected in parallel when being charged with the first electric power. In the case where the battery charger outputs second electric power that is larger than the first electric power, the first storage battery and the second storage battery are connected in series when being charged with the second electric power.

An electric scooter docking station facilitates an electric scooter charging other electric scooters within the docking station. The docking station can identify scooters having excess charge, and, when they are docked, cause these scooters to charge other scooters via bus bars or other components of a docking station.