Next-Generation Battery Management Systems: Dynamic Reconfiguration

Batteries are widely applied to the energy storage and power supply in portable electronics, transportation, power systems, communication networks, and so forth. They are particularly demanded in the emerging technologies of vehicle electrification and renewable energy integration for a green and sustainable society. To meet various voltage, power, and energy requirements in large-scale applications, multiple battery cells have to be connected in series and/or parallel. While battery technology has advanced significantly during the past decade, existing battery management systems (BMSs) mainly focus on the state monitoring and control of battery systems packed in fixed configurations. In fixed configurations, though, battery system performance is, in principle, limited by the weakest cells, which can leave large parts severely underutilized.