introduction

The objective of this project is to design and implement a medium power Lithium Ion battery with medium capacity for low carbon footprint products. Such products need the capability of storing energy obtained from green energy sources such as wind turbines and photovoltaics. The project will utilize Li Ion technology due to its high energy density and the predicted increase in availability with decreasing cost. Although Lithium Ion batteries can currently be found in many products from cell phones to hybrid motor vehicles, there is a surprisingly limited supply of Lithium Ion batteries that are available for medium power applications. Since the availability is limited but the demand seems to be increasing, it is the goal of this project to meet this growing demand via the design and implementation of a medium power battery pack.

The battery will consist of Li Ion cells purchased from an industrial vendor and connected in combinations of series and parallel to best perform in medium power applications. In this case, medium power means supplying 1000W for an hour. An important design aspect includes the cell monitoring electronics to measure and display various parameters, such as charge state, voltage, current and temperature. The electronics will output these data in useful formats not only in it application mode but also in test mode. The monitoring system will also accommodate inputs from the user which will allow for quick diagnosis of problems, state of charge of the cells, and the current mode of the system. Finally, a photovoltaic charging system will be designed and implemented to efficiently charge the battery. The charging system will utilize smart-charging techniques to prevent over-charging, as well as offer maximum efficiency for a quick charge. Finally, another major part of the project will be designing the system in compliance with all major standards set by organizations such as IEEE, SAE, and UL.