The critical role of cell balancing in LifePo4 systems.

As electric mobility continues to grow rapidly, the demand for efficient and reliable battery technologies has never been greater. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries have emerged as a leading solution for electric vehicles (EVs) due to their superior safety, long life and stable thermal performance. However, achieving optimal battery performance involves more than simply selecting the right chemistry: it requires careful management of each cell within the battery pack.

A fundamental aspect of battery management is cell balancing. Without proper balancing, even the most advanced battery packs can suffer from reduced performance, shortened lifespan and inaccurate readings of key indicators such as state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH). In this article, we'll explore why cell balancing is essential for LiFePO4 batteries, its impact on SOC and SOH, and how to NCPower is leading the way with innovative solutions to ensure maximum efficiency and longevity for the electric mobility market.

Cell balance in LifePo4 batteries

In any battery pack, individual cells may experience slight variations in voltage and capacity due to differences in manufacturing, age and operating conditions. Over time, these discrepancies can accumulate and cause some cells to overcharge while others undercharge. This imbalance not only affects the overall performance of the battery pack, but also accelerates the degradation of individual cells, reducing their capacity and efficiency.

Cell balancing is the process that ensures that all cells in a battery pack maintain the same voltage level during charge and discharge cycles. In LiFePO4 batteries, which are known for their safety, thermal stability and long life, balancing is essential to avoid overloading or underloading.which can significantly reduce battery life and performance.

Most battery management systems (BMS) implement cell balancing primarily during the charging process, as this is when cells are most likely to diverge in voltage. Without proper balancing, some cells may overcharge while others lag behind, leading to inefficiencies and safety risks. In today's market, there are two main methods of cell balancing: passive balancing and active balancing, both of which come with their own advantages and challenges.

Passive balancing is the simplest and most cost-effective solution commonly used in battery systems. In this method, excess energy from the higher voltage cells is dissipated as heat through internal resistors within the BMS. This process can be problematic, especially when there is a significant mismatch between cells. Typical balancing currents for passive systems are around 200 mA, which means that if the cells are significantly out of sync, the balancing process can take a long time. During this extended balancing period, the BMS itself can overheat, putting other critical components at risk and reducing the overall lifetime of the BMS, which acts as the brain of the battery system.

In contrast, active balancing involves the transfer of energy from stronger cells to weaker cells, thus reducing overall energy loss and improving system efficiency. However, most active balancing systems on the market are single-channel, meaning that energy is transferred from one cell to another sequentially, which limits their efficiency, especially in large battery systems. Another concern with active balancing is the risk of discharge at rest. In active systems, the balancing process continues even when the battery is not in use, which can cause small but cumulative energy losses and cause the battery to slowly discharge during periods of inactivity.

Despite these challenges, both balancing techniques play a crucial role in maintaining the health and efficiency of LiFePO4 batteries. The decision between passive and active balancing often depends on the specific application and the trade-offs between cost, efficiency and durability. At NCPower, we are committed to incorporating advanced balancing techniques that address these challenges by ensuring that our systems BMS keep the cells in balance without compromising the overall life and efficiency of the battery pack.

The challenge of measuring cellular capacity for effective balancing

Effective cell balancing depends on one crucial factor: the battery management system (BMS) must accurately measure the capacity of each individual cell. Without this information, proper balancing is impossible. However, determining the capacity of the cells in a battery system is not as simple as it may seem. In LiFePO4 batteries, the capacity of a cell is usually inferred from its voltage, but doing so poses a significant challenge due to the non-linear relationship between voltage and capacity.

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries have a relatively flat voltage curve over a wide range of their state of charge (SOC). This means that small changes in capacity do not always translate into easily detectable voltage changes. For example, while a fully charged LiFePO4 cell stays at around 3.65 V and a fully discharged one at around 2.5 V, the voltage remains nearly constant over much of the mid-range SOC. This flat curve complicates the ability of the BMS to determine the exact SOC, particularly during charge and discharge processes.

As a result, when cells begin to drift apart in terms of capacitance, the BMS may have difficulty detecting significant unbalances early enough. This is particularly true in passive balancing systems, where balancing currents are relatively low (around 200 mA) and the system relies on gradual voltage changes to detect unbalance. Given the flat nature of the voltage curve in LiFePO4 cells, this can lead to long balancing periods and less accurate adjustments.

In addition, active balancing systems, while more efficient in transferring power between cells, also face challenges due to this non-linearity. Active systems often transfer power as a function of the voltage difference between cells. However, because small voltage differences do not always equate to large capacity differences, the BMS may misinterpret the needs of the cells, leading to less efficient balancing. In addition, there is a risk of idle discharge in active balancing systems, as energy continues to move between cells even when the battery is not in use, which can result in gradual energy losses over time.

This inherent complexity of measuring cell capacity through voltage underlines the importance of advanced algorithms within the BMS that can better predict state of charge and manage balancing based on more than just voltage readings. At NCPower, we have developed proprietary techniques that go beyond simple voltage measurements, incorporating data from multiple parameters to ensure that cell balancing is accurate and timely, maximising the efficiency and longevity of our LiFePO4 battery systems.. In addition, NCPower advocates balancing cells during charge and discharge cycles, a method that extends the time available for balancing and ensures the process is more complete. By balancing during discharge, we can prevent imbalances from building up during normal operation, ensuring that the cells remain synchronised throughout the usage cycle, not just at the end of charge. This approach allows for more consistent battery performance and extends the lifetime of the entire system.

State of charge (SOC) impact

The state of charge (SOC) is a key metric used to estimate the remaining capacity of a battery, similar to a fuel gauge in traditional vehicles. For electric vehicles and other applications, maintaining an accurate SOC reading is essential to optimise performance, ensure operational efficiency and avoid unexpected power outages. However, achieving reliable SOC readings is highly dependent on the balance of the individual cells within the battery pack.

In LiFePO4 batteries, the flat voltage curve over much of the state-of-charge range makes it particularly difficult for the battery management system (BMS) to detect small variations in capacity between cells. Since the relationship between voltage and capacity is not linear, the BMS must rely on more advanced data to ensure an accurate state-of-charge reading. When cells become unbalanced (some undercharged, some overcharged), this discrepancy can lead to erroneous state-of-charge estimates. An unbalanced battery pack may show a higher state of charge than it actually has, resulting in premature power outages, reduced range or inefficient energy use.

If the BMS only balances cells during the charging phase, the time available for balancing is limited, especially considering the risk of overheating the BMS during prolonged balancing sessions. This limitation can lead to cumulative imbalances between cells, as there is not enough time to correct all discrepancies. Over time, these imbalances accumulate, further distorting state-of-charge accuracy and reducing overall battery performance.

NCPower's solution is to implement cell balancing during charge and discharge cycles, effectively extending the time available for balancing and ensuring that cells remain synchronised throughout the usage cycle. This approach prevents the build-up of cell discrepancies during normal operation, allowing for more accurate and consistent state-of-charge readings. The extended balancing period ensures that the BMS can make accurate adjustments without the risk of overheating, ultimately preserving battery performance and longevity.

By continuously balancing the cells during charge and discharge, NCPower ensures that the BMS maintains accurate SOC estimates and maximises the usable capacity of the battery, resulting in a more efficient and reliable energy storage solution.

 Impact on health status (SOH)

Health status (SOH) refers to the overall condition of a battery and is a critical indicator of its longevity and performance. SOH is affected by factors such as capacity retention, internal resistance and general wear and tear that occurs during charge and discharge cycles. In lithium-ion batteries, including LiFePO4, cell imbalance is a key factor that can negatively affect SOH over time.

When cells in a battery pack are out of balance, they age at different rates. Overcharged cells experience increased stress and thermal conditions, accelerating their degradation, while undercharged cells may not contribute fully to the battery's total capacity. This imbalance creates a domino effect, which reduces the overall capacity and efficiency of the battery pack and shortens its operational lifetime.

Proper cell balancing plays a critical role in SOH maintenance by ensuring that all cells degrade evenly. In a balanced system, each cell operates within safe voltage and temperature limits, preventing excessive wear on individual cells. By minimising variation in performance and degradation between cells, the overall SOH of the battery remains stable, resulting in longer life cycles and more reliable performance.

Conclusions

While many may assume that all battery systems are the same, at NCPower we believe that nuances in technology can make a significant difference in both performance and longevity. Our understanding of this stems from more than 10 years of experience in the electric mobility battery segment, where we have learned first-hand the key challenges faced by users, OEMs, integrators and fleet maintainers who rely on LiFePO4 batteries. This experience has allowed us to develop solutions that directly address their most pressing concerns, from ensuring accurate state of charge (SOC) readings to maintaining long-term state of health (SOH).

NCPower's commitment to advanced cell balancing techniques ensures that each battery pack is designed to last, with each cell contributing its full capacity throughout the life of the battery. This results in more efficient energy use and fewer costly replacements or maintenance cycles, which translates into a lower total cost of ownership (TCO). More importantly, the consistency in our battery technology gives operators the confidence that their systems will operate reliably, safely and with minimal risk of unexpected downtime.

Beyond operational efficiency, NCPower's approach promotes sustainability by maximising the lifetime of each battery. Lithium, a critical resource in modern energy storage solutions, is often wasted when battery systems are not properly managed. By ensuring that each cell is balanced and performing optimally, we reduce premature battery disposal, minimise environmental impact and conserve valuable resources.

In short, not all battery technologies are the same. At NCPower, we offer battery solutions that not only meet the highest performance standards, but also align with the growing need for sustainable and responsible energy management. Our extensive experience in the electric mobility sector, combined with our dedication to excellence in cell balancing, ensures that our battery systems contribute to the ongoing electric mobility revolution in a way that is both efficient and sustainable.