{ "node": { "id": "term:cell-balancing", "type": "Term", "label": "Cell balancing", "properties": { "id": "cell-balancing", "name": "Cell balancing", "section": "topic-state", "definition": "Equalising the state of charge of cells in series, since the pack is limited by its emptiest cell on discharge and its fullest on charge. Passive balancing bleeds charge from high cells through resistors; active balancing moves it between cells.", "related": [ "bms", "series-parallel", "state-of-charge", "cell-to-cell-variation" ], "example": { "title": "Pack average versus cell limits", "text": "Average pack SOC can look acceptable while one series cell reaches its voltage limit. One aggregate SOC state does not demonstrate cell balancing." }, "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/cell-balancing/", "mentions": [ "active-balancing" ] } }, "edges": [ { "id": "edge:1330", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "topic:topic-state", "type": "belongsTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json" } }, { "id": "edge:1331", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "term:bms", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:1332", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "term:series-parallel", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:1333", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "term:state-of-charge", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:1334", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "term:cell-to-cell-variation", "type": "relatedTo", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:mentions/cell-balancing/active-balancing", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "term:active-balancing", "type": "mentions", "properties": { "sourceFile": "terms.json", "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions", "field": "definition", "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim" } }, { "id": "edge:1336", "source": "term:cell-balancing", "target": "visual:balancing", "type": "illustratedBy", "properties": { "sourceFile": "visual-pages.json" } } ], "neighbors": [ { "id": "topic:topic-state", "type": "Topic", "label": "State estimation", "properties": { "id": "topic-state", "name": "State estimation", "lede": "The quantities a battery management system estimates but cannot measure directly.", "context": "Distinguish internal states from noisy measurement estimates.", "example": "Current-sensor bias accumulates in coulomb counting. Exact model SOC does not establish real estimator accuracy.", "lesson_url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/fundamentals/capacity-and-c-rate/", "lesson_label": "Open charge balance" } }, { "id": "term:bms", "type": "Term", "label": "Battery management system", "properties": { "id": "bms", "name": "Battery management system", "abbr": "BMS", "section": "topic-pack", "definition": "The electronics and software that keep a battery inside its safe window: measuring every cell voltage and many temperatures, estimating SOC and SOH, balancing cells, computing current limits, controlling the contactors and reporting over the vehicle network.", "related": [ "state-of-charge", "cell-balancing", "state-of-power", "cell-supervision-circuit", "contactor", "can-bus" ], "lesson": "fundamentals/battery-basics/#cell-module-pack", "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/bms/", "mentions": [ "state-of-health", "cell-voltage" ] } }, { "id": "term:series-parallel", "type": "Term", "label": "Series and parallel connection", "properties": { "id": "series-parallel", "name": "Series and parallel connection", "aka": [ "xSyP" ], "section": "topic-pack", "definition": "Cells in series add their voltages; cells in parallel add their capacities and share current. A pack is described as, for example, 96s4p: 96 groups in series, each of 4 cells in parallel. Series strings need balancing; parallel groups self-balance through their shared terminals.", "formula": "V = n_s·V_cell, Q = n_p·Q_cell", "related": [ "module", "cell-balancing", "pack-voltage", "volt", "fuse" ], "lesson": "fundamentals/battery-basics/#cell-module-pack", "example": { "title": "Assemble an ideal 4s2p pack", "text": "Eight identical 3.6 V, 5 Ah cells arranged as four series groups with two cells in parallel give 14.4 V nominal, 10 Ah and 144 Wh. Interconnect losses, cell variation and usable voltage limits are additional constraints." }, "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/series-parallel/", "mentions": [] } }, { "id": "term:state-of-charge", "type": "Term", "label": "State of charge", "properties": { "id": "state-of-charge", "name": "State of charge", "abbr": "SOC", "section": "topic-state", "definition": "How full a cell is, as a fraction of its available capacity. State of charge, like temperature, affects how fast a stored cell ages.", "unit": "%", "related": [ "depth-of-discharge", "ocv-soc-curve", "coulomb-counting", "state-of-health", "bms" ], "lesson": "fundamentals/battery-aging/#storage-soc", "example": { "title": "Interpret a charge inventory", "text": "If available capacity is 5 Ah and 3 Ah remains by the chosen estimator, SOC is 60%. A different estimate of available capacity changes this percentage, so compare SOC values only with the capacity convention recorded." }, "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/state-of-charge/", "mentions": [ "usable-capacity" ] } }, { "id": "term:cell-to-cell-variation", "type": "Term", "label": "Cell-to-cell variation", "properties": { "id": "cell-to-cell-variation", "name": "Cell-to-cell variation", "section": "topic-state", "definition": "The spread in capacity, resistance and self-discharge between nominally identical cells, from manufacturing and from unequal temperatures in service. It is why packs need balancing and why grading matches cells before assembly.", "related": [ "cell-balancing", "grading", "end-of-line-testing", "thermal-management" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/cell-to-cell-variation/", "mentions": [ "self-discharge" ] } }, { "id": "term:active-balancing", "type": "Term", "label": "Active balancing", "properties": { "id": "active-balancing", "name": "Active balancing", "aka": [ "capacitive balancing", "inductive balancing", "switched-capacitor balancing", "converter-based balancing", "cell bypass" ], "section": "topic-pack", "definition": "Cell balancing that moves charge from fuller cells to emptier ones instead of burning it in resistors. Switched capacitors shuttle charge between neighbours; inductors or transformers carry it further; isolated converters exchange it between one cell and the whole string; bypass switches take a cell out of the string. Currents reach amperes, at the cost of more parts.", "related": [ "cell-balancing", "buck-boost-converter", "bms", "cell-to-cell-variation", "mosfet" ], "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/active-balancing/", "mentions": [] } }, { "id": "visual:balancing", "type": "Visual", "label": "The limiting cell matters", "properties": { "title": "The limiting cell matters", "summary": "A pack average can hide a cell that reaches its voltage limit first.", "readout": "Average: 3.93 V. Highest cell: 4.02 V. The highest cell can reach the charge limit first.", "formula": "V_max = max(V₁, V₂, …); V_average = ΣV_i / N", "note": "The 4.2 V ceiling is an example, not universal. Voltage alone does not uniquely determine SOC.", "software": { "status": "reference", "label": "Reference concept", "body": "Cell supervision uses individual voltages. The native Studio battery is an aggregate model; this chart does not claim it simulates cell balancing.", "href": "https://design.lemonergy.com/cosim.html?example=charging-home" }, "html": "
Four cells before balancing
Four cells before balancingCell number versus Cell voltage (V). Individual voltages; Average; Example ceiling. Interpretation follows the graphs.3.713.851.7542.54.153.254.34Cell numberCell voltage (V)
Individual voltagesAverage (dashed)Example ceiling
" } } ] }