Whenever possible, using a single string of lithium cells is usually the preferred configuration for a lithium ion battery pack as it is the lowest cost and simplest. However, sometimes it may be necessary to use multiple strings of cells.
How much energy does a high voltage battery pack consume?
The battery pack will be designed for an average energy consumption of 161.7451 Wh/km. All high voltage battery packs are made up from battery cells arranged in strings and modules. A battery cell can be regarded as the smallest division of the voltage. Individual battery cells may be grouped in parallel and / or series as modules.
Portable equipment needing higher voltages use battery packs with two or more cells connected in series. Figure 2 shows a battery pack with four 3.6V Li-ion cells in series, also known as 4S, to produce 14.4V nominal. In comparison, a six-cell lead acid string with 2V/cell will generate 12V, and four alkaline with 1.5V/cell will give 6V.
Can a lithium ion battery pack have multiple strings?
Whenever possible, using a single string of lithium cells is usually the preferred configuration for a lithium ion battery pack as it is the lowest cost and simplest. However, sometimes it may be necessary to use multiple strings of cells. Here are a few reasons that parallel strings may be necessary:
What determines the operating voltage of a battery pack?
The operating voltage of the pack is fundamentally determined by the cell chemistry and the number of cells joined in series. If there is a requirement to deliver a minimum battery pack capacity (eg Electric Vehicle) then you need to understand the variability in cell capacity and how that impacts pack configuration.
The total battery pack voltage is determined by the number of cells in series. For example, the total (string) voltage of 6 cells connected in series will be the sum of their individual voltage. In order to increase the current capability the battery capacity, more strings have to be connected in parallel.
In a small battery with just a few cells in series, the charger voltage is divided nearly equally among the cells. For example, when charging a standard lead-acid starter battery for a car, a constant voltage of 13.5V is applied to it, and each of the six cells within it sees about 2.25V.