An active cell balancing algorithm for Li-Ion battery and its simulations for GEO satellite missions

Abstract

High Power Communication Spacecrafts are needed to meet increasing band-width requirements of Spacecraft payloads to provide valuable and uninterrupted services like National Stock exchanges; Banks and ATMs; Telemedicine; Direct to earth services; telephone services; internets and intranet of major corporate and also for Digital India. The spacecraft power requirements have increased from traditional 3 Kilo watt for C-band to nearly 6Kilo watt – 8Kilowatt for Ku-band & Direct to earth services and are expected to go beyond 10 to 15 Kilowatts for high power Satellite using Ku-band Ka-band transponder applications. As our dependence on space services increases; down-time becomes very critical; as services get affected; which disrupts normal life. The introduction of Lithium-Ion batteries represents a turning point for the high power communication spacecraft to optimize weight and volume as compared to traditional Ni-H2 and Nickel cadmium Cells to support power requirements during eclipse. This paper is aimed at the development of a new algorithm for the Lithium-Ion cell balancing; protection and its simulation for space applications. The switched capacitor charge transfer algorithm across the cell using a micro controller eliminate the power loss and associated thermal management problem compared to dissipative methods used in the satellite sub systems. The proposed topology is simulated using the Matlab Software and the results are presented.