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State of Charge Estimation in Simulink

Method · August 2023

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18702.54081

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 Project: State of Charge Estimation in Simulink

https://in.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/72865-design-
and-test-lithium-ion-battery-management-algorithms

1. Simulate the 3 test cases from harness dashboard and write a detailed
report on the results

2. What is coulomb counting? Refer to the above model and explain

how BMS implements coulomb counting for SOC estimation?

Hint: (Download the file from the link and go to SOC estimation model-
ECU block)

Solution
Definition Battery Management System (BMS)
A battery management system (BMS) is an electronic system designed to
oversee rechargeable batteries. Its functions include safeguarding the battery
against operating beyond safe limits, keeping track of its condition, computing
additional information, relaying this information, regulating the battery's
surroundings, verifying its authenticity, and/or ensuring its even charge
distribution.
Functions of BMS
The battery management system (BMS) performs a variety of crucial tasks in
handling rechargeable batteries. Among its key functions are:
1. Continuous Monitoring of Battery Parameters: The BMS constantly
observes critical battery parameters like voltage, current, temperature, and
state of charge (SOC). This data is essential for evaluating the battery's health
and performance.
2. Protection Against Overcharge and Overdischarge: Preventing the
battery from being overcharged, which can cause damage or safety hazards,
and safeguarding it from discharging beyond safe limits, leading to
irreversible harm.
3. Temperature Oversight: The BMS tracks the battery's temperature and
may implement measures to maintain it within the optimal range. Extreme
temperatures can significantly impact the battery's performance and overall
lifespan.
4. Ensuring Cell Balancing: In multi-cell battery packs, the BMS ensures
that each cell receives an equal charge during charging and discharging. This
cell balancing process maintains cell uniformity and maximizes the battery's
total capacity.
5. State of Charge Estimation: The BMS estimates the battery's state of
charge (SOC), indicating the remaining energy at any given time.
6. State of Health Monitoring: The BMS also monitors the battery's state of
health (SOH) throughout its lifespan, assessing capacity degradation and
overall condition.
7. Fault Detection and Diagnostics: Identifying any faults or abnormalities
in the battery's operation and initiating appropriate responses, such as isolating
a faulty cell or shutting down the system if necessary.
8. Communication and Data Reporting: BMS systems communicate with
external devices or systems, transmitting vital battery data, diagnostics, and
alerts to users or central monitoring systems.
9. Ensuring Safety and Protection: A crucial BMS function involves
maintaining battery safety and protecting the surrounding environment. This
may include features like short-circuit protection and temperature-based
safety cutoffs.
10. Authentication and Security: In certain applications, the BMS may
incorporate security features to authenticate the battery and prevent the use of
unauthorized or counterfeit batteries.
In conclusion, the BMS plays an indispensable role in optimizing battery
performance, extending its lifespan, and ensuring secure operations across
various applications, from small consumer electronics to electric vehicles and
renewable energy storage systems. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram for a
vehicle BMS, and Figure 2 identifies BMS structure.
Figure 1: Schematic diagram of a vehicle energy management functions. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Power_needed_to_fully_charge_a_car_battery

Figure 2: Battery management system structure. Available at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324331458
Simulink Model of BMS

The model consists of two primary components: the BMS ECU block and the
PLANT block. The PLANT block represents a battery, while the ECU block
represents software within the Matlab and Simulink environment.
Plant Subsystem

The plant subsystem is composed of three main blocks: the battery pack, the
pre-charger circuit, and the charger-load block. The pre-charger circuit is
interconnected with the charger and the load, represented by the motor, which
is connected through the inverter and charger wires to the pre-charge block.
The charger and load subsystem comprises the charger block and the motor
block, and they are connected in a parallel arrangement.
Charger and Load Subsystem
Load Subsystem

This particular subsystem models the DC driver load. It simulates the battery
current based on the drive cycle, essentially replicating the current draw. The
current source is determined by the battery current drive cycle block, and it
facilitates both the charging and discharging of the battery block.
Charger Subsystem

This will reverse the charging process of the battery. The equations herein
depict the battery being continuously charged in the opposite direction. The
charging source remains continuous throughout this process.
Battery pack subsystem
This subsystem represents a cell module block that comprises two sets: a 6-
cell module and a 16-cell module. From the 6-cell module block, six cells are
connected in series, and the temperature port is activated to measure the
temperature of each cell. This data is then transmitted to the multiplexer and
subsequently passed to the BMS circuit. The Connection 1 port provides the
battery-positive connection, while the Connection 7 port serves as the battery-
pack-negative connection. Notably, the current sensor block is connected in
series with the negative port, generating the output for the pack current value.
Precharge Circuit Subsystem

In essence, the precharge circuit is responsible for connecting and

disconnecting the pre-charge resistor in the inverter or charger. Two resistors
are employed since the current direction is reversed in the circuit. Input signals
from the precharge relay commands are utilized to control the contactor,
which, in turn, switches the circuit on and off.
Test Harness Dashboard Model

The dashboard provides real-time information about the BMS status and any
potential faults in the system. A green light indicates a fault-free condition,
while a red light indicates the presence of a fault. Additionally, the BMS status
is visible on the left-hand side knob, displayed as a block that shows whether
the BMS is in a charging state, driving mode, or a balanced state.
This block manages the current and power limits through two separate
components: one for the charge current limit and another for the discharge
current limit. The limits for charging and discharging are calculated based on
factors like the number of cells connected in series and the minimum or
maximum cell voltage, current, or temperature. The equations in block format
below illustrate how the discharge and charging calculations are represented.
All these algorithms will be executed within the state machine block, denoted
by a blue indication to show which algorithms are currently running. The state
machine block will handle calculations for cell voltage, cell current, and
temperature-related parameters. The output generated by the state machine
block will be directed to the BMS dashboard. The Matlab BMS model will
operate in three distinct states, each requiring specific algorithmic execution.
Current Power Limits Calculations Block
In this block, the current and power limits are managed through two separate
blocks: one for the charge current limit and the other for the discharge current
limit. The calculation of these limits depends on factors such as the number
of cells connected in series and the minimum or maximum cell voltage,
current, or temperature. The discharge and charge calculations are presented
below in block format using equations.
Charging and Discharging Blocks
Discharge Current Calculation Subsystem

Charge Current Calculation Subsystem

State Machine Block

All of these algorithms are scheduled to execute within the state machine
block. The running algorithms or blocks will be indicated in blue. Inside the
state machine block, various algorithms related to cell voltage, cell current,
and temperature calculations will be processed. The state machine block's
output is then fed into the BMS dashboard. The Matlab BMS model will
operate in three different states as required.
1. Simulate the 3 test cases from harness dashboard and write a detailed
report on the results

Test 1 Description
The simulation runs for a duration of 20,000 seconds, divided into distinct
phases. Initially, the first 3,000 seconds represent the discharge or driving
mode, followed by 1,000 seconds of balancing or standby mode.
Subsequently, there are 5,000 seconds allocated to the charging and balancing
mode. Finally, the simulation concludes with another period of standby or
balancing mode.

Test 1 Output
In the beginning, the battery is charged at 80%. It remains in a driving
condition for 3000 seconds, after which it enters a standby phase for 1000
seconds to balance the cells. Following the standby period, the battery
undergoes a charging phase where its state of charge (SOC) is increased to
100%. This charging process takes 5000 seconds, and afterward, the same
sequence repeats for the aging procedure.
In the dashboard display, all the green LEDs are illuminated, indicating that
the system is free from any faults.
Within the output scope, a total of 6 plots are available:
1. The first plot depicts the cell voltage during driving conditions, with a
maximum voltage of 4.2V. Fluctuations in voltage indicate the drive cycle,
while during battery balancing mode, the voltage remains constant, indicating
no voltage is drawn from the circuit.
2. The pack current plot illustrates the combination of the drive cycle and the
load current, which is implemented using a repeating cycle block. Negative
current values represent discharging, while positive values represent charging.
3. As the BMS operates, cell temperatures rise. Different temperatures are
observed for each cell due to their varying placements within the battery pack.
Central cells tend to have higher temperatures compared to those at the outer
edges.
4. It is crucial to control the temperature difference between cells to avoid
reaching maximum values, as excessive heat can impact the capacity of cells
with higher temperatures.
5. Initially, the state of charge (SOC) is set at 80%. During driving conditions,
the SOC reduces to 55% (for cell no.1) and 45% for other cells, and during
standby periods, the SOC remains constant. After the charging period, the
SOC level increases back to 100%.
6. The sixth plot displays the cell balancing command for all six cells. The
first cell, having the lowest voltage, does not require balancing. As a result,
signals for all other cells have a magnitude of 1, while the first cell's signal
has a magnitude of zero.
Test 2 Description
The simulation is scheduled to run for a total of 20,000 seconds, with the
initial 5,000 seconds dedicated to the discharge or driving mode, while the
remaining time is designated for charging the battery.

Test 2 Output
From the dashboard display, it is evident that two LEDs are lit up in red,
indicating the presence of faults within the battery pack system.
1. In the first set of plots, the cell voltage is displayed. During the discharged
state, there are fluctuations on the negative side, while in the standby state,
the signals are stable. When the battery is being charged, the signal level
rises.
2. The second set of plots illustrates the pack current. Until 5000 seconds, the
current is discharged, but after that, an error occurs during the charging
state.
3. In the third plot, the cell temperatures are shown, and it is evident that a
fault occurs when the cell no.6 voltage reaches its maximum temperature
of approximately 323.5k. As a result, the battery enters a fault state, and
further processes are put on standby.
4. The fourth plot indicates that an error in the input state is detected at 6000
seconds.
5. The fifth plot demonstrates the state of charge (SOC) of the 6 cells. The
SOC decreases during battery discharge, and as it is charged, the curve rises
until it reaches 100%.
6. The sixth plot illustrates the cell balancing command for all six cells. The
first cell, having the lowest voltage, does not require balancing, and hence
its signal magnitude remains at zero. For all other cells, the signal
magnitude is 1, indicating that cell balancing initiates when the battery
starts to charge. During the fault onset, battery charging is halted, but
balancing continues to take place.
Test 3 Description
The simulation is conducted over a duration of 20,000 seconds, with the initial
10,000 seconds representing the discharge or driving mode, followed by the
remaining time allocated for charging the battery.

Test 3 Output
The dashboard displays all green LEDs illuminated, indicating that the system
is free from any faults.
1. The cell voltages experience a sharp increase in the voltage when
discharging mode is disabled and charging mode is enabled. Since the
voltage of cell 1 is less than other cells, balancing starts to occur.
Consequently, the voltage of cell 1 keeps increasing at a slow rate, while
decreasing for other cells to make this balance.
2. The second plot depicts a sharp decrease in the pack current between 0 to
2000 seconds and remains steady afterward since the charge is not utilized
during this period, and no driving activity is present.
3. As the BMS operates, cell temperatures rise. Different temperatures are
observed for each cell due to their varying placements within the battery
pack. Central cells tend to have higher temperatures compared to those at
the outer edges.
4. In the fourth plot, the input state follows the given state input. The
simulation runs in charging mode, and no driving (or discharging) activity
is present.
5. The fifth plot illustrates the state of charge (SOC) for the 6 cells. As the
battery discharges, the SOC decreases, and during charging, the curve
ascends until it reaches a full charge of 100% for the weakest cell (cell
no.1).
6. The sixth plot displays the cell balancing command for all six cells. The
first cell, which has the lowest voltage, does not need balancing, resulting
in a signal magnitude of zero. However, for the remaining cells, the signal
magnitude is 1, indicating that cell balancing is activated when the battery
enters the charging phase.
2. What is coulomb counting? Refer to the above model and explain
how BMS implements coulomb counting for SOC estimation?

Coulomb counting is a technique utilized for tracking the State of Charge of

a battery pack. It involves integrating the active flowing current (measured in
amps) over time to determine the total sum of energy entering or leaving the
battery pack. This process yields a capacity measurement typically expressed
in Amp-hours (Ah). Upon observation, the SOC of the cells exhibits
differences, which result from distinct calculations performed in the SOC
simulation and balancing block.

SOC estimations are performed using three distinct formats. The initial block
corresponds to coulomb counting, while the subsequent block involves an
Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) and Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)
algorithms for SOC calculations through Kalman filtering. The Extended
Kalman Filter (EKF) and Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) are widely used
algorithms for estimating the state-of-charge (SOC) in battery management
systems. The EKF extends the traditional Kalman filter by approximating
nonlinear systems through linearization around the current SOC estimate,
offering simplicity but potentially lower accuracy for highly nonlinear
systems. In contrast, the UKF uses the Unscented Transform to capture system
uncertainty without linearization, resulting in better accuracy for highly
nonlinear systems but with higher computational complexity. The selection
between EKF and UKF depends on the system's nonlinearity and the balance
between computational resources and estimation accuracy.
Coulomb Counting Equation Subsystem

The process of coulomb counting entails integrating the current over a specific
period using a discrete-time integrator. Notably, this integration accounts for
the influence of temperature. The discrete-time integrator blocks operate
within the Z-domain, with temperature values utilized in the form of lookup
tables. Thus, the SOC concept is derived simply through the discrete-time
integrator block.
 References
1. Ahmed, M., Bai, Y., & Khan, S. (2019). State of charge estimation for
lithium-ion batteries using adaptive unscented Kalman filter. Energies,
12(12), 2448.
2. Yang, F., Sun, S., & Wang, J. (2018). Battery state of charge estimation
using Kalman filtering in electric vehicles. Applied Sciences, 8(3), 366.
3. Zhong, Z., Li, J., & Xie, H. (2019). A review of state of charge estimation
methods for lithium-ion battery management system in electric vehicles.
Journal of Power Sources, 427, 158-172.
4. Olofsson, J., Behm, M., & Svensson, P. (2017). State of charge estimation
for lithium-ion batteries using a modified coulomb counting method.
Energies, 10(7), 993.
5. Zhang, Y., Jiang, J., & Wang, Y. (2019). Lithium-ion battery state of
charge estimation using a modified unscented Kalman filter based on
fractional open-circuit voltage. Journal of Power Sources, 435, 226741.
6. Zhan, C., Gao, Y., & Wang, Q. (2018). A novel lithium-ion battery state
of charge estimation method based on incremental capacity and open-
circuit voltage. Applied Energy, 225, 298-309.
7. Yu, Y., Ren, H., & Hu, S. (2019). A novel battery SOC estimation
approach based on modified discrete extended Kalman filter and adaptive
forgetting factor. Energies, 12(17), 3303.
8. Llamas-Garro, I., & Stein, J. L. (2018). Enhanced Coulomb counting
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9. Yang, F., Sun, S., & Wang, J. (2017). A review of state of charge
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