Analysis and Design of a High Voltage Active Electric Accumulator

In more electrified vehicular and aerospace applications, higher voltage and energy battery systems are being used which employ large number of cells in parallel and series combinations. This may lead to: a) single point of failures, and b) safety and charge equalization issues that demand complex control and costly battery management methods. Furthermore, the output voltages of such batteries remain unregulated complicating the overall distribution and utilization of the electrical power system. To address these issues, this paper investigates the feasibility and limitations of a high voltage active electric accumulator with integrated power electronics for safe charge and discharge of energy for use in aerospace starter/generator systems.