Design and Hardware Validation of an Arduino-Based Passive Cell Balancing Technique for Battery Management

The paper focuses on the development, simulation, and practical implementation of a passive cell balancing methodology for lithium-ion batteries using the Arduino UNO microcontroller unit, addressing the critical need for efficient battery management in electric vehicles (EVs). Unequal state of charge (SOC) in battery cells within a battery pack leads to capacity reduction, overheating, and decreased performance, making cell balancing essential in the Battery Management System (BMS). The proposed method employs a passive cell balancing method which has a resistive load to dissipate excess energy from higher-voltage cells, thereby equalizing the SOC between two battery cells. The system’s design was validated through simulation using Proteus software and hardware implementation using 5-ohm 50W resistors, IRFZ44n MOSFETs and two numbers of 3.2V 2.6Ah lithium-ion battery cells. SOC and voltage levels were monitored and displayed via an OLED display in the prototype. The evaluation demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed passive balancing approach in ensuring extended battery life and enhanced performance. Unlike many studies, this work integrates simulation and hardware implementation, emphasizing practical feasibility. The proposed SOC estimation was enhanced using a combined Coulomb Counting, Voltage, and Kalman filter methods, improving accuracy and reliability.