2. Naming Conventions

When working with battery systems, it is vital to use consistent wording. The naming conventions used throughout this documentation for the parts of a battery system are illustrated in Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1 Naming conventions for battery system elements

• A battery cell or cell is the smallest unit in a battery system. It has one positive terminal and one negative terminal.

• Battery cells are usually connected in parallel to enhance the current capability of the system.

• Battery cells connected in parallel form a (cell-)block.

• Cells or cell blocks put in series form a battery module.

• Several modules connected in series form a string.

• Several strings connected in parallel form a battery pack.

• The highest unit is the battery system. It is formed by the conjunction of a battery pack and a battery junction box (BJB). The BJB contains the elements used to control the current flow like power contactors and fuses.