Electrochemical storage device having a state detector

• US 10,122,051 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kuhne, Michael, Schuh, Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Chandler, Kaity V
• Application Number:
  US14/898,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20160141732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/399 Cells with molten salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An electrochemical storage device including a state detector, has an electrochemical storage device, which has a wall that surrounds an electrochemical storage material. The state detector has at least one ultrasonic transmitter and at least one ultrasonic receiver, which are attached to the side of the wall facing away from the electrochemical storage material. The electrochemical storage material is subject to a volume change during operation of the storage device, and the electrochemical storage material is liquid during operation of the storage device and is in direct contact with the wall and the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver are attached to the wall in such a way that the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver are acoustically coupled to the wall.

Claims

1. An electrochemical storage device having a state detector, comprising

an electrochemical storage device, which has a wall enclosing an electrochemical storage material, wherein the state detector has at least one ultrasound emitter and at least one ultrasound receiver, which are attached on an exterior side of the wall, and wherein the electrochemical storage material is subject to a volume change during operation of the storage device,

wherein the electrochemical storage material is provided in a liquid form and is in direct contact with the wall during operation of the storage device, and the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are attached on the wall such that they are acoustically coupled to the wall,

wherein the ultrasound emitter is configured to output an emission signal in a direction extending along the side of the wall, wherein the direction is either towards a top or a bottom of the electrochemical storage device, wherein the ultrasound receiver is configured to receive a response signal and wherein the state detector further includes an analysis circuit configured to analyze the response signal to ascertain a state of the electrochemical storage material.

2. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrochemical storage material is a metal.

3. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 2,

wherein a melting point of the metal is not greater than 150°

C.

4. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall is a metal.

5. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the wall is a metal alloy, and wherein a melting point of the metal alloy is greater than 800°

C.

6. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in a case of complete charge of the storage device defines a first fill level, and the ultrasound emitter or the ultrasound receiver is attached at a first location of the wall, wherein the first location of the wall is located above the first fill level.

7. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in a case of complete operational discharge of the storage device defines a second fill level, and the ultrasound emitter or the ultrasound receiver is attached at a second location of the wall, wherein the second location of the wall is located below the second fill level.

8. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are unified in one component.

9. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the state detector is designed to be operated in chirp operation.

10. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein at least one of the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver is designed as a piezoelectric component.

11. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the electrochemical storage device is designed as a metal-metal halogenide storage device.

12. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the direction is in a direction towards the ultrasound receiver attached on the side of the wall.

13. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are unified in one component.

14. A method for operating an electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising:

output of the emission signal by the ultrasound emitter;

reception of the response signal by the ultrasound receiver;

analysis of the response signal using the analysis circuit to ascertain the state of the electrochemical storage material in the liquid form.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the emission signal has a plurality of different ultrasonic frequencies.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15,

wherein the emission signal is designed as a ramp over a predetermined frequency range.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the analysis of the response signal relates to at least one of a time curve between the emission signal and the response signal, a phase shift between the emission signal and the response signal, and a damping of the response signal in relation to the emission signal.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the state of the electrochemical storage material is the fill level of the electrochemical storage material.

19. An electrochemical storage device having a state detector, comprising:

an electrochemical storage device, which has a wall enclosing an electrochemical storage material, wherein the state detector has at least one ultrasound emitter and at least one ultrasound receiver, which are attached on an exterior side of the wall, and wherein the electrochemical storage material is subject to a volume change during operation of the storage device,

wherein the electrochemical storage material is provided in a liquid form and is in direct contact with the wall during operation of the storage device, and the ultrasound emitter and the ultrasound receiver are attached on the wall such that they are acoustically coupled to the wall,

wherein the ultrasound emitter is configured to output an emission signal in a direction along the side of the wall, wherein the direction is either towards a top or a bottom of the electrochemical storage device, wherein the ultrasound receiver is configured to receive a response signal and wherein the state detector further includes an analysis circuit configured to analyze the response signal to ascertain a fill level electrochemical storage material in the storage device;

and wherein the analysis circuit is configured to analyze a first response signal to ascertain a first fill level of the electrochemical storage material and wherein the analysis circuit is further configured to analyze a second response signal different than the first response signal to ascertain a second fill level different than the first fill level of the electrochemical storage material.

20. The electrochemical storage device as claimed in claim 19,

wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in a case of complete charge of the storage device defines the first fill level, and

wherein, during operation of the storage device, the volume change of the electrochemical storage material in a case of complete operational discharge of the storage device defines the second fill level.