Portable and modular energy storage for multiple applications

• US 10,147,984 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SynCells, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SynCells, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Hora, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhanu, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kebede, Tessema
• Application Number:
  US15/621,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20170279170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 320128
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/18 against thermal overloads, e.g. heating, cooling or ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 : Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 : acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 : characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 : with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/005 : Detection of state of health [SOH]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 : with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 : using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 : Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A removable modular energy pack may include a first housing, and one or more energy cells. The modular energy pack may also include a processing system that aggregates power from the plurality of energy cells, and a first interface that communicates a status of the modular energy pack to a second housing. The modular energy pack may further include a second interface that transmits the aggregated power to the second housing, and a thermal material enclosed in the first housing. A thermal material may be arranged in the housing adjacent to the plurality of energy cells to transfer heat away from the plurality of energy cells and to transfer the heat to the second housing.

Claims

1. A removable modular energy pack comprising:

a first housing;

a plurality of energy cells enclosed in the first housing;

a processing system enclosed in the housing that aggregates power from the plurality of energy cells;

a first interface that communicates a status of the modular energy pack to a second housing, wherein the second housing is configured to removably receive a plurality of modular energy packs;

a second interface that transmits the aggregated power from the plurality of energy cells from the processing system to the second housing, wherein the aggregated power from the plurality of energy cells is transmitted from the second housing to power a load that is external to the second housing; and

a thermally conductive material enclosed in the first housing, wherein the thermally conductive material is arranged in the housing adjacent to the plurality of energy cells to transfer heat away from the plurality of energy cells and to transfer the heat to the second housing, wherein the second housing comprises a thermally conductive fluid that is circulated around the modular energy pack to absorb the heat transferred from the modular energy pack and transfer the heat away from the modular energy pack.

2. The modular energy pack of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises an electrolyte.

3. The modular energy pack of claim 2, wherein the plurality of energy cells comprise an anode and a cathode, and wherein the electrolyte flows from the second housing into the first housing between the anode and the cathode.

4. The modular energy pack of claim 1, wherein the second housing comprises a plurality of openings, at least one of which is sealed by a blanking plate.

5. The modular energy pack of claim 1, wherein a layer of carbon nanotubes or graphene is disposed between the first housing and the second housing.

6. The modular energy pack of claim 1, further comprising an electronic screen that displays status information from the plurality of energy cells.

7. The modular energy pack of claim 1, wherein the second housing is flooded with the thermally conductive fluid when the modular energy pack is inserted into the second housing, and wherein the second housing is drained of the thermally conductive fluid before the modular energy pack is removed from the second housing.

8. The modular energy pack of claim 1, wherein the aggregated power from the plurality of energy cells is transmitted to a motor of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle.

9. The modular energy pack of claim 1, further comprising:

a first inlet valve that mates with a first outlet valve on the second housing, wherein the thermally conductive fluid is pumped from the second housing into the first inlet valve; and

a second outlet valve that mates with a second inlet valve on the second housing, wherein the thermally conductive fluid is pumped from the modular energy pack through the second outlet valve to the second housing.

10. The modular energy pack of claim 9, wherein:

the processing system comprises a temperature sensor; and

the processing system controls a flow of the thermally conductive fluid into the first housing based on temperature readings received from the temperature sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises an electrolyte.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of energy cells comprise an anode and a cathode, and wherein the electrolyte flows from the second housing into the first housing between the anode and the cathode.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second housing comprises a plurality of openings, at least one of which is sealed by a blanking plate.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a layer of carbon nanotubes or graphene is disposed between the first housing and the second housing.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the modular energy pack further comprises an electronic screen that displays status information from the plurality of energy cells.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second housing is flooded with the thermally conductive fluid when the modular energy pack is inserted into the second housing, and wherein the second housing is drained of the thermally conductive fluid before the modular energy pack is removed from the second housing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated power from the plurality of energy cells is transmitted to a motor of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the modular energy pack further comprises:

a first inlet valve that mates with a first outlet valve on the second housing, wherein the thermally conductive fluid is pumped from the second housing into the first inlet valve; and

a second outlet valve that mates with a second inlet valve on the second housing, wherein the thermally conductive fluid is pumped from the modular energy pack through the second outlet valve to the second housing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the processing system comprises a temperature sensor; and

the processing system controls a flow of the thermally conductive fluid into the first housing based on temperature readings received from the temperature sensor.

11. A method of providing power through a modular energy pack, the method comprising:

inserting the modular energy pack into a second housing, wherein the second housing is configured to removably receive a plurality of modular energy packs;

communicating, through a first interface of the modular energy pack, a status of the modular energy pack to the second housing;

aggregating, through a processing system of the modular energy pack, power from a plurality of energy cells enclosed in a first housing;

providing, through a second interface of the modular energy pack, the aggregated power from the plurality of energy cells from the processing system to the second housing, wherein the aggregated power from the plurality of energy cells is transmitted from the second housing to power a load that is external to the second housing; and

transferring heat away from the plurality of energy cells using a thermally conductive material enclosed in the first housing, wherein the thermally conductive material is arranged in the housing adjacent to the plurality of energy cells to transfer heat away from the plurality of energy cells and to transfer the heat to the second housing, wherein the second housing comprises a thermally conductive fluid that is circulated around the modular energy pack to absorb the heat transferred from the modular energy pack and transfer the heat away from the modular energy pack.