Power conversion systems for energy storage devices

• US 10,181,800 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambri
• Original Assignee: Ambri
• Inventors: Nayar, Hari, Such, Matthew Clayton, Bradwell, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Adam
• Application Number:
  US15/057,732
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 429102-104
• 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 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for electrically coupling energy storage devices to an external load or power source. Examples of such coupling include connecting energy storage devices to an electric power grid using a power conversion system with suitable characteristics including, for example, active/real power and reactive power control capabilities, response time, current, voltage, phase, frequency, fault protection and/or information exchange protocols. The power conversion system can include an inverter.

Claims

1. A power system, comprising:

an energy storage device comprising at least one electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte between the negative and positive electrodes, and wherein at least one of the negative electrode, positive electrode and electrolyte is in a liquid state at an operating temperature of the energy storage device of at least about 250°

C.; and

a power conversion system in electrical communication with the energy storage device and an external load or power source, wherein the power conversion system brings the energy storage device in electrical communication with the external load or power source, and wherein the power conversion system includes a bi-directional inverter that converts (i) alternating current (AC) power from the external load or power source to direct current (DC) power usable by the energy storage device, (ii) DC power from the energy storage device to AC power usable by the external load or power source, (iii) DC power from the external load or power source to DC power usable by the energy storage device, or (iv) DC power from the energy storage device to DC power usable by the external load or power source, wherein the inverter includes (1) an insulated-gate bipolar transistor that includes a DC capacitor and/or a DC inductor or (2) solid state switching and filtering devices to provide power conversion.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inverter is a single-phase or multi-phase pulse width modulated inverter that operates in a current-controlled mode or a voltage-controlled mode.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inverter includes an insulated-gate bipolar transistor that includes a DC capacitor and/or a DC inductor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the inverter includes solid state switching and filtering devices to provide power conversion.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein an inverter module is configured to be de-energized while balance of the power conversion system remains operational.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a module or series string of the energy storage device is electrically disconnected while balance of the energy storage device continues to operate.

2. A power system, comprising:

an energy storage device comprising at least one electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte between the negative and positive electrodes, and wherein at least one of the negative electrode, positive electrode and electrolyte is in a liquid state at an operating temperature of the energy storage device of at least about 250°

C.; and

a power conversion system in electrical communication with the energy storage device and an external load or power source, wherein the power conversion system brings the energy storage device in electrical communication with the external load or power source, wherein the power conversion system includes a bi-directional inverter that converts (i) alternating current (AC) power from the external load or power source to direct current (DC) power usable by the energy storage device, (ii) DC power from the energy storage device to AC power usable by the external load or power source, (iii) DC power from the external load or power source to DC power usable by the energy storage device, or (iv) DC power from the energy storage device to DC power usable by the external load or power source, wherein the power conversion system is configured to bring the energy storage device in electrical communication with the external load or power source in accordance with one or more performance characteristics of the energy storage device, and wherein the one or more performance characteristics are selected from the group consisting of active power (P) and reactive power (Q) control capabilities, response time, current, voltage, phase, frequency, fault protection and information exchange.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the external load or power source is a power grid.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein a response time of the energy storage device is at least about 2 times shorter than a response time of the power conversion system.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein:

in (iii), the DC power from the external load or power source is greater than or less than the DC power usable by the energy storage device;

or, in (iv), the DC power usable by the external load or power source is greater than or less than the DC power from the energy storage device.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the power conversion system has a response time of less than or equal to about 50 milliseconds.

18. The system of claim 2, wherein the inverter is a single-phase or multi-phase pulse width modulated inverter that operates in a current-controlled mode or a voltage-controlled mode.

19. The system of claim 2, wherein an inverter module is configured to be de-energized while balance of the power conversion system remains operational.

20. The system of claim 2, wherein a module or series string of the energy storage device is electrically disconnected while balance of the energy storage device continues to operate.

12. A power system, comprising:

an energy storage device comprising at least one electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, a positive electrode and an electrolyte between the negative and positive electrodes, and wherein at least one of the negative electrode, positive electrode and electrolyte is in a liquid state at an operating temperature of the energy storage device of at least about 250°

C.; and

a power conversion system in electrical communication with the energy storage device and an external load or power source, wherein the power conversion system includes a bi-directional inverter and a transformer on an AC side of the power conversion system, and wherein the power conversion system brings the energy storage device in electrical communication with the external load or power source such that a terminal voltage of the energy storage device does not exceed about 100 Volts (V).

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the external load or power source is a power grid, and wherein the system takes in energy from the power grid or outputs energy to the power grid.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the power conversion system is configured to (i) accept a voltage of less than or equal to about 100 V from the energy storage device, or (ii) deliver a voltage of less than or equal to about 100 V to the energy storage device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the bi-directional inverter is configured to (i) accept a voltage of less than or equal to about 100 V from the energy storage device, or (ii) deliver a voltage of less than or equal to about 100 V to the energy storage device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the power conversion system is configured to output a voltage enabling it to connect to low, medium or high voltage AC transmission/distribution systems.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the transformer allows the bi-directional inverter to be connected to low, medium or high voltage AC transmission/distribution systems.