System and method for controlling operation of a metal-air battery

• US 10,193,201 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phinergy Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Phinergy Ltd.
• Inventors: Yadgar, Avraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US14/413,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20150171495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 324426
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 in response to temperature
• 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 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/635 based on ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/38 of elements or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A system and method for controlling operation a metal-air battery are provided. A system and method for controlling operation a metal-air battery may include controlling a current drawn from the battery; and controlling a temperature of the battery. A system and method may draw a preconfigured amount of power from a metal-air battery, and draw power from a rechargeable device when power required is greater than the preconfigured power.

Claims

1. A method of controlling operation of a metal-air battery, the method comprising:

controlling a current drawn from the metal-air battery and a temperature of the metal-air battery by controlling a temperature of electrolyte included in the metal-air battery and by controlling a circulation of the electrolyte included in the metal-air battery until the metal-air battery operates according to a profile,

wherein the profile defines at least one of;

an energetic utilization ratio, power, an electrolyte utilization value and a corrosion rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an age of an electrolyte included in the battery and controlling, based on the age of the electrolyte, at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of the electrolyte and voltage provided by the battery.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery, such that a predefined ratio between an amount of metal consumed in an electrochemical reaction and a total amount of metal in the battery is maintained.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery such that a predefined corrosion rate of metal included in the battery is maintained.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery to maximize an amount of energy drawn from the battery per volume unit of electrolyte included in the battery.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery to minimize a rate by which metal is dissolved in electrolyte included in the battery.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a temperature of the battery includes controlling a circulation of electrolyte included in the battery.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

prior to activating the battery, determining an age of an electrolyte included in the battery; and

setting the temperature of the electrolyte according to a profile.

9. A system comprising:

a metal-air battery; and

a controller, the controller configured to;

control a current drawn from the metal-air battery and a temperature of the metal-air battery by controlling a temperature of electrolyte included in the metal-air battery and by controlling a circulation of the electrolyte included in the metal-air battery until the metal-air battery operates according to a profile,

wherein the profile defines at least one of;

an energetic utilization ratio, power, an electrolyte utilization value and a corrosion rate.

10. The system of claim 9, comprising a rechargeable device, the system configured to:

draw a predefined power from the metal-air battery, the predefined power defined according to an average power requirement; and

draw power from the rechargeable device when power required by the electric car is greater than the predefined power.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery such that a predefined ratio between an amount of metal consumed in an electrochemical reaction and a total amount of metal in the battery is maintained.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery such that a predefined corrosion rate of metal included in the battery is maintained.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one of:

an electric current provided by the battery, a temperature of the battery, a temperature of an electrolyte and a voltage provided by the battery to maximize an amount of energy drawn from the battery per volume unit of electrolyte included in the battery.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to:

prior to activating the battery, determine an age of an electrolyte included in the battery; and

set the temperature of the electrolyte according to a profile.

15. A an electric vehicle comprising:

a metal-air battery;

rechargeable device; and

a controller, the controller configured to;

control a current drawn from the metal-air battery and a temperature of the metal-air battery by controlling a temperature of electrolyte included in the metal-air battery and by controlling a circulation of the electrolyte included in the metal-air battery until the metal-air battery operates according to a profile, and to set the power supplied to the electric vehicle according to the profile, the profile defines at least one of;

an energetic utilization ratio, a power rate, an electrolyte utilization value, and a corrosion rate.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 15, wherein when power required by the electric vehicle is less than a preconfigured power, the electric vehicle is configured to use power provided by the metal-air battery to charge the rechargeable device.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 15, wherein the capacity of the rechargeable device is designed to supply an average daily energy consumption of the electric vehicle and wherein the metal-air battery is designed to supply energy in excess of the average daily energy.