Safety method, device and system for an energy storage device

• US 20050029990A1
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Original Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Inventors: Comarow, David, Tsukamoto, Hisashi, Kishiyama, Clay
• Granted Patent: US 7,592,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/446 Initial charging measures
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/00 Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method, device and system is disclosed for rapidly and safely discharging remaining energy stored in an electrochemical battery 104 in the event of an internal short circuit or other fault. In its best mode of implementation, if a sensor 116 detects one or more parameters such as battery temperature 204 or pressure 206, exceeding a predetermined threshold value 334, the terminals 144 of the battery or cell are intentionally short-circuited external to the battery through a low or near zero resistance load 150 which rapidly drains energy from the battery 104. Heat generated by such rapid drain is absorbed by a heat absorbing material 151 such as an endothermic phase-change material like paraffin. The rate energy is drained via the external discharge load 150 may be controlled with an electronic circuit 136 responsive to factors such as state of charge and battery temperature. Devices such as inductive charging coils 160, piezoelectric and Peltier devices 300, may also be used as emergency energy discharge loads. Heat absorption material 163 may be used to protect adjacent issue in medically-implanted devices.

Claims

1-38. -38. (cancelled).

39. A method for discharging a battery comprising:

monitoring one or more operating states of a battery;

discharging energy stored in the battery in response to the one or more operating states failing to meet one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein an operating state failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state crossing a threshold.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the operating states to one or more of the parameters.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

determining whether one or more of the operating states fails to meet the one or more parameters.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein discharging the energy stored in the battery includes converting the stored energy from one form of energy into another form of energy.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein discharging the energy stored in the battery includes converting the stored energy from electrical to one or more of the following energy forms:

heat, electromagnetic radiation, kinetic, potential, and chemical.

45. The method of in claim 39, wherein at least one of the one or more operating states is selected from the group consisting of voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature, rate of change in temperature, impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of bulging of battery enclosure.

46. The method of in claim 39, wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is a function of at least one of the following:

voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature, rate of change in temperature, impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in amount of bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of amount of bulging of battery enclosure.

47. The method of in claim 39, wherein the discharge of energy from the battery is a function of at least one of the following:

voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature, rate of change in temperature, impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in amount of bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of amount of bulging of battery enclosure.

48. The method of claim 39, wherein the energy is discharged from the battery in direct proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

49. The method of claim 39, wherein the energy is discharged from the battery in inverse proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

50. The method of claim 39, wherein the energy is pulsed during discharge of the energy from the battery.

51. The method of claim 39, wherein discharging energy stored in the battery includes adjusting resistance of a resistor, the resistor being configured to control the rate of energy discharge from the battery.

52. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

initiating a notification signal after the one or more operating states fail to meet the one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

53. The method of claim 39, wherein the energy is discharged to an energy discharge device.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the energy discharge device includes a heat absorption material (HAM).

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the energy discharge device includes a coil.

56. An energy discharge system, comprising:

electronics configured to monitor one or more operating states of a battery and to initiate discharge of energy stored in the battery in response to the one or more operating states failing to meet one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state crossing a threshold.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein an operating state failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state rising above a threshold.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein an operating state failing to meet the one or more parameters includes the operating state falling below a threshold.

60. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are further configured to compare at least one of the operating states to the one or more of the parameters.

61. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are further configured to determine whether one or more of the operating states fails to meet the one or more parameters.

62. The system of claim 56, wherein at least one of the one or more operating states is selected from the group consisting of voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature and rate of change in temperature.

63. The system of claim 56, wherein at least one of the one or more operating states is selected from the group consisting of impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of bulging of battery enclosure.

64. The system of claim 56, wherein at least one of the one or more operating states is selected from the group consisting of voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature, rate of change in temperature, impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of bulging of battery enclosure.

65. The system of claim 56, wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is a function of at least one of the following:

voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature or rate of change in temperature.

66. The system of claim 56, wherein at least one of the one or more parameters is a function of at least one of the following:

impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of amount of bulging of battery enclosure.

67. The system of claim 56, wherein the discharge of energy from the battery is a function of at least one of the following:

voltage, change in voltage, rate of change in voltage, current, change in current, rate of change in current, state of charge, change in state of charge, rate of change in state of charge, temperature, change in temperature, rate of change in temperature, impedance, change in impedance, rate of change in impedance, pressure, change in pressure, rate of change in pressure, electrolyte pH, electrolyte specific gravity, amount of bulging of battery enclosure, change in amount of bulging of battery enclosure, and rate of change of amount of bulging of battery enclosure.

68. The system of claim 56, further comprising:

an energy discharge device configured to receive the energy discharged from the battery.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the energy discharge device is configured to convert the energy from electrical energy into another form of energy.

70. The system of claim 68, wherein the energy discharge device is configured to convert the energy from electrical energy into one or more of the following energy forms:

heat, electromagnetic radiation, kinetic, potential, and chemical.

71. The system of claim 68, wherein the energy discharge device includes a heat absorption material (HAM).

72. The system of claim 68, wherein the energy discharge device includes a coil.

73. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are configured to discharge the energy from the battery in direct proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

74. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are configured to discharge the energy from the battery in inverse proportion to the quantity of energy remaining in the battery.

75. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are configured to pulse the energy during discharge of the energy from the battery.

76. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are configured to adjust resistance of a resistor during discharge of the energy from the battery, the resistor being configured to control the rate of energy discharge from the battery.

77. The system of claim 56, wherein the electronics are configured to initiate a notification signal after the one or more operating states fail to meet the one or more parameters that indicate safety of the battery.