Electrical energy supply methods and electrical energy power supplies

• US 20050266300A1
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valence Technology Incorporated (Lithium Werks B.V.)
• Original Assignee: Valence Technology Incorporated (Lithium Werks B.V.)
• Inventors: Cummings, John, Lamoreux, Joseph, Stone, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 7,719,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/054 Accumulators with insertion or intercalation of metals other than lithium, e.g. with magnesium or aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/502 Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Electrical energy supply methods and electrical energy power supplies are described. According to one aspect, an electrical energy supply method includes providing first and second battery assemblies individually configured to store electrical energy, coupling the first and second battery assemblies to form a unitary device configured to supply electrical energy to a load, charging one of the first and the second battery assemblies using electrical energy from a supply at a first moment in time, discharging electrical energy from the first and second battery assemblies to the load at a second moment in time, and disabling discharging of electrical energy from the other of the first and second battery assemblies during the charging.

Claims

1. An electrical energy supply method:

providing first and second battery assemblies individually configured to store electrical energy;

coupling the first and second battery assemblies to form a unitary device configured to supply electrical energy to a load;

charging one of the first and the second battery assemblies using electrical energy from a supply at a first moment in time;

discharging electrical energy from the first and second battery assemblies to the load at a second moment in time; and

disabling discharging of electrical energy from the other of the first and second battery assemblies during the charging.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising supplying electrical energy to a load using one of the battery assemblies before the coupling.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising disabling the discharging responsive to a quantity of discharged electrical energy exceeding a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising charging one of the first and the second battery assemblies using electrical energy of the other of the first and the second battery assemblies during an absence of electrical energy from the supply at a third moment in time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the charging using the electrical energy of the other of first and the second battery assemblies comprises charging at a rate less than charging using the electrical energy from the supply.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling disables the charging using the electrical energy from the other of the first and the second battery assemblies.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the charging comprises first charging, and further comprising second charging comprises charging both of the first and the second battery assemblies having substantially equal voltages at a third moment in time using electrical energy from the supply, and wherein the first charging comprises charging only the one of the first and second battery assemblies having a voltage less than a voltage of the other of the first and second battery assemblies at the first moment in time using electrical energy from the supply.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the coupling comprises mechanically coupling respective housings of the first and second battery assemblies to form the unitary device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

converting the electrical energy discharged from the first and the second battery assemblies to a desired one of a plurality of output voltages, wherein the desired one corresponds to the load; and

connecting the coupled first and the second battery assemblies to the load, and wherein the connecting specifies the desired one of the output voltages.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the first and the second battery assemblies is configured as an individual source configured to supply electrical energy to a load separate from the other of the first and the second battery assemblies.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the other of the first and the second battery assemblies is only configured to supply electrical energy to a load when coupled with the one of the first and the second battery assemblies.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling comprises disabling using control circuitry of the one of the first and second battery assemblies.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the first and the second battery assemblies including an electrochemical device comprising an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the first and the second battery assemblies including an electrochemical device comprising an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein M is V³⁺.

16. An electrical energy supply method:

providing first and second battery assemblies individually configured to store electrical energy;

coupling the first and second battery assemblies to form a unitary device configured to supply electrical energy to a load;

providing electrical energy to the coupled first and second battery assemblies using a supply;

charging only one of the coupled first and second battery assemblies using the electrical energy from the supply at a first moment in time; and

providing electrical energy stored using the first and the second battery assemblies to the load at a second moment in time.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising charging both of the coupled first and the second battery assemblies at a third moment in time using the electrical energy from the supply.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the one of the first and the second battery assemblies has a voltage lower than an other of the first and the second battery assemblies at the first moment in time and the voltages of the first and the second battery assemblies are substantially equal at the second and third moments in time.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the coupling comprises coupling power terminals of the first and the second battery assemblies, and the charging comprises charging only the one of the first and the second battery assemblies with the power terminals coupled.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising substantially directly electrically coupling electrochemical devices of the first and the second battery assemblies responsive to the first and the second battery assemblies having a substantially equal voltage and after the coupling of the power terminals.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising charging the one of the coupled first and second battery assemblies using electrical energy from the other of the coupled first and second battery assemblies in the absence of electrical energy from the supply.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising disabling the charging using the electrical energy from the other of the coupled first and second battery assemblies responsive to the providing the electrical energy using the supply.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the coupling comprises mechanically coupling respective housings of the first and second battery assemblies to form the unitary device.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising controlling the charging of the one of the coupled first and second battery assemblies using control circuitry of the other of the coupled first and second battery assemblies.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the first and the second battery assemblies including an electrochemical device comprising an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the first and the second battery assemblies including an electrochemical device comprising an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein M is V³⁺.

28. An electrical energy supply method:

providing first and second battery assemblies individually configured to store electrical energy;

coupling the first and second battery assemblies to form a unitary device configured to supply electrical energy to a load;

providing electrical energy from the battery assemblies to the load during an absence of electrical energy from a supply;

first charging one of the coupled battery assemblies having a voltage less than a voltage of the other of the coupled battery assemblies using electrical energy from the other of the battery assemblies;

providing electrical energy from a supply to the device during the first charging;

second charging the one of the battery assemblies using the electrical energy from the supply; and

disabling the first charging responsive to the providing the electrical energy from the supply.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the second charging comprises only charging the one of the coupled battery assemblies having a voltage less than the other of the coupled battery assemblies.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising third charging both of the coupled battery assemblies using electrical energy from the supply responsive to convergence of the voltages of the coupled battery assemblies.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the coupling comprises mechanically coupling respective housings of the first and second battery assemblies to form the unitary device.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the first and the second battery assemblies including an electrochemical device comprising an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein the providing comprises providing at least one of the first and the second battery assemblies including an electrochemical device comprising an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein M is V³⁺.

35. An electrical energy power supply comprising:

a first battery assembly comprising a housing and at least one electrochemical device configured to store electrical energy;

a second battery assembly comprising a housing and at least one electrochemical device configured to store electrical energy, wherein the housings are configured to be removably coupled with one another and to form a unitary device during coupling thereof;

a connector coupled with the first and second battery assemblies and configured to receive electrical energy from a supply; and

control circuitry configured to detect the presence of electrical energy from the supply and to control application of the electrical energy to only one of the first and the second battery assemblies responsive to the one of the first and the second battery assemblies having a voltage less than a voltage of the other of the first and the second battery assemblies.

36. The supply of claim 35 wherein the other of the first and the second battery assemblies comprises at least a portion of the control circuitry, and the control circuitry is configured to control at least one operation of the one of the first and the second battery assemblies.

37. The supply of claim 36 wherein the operation comprises the application of the electrical energy to the at least one electrochemical device of the one of the first and the second battery assemblies.

38. The supply of claim 35 wherein the one of the first and the second battery assemblies comprises an entirety of the control circuitry.

39. The supply of claim 35 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

40. The supply of claim 35 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.

41. The supply of claim 40 wherein M is V³⁺.

42. An electrical energy power supply comprising:

a first battery assembly comprising a housing and at least one electrochemical device configured to store electrical energy;

a second battery assembly comprising a housing and at least one electrochemical device configured to store electrical energy, wherein the housings are configured to be removably coupled with one another and to form a unitary device during coupling thereof; and

control circuitry configured to control charging of the electrochemical devices of the first and second battery assemblies to only use electrical energy from a supply at a first moment in time and to control charging of one of the first and second battery assemblies to only use electrical energy from the other of the first and second battery assemblies at a second moment in time.

43. The supply of claim 42 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

44. The supply of claim 42 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.

45. The supply of claim 44 wherein M is V³⁺.

46. An electrical energy power supply comprising:

a first battery assembly comprising a housing and at least one electrochemical device configured to store electrical energy;

a second battery assembly comprising a housing and at least one electrochemical device configured to store electrical energy, wherein the housings are configured to be removably coupled with one another and to form a unitary device during coupling thereof;

a voltage converter electrically coupled with the first and second battery assemblies and configured to convert electrical energy from the first and second battery assemblies to one of a plurality of output voltages; and

a connector configured to apply electrical energy from the voltage converter to a load and to define the one of the plurality of output voltages corresponding to the load.

47. The supply of claim 46 further comprising control circuitry configured to control charging of the first and second battery assemblies.

48. The supply of claim 47 wherein the housing of one of the first and second battery assemblies comprises at least a portion of the control circuitry configured to control at least one operation with respect to charging and discharging of the at least one electrochemical device of the other of the first and second battery assemblies.

49. The supply of claim 46 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

50. The supply of claim 46 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.

51. The supply of claim 50 wherein M is V³⁺.

52. An electrical energy power supply comprising:

a first battery assembly comprising;

an electrical connector;

at least one electrochemical storage device configured to store electrical energy; and

a first housing including a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one side surface between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the at least one side surface has a smallest dimension less than a smallest dimension of the top surface and the bottom surface;

a second battery assembly comprising;

an electrical connector configured to electrically connect with the electrical connector of the first battery assembly;

at least one electrochemical storage device configured to store electrical energy; and

a second housing including a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one side surface between the top surface and the bottom surface of the second housing, wherein the at least one side surface has a smallest dimension less than a smallest dimension of the top surface and the bottom surface of the second housing; and

at least one support member configured to mechanically couple the housings of the first and the second battery assemblies to form a unitary device.

53. The supply of claim 52 wherein the at least one support member is configured to extend a distance substantially equal to largest dimensions of respective ones of the side surfaces of the first and second battery assemblies.

54. The supply of claim 52 wherein the support member is configured to establish a load-bearing junction along substantially an entirety of the distance.

55. The supply of claim 52 wherein the at least one support member has a thickness approximately equal to or less than the smallest dimension of the side surfaces.

56. The supply of claim 52 wherein the electrical connectors are formed in respective ones of the side surfaces of the first and the second battery assemblies.

57. The supply of claim 52 wherein the top surface is substantially flat.

58. The supply of claim 52 wherein the top surfaces of the housings form a planar surface during coupling of the first and the second battery assemblies and configured to evenly support a load thereover.

59. The supply of claim 58 wherein the top surfaces define a footprint of the power supply, and wherein substantially an entirety of the top surfaces are planar within the footprint.

60. The supply of claim 58 wherein no portion of the first and second housings extend elevationally above the planar surface.

61. The supply of claim 52 wherein at least one of the first and second battery assemblies comprises control circuitry configured to control at least one operation of the other of the first and second battery assemblies.

62. The supply of claim 61 wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the at least one operation with respect to one of charging and discharging the at least one electrochemical device of the other of the first and second battery assemblies.

63. The supply of claim 52 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aMPO₄,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

1; and

(ii) M=MI_n-pMII_o, wherein o=p, 0<

o≦

0.5, MI is iron (Fe), and MII is selected from the group consisting of Be²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, and mixtures thereof.

64. The supply of claim 52 wherein at least one of the electrochemical devices comprise an electrode active material represented by the general formula:

A_aM_m(PO₄)₃,

wherein;

(i) A is Li, and 0<

a≦

5, and

(ii) M is selected from the group consisting of Ti³⁺, V³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mo³⁺, Nb³⁺, and mixtures thereof, and 1<

m≦

3; and

wherein A, M, a and m are selected so as to maintain electroneutrality of the electrode active material.