Accumulator arrangement

• US 20080007201A1
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hoppecke Batterien GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Hoppecke Batterien GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ohms, Detlef, Markolf, Rainer, Riegel, Bernhard, Cattaneo, Eduardo
• Application Number:
  US11/801,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20080007201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/103
• 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 10/06 Lead-acid accumulators semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention relates to an accumulator arrangement with accumulators that can be operated in parallel, and also to a method for operating the accumulator arrangement according to the invention. The present invention is based on the problem of improving the exploitation of the capacity of an accumulator and of accumulator arrangements. As a solution the present invention proposes that the accumulator arrangement is configured in such a way that at least one lead-acid accumulator with a large internal resistance and at least one accumulator with a basic electrolyte respectively a sealed lead accumulator with a small internal resistance are operable in parallel.

Claims

1. An accumulator arrangement comprising:

accumulators which are adapted for parallel operation, and

wherein the accumulator arrangement is configured in such a way that at least two accumulators are operable in parallel, with internal resistances that a clearly different from each other.

2. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the accumulator with a small internal resistance is an accumulator having a basic electrolyte, especially a nickel-metal hydride or nickel-cadmium accumulator.

3. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the accumulator with the small internal resistance is a maintenance-free glass mat lead accumulator having a prismatic or winding cell structure.

4. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 wherein one electrode at least of an accumulator is formed by a fibre structure electrode.

5. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 wherein one accumulator is a lithium-ion accumulator.

6. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a number of cells of the accumulator having the basic electrolyte is smaller than or equal to twice the number of cells of the lead-acid accumulator.

7. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the capacity of the accumulator with the smaller internal resistance amounts to approx 5% to 70%, preferably 10% to 50% and most preferably 15% to 35% of the capacity of the accumulator with the larger internal resistance.

8. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a control unit.

9. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a computer unit.

10. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a controllable switching unit.

11. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 10 wherein the switching unit is connectible to a charging unit.

12. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 11 wherein the charging unit has adjustable charging characteristics.

13. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a frame.

14. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 13 wherein the frame includes a handle.

15. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising quick-connecting contacts.

16. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising an operating condition indicator.

17. A method for operating an accumulator arrangement comprising operating at least two accumulators with mutually clearly different internal resistances in parallel for the energy supply of an electric system which is connectible to the accumulator arrangement.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the energy supply of the electric system takes place substantially through the accumulator with the small internal resistance.

19. The method according to claim 17 wherein a state variable of the accumulator is detected.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the state variable is memorized.

21. The method according to claim 17 wherein the accumulator with the smaller internal resistance is charged by the accumulator with the larger internal resistance.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein discharging and/or charging of the accumulators is controlled by means of a control unit.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein discharging and/or charging of the accumulators is controlled in dependence of the state variable.