IDENTIFYING AND AMERLIORATING A DETERIORATING CONDITION FOR BATTERY NETWORKS IN-SITU

• US 20120084032A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biourja Energy Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Global Energy Innovations, Inc. (GEI Global Energy Corp.)
• Inventors: McHardy, John, Chait, Stanley, Chatt, Paul Nicholas, Salloux, Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/385 Arrangements for measuring battery or accumulator variables for monitoring G01R31/382
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/396 Acquisition or processing of data for testing or for monitoring individual cells or groups of cells within a battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/121 Valve regulated lead acid batteries [VRLA]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• 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

A temperature is measured for each terminal of the battery unit. The magnitude and sign of a temperature differential is calculated from the temperatures. The temperature differential is then correlated to a deteriorating condition of the battery unit.

Claims

1. A method, in a battery testing device, for determining conditions in a battery unit in-situ based on a temperature differential between terminals, comprising:

measuring a temperature for each terminal of the battery unit;

calculating a magnitude and a sign of a temperature differential; and

correlating the temperature differential to a deteriorating condition of the battery unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the temperature comprises:

measuring the temperature for each terminal of the battery unit using at least one of an infrared device and a thermocouple.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the temperature comprises:

measuring the temperature the temperature differential during float charging at a low current.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

responsive to the measurement during float charge, confirming the measurement by measuring a temperature differential during at least one of a high current charge or a high current discharge.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring impedance characteristics, wherein correlating comprises correlating a combination of the temperature differential and impedance characteristics to the deteriorating condition of the battery unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature differential is based on a higher temperature in the positive terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating the temperature differential comprises:

correlating a history of temperature differentials associated with the batter unit to the deteriorating condition.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the deteriorating condition, automatically taking an action to ameliorate the deteriorating condition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically taking an action comprises:

responsive to the deteriorating condition, automatically taking an action to ameliorate the deteriorating condition without disturbing operation of the battery unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery unit comprises a VRLA battery unit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the deteriorating condition comprises at least one of grid corrosion and thermal runaway.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the battery unit comprises at least one of a single-cell battery, a cell from a multi-cell battery, and a single battery from a network of batteries.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuously monitoring the temperature differential with an embedded device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly checking the temperature differential with a mobile device.

15. A battery testing device to determine conditions in a battery unit in-situ based on a temperature differential between terminals, comprising:

a temperature measuring device, coupled to each terminal of the battery unit, to measure a temperature of each terminal; and

an analyzing engine to calculate a magnitude and a sign of a temperature differential, and to correlate the temperature differential to a deteriorating condition of the battery unit.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the temperature measuring device comprises at least one of an infrared device and a thermocouple.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the temperature measuring device measures the temperature the temperature differential during float charging at a low current.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

an impedance measuring device to measure the impedance characteristics, wherein the analyzing engine correlates a combination of the temperature differential and impedance characteristics to the deteriorating condition of the battery unit.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the deteriorating condition comprises at least one of grid corrosion and thermal runaway.

20. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product for, when executed by a processor, performing a method for determining conditions in a battery unit in-situ based on a temperature differential between terminals, the method comprising:

measuring a temperature for each terminal of the battery unit;

calculating a magnitude and a sign of a temperature differential; and

correlating the temperature differential to a deteriorating condition of the battery unit.