ELECTRIC MOTOR VEHICLE AND REDOX FLOW MODULE AND CARTRIDGE THEREFOR

• US 20130293005A1
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pecnik, Hermann, Teuschl, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 9,358,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• 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 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/188 by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/20 Indirect fuel cells, e.g. fuel cells with redox couple being irreversible H01M8/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric motor vehicle with a drive motor, a first rechargeable battery with a first design and a second rechargeable battery with a second design. Electrical energy may be transferred bidirectionally between the drive motor and the first rechargeable battery, and at least unidirectionally from the second rechargeable battery to the drive motor or the first rechargeable battery. The second rechargeable battery in this case includes at least one redox flow cell. Furthermore, a redox flow module is provided with at least one redox flow cell, which includes an electrical coupling for connection to a circuit of a vehicle and a fluid coupling for connection to an electrolyte circuit of said vehicle.

Claims

1-37. -37. (canceled)

38. An electric motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive motor;

a first rechargeable battery having a first design, and configured such that electrical energy is transferable bi-directionally between the drive motor and the first rechargeable battery; and

a second rechargeable battery having a second design different than the first design, and configured such that electrical energy is transferable at least uni-directionally from the second rechargeable battery to one of the drive motor and the first rechargeable battery, the second rechargeable battery comprising at least one redox flow cell.

39. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, wherein the first rechargeable battery comprises lithium-ion cells and/or lithium polymer cells.

40. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, wherein electrical energy is transferable bi-directionally between the second rechargeable battery and one of the drive motor and the first rechargeable battery.

41. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a controller configured to transfer electrical energy from the second rechargeable battery to the first rechargeable battery when an energy content of the first rechargeable battery is lower than a maximum energy content of the first rechargeable battery minus a first predeterminable differential energy content.

42. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a controller configured to transfer electrical energy from the first rechargeable battery to the second rechargeable battery when an energy content of the first rechargeable battery is greater than a maximum energy content of the first rechargeable battery minus a second predeterminable differential energy content.

43. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, wherein the controller is configured to charge the first rechargeable battery and the second rechargeable battery in a charging operation from an electrical power supply system up to the maximum energy content of the first and second rechargeable batteries minus the first differential energy content or the second differential energy content.

44. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a controller configured to charge the first rechargeable battery in a charging operation from an electrical power supply system up to a maximum energy content of the first rechargeable battery minus one of a first differential energy content and a second differential energy content.

45. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising:

an electrical coupling configured to connect a redox flow module comprising at least one redox flow cell, to a circuit of the motor vehicle; and

a fluid coupling configured to connect the redox flow module to an electrolyte circuit of the motor vehicle.

46. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a fluid coupling configured to connect a portable cartridge, which holds at least one electrolyte provided for the operation of the redox flow cell, to an electrolyte circuit of the motor vehicle.

47. The electric motor vehicle of claim 46, further comprising:

a tank for an electrolyte, which is provided for the operation of the redox flow cell, in the electrolyte cycle;

a bypass line for the tank; and

at least one valve in the electrolyte cycle for switching the electrolyte cycle optionally via one of the tank and the bypass line.

48. The electric motor vehicle of claim 46, further comprising at least one valve in the electrolyte cycle, which enables operation of the redox flow cell with the aid of one of an electrolyte stored in a vehicle-side tank and the electrolyte contained in the portable cartridge.

49. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a data interface configured to permit data interchange between the electric motor vehicle and one of a redox flow module and a cartridge.

50. The electric motor vehicle of claim 49, further comprising a mechanical coupling configured to lock one of the redox flow module and the cartridge on the vehicle.

51. The electric motor vehicle of claim 50, further comprising:

an electrical coupling configured to connect a redox flow module comprising at least one redox flow cell, to a circuit of the motor vehicle;

a fluid coupling configured to connect the redox flow module to an electrolyte circuit of the motor vehicle; and

a mechanical coupling configured to lock one of the redox flow module and the cartridge on the vehicle,

wherein at least one of the electrical coupling, the fluid coupling and the mechanical coupling are configured such that at least one of the redox flow module and the cartridge is connected without the use of a tool.

52. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising:

a plurality of electrical couplings configured to electrically connect at least one of a plurality of identical redox flow modules and a plurality of identical cartridges;

a plurality of fluid couplings configured to fluidically connect at least one of a plurality of identical redox flow modules and a plurality of identical cartridges;

a plurality of data interfaces configured to connect at least one of a plurality of identical redox flow modules and a plurality of identical cartridges; and

a plurality of mechanical couplings configured to mechanically connect at least one of a plurality of identical redox flow modules and a plurality of identical cartridges.

53. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising:

a plurality of electrical couplings configured to electrically connect at least one of a plurality of different redox flow modules and a plurality of different cartridges;

a plurality of fluid couplings configured to fluidically connect at least one of a plurality of different redox flow modules and a plurality of different cartridges;

a plurality of data interfaces configured to connect at least one of a plurality of different redox flow modules and a plurality of different cartridges; and

a plurality of mechanical couplings configured to mechanically connect at least one of a plurality of different redox flow modules and a plurality of different cartridges.

54. The electric motor vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a device configured to identify a number/type of redox flow modules and/or cartridges connected to the motor vehicle.

55. The electric motor vehicle of claim 45, further comprising a voltage converter arranged between the electrical coupling and an electrical power supply system of the motor vehicle.

56. The electric motor vehicle of claim 45, wherein the electrical coupling comprises connections for at least two different voltages of a redox flow module.

57. The electric motor vehicle of claim 45, further comprising at least one isolating relay arranged between the electrical coupling and an electrical power supply system of the vehicle.