SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING TEMPERATURES OF BATTERIES

• US 20160195437A1
• Filed: 01/07/2015
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Georgeson, Gary E., Safai, Morteza
• Granted Patent: US 10,352,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/125 using changes in reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2205/00 Application of thermometers in motors, e.g. of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• 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 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A method for monitoring a temperature of a battery is provided. The method includes applying a thermochromatic coating to a surface of the battery. The method additionally includes directing electromagnetic radiation towards the thermochromatic coating, observing a thermochromatic response of the thermochromatic coating to the electromagnetic radiation, and identifying at least one portion of the battery that has experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature, based on the thermochromatic response.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a temperature of a battery, said method comprising:

applying a thermochromatic coating to a surface of a battery;

directing electromagnetic radiation towards the thermochromatic coating;

observing a thermochromatic response of the coating to the electromagnetic radiation; and

identifying at least one portion of the battery that has experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature, based on the thermochromatic response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the thermochromatic coating further comprises applying the thermochromatic coating to the surface of at least one of a battery container and a cell of the battery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the thermochromatic coating further comprises applying at least one of a thermochromatic paint and a thermochromatic tape to the surface of the battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the thermochromatic coating further comprises applying a thermochromatic coating that includes first probes that fluoresce in association with a first threshold temperature and second probes that fluoresce in association with a second threshold temperature that is different from the first threshold temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein directing electromagnetic radiation further comprises directing ultraviolet light towards the thermochromatic coating.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein observing the thermochromatic response further comprises generating an image of the surface using an imaging device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of images of the surface over a time period; and

identifying a heating pattern in the stored plurality of images.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein observing the thermochromatic response further comprises detecting a change in a color or an intensity of the thermochromatic response.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the portion of the battery experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature; and

replacing at least the portion of the battery in response to the determination.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing the battery in an aircraft.

11. A system for use in monitoring temperatures experienced by a battery, said system comprising:

a battery including at least one cell;

a container containing said battery;

a thermochromatic coating applied to at least one of said battery, said at least one cell, and said container, wherein said thermochromatic coating includes a plurality of probes that, when exposed to a predefined frequency range of electromagnetic radiation, emit a thermochromatic response that indicates a temperature that each respective probe reached during a predefined time period.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said probes include first probes that are configured to fluoresce with a first color in association with a first threshold temperature and second probes that are configured to fluoresce with a second color in association with a second threshold temperature, wherein the first color is different from the second color and the first threshold temperature is different from the second threshold temperature.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said battery is installed in an aircraft.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said battery is a lithium ion battery.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said coating includes at least one of a thermochromatic paint and a thermochromatic tape.

16. A system for monitoring temperatures experienced by a battery, said system comprising:

a monitoring computing device including a processor, said monitoring computing device configured to;

receive one or more images of a thermochromatic coating of at least one of a battery container, a battery, and a battery cell, wherein the thermochromatic coating is emitting a thermochromatic response;

identify, in the one or more images, at least one of a color and an intensity of a portion of the thermochromatic coating; and

determine, from the at least one of the color and the intensity, that the portion experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to generate a heating history based at least in part on the one or more images.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to identify at least one pattern in the heating history.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to:

display the one or more images using an output device; and

visually identify in the one or more images that the portion experienced a temperature above a predefined threshold temperature.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said monitoring computing device is further configured to generate a recommendation to replace the portion in response to determining that the portion experienced the temperature above the predefined threshold temperature.